At Cathy van Abbe Soft Furnishings we make bespoke soft furnishings for your home, whether it be a pair of fully lined curtains with a hand-pleated heading for your bedroom or a fabric roman blind for your study. Why not add a splash of colour with some scatter cushions for your living room or a box cushion for your window seat? For that finishing touch you could add lampshades and a headboard too!
We provide a full service so we can also supply your curtain poles, tracks and roller or venetian blinds and arrange fitting for that perfect finish.
Bespoke Curtains
Your curtains will be hand-stitched, with weighted and mitred corners producing a beautifully crafted finish.
You can select from a choice of handmade headings to suit your interior style.
Using the best quality British linings and interlinings for a luxurious drape, with blackout also being an option. for a great night's sleep! With interlined curtains your room will feel warmer, instantly look better and they will last for many years.
I will organise for an experienced fitter to install your curtain pole or track and I will personally hang and dress your bespoke curtains to ensure they are hanging correctly.
Roman Blinds
My roman blinds are all hand-stitched so there are no visible stitches on the face fabric, with mitred corners and traditional rod pockets. There is the option to have blackout applied to your blinds, with both the bonded interlining and the lining itself being upgraded, thus minimising pin prick holes.
All roman blinds comply fully with the 2014 legislation on child-safety for blinds. We use breakaway clips and approved cassette headrails, with geared breakaway chains.. Breakaway chains come in several copper, brass and nickel finishes for you to choose from. The headrail itself comes with a life-time guarantee and is the best on the market. There is even an option to have your blinds motorised and controlled from your smart phone.
Box Cushions & Window Seats
I also supply and make box cushions for window seats, benches and chairs both for indoor or outdoor use, depending on your fabric choice.
They are zipped and more often than not are piped but they don't have to be. It's your choice! Piping can be made from a contrasting fabric to create impact or be made with matching fabric for a more subtle finish.
Inners are usually made from a medium or firm foam covered with a Dacron wadding to give a plump and soft silhouette. A feather wrap is also an option.
Scatter Cushions
Scatter cushions are a great way to inject a bold pop of colour into your scheme without taking a big risk and they can be so much fun!
My scatter cushions can come with a high quality super-fill feather inner for a plumper, fuller finish that give good recovery and softness. The feathers are the cleanest possible, which helps to reduce the chance of allergic reaction, and are encased within a 100% Cambric cotton cover to prevent feathers piercing the fabric.
Alternatively you can go for a natural 100% British wool filled cushion inner or indeed a super-filled hollowfibre one which is ideal for allergy sufferers.
Headboards & Lampshades
Why not create some gravitas with a beautifully upholstered headboard? Choose from a plethora of shapes, thousands of fabrics and finish off with a lovely piped edge for a luxurious finish and a truly bespoke piece.
How about a matching or contrasting lampshade in your own choice of fabric?
Choose from a range of sizes and shapes, including hexagonal and rounded square, small or large, pendant or table! They'll really help to tie your whole look together and finish your room off beautifully.
Roller, Venetian & Voile Blinds
Perhaps you would like a sheer, voile roller blind to diffuse the sunlight or a blackout blind under your set of curtains to create additional darkness? We have several suppliers where you can choose from ranges of muted palettes to bright colours and textures.
We can also offer venetian blinds in many different wood and metal finishes or window film that reflects UV glare and heat to stop your furnishings from bleaching and to regulate room temperatures.
Poles & Tracks
If you need a track or curtain pole, I can help you choose the right one, be it metal, wood, acrylic, traditional or modern. You could even have the look of a pole with the smooth functionality of an embedded track for real ease of use.
We can also colour match wooden poles from a range of wall paints, including Farrow & Ball and Little Greene for that blended discreet effect. Or you could consider a French pole for that super fresh curved look.
Trimmings
Fancy a trim on your soft furnishings? They can really help to elevate a plain fabric but can also be lots of fun when used with patterns and there are so many to choose from; braids, tapes, fringes, pom-poms and more...
They're great for cushions, the bottom of blinds and the edges of curtains to add that extra design, bespoke element and create real interest for a luxurious finish.
The Process
We will have a chat to identify your requirements and I will send you an approximate estimate to see if we are in budget before proceeding with a home visit.
I will then arrange a free appointment to accurately measure up and will also be armed with a selection of sample books to help you select the ideal fabric for your window treatments and soft furnishings..
You will then be sent an accurate quote and once the down-payment has been received, your bespoke fabrics and materials will be ordered and the process of making can be scheduled in. We usually have an eight week turnaround from receipt of the fabric at my studio.
A professional fitter will be booked to arrange the fitting of any necessary hardware and I will personally deliver your curtains, hang them and dress them in to make sure they hang properly.
I will be your point of contact from start to finish to ensure seamless continuity and a bespoke personal service.
