Fabrics do not have to be made from cotton or wool - just ask June Swindell, who set up salt twelve years ago.

salt. is an award winning contemporary design practice, primarily known for its progressive approach to textile design and application, including innovative use of metals and glass; they specialize in 100% handmade fabrics, specifically for window treatments and dividing spaces.

When designing and manufacturing, salt work with different materials and textural forms to personalise the space, creating products that highlight the intrinsic qualities of the fabric and the company is a leader in the use of natural and environmentally protective materials and techniques.

Light is fundamental to the design and form of salt textiles, focusing on how it travels through the fabric producing an effect, which filters light into a space without compromising the need for privacy; their vast knowledge of colour combines with beauty to skilfully achieve the products’ functional requirements.

• Some examples:
  Floats - An intriguing surface texture, which interacts subtly with both natural and artificial light, to give the impression of gently flowing movement.
• Longitude featured here - These structures combine tactile fabric with sometimes rigid and sometimes soft appearance, reflecting changes in light patterns of the day or night.
• Grid - A simple structure allowing complex colour options, through the use of varying thickness and density of fibres.
• Metallic - Stainless steel and enamelled metals intrinsically woven, creating shimmer and reflection to enhance any space.
• Squared - A multi-dimensional geometric structure, compelling the eye of the viewer.
• The Strip Blind - A natural creation, designed to use complete hides of leather or suede to minimise waste.

Web: http://www.salt-uk.com

Tel:   (020) 7593 0007

Hillarys has launched Verticals, a stylish and unique collection of vertical window blinds.

It’s made up of four different ranges, the highlight of which is a Mix and Match assortment that allows you to do exactly that – mix and match the louvres to create your own bespoke blind.

Sarah Quilliam, head of product design at Hillarys says, “This is a first for Hillarys and as far as we know, the only verticals collection available, that allows you to come up with your own individual design.”
 
“The Mix and Match range was created in response to an increasing demand from customers, for a more personalised look,” she adds.

“Verticals have always been extremely popular, as they’re such a practical and versatile window dressing solution.”

“Now we’ve raised the standard in the style stakes, by giving people the chance to co-ordinate their window dressing, even more closely with their décor.”

Prices for the new verticals collection start at £45 measured, made and fitted.

Some of the fabrics are also available in wider 127mm louvers, which make a great budget alternative to sliding panels.

Web: http://www.hillarys.co.uk
Tel: (0800) 169 3938.

The eclectic blind collection is unashamedly for modern living; the look is clean and uncluttered but with flair, texture, colour and stylish twists.

Picture This is a range of blinds that not only serve as window dressing, offering privacy and protection from the sun, but are so visually appealing, they become an integral piece of art.

Available as Roller binds and Kyoto sliding panels, each design is quite different, enabling you to create a dramatic focal point in any room with bold and beautiful digital designs:

• ‘Atmosphere’ is a funky abstract combining two photographic images.
• ‘Rainforest’ pictured here has a dramatic jungle theme.
• ‘Cityscape’ depicts London at night with a monotone palette and is spectacularly moody, yet versatile and really epitomises the urban look.
• The photographic images in particular are strikingly different, capturing high definition and photo-perfect colour.
• When made into Kyoto sliding panels, the photographic designs create the effect of a mural.

eclectics offers this service on a bespoke basis – simply provide your sizes and they will scale your chosen design up or down accordingly; your own photographic images can also be printed directly onto a Roller blind or Kyoto sliding panel.

Prices start from £459 for a Kyoto sliding panel and £75 for a Roller blind.

The entire eclectics range can be purchased from your nearest eclectics stockist or online:

Web: http://www.eclectics.co.uk.

Tel: (0845) 241 1715

Thomas Sanderson has introduced TecNeat, an exclusive and innovative blind system especially for conservatories.

The new system allows the fabric to take centre stage, with the hardware discreetly hidden so that the visual impact comes only from the material to enhance the beauty of your room.

The arrangement is suitable for all shapes and sizes of conservatory and is especially ideal for the roof, where the sun’s rays can often seep through so that blinds are a must.

Adding Thomas Sanderson’s PowerPleat remote control to TecNeat, enables you to control the light and heat from the comfort of your armchair, transforming your surroundings swiftly and easily, at the touch of a button.

There is no need for pull cords or rods to operate your blinds – it’s all done electronically, with each blind having its own miniature motor.

Only available from Thomas Sanderson, The PowerPleat and TecNeat combination, provides state-of –the-art technology and the ultimate in ease of use and convenience.

Web: http://www.thomassanderson.com

Tel: (0800) 220 603

Luxaflex®, one of Europe’s leading window-covering brands, has announced the launch of their Japanese Design blinds; an exciting new collection of oriental style window blinds, made from a unique material called ‘washi’.

Washi, literally meaning ‘Japanese paper’, comes in eight natural colours giving the appearance of clouded paper panels in the window; seven fresh and bright colours including red, lime and blue are also available.

The colour of each segment within the blind can be selected individually, providing ultimate flexibility and choice.

To complement the paper style panels, there are also four woven washi choices, in two-tone natural wooden colourways.

