Sheers, Blockouts and the Case for Both
Curtains have moved a long way from heavy pelmets and fussy swags. The current look runs floor to ceiling in a clean S-fold. Most rooms end up with two layers, a sheer for daytime softness and a blockout behind it for warmth and darkness. At Right Choice Blinds & Awnings, we make curtains for homes across Hobart in contemporary S-fold and classic pinch pleat, sewn and hung by our own team. Fabric is where the real decision sits, so we keep a large sample library in the Cambridge showroom from Warwick, Nettex, Maurice Kain and Hoad. Pairing curtains with blinds suits some rooms better than either on its own. Call (03) 6218 3666 to book a free measure and quote.
Make Your First Choice The Right Choice
Curtain Styles and Fabrics
What works comes down to how much light you want, how much warmth you need to keep and how the room gets used.
Sheer curtains
A sheer filters daylight into something softer and gives daytime privacy without closing the room off from the street. The range runs from very fine and airy weaves through to heavier linen-look fabrics with more body and better drape.
Blockout curtains
A three-pass coated blockout fabric stops light properly and adds a genuine layer of thermal and acoustic insulation, which counts in bedrooms and older homes. The finish is soft and matte rather than looking plastic-backed.
S-fold and pinch pleat
S-fold curtains run on a track and hang in continuous, even waves, which suits contemporary interiors and full-height windows. Pinch pleat gathers the fabric into fixed groups at the heading for a more traditional look, and works on both tracks and rods.
SmartDrapes and PerfectSheers
These Norman systems move from sheer through to blockout with a twist of the wand, so they suit patio doors and walkways where a full curtain gets in the way. Motorised operation is available, including Norman's AutoWand.
Frequently Asked Questions
A lined or blockout curtain traps a layer of still air between the fabric and the glass, and in an older single-glazed home that is a difference you can feel. Running the curtain to the floor and closing off the top of the track matters as much as the weight of the fabric.
S-fold curtains run on a track and fall in continuous, even waves, giving a clean line that suits contemporary rooms and full-height windows. Pinch pleat gathers the fabric into fixed groups at the top of the drop, which reads as the more traditional of the two and hangs from either a track or a rod.
Yes, on a double track, and it is one of the most useful combinations available. The sheer handles daytime light and privacy, then the blockout closes over the top of it at night for darkness and warmth.