Trends in Sheers

Written by

James Dunlop Textiles

11 April 2022

•

4 min read

Sheer curtains disperse the soft glow of sunlight into a space either through a fine, almost translucent construction, or a loose construction with open fibres. While linen and linen-look sheers are an eternal favourite, we are seeing a growing desire for soft, optimistic colours at the window, extra wide widths in architectural builds, and luxuriously rustic, textured sheers.

At James Dunlop we carry a wide variety of sheer fabrics in natural, synthetic or blended constructions, allowing you to tailor your interior décor to your lifestyle. Learn about the evolution of sheer curtains and how to incorporate them into your scheme in our previous article: Delicate, light, translucent sheers.

VISUAL OPTIMISM

At a time of continued uncertainty worldwide, the desire to fill our interiors with optimistic colours remains strong. Bright yellows are making their way into our homes not only in rich velvets, but also through a softer, whimsical approach in sheers. Beech and Laconia Air by James Dunlop offer delicate shades of pink, yellow, and blue which bring the romance of sheers as well as a warm touch of colour. Darker sheers filter the light but give the illusion of disappearing at the window, thus appearing less obvious than a light colourway. Kanso Stonewash by Mokum and Cavalier by James Dunlop in greens, from Green Tea to Moss, can bring the calm of nature into the space.

WIDE WIDTHS

Wide width sheers such as Enso and Uru by Mokum, and 350cm wide sheers such as Foreshore and Reservoir by James Dunlop are ideal in coastal or architectural homes with panoramic vistas. Sheers have evolved to be hung continuously at over 300cm wide to compliment increased ceiling heights and expansive windows in homes where seams interrupt the ambiance.

LINEN & LINEN LOOK

Linen and linen-look sheers bring a sense of causal luxury to a space because of the relaxed fibres. Linen sheers are always popular as their organic, open weave aesthetic produces an elegant look with a delicate handle. However, expectations need to be agile when working with a natural fibre as there is a greater discrepancy in the fabric, and they are less hard wearing. It is crucial to be aware when using linen sheers for sun filtering purposes that they will fade and break down over time due to the amount of light they are receiving, and the natural decomposition of organic matter.

The beauty of a polyester or polyester blend product is the ability to harness the look of a linen sheer while also ensuring stability in the fibre and decreasing the speed of fading, as they are durable and colourfast. Linen-look sheers are a cost-effective alternative which looks equally as beautiful and is easier to care for in the long term, because the fibres have greater resistance to UV degradation.

Read more: For the love of linen

HANDCRAFTED

We have our rose-tinted glasses on, and we are felling nostalgic for the colours and textures of the 1970s! Textured sheers are the perfect accompaniment to our cinnamon brown and martini green colour palette. Slow-crafted, open weave textiles align with people creating their own homewares and ceramics, as such we’re moving away from fine sheers into something with more oomph – an organic feeling. Whether you prefer open constructions in polyester or natural linen, Kensho and O’Keeffe by Mokum will create depth and interest in contemporary or rustic schemes. While our love affair with Bouclé has developed from purely upholstery into a window treatment as well, with the luxuriously chunky Totto from Mokum’s Surface collection.