Dressing a bare window can be a daunting experience especially when faced with the wide range of window treatments out there. However, with the help of some professional expertise and a good range of styles to choose from, you can entirely change the look and feel of a room.
The past 18 months in and out of lockdowns, being forced to stay at home has motivated us all to look at our homes through new eyes. Proprietor of Perrott’s Home Living Furniture Store in Clonakilty, Trevor Perrott says that he is seeing a real shift towards prioritising comfort and colour in the home. “I feel that one of the real positives that has come out of the past 18 months has been a recognition of how important our living space really is to our overall wellbeing and health,” he says. “People are looking to create luxurious and calming spaces; and colour and nature now seem to be prerequisites when it comes to designing a room in your home.”
While one of the less than positive outcomes of this pandemic has been the rise in shipping costs and supply issues, which are now starting to have a knock-on effect on the cost of bulkier items in the interiors business, fabric hasn’t yet felt the bite. Trevor’s advice to homeowners is to invest in curtains and blinds now while the price is good and supply isn’t an issue.
Depending on the room you are dressing, curtains and blinds have different roles to play in the home. While it’s important for light to be blocked out in a bedroom for example – consider a luxurious heavy fabric in a curtain or a blackout blind – a room that is lived in during the day, such as the kitchen or sitting room, will benefit from light. In this case however privacy also needs to be taken into account before making a decision. Venetian blinds offer an elegant solution, particularly in an urban area where there is a lot of footfall directly outside the window, as the horizontal slats give privacy while allowing lots of natural light into the home. In a kitchen, keep it simple and fuss-free, taking into account that fabrics such as cotton and linen can rot, fade or shrink in moist environments. Choose a material that is waterproof, easy to clean and which won’t be affected by condensation. The same applies when dressing a window in a bathroom. A pretty linen concertina blind over a kitchen sink or next to a shower won’t stay pretty for very long!
While Perrott’s has an excellent selection of readymade curtains in-store, ranging from €90 up in price, if you have a good budget to work with, opting for a bespoke curtain created by an experienced curtain maker will ensure that your curtains will be the optimal fit for your window and allows more flexibility when it comes to the choosing of material, pattern and style. Perrott’s is fortunate to have a curtain maker with over 40 years experience working with them, so a quality finish is assured. If the curtain is for a bedroom, a blackout lining will not only block out light and noise but in the likes of a cold, draughty cottage may also provide insulation.
Curtains and blinds paired together can also work. While the blind provides privacy and light control, the curtains may soften the overall look and give a really luxurious finish. Again if budget is a concern, depending on the fabric, roller blinds can offer an inexpensive but effective way of dressing a window.
Perrott’s has a huge range of blinds to choose from; roller, blackout, wooden, vertical or velux.
Once you have decided on the function of the blind, next comes the fun part – choosing the pattern and fabric. Perrott’s has just refurbished the store interior and now boasts a curtain and blind department that will leave you spoilt for choice; but don’t worry, Trevor is always on hand to offer individual attention and advice, so whatever your budget and style, you’ll find the right solution for your home.
With the trend towards vibrant and cheerful prints with a penchant for patterns incorporating flora and fauna capturing the spirit of the outdoors, one of the newest ranges at Perrott’s, ‘Voyage Maison’, certainly matches this criteria. The French brand boasts a beautiful selection of handcrafted fabrics, wallpapers, soft furnishings and accessories – with stunning prints.
While pattern is a great way of adding interest to your home and can really create a striking impression, do keep in mind that you will have to live with the design for quite a long time: Go with your gut; what you really like and what works with the overall design of your room, rather than following a trend. If the scene outside your window isn’t that attractive, choose the scene you want to look at, and add beauty with a blind!
Well-known brands Prestigious Textiles, Tipperary Textiles, Ashley Wilde, ILIV, Studio G are all carried by Perrott’s but watch this space because there are more really exciting names coming on board soon. New in store now and definitely one to drool over is Clarke and Clarke stylish bedlinen.
If you’re considering getting blinds or curtains in time for Christmas, order now to avoid disappointment. All of the curtains and blinds and carpets at Perrott’s are professionally measured and fitted for a perfect finish.
“Room by room, dressing your home is a wonderful journey,” says Trevor. “And it’s a journey we are delighted to accompany our customers on to help them turn a house into a home.”
From carpets, curtains, blinds, bedding, lighting and accessories to sofas, beds, mattresses and dining and occasional furniture – Perrott’s has a beautiful range of home interiors to style your house from.
Visit Perrott’s Home Living (in the same building as J&T Tiles) in Clogheen Industrial Park, just off the Clonakilty Bypass. Phone 023 8850855. www.perrotts.ie.
