So how do you get that perfect bedroom to rest and relax? We have plenty of people coming in to seek our advice on what they can do. Most have not updated their rooms since they first moved in, and so it is left looking dated and drab. One of our customers was happy to share her bedroom makeover with you, to provide inspiration, tips and ideas for your own project.

We had recently installed some lovely new timber Venetian blinds at Jill’s house, and within 2 weeks she was back and ready to re-furnish the next room – her bedroom. She had a very large room with mismatched furniture and colours, so wanted to update this with new styles, colours and fabrics. The important thing to remember is that a bedroom is more than just the bed, there is so much more you can do! For Jill this included:

• A new colour scheme
• Adding a bedhead
• New bedside tables and chairs
• European cushions
• Storage ottoman
• A new sheet set and bedspread
• Other bedroom furniture including a dresser
• Matching bath towels & mat for the ensuite
• Framed photos / paintings for the wall

Jill chose an aqua blue colour as her theme, which matched a large framed photo from a family holiday perfectly. You can see a before and after photo below – what a difference this makeover made!

Bedside chairs

Do you have some existing chairs that need a facelift? Or want to choose some brand new chairs for your bedroom? Easy! Simply visit our showroom and choose a new fabric from our large fabric library. You can even take home some fabric swatches to help you determine which colour and pattern will look the best in your house. Jill chose these low contemporary designed chairs covered in a funky acqua patterned velvet fabric from Romo.

Bedroom furniture

Jill had a very large room that looked too empty. If you have a large room with empty spaces, then adding furniture can be a great way to fill those areas. Jill updated her bedside tables to a modern style that matched the colour scheme of her new room. The 3 drawers meant she could easily store her things inside, all hidden away so it looked much neater and cleaner.

She decided to add an extra piece of furniture to her room – the dresser. This matched the bedside tables and proved to be a great way to fill the empty space. It also meant she was able to have another storage space and a table top to display her much loved family photos.

Bedhead

In any bedroom, the bed is the focal point. Jill wanted to create more of a statement so we recommended a bedhead. She chose her own size, style, shape and fabric to create her own unique look and give the room some character.

Storage ottoman (at foot of bed)

Like many of us, Jill liked to have a summer and a winter quilt, but never had enough storage space to put the quilt that was not in use. This storage ottoman solved her problem. Ottomans are a great way to store extra bedding such as pillows, blankets or quilts, and are also an attractive piece of furniture that can be used as a stool in the bedroom. These can be made to any size, and covered in any fabric. Jill chose the same fabric to match her bedside chairs.

Bedspread and cushions

Did you know that you can have your bedspread custom made? If you can’t seem to find one that suits your style, then come in and visit us to choose from thousands of fabrics to create your own unique look. Jill had her own bedspread and cushions custom made. She chose a cap top bedspread with tufted quilting and a matching valance, then for some added luxury she finished it off with some big tufted European cushions and trimming – the perfect way to compliment the quilt cover.

If you would like to makeover your bedroom too, give us a call or come in to our showroom and chat through some ideas. We can come out to your house and provide an obligation free quote.

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You are probably aware you can link your motorised blinds into your CBus or home automation system. What you may not know is that there are different motors available which can make it cheaper than motorising your blinds if they are not going into CBus.

There are 2 types of motors:

1. Switch control (which are generally compatible with CBus and are more cost effective than RTS motors).
2. RTS remote controlled (which can go into CBus or simply remote control operation).

Please speak to us about your motorisation requirements and keep in mind that we can provide you with the appropriate molex cables well before you have even selected a fabric colour which enables your electrician to wire the cabling when he/she is completing all the other components.

Tip: If you are building or renovating it is useful to know that most manufacturers use different motors and cables, so it is really important you select your brand BEFORE the electrician attaches these, as once they are in it is much more difficult to change… and they might be wiring you up for a motor that is much more expensive than another one, or with a brand who does not supply the fabric you want. It pays to do your research before you have cables installed.

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Sheer fabric

1. Sheer

Provides privacy in the day but at night people can see in. Provides sun protection (lighter colours provide better protection). Good for living spaces where privacy is not a concern at night, or to be used in conjunction with a blockout blind or curtain.

Translucent fabric

2. Translucent

Allows all the natural light to enter but does not allow vision in or out in the day or night. Good for living areas where you need privacy at night.

Blockout fabric

3. Blockout

Blocks both light and vision. Ideal to use in your bedroom for darkness.

There are literally thousands of fabrics in our showroom to select from for curtains, pelmets, cushions, upholstery, bedheads, bedspreads and wallpaper. Some of our frequently used fabric houses include Marco, Villa Nova, Crowson, Romo, Prestigious Textiles, Casadeco, Mokum, James Dunlop, Pegasus, Charles Parsons, Rowe, Gummerson, Warwick, Hoad & Zepel. These fabric houses also have websites you can use to browse their ranges.

Thousands of fabrics to choose from

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Achieving a completely blockout room can be difficult, the only way to do this is with curtains and a pelmet. Curtains are taken wider and higher than the window and overlap in the middle. The pelmet stops light coming in over the top of the track. This is the best combination for a very dark room. However, we know curtains are not appropriate for every window…..

Blockout roman blind and pelmet in bedroom

Roman blinds are also commonly used where curtains are not appropriate. Roman blinds are fitted approx. 25cm above the window and go wider on either side also. There is some reflected light through the sides, but a roman blind is normally much more effective than a roller blind because it can be made wider than the window.

