Let the new season’s light SHINE IN
Thick, lined curtains are great for warmth in winter but come spring, it’s time for lighter, brighter rooms. Here’s all you need to know about sheers from curtain experts, Russells Curtains & Blinds
What are sheers? Sheer curtains create a soft and airy look working to filter light, diffuse UV and retain privacy during the day. Some are easy to see through while others are more opaque and offer more privacy.
Russells offers a range of custom-made sheer curtains in neutrals or colours, plain and patterned. These are made in a variety of styles including voile, which has a tight weave and soft sheen; chiffon or organza, which has a glamorous luxe appearance; cotton and linen blends for that relaxed and chic feel; and robust polyesters to provide better fade resistance, making it a good choice for very sunny rooms.
How to style them. Sheers look gorgeous on their own, although this is better for non-living areas (e.g. hallways, entryways, stairwells) that don’t need insulating or light blocking. In rooms where a day and night window furnishing is necessary, sheers can be used on a double track in front of blockout lining, behind blockout curtains, or over top of a blockout roller, honeycomb or venetian blinds.
Different curtains for different looks. The pleat style refers to the way the curtain is sewn at the top, which dictates how the curtain drapes. A pencil pleat works well for translucent fabrics as it gathers tightly in petite ruffles for better privacy and light filtering. For fabrics with medium opaqueness, try a double or triple pleat as it will add fullness to your curtains.
Express your style through pattern. Sheer fabrics come in all colours and a huge array of patterns, from a classic stripe to something botanic or even geometric. Mill Bay by Warwick features a modern leaf design across an organic textured cotton-blend fabric. Or for something romantic, try the watercolour floral print of Sofia, from the Russells Range. And for a more sustainable sheer fabric, Madrid from the Russells Eco Range is a lightweight 100 percent recycled polyester that repurposes 16 plastic bottles per metre of fabric.
Something a bit different. Russells Premium Veri Shades® are a curtain/ vertical blind hybrid, only without the connecting chains at the bottom. They have a sheer weave pattern engineered to support the heavier solid fabric on either side in a soft curve, without slumping or twisting. Turn one way for privacy and to filter light through the opaque fabric and the other way to let in more light through the mesh fabric.