Curtain Trends for 2012 and Beyond

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Having trouble finding a curtain fabric to go with your favourite Resene colour? Then the new Resene Curtain Collection may be just what you need.

From sumptuous silks to natural fibres, curtains are enjoying a renaissance. Modern interior design trends see a fresh appreciation for the room-changing, style-defining powers of curtains, and exciting new fabrics in contemporary colours are hitting the shops. Conjure up the dreamiest, most sleekest and uplifting designs and you have this season’s new curtain collection – fabrics that can change a room as much as the impact of paint.

“Instead of feature walls, now you have people using curtains as the feature colour in a room or a dramatic design statement within a room,” says Bianca Gardiner, product manager for home furnishing company Mollers. “We’re seeing this renaissance for full, luscious drapes that fill up the room and add softness as well. You can combine those with blinds or sheers, but using curtains really dresses up a room.”

Resene’s 2012 curtain range, developed in partnership with Mollers, delivers the kind of cosiness, casual elegance, vibrancy and mood-enhancing effects that homeowners seek in today’s uncertain economy, with bold patterns, fresh colours, and unique textures all designed with the wow factor in mind.

“That is definitely something we consider when putting together the Resene range,” says Bianca. “We always have several designs that have real dramatic appeal.”

Thirteen new designs and 37 colours have been added to the Resene Curtain Collection for 2012, all specifically designed to match Resene’s popular paint colours. Each fabric, while carefully selected to reflect current trends, co-ordinates with three suggested Resene paint colours – making the whole process of choosing matching paints and fabrics a breeze.

“It makes it nice and easy for people,” says Bianca. “You know exactly which colours go with what. Even with existing room colours, you might say, ‘I’ve got Resene Tea in my house – which curtain could I put in there that would work?’”

Comfortable fabrics with luxurious finishes are among the trends for 2012, with four distinct themes coming through: romantic, contemporary, classic and retro. Among those, sophistication takes centre stage, with the inclusion of multi-dimensional fabrics, some with pleating and crushing, others with raised surfaces to add texture.

“We have fabrics that were done with more of a romantic look with that kind of silk look to them, and mixed with embroidery, which gives a kind of luxurious richness,” says Bianca. “We’ve also got subtle sheens in some of the fabrics, and an ombré effect with a couple. For example, Maze is one of the really modern, contemporary designs, which also has an ombré effect to it. You get this kind of tonal blend in the curtain. It looks really amazing.”

While layers of silky fabric and romantic designs are strong trends for the season, gender neutral and retro persuasions are trickling through too.

“Because there’s this influence of retro coming through in our home furnishings,” says Bianca, “we’re tried to incorporate designs in the range that have that quite retro look that would work with the furnishings that people are starting to buy.”

Think foliage motifs, and abstract and geometrical patterns – all of which are luxuriously chic, yet inviting and comfortable. That’s particularly important in today’s economy, where homeowners yearn for security, taking comfort in objects that remind them of happier times.

To some extent, the Resene Curtain Collection is influenced by European trends, but all designs have been reinterpreted for the New Zealand market and lifestyle. And that shows through in the colour palette. As New Zealanders have a real affinity for natural earthy tones, the 2012 fabric colour range extends to silver greys, cool neutrals and taupe charcoals.

“Those kind of colours are starting to dominate and they’re very popular in New Zealand,” says Bianca. “Our environment is very natural, so those subtler colours work well in our homes. But then there are always shots of vibrant reds included in the Resene range.”

In fact, each design includes a number of different colourways to suit every possible taste.

“There are a lot of different styles in the New Zealand home,” says Bianca. “You’ve got people who live on the coast, who may be looking for greys or something quite contemporary. Then we’ve got those who live more inland in rural areas who may want different colours and textures because they have that different lifestyle. Certain colours that appeal to them would not appeal to someone who’s living in Auckland.”

The fabric design called Frequency, for example, has three colourways, the ultra-modern Hydra and Charcoal and the more classic yet still contemporary Naturalle. Each has the same spotted design that follows a path of twists and curves, yet the various colours for each fabric offers a completely different look.

“There are also really dramatic ones like Tease and Beacon, both of which feature an amazing red in one of the colourways,” says Bianca. “But then we have a subtler kind of blue-toned colourway. So we make sure we’ve got impact and we’ve also got things that are really liveable.”

Textures are another hot option in the Resene collection, with raised surfaces, embroidered effects and contrasts of smooth and bumpy providing visual punch. As well, several of the Resene fabrics contain a mixture of different fibres, including flax fibre.

“We’re finding that people are looking for a natural influence,” says Bianca. “They always want dramatic, lush looking curtains, but they’re also now asking for things that have a little bit more natural content to them. We have Designite which contains linen and Lyrical which contains flax fibre.

The Resene Curtain Collection is available as custom-made pencil pleat curtains from Resene ColorShops or you can get your curtain specialist to produce drapery and soft furnishings to suit your requirements.  

“Pencil pleat is always really popular in New Zealand,” says Bianca, “because a lot of people have tracks in their homes that fit pencil pleat curtains. But eyelets can look amazing with these designs, especially in the more contemporary designs. But it’s really up to the individual. They can choose any heading style they like and have the curtains made up to their requirements.”

Resene has all the paint, stains, coatings, wallpaper, curtains and professional advice you need to get a quality finish on your home, business or project, from tip to toe inside and out. so come in and see us and we can ensure you have the right products, tools and knowhow to do the job right first time.  We have thousands of colours to choose from, including our The Range fashion collection and our extensive whites and neutrals collection, or we can create a custom colour match to suit.  We started in New Zealand in 1946 and today our products are still formulated right here to suit our environment.

Enjoy savings on Resene paint with your Resene ColorShop Card or Resene DIY Card.  Click here for more information or to apply for your free card.

Find out what product to use where with our popular recommended systems guide.

View the Resene colour range on the Resene website or in store.  Then try your colours out without lifting a paintbrush with our free Resene EzyPaint virtual painting software.

And if you need help with your painting technique watch the how to videos in our online video library. Or if you’d rather get a professional painter to complete the job for you, the free Resene Find-A-Painter service can help or you can choose from our list of professional Resene Eco.Decorators.

Come in and see the friendly professional staff at your local Resene ColorShop and we’ll help you achieve a quality result on your projects.

Got a decorating, paint or colour question you’d love answered? Ask one of our Resene experts! Simply email update@resene.co.nz with your question.  If you’d like colour advice include some photos of your project as well so we can see the area you’re planning to paint.

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