A pleated blind that is fitted inside a window recess also offers good blockout as there is approximately a 5mm gap either side of the blind.

Come in and chat to us about your blockout options, and before you know it you (and the children) will all be sleeping soundly past dawn!

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Bedheads

Are a terrific way to bring in some colour and become a real feature of the room. They come in many different shapes and sizes…. or can be custom made to any size you want, you can even use a complementary fabric to your curtains and blinds! Whether it is a contemporary or traditional theme, there is always a bedhead style to suit. View our range of shapes and options to choose from.

Custom made bedhead

Bedspreads and valances

If you want to create a unique bedspread to match your other bedroom furnishings, then we can custom make your bedspread and valance, with thousands of fabrics to choose from. Depending on the look you are after, choose from quilted, pleated or straight valances.

Bedspreads and valances

Upholstery

Do you have a chair that has been handed down to you through the family that needs a bit of a lift? There are thousands of fabrics that can be used to re-cover (and re-pad if necessary) your furniture without having to buy anything new.

Re-upholster your furniture

Cushions and bolsters

A great way to tie in your other furnishing fabrics, or to introduce colour and patterns into your room is by adding scatter cushions or bed bolster to tie the whole design together and add all the finishing touches to a room.

With all of these, or a combination, your room can be re-invigorated and you no longer need to close the bedroom door when your friends come over!

Cushions and bolsters

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Motorisation isn’t just about those hard to reach windows, many of our customers choose to motorise for convenience or to eliminate the needs for cords and chains – which is great for child safety and achieving a clean and uncluttered design.

There are a huge range of options in the market place and you should be looking for a product that has a 5 year warranty to ensure you are getting a quality product. The most reliable motors are produced by reputable companies such as SOMFY, NICE & MERGER.

If you are building or renovating it is useful to know that most manufacturers use different motors and cables, so it is really important you select your brand BEFORE the electrician attaches these, as once they are in it is much more difficult to change… and they might be wiring you up for a motor that is much more expensive than another one, or with a brand who does not supply the fabric you want. It pays to do your research before you have cables installed.

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Here is a quick summary on the main differences between all the different types and why you may select each one:

- Western red cedar shutters

Are usually Australian made and are top of the range in terms of quality and design. The timber panels are usually thicker than the imported versions and the overlap of blades is greater which can be an important consideration in the bedroom. These shutters are available in any dulux paint colour or a range of natural stains/ lacquered.

Western Red Cedar Shutters

- Basswood and poplar shutters

Are an imported product. They are made from real timber and are a cheaper alternative to the western red cedar shutters. If you are selecting imported shutters then it is important you are purchasing them through a company that has an excellent reputation as there are certainly some poor quality version around.

Basswood and Poplar Shutters

- Polyresin shutters

Are a man-made product. This means that steam and water will not affect the product like it would for natural timber. They can be used inside (especially good for bathrooms where they might get splashed or there is a lot of steam) and also externally in outdoor rooms, pool houses and patios/ decks.

Polyresin Shutters

- Aluminium shutters

Are great shutters to be used externally in outdoor rooms, pool houses and patios/ decks.

Aluminium Shutters

If you would like to see the difference in appearance of all these different types then pop into our showroom, where we have everything on display – and all manufactured through reputable Australian manufacture’s such as Designed Blinds, Luxaflex and Verosol.

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Do you have an arch, half arch, circle, hexagonal or fan shaped window? Have you been staring at it day after day wondering how you will manage to find a blind to fit that odd shape? Well don’t despair, there are actually a range of options that you can choose from! We have seen so many different shapes of windows in all our years of business, so why not get in contact with us and let us help find a solution.

Shutters fitted on an odd shaped window

Depending on the shape of your window, we can offer you an operational or a fixed blind. Pleated blinds are one of the best solutions for these windows and can be made to almost any shape – many of these you can operate. If pleated blinds are not your preferred choice, then shutters can also be used by making a template of the window.

Stop staring at that odd shaped window and wondering how you’ll ever manage to cover it! Call us and chat to one of our furnishing experts, we’ll even come out to your house and provide a quote – obligation free.

Shutters on an odd shaped window

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Custom made curtains – are by far the best insulator when closed as they are usually fitted wider and higher than your window and are often lined, offering another layer of protection. When fitted inside a pelmet, you can also further increase the insulation properties as no cold can creep in the top (or no heat in summer!). If this sounds like you, why not pop into our showroom and browse through our thousands of fabric samples to choose your custom made curtains – no obligation required.

However, curtains are not appropriate for all windows. And if you are after a more slimline look then maybe a cellular product such as the below Duette/Pleated blinds is the answer.

Custom made curtains

Luxaflex Architella Duette/ Pleated blinds – these also offer a great level of insulation in your home. They feature a honeycomb-within-a-honeycomb construction which dramatically increases its ability to insulate in the winter and cool against summer heat. They have three distinct air pockets for superior energy efficiency and increased insulation and are made from anti-static, dust-resistant polyester, making them easy to clean

Luxaflex Architella Pleated blinds

Verosol Roller / Pleated blinds – in summer, you can’t beat Verosol’s siverscreen products. In a dark colour, this silver reflective backing reflects 3 times more heat than an equivalent product without the backing. Come in to the showroom to see the heat monitor we have set up to demonstrate the difference – it really is amazing!

Roller Blinds

If you would like to find out more or discuss any of these options with our trained professionals, then why not come visit us in our showroom. We have all these products and more on display, and we’ll even come out to your home and give you our expert opinion – all obligation free!

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