Sheer Fabrics Pushing Creative Envelope For Outdoor Rooms (NAPSA)—America’s love affair with the outdoor room is pushing the envelope on a wide range of consumer products, from hightech kitchen appliances to luxurious textiles. With a goal of making the outdoor room as functional as it is comfortable, the creativity and technical expertise of manufacturers are being stretched like neverbefore. Performance fabrics companies are stepping upto this challenge, offering chenille, jacquard and even velvet fabrics that are engineered for outdoor rooms. These high-tech fabrics are just as luxurious as their indoor counterparts, yet able to withstand the outdoor elements. Romantic sheer fabrics are the latest in a long line of specialty textiles for outdoor rooms, opening up a new world of creative possibilities that range from privacy screening to exotic embellishments. “The wonderful thing about today’s performance fabrics, such as sheers, is you don’t have to compromise—you can have unri- valed beauty and durability all in one fabric,” said Richard Frinier, an internationally recognized home furnishings designer who has created a line of Sunbrella performance fabrics for outdoor rooms. “As a designer, it is very fulfilling to see that there are no limits to how my creative inspira- tions can be translated into worryfree fabrics for indoor or outdoor decorating.” A 46-year leader in performance fabrics, Sunbrella has launched its sheer fabrics in three lines—Mist, whichis a traditional lightweight sheer; Illusion, which offers more texture and weight; and Casement, a high-end sheer Copyright 2007 Coastal Living/Jean Allsopp Outdoor rooms are pushing the envelope on product design, from high-tech kitchen appliances to luxurious performance fabrics that can weather the great outdoors. fabric with elegant texture and design. Imagination is the only limitation to how sheers can be used in the outdoor room. If your outdoor room is a screened porch, you can install sheers inside the screens, which adds a touch of elegance, not to mention privacy and protection when it rains. Because Sunbrella sheers are performance fabrics, they dry quickly and do not support the growth of mold or mildew. Other exciting applications for sheer fabrics in the outdoor room include wrapping columns and archways or adding decorative touches to gazebos. Some homeowners use sheers in whimsical ways, incorporating them into daybeds and furniture for an exotic look andfeel. Sunbrella Sheer fabrics use the same yarns that you will find in traditional Sunbrella casual fab- rics for cushions and market umbrellas, which assure durability, fade resistance and ease of cleaning, not to mention color coordination. Sheers are created with a newly developed weaving and finishing capability, inspired by homeowners eager to push the outdoor room to even greater heights of enjoyment. “Luxuriating in the outdoors is deeply rooted in our psyches, going back centuries to the days of the Greeks and Romans,” Frinier said. “These ancient cultures also had luxurious fabrics in their outdoor settings. What they didn’t have is the combination of beauty and performance that modern technology and creative excellence are making possible for today’s homeowners.” For more information on decorating outdoor rooms, visit www.sunbrella.com and see the latest in fabric innovations.
