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Dear neighbours,
As part of Stuff’s Life & Style Live Chat series, NZ Gardener editor Jo McCarroll and Jack Hobbs, manager of the Auckland Botanic Gardens, are back with their expert spring gardening tips, advice and plant problem-solving. If you have a question for the gardening experts, … View moreDear neighbours,
As part of Stuff’s Life & Style Live Chat series, NZ Gardener editor Jo McCarroll and Jack Hobbs, manager of the Auckland Botanic Gardens, are back with their expert spring gardening tips, advice and plant problem-solving. If you have a question for the gardening experts, you can submit it (now, or during the chat) at the link below. Then tune in today, Sept 17, at 3pm.
Hoping to buy blinds or curtains but feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the choices? You might walk into a store with great curtain ideas but it’s easy to lose focus when you see all the options on the shelves.
Did you know that blinds and curtains can be energy efficient? Did you know there are… View moreHoping to buy blinds or curtains but feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the choices? You might walk into a store with great curtain ideas but it’s easy to lose focus when you see all the options on the shelves.
Did you know that blinds and curtains can be energy efficient? Did you know there are more types of blinds that the typical shutters? There’s so much to consider!
To help you narrow down your options, here are some tips to pick the right blinds and curtains that work best for you:
1. Colour
Your choice of colour will be among the main priorities when choosing the ideal blinds or window curtains. Getting the wrong colour can ruin the aesthetic value of the whole room.
The wrong colours on the wrong windows can also lead to quick degradation. If you use strong colours like blood red on windows where the sun shines often, the colours could fade quickly. Go around this by choosing blinds or curtains with nude or neutral light colours, ensuring they’ll still look good even after fading a bit.
2. Measurements
Your second step is to make sure you get the right measurements. The general rule of thumb is that your blinds or curtain panels should be longer and wider than your windows. Drapes should go down to the floor.
If you want to make your windows and walls look bigger than they are, include a few inches above the window. Hanging your curtains 4-5 inches above the window frame creates an illusion of length.
3. Material
Blinds come in all shapes and sizes. Generic blinds like shutters or slats use aluminium or wood. Sheers use glass and these are great if you want to filter out light and striking glares in the room.
Curtains, on the other hand, come in too many options. Most use cotton, wool, silk, and linen. Thicker curtain fabric is great if you want to control temperature and prevent bright light from seeping into the room. Lighter fabric is better when you want to keep the airflow circulating.
Material choice will also affect your budget. It goes without saying that the stronger and more functional materials will cost more.
4. Style
Getting the right fabric, right measurements, and the right colour won’t do you much good if the style of the blinds or curtains doesn’t click with your personal preferences.
There are a lot of stylistic blinds and curtain ideas to choose from. Do you want to stick with plain colours and a sleek design for a modern look? Will you go for deep colours, embroidery, and frills for a Victorian or Edwardian aesthetic?
Blinds can be boring, white with no style at all, or as unique as vertical sheers using rotating glass materials.
5. Ease of Use
Generic blinds are easy to use; you have one line to pull to open or shut the blinds and another line to rotate the individual panels. Cheap curtains require you to pull them open by hand and then tie them manually but you may find a few affordable choices with their own rope.
In short, make sure you check if the curtains and blinds are easy to use. You don’t want to spend more time than you have to only to open your window and look outside.
6. Safety for Kids and Pets
Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...
It's te wiki o te reo Māori, and to celebrate this awesome initiative, we've given our logo a little update.
'Haporitanga' means 'the many principles and actions of being a community' and we think it's a great way to express what Neighbourly is.
Are you … View moreIt's te wiki o te reo Māori, and to celebrate this awesome initiative, we've given our logo a little update.
'Haporitanga' means 'the many principles and actions of being a community' and we think it's a great way to express what Neighbourly is.
Are you keen to dive straight into te wiki? Here's a video by our mates at Stuff showing five te reo words that every person from across the motu (country) needs to know.
For more coverage on Māori language week, click the 'See more' button below.
Ngā manaakitanga!
To do our part, here's two phrases we believe everyone should know in Te Reo Māori.
There are five different styles/category of fabric that form the foundation for the vast array of curtain and upholstery fabrics you see on the market today. Each fabric style outlined below has its own unique characteristics and are produced using different techniques. Some of these fabric types … View moreThere are five different styles/category of fabric that form the foundation for the vast array of curtain and upholstery fabrics you see on the market today. Each fabric style outlined below has its own unique characteristics and are produced using different techniques. Some of these fabric types will be well known to you like plain and printed fabrics, while others less so.
You may be wondering why cotton and linen for example are not included here – this is because they are a type of composition that falls within one of these categories below.
Here we give you a high-level overview of the styles of fabrics available to you for your home interior or commercial interior project.
PLAIN
Plain fabrics are characterised by simple weaves and textures not showing any complex design.
Simple weaves are for instance – hopsacks, twills, herringbones and satins. Common fabric compositions used for plain fabrics include natural fibres (cotton, linen) as well as synthetic fibres (polyester, acrylic, etc.)
Plain interior fabrics take on a simple and paired back aesthetic. Ideal for a minimalist décor, you can complement plain fabrics with more textured and tactile textiles for added interest to your home décor.
