A Cut Above at Peregian Curtain & Blinds
There are curtains, and then there are curtains. Jodie Cameron discovers the bespoke Noosa business proving that made-to-measure never goes out of style, at home or in business.
Who doesn’t love a show-stopping floor-to-ceiling curtain, or sharp, tailored Roman blind? There’s such excitement that comes with fitting out a new space – and fabric that’s been chosen just for that room. It’s a feeling more businesses on the Sunshine Coast are discovering, thanks to the made-to-order arm of Peregian Curtains and Blinds.
The family-run window furnishings business handcrafts curtains, blinds and soft furnishings from its Coolum Industrial Estate workshop, backed by 35 years of industry experience.
It’s not just homes catching Creative Director Melanie Moore’s attention. Over the past year, the commercial side of the business has taken on a life of its own, increasingly shaped by demand from builders, designers and commercial operators.
The proof is in the portfolio. A growing collaboration with hotels such as Elysium Noosa, Mantra and Sebel; boutique hotels and bars like Peregian Beach Hotel and El Capitano and fitouts for Beka Group’s Foxy Malone’s in Mooloolaba has seen the client list expand along the coast – serious commercial fit outs, made by a team who still work by hand.
Other work includes award-nominated Si Organics styled by Elodie Rose; Hum Yoga and Pilates designed by Ashcharlotte Interiors; projects with award-nominated newcomer designer Studio Nicholas; and Noosa Golf shop designed by Tara Marlow.
Melanie said commercial projects have a different kind of rigour to a typical home consultation.
“It’s often on a big scale, so it’s important to have a team who are willing to go the extra mile to meet deadlines,” Melanie says. “Coordinating materials, services, production and fitting around the project schedule can be very demanding, but that’s exactly where having the right team makes all the difference.”
So, what makes builders and designers choose Peregian Curtains and Blinds over the alternatives?
“Builders and designers like our professional service and quality,” Melanie says. “We handcraft our furnishings in house and can deliver one-of-a-kind products.”
Their Coolum showroom offers an extensive range of fabrics, hardware, wallpaper and rugs, and in-house consultations, offering a unique and diverse service. It’s a philosophy that traces back to Melanie’s earliest training in London, fitting out cruise ships and grand hotels like The Savoy and The Ritz, before family life carried her from England through Holland, Belgium, New Zealand and Melbourne, and finally to the Sunshine Coast.
Today, it’s a true family affair, with husband Steve behind the scenes and two of the couple’s four daughters carrying the craft forward alongside Mel.
“My training and experience working on large, high-end commercial projects has been key to our success and quality of service,” she says. “I learned traditional methods that stand the test of time.
Whilst modern-day machinery and design have changed and sped up processes, it’s invaluable to fall back on those skills, and to teach them to our team.”
For commercial operators yet to discover this side of the business, Melanie’s advice is to get her involved from the ground up – just as you would any other trade.
“We have the experience and help of our extended team in Melbourne, where we’ve involved designers and architects in delivering accurate tenders for contracts,” Melanie says.
For Foxy Malone’s Irish bar in Mooloolaba; Melanie and the team created stunning custom two tone velvet curtains and wrap around ceiling wallpaper that set the tone and pace for the commercial work to scale up.
“It was such a transformation, Melanie says. “We are about to start on Coyote Western Bar which will also be unique.”
On another project in a Sunrise Beach seafront home, they created 5.7m high curtains that hung down over two levels, looking out onto the ocean, and a grand entry doorway. Where everything was supersized, including a 5.2m high curtain, off-the-shelf simply wasn’t an option and bespoke became the only way to achieve the fit and finish the space demanded – exactly the kind of project Peregian Curtains and Blinds handcrafted made-to-order service has been built for.
It’s a skill that’s becoming increasingly rare; most soft furnishings today are mass-produced but Melanie’s team is one of the few on the coast still hand-crafting custom-made furnishings from start to finish.
“When we were fitting out the curtains, standing next to them made us feel like we were a tiny doll because of the huge proportions,” she said. “It was amazing.”
If you’re looking for something bespoke, and want your next project to stand out, choose custom over cookie-cutter, and stick with the people who know that made-to-measure and handmade never goes out of style.
