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Your dream home bespoke build in Queenstown is under way and there is a list of decisions to make heading your way- exciting times! Although this is something you don’t have to consider until closer to the end, selecting your window coverings is another decision you’ll need to make before move in day.

Generally curtains aren’t included in part of the build costs by your builder, although if you would like us here at Ferguson Builders to include this in your quote, just let us know and we would be happy to include it and to help you make the right decisions for the window coverings in your home. If you choose to keep it in your own budget, I can still help – thanks to a great relationship we have with our friends at Russell’s Curtains, towards the end of your build we can help you to arrange to be met on site with Angela, the curtain arranging extraordinaire with an array of choices in curtains and blinds. She can do the measuring up as well as showing you some products to supply you with a quote and I would love to act as an interior guide in your decision making.

In the mean time, if you want to start thinking about what you might like in your home to help you start planning your interior spaces, here are some things to factor in to your considerations.

The main things to keep in mind at this stage would be the purpose of the room, the size of the windows, how much light the room gets, what type of fabric appeals to you, what colours will be in the room in regards to furniture and or joinery and what you think looks good in pictures or other homes you have seen. A lot of this will come to you as the build takes shape. And then when you come to meet with the consultant closert to the end of the buildd to discuss further it will make the process somewhat easier on you.

To start with, I want to explain to you why we encourage our clients to look at custom made curtains rather than ready made. We personally think that if you have invested this money into creating the perfect custom built home for you and your family, your curtains should follow suit. Especially in a home with as much thought in the details as an architecturally designed home.

Further:

– Custom made curtain providers come to you, with the samples so that you are able to see them and imagine them in your space. This can be really helpful to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

– You achieve a much better attention to detail, installation is usually included in your price and most curtains come with special product warranties and follow up service in the event of any issues.

It is worth being cautious of the time involved when selecting custom made curtains. Depending on the selection you make, it can take anywhere from a month to up to 2 months from first consultation to getting them installed. This is taking into account the time to have a think about the product choices, having the quote made up based on your selections, getting deposits paid and waiting on the curtains being made and delivered. Like anything really good, it is well worth the wait though I promise.

If you are undertaking this journey as one of your first builds for yourself and your family, you are about to become very aware of just how many choices and options there are in every aspect of your home. You probably never realised there were so many options for tapware, door handles and floor coverings, and just like these there are many different things to consider when selecting window coverings too.

If you are heading down the way of curtains, one of the considerations you will have to make is material: Acrylic, cotton, linen, voile, velvet, polyester, silk- they each meet a different criteria depending on what you are looking for, equally they each sit at an array of price points depending on your budget, this might determine which products you can consider for your home. A consultant is able to give you a really good idea of this from early on in the process to avoid being let down.

The look of your curtains can also be determined by a number of things and that is the material for one- but also the texture and the pattern, as well as at what point of the wall (or maybe even ceiling) they are hung from AND the heading style you choose. The heading style is the way they fall from the hanging point at the top due to the pleat you choose. This choice will be determined a little by the material you choose too.

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Blinds (such as blackout blinds or sun shade blinds) are also a great choice, especially in new builds as they do tend to offer a quite modern and minimalist look. Ideal for higher windows or hard to access windows, and especially for blocking out early morning or late evening sun that can be a bit harsher in certain areas.

Something to consider with blinds is that depending on how they are hung it can effect how useful they are for restricting light. Use white blinds against white walls for a really clean minimalist look, or create some drama and contrast by making the blinds dark against white walls.

A roman blind allows more creativity for the purchaser to have a bit of fun with material design and is often why this is the preferred choice in a child’s bedroom.  Roman’s are also great for matching in a room alongside curtains where a raised window might be combined alongside a floor to ceiling window (as previewed in the image below). Like any of the choices mentioned here, there are upsides and downsides to this type of design and your consultant will help you figure out if this is the right decision for the room you are considering it in.

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A popular option to look at is also venetian and honeycomb blinds. Honeycomb blinds have become increasingly popular as an incredibly functional and sleep option in the home with perhaps a softer and more upmarket finish than roller blinds- they are designed to help maintain consistent air temperatures in rooms.

Venetian blinds too are increasingly popular because of their versatility – especially a range of 100% Polyresin blinds that offer versatility in high humidity areas such as curtains and bathrooms.

And finally, for perhaps a more upmarket more sophisticated option which can be used to add a lot of character to your space, there are shutters. Shutters can come in fixed, hinged, sliding or bi-fold options depending on the window you are putting them with.

There may be some limitations to these options for you depending on how your windows have been designed and manufactured which is another reason why the on site consultation is so valuable.

I have a real passion for helping people select the finishing touches in their home, and would happily meet with you to discuss any of these options further, or even set up the meeting with the consultant and come along to help you in the process of making this selection. We have years of experience finishing stunning builds to help turn them into gorgeous homes and are here to use that experience to help you do the same with your build.

Contact me: mel@fergusonbuilders.co.nz to talk through any of this further.