PRINTED
Printing is the process of applying coloured designs and patterns to a woven textile. One or more colours are applied to the fabric in specific parts only, using thickened dyes to prevent the colour from spreading beyond the limits of the pattern or design. In quality printed fabrics, the colour is bonded with the fibre so as to resist loss of dye from washing and friction (crocking). Printing is an ancient textile manufacturing technique of which there are five print production methods you can use:
Burn Out Printing:
A process which uses chemicals, rather than colour, to burn out or dissolve away one fibre in a fabric. The purpose is to achieve a sheer design on a solid or opaque fabric. The chemicals used during production can make this fabric sensitive to ultraviolet degradation when hung in direct sunlight.
Digital Printing:
Rapidly becoming a popular and commercially viable printing method due to its flexibility, precision and consistency. With this new printing technique it is now possible to print any design, even with photographic detail, onto fabric. There are no restrictions in the amount of colour that can be used.
Engraved Roller Printing:
The printing method used for the majority of fabrics worldwide. The colours are printed directly onto the fabric. There must be one roller for each colour used in the print. The more colours used, the better the print definition and depth of colour. The number of colours used is printed on the left hand selvedge of a fabric along with the brand.
Hand Block Printing:
The oldest form of printing. Print designs are created by transferring dyestuffs onto fabric with the help of wooden, linoleum, or copper blocks. Artisans hand craft individual blocks to carry each different colour in a design and perfectly match block placement to create the all-over design.
Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...
Hey neighbours, is it time to get your finances in order? If lockdown has focused your mind on the state of your bank account, we’re here to help.
Stuff has launched MoneyIQ, an eight-week email course that will give you all the basics you need to get your money sorted and start working towards … View moreHey neighbours, is it time to get your finances in order? If lockdown has focused your mind on the state of your bank account, we’re here to help.
Stuff has launched MoneyIQ, an eight-week email course that will give you all the basics you need to get your money sorted and start working towards a brighter, richer future. You can sign up for free here.
Remya, the Special Care Unit Coordinator at Bob Owens Village tells us about her journey with Ryman.
Read about her story below.
If you’re tired of waking up sore from your old bed’s lack of support, it might be time to upgrade your mattress. When you shop locally, you support an entire community, not just a business! Hence we urge you to shop and support local businesses like us so we can grow together as a community.
… View moreIf you’re tired of waking up sore from your old bed’s lack of support, it might be time to upgrade your mattress. When you shop locally, you support an entire community, not just a business! Hence we urge you to shop and support local businesses like us so we can grow together as a community.
While we're asking you to support us, we would like to give back to the community with an exclusive offer of UP TO 60% Off With Free Delivery on our incredible range of NZ Made beds and mattresses!
Check out our limited-time specials online or contact your local Beds4U Store Now!
Bring back your dream sleep, With Beds4U's Biggest Online Bed Sale
Hey neighbours,
Wrapped up in our bubbles - it's certainly been a tough few weeks. With our daily routines challenged, we were able to slow down and enjoy the better things in life. That's why we want you be a part of the Neighbourly joy movement and share the simple things that make … View moreHey neighbours,
Wrapped up in our bubbles - it's certainly been a tough few weeks. With our daily routines challenged, we were able to slow down and enjoy the better things in life. That's why we want you be a part of the Neighbourly joy movement and share the simple things that make you happy.
Share a photo or story with your neighbours and you could be in to win Good Joe Coffee and Best Ugly Bagels (or bagels for your whole street!).
We’ve been pioneering village living, and aged care, for more than 35 years. Our track record is built on genuine compassion and respect and gives you the confidence to be able to live the way you want. It’s another reason New Zealanders have voted us one of the Reader’s Digest Most Trusted … View moreWe’ve been pioneering village living, and aged care, for more than 35 years. Our track record is built on genuine compassion and respect and gives you the confidence to be able to live the way you want. It’s another reason New Zealanders have voted us one of the Reader’s Digest Most Trusted Brands for a 7th year.
All regions outside Auckland will move to Covid-19 Alert Level 2, with Auckland remaining at Alert Level 4 for at least another week.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield announced the changes at a post-cabinet press conference on Monday … View moreAll regions outside Auckland will move to Covid-19 Alert Level 2, with Auckland remaining at Alert Level 4 for at least another week.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield announced the changes at a post-cabinet press conference on Monday afternoon.
Regions outside Auckland will make the change to Alert Level 2, at 11.59pm tomorrow.
Here's what you need to know
- A refresh on Level 2 restrictions and what it means for you.
- Indoor gatherings are now capped at 50 people, with outdoor gatherings restricted to a maximum of 100 people.
- There have been 20 confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported by the Ministry of Health since 9.00am yesterday, all in Auckland.
- If you have any flu-like symptoms, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 or ring your GP.
- Find your closest Covid-19 testing location on the Healthpoint website
For more information, visit covid19.govt.nz.
Another great story!
Southland father and son, Robert and Bobby Baird have recently received their forestry qualifications, proving you are never too old to learn.
While Robert has practical experience gained during four decades in the bush, he says vocational training like the qualification he… View moreAnother great story!
Southland father and son, Robert and Bobby Baird have recently received their forestry qualifications, proving you are never too old to learn.
While Robert has practical experience gained during four decades in the bush, he says vocational training like the qualification he has just done is helping keep people safe.
Competenz assessor Neville Muir worked with Bairds throughout their training programme.
“Bobby is very driven to succeed and very organised. He’s also very keen to continue upskilling his crew and there are a lot of different certificates still to do,” he says.
While Bobby is his boss at work, Robert turns back into ‘dad’ at the end of the day. “I give him a hand during the day when he’s got a lot of work on. We have a great relationship and it’s a magic thing to be able to do to work with your son.”
© Neighbourly 2024
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