Fabrics (Curtains): decorative practicality

FABRICS FOR CURTAINS

When choosing curtains for a room, you need to consider the type of fabric most suitable for the job in hand. For example, if you want a curtain to give you privacy but still allow air to flow into the room, then cotton or linen would be an obvious choice. However, if you want to block out light and add drama to a room, velvet or a heavy polyester would be a good option. Linen has become especially popular these days, as it is very practical. It is washable and can withstand a certain amount of wear and tear – ideal if the room is often visited by children or pets. If the space is small, avoid busy patterns and hang your curtain as high as possible to make the room feel taller than it is – creating a sense of space. Here are some excellent ideas for spring…

Pepe Peñalver’s new Gaula collection is inspired by the colours, craftsmanship and nature of Madeira (www.pepepenalver.com).

An artist’s brushstroke is perfectly transposed into a finely woven cotton jacquard for Larsen’s Brush collection and the beautifully smooth drape in their Ebony colourway. Larsen is available from Alison Bethell-Collins Interior Design in Avda. del Mediterráneo, San Pedro de Alcántara (www.alisonbethellcollins.com).

Kvadrat’s Storylines collection is inspired by natural light and midnight skies and is made up of refined materials and compositions that are crafted exclusively from natural or fabricated fibres (www.kvadrat.dk).

Lola from Création Baumann’s Joy of Life collection is a decorative transparent fabric in flame-retardant high-quality polyester. Its fresh and contemporary look gives any room a sophisticated airy feel. Available from Cortidea on the Mijas Road and in Urb. Marbella Real (www.cortidea.es) and Arte del Lusso in C/ Lagasca in San Pedro de Alcántara (www.artedellusso.es).

Right Zinc’s Wriggle Buff hand-painted linen collection is simplistic and cutting-edge. Wriggle is a tribal-inspired pattern with lustrous metallics on a fluid pure linen. Zinc is available through Alison Bethell-Collins Interior Design (www.alisonbethellcollins.com) and Arte del Lusso (www.artedellusso.es). Both showrooms are situated in San Pedro de Alcántara.

Les Merveilles d’Egypte is a collaboration between Pierre Frey, The Louvre museum and artist and designer Louis Barthélemy, who lives between Marrakech, Cairo and Paris. The fabric collection acknowledges tradition whilst embracing contemporary style. The design celebrates luxuriant fauna and flora embroidered on linen, while the jacquards and prints remind you of hieroglyphics and frescoes found in ancient buildings. Pierre Frey is available through GC Studio in CC Camoján Corner in Marbella (www.gc-studio.es).

Left Osborne & Little’s hand-painted Netherfield design from their Mansfield Park collection depicts woodpeckers, jays, blue-tits and other English garden birds perched in leafy branches and digitally printed on a linen union twill. Osborne & Little is available from Cortidea on the Mijas Road and in Urb. Marbella Real (www.cortidea.es).

Camengo’s new Porquerolles collection has a pigment printed on an acrylic fabric, making it highly durable and ideal for outdoor use. The weave creates a beautiful effect on the fabric, where a botanical water-colour design is emblazoned in either soft or bold colours in a contemporary palette that comes in three colourways. Camengo is available from Alison Bethell-Collins Interior Design in Avda. del Mediterráneo in San Pedro de Alcántara (www.alisonbethellcollins.com), Cortidea on the Mijas Road and in Urb. Marbella Real (www.cortidea. es), Arte del Lusso in C/ Lagasca in San Pedro de Alcántara (www.artedellusso.es) and GC Studio in CC Camoján Corner in Marbella (www.gc-studio.es).

ALISON BETHELL-COLLINS INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERIOR DESIGN THAT’S FOR EVERYONE

Alison Bethell-Collins has lived on the Costa del Sol for many years and has become a well-known and respected face within the interior design world. Her wealth of experience and, more importantly, her continued passion and love for her work in providing special homes for her clients has led to many becoming good friends. As a result, she is often asked to accompany clients on buying trips to the likes of Paris, Morocco and Italy, as she has the invaluable “little black book” of supplier contacts that makes furnishing a home, wherever that may be, a much easier and more pleasurable process. Alison has now opened a showroom in the heart of San Pedro de Alcántara, where she has music playing, coffee on the go, and chocolates and biscuits a plenty. The showroom mainly houses Italian designer furniture and a huge array of fabric samples from major international brands, but she also has a veritable library of catalogues to show clients if a particular product is not in stock. She comments, “Even though most interior designers are very friendly and approachable, I realise that sometimes high-end interior design showrooms can seem a little daunting to enter, so I like to keep the ambience relaxed and fun so that customers feel at ease and enjoy the whole experience. “Even if you are just wanting some curtains or blinds or a small reform in your home, I’m more than happy to help out. For clients who want to fix their budget from the very beginning, I have created some excellent packages that offer real style and won’t break the bank.

“What many people don’t realise is that I offer a fully-comprehensive architect service, including plans, refurbishment and renovation. My team and I provide a full project management service during building, and I send regular reports and photos to clients if they are overseas.” Alison is one of the few interior designers who can work with clients in Gibraltar due to the different legislation procedures, delivery implications and import duties. “I have recently renovated a 200-year-old fortress in Gibraltar and turned it into a lavish private home with most of the furniture being specially made. It really has the wow-factor and is without doubt, I am proud to say, one of Europe’s most exclusive homes. I am currently working on another project in Gibraltar which is a complete refurbishment of a four-bedroom house, where I have designed a spectacular bar and cinema area in the basement – it is going to be a real showstopper.” Alison has lived in many countries including Italy and Indonesia and has always picked up design inspiration from wherever she has visited. Thanks to her worldly travels she has carried out projects that have ranged broadly in design style, from high glamour, art deco and modern ethnic to Scandinavian chic. Her impressive network of contacts means she can offer clients experts in their fields as well as some of the Costa del Sol’s best artisans to create personalised pieces for their home.

Alison Bethell-Collins Avda. de Mediterráneo, Edif. Corona 20, San Pedro de Alcántara (Marbella) Tel. Showroom (+34) 951 507 350 Mobile (+34) 627 487 364 www.alisonbethellcollins.com