The Japanese Design Collection is available as three different product styles - roller blinds, panel track and vertical panels; all of which, feature panels intersected with trims in seven unique native wood colours, or in grey aluminium; there are three different trim widths 10, 20 or 40mm to suit your style.

Featured in our picture is The Panel Track Blind with wood trim:

Made to measure panel track blinds are available in the whole spectrum of washi colour ways and can be used either as a window covering or as a room divider; hanging from rails (in either grey or white), the washi panel track blind comes in ten configurations, allowing even wide rooms and windows to be screened effectively.

Retail prices for the Japanese Design collection start from £142 for a roller blind measuring 900mm x 1000mm.

Web: http://www.luxaflex.co.uk

Tel: (0800) 652 7799

Silent Gliss, together with Swedish textile designer Eva Marmbrandt has developed Vertical Waves; new, extraordinary and exclusive designs for vertical blind systems.
 
Vertical Waves is a series of laser cut vertical blinds in tune with modern architecture, aiming to create a more pleasant acoustic and lighting environment in different interiors, plus the opportunity to partition off areas and create smaller rooms.

Three beautiful designs are available in a choice of fourteen gorgeous colours all of which provide a stunning effect:

Featured here is Andrea - snowdrifts, howling wind, spring shoots; inspired by a frozen winter landscape, with wind-driven snowdrifts and vegetation still hidden beneath the snow. Width: 125-250 mm

Maria - soft waves, rippling, running water; this design has soft forms, which create the effect of shifting light through different degrees of transparency.
Width: 125-250 mm

Annika - thorns, stormy seas; the vertical waves create a striking interior environment, with unusual lighting and acoustic effects that make it possible to partition off areas within a room. Width: 125-230mm

The Vertical waves are made to measure to your specified requirements; widths are standardised for each design.

Web: http://www.silentgliss.co.uk
Tel: (01843) 863571

Shutterly Fabulous a leading plantation shutter supplier in the UK, have personalised their customer service even more, as they now offer to match any colour or wood stain finish in client’s homes with their handcrafted solid wood shutters.

Interior shutters not only add style and elegance to any setting, but also provide increased security, minimum light intrusion and require little maintenance.

Shutterly Fabulous provide beautiful superior quality plantation shutters in the finest hardwoods from sustainable sources.

Kiln dried hard woods ensure the shutters will last a lifetime.

There are 12 standard colours, with shades varying from Alabaster to Ivory and natural wood finishes from Golden Oak through to Black Walnut.

The new personalised colour matching option is the company’s response to the growing demand for satin, shiny, gloss and matt finishes, in the huge spectrum of whites. 

Shutterly Fabulous will design shutters to suit your exact specification and their own fully trained team of shutter installation technicians will fit them, to ensure that every element of your requirements is personally overseen from start to finish.

The shutters when made to order can fit any shaped window, large or small, full length or half sized, to fit seamlessly into any room in your home.

With so much choice on offer, the styles and shades are only as limited as your own imagination!
 
Web:  http://www.shutterlyfabulous.com
Tel:   (0845) 644 2873

Thomas Sanderson, the leading UK supplier of Conservatory Blinds and Patio Awnings, is presenting their new Window Stylings range - practical solutions for the whole home, at The Spring Ideal Home Show.

The beautiful new range of blinds and interior window shutters, are designed to provide advanced control of light, shade and privacy.

The collection features a selection of highest quality materials, colours and innovative systems, which enable you to program and operate them at the touch of a button. 

The Thomas Sanderson Window Stylings collection offers several new products including:

The Window Shutters in our picture, are made from a sustainable wood source in a choice of 60 colours for an elegant shady eco-friendly interior.

Pinoleum Blinds transform the sun’s glare into a soft textured light - available in a choice of weaves and styles for use in both conservatories and every room in the home,

The Pleated Blind is automated and made with the exclusive SolarTex® fabric technology that helps to maintain a comfortable room temperature all year round.

See all the new Thomas Sanderson Window Stylings at the Spring Ideal Home Show at Earls Court, or on their web site:

 
Web: http://www.thomassanderson.com/
Tel:  (0800) 220 603  

New House Textiles are leading the trend for lace this year with their new Fondant vertical blinds.

The Fondant fabric is a delicate tracery of leaves and tendrils with a translucent weave which allows light through, whilst at the same time offering privacy and screening.

Fondant is one of the large collection of blinds by New House Textiles, with top-quality aluminium weights and fittings.

All blinds are made to measure, but as a guide, a 4ft x 4ft blind costs £150.

web: http://www.newhousetextiles.co.uk
tel: (01989) 740 684

Vertical blinds may not be as fashionable as they used to be, but that’s about to change if New House Textiles have anything to do with it.

They’ve just launched a range of vertical window blinds in exciting contemporary fabrics, and a modern palette of colours ranging from neutral, through metallic, to exciting and vibrant.

All New House Textiles vertical blinds are made to measure, but as a guide, a 4ft x 4ft blind in the exciting ‘Ono’ design (pictured - complete with holes!) would cost £150.

web: http://www.newhousetextiles.co.uk
tel: (01989) 740 684