Curtain styles have shifted significantly over the last few years, and the change is more than aesthetic. The heavy, formal drapes that were the default in Australian homes through the 1990s and early 2000s are well and truly behind us. Even the pinch pleat the standard heading style for decades has largely been replaced by cleaner, more relaxed options that suit the way people actually live in their homes today.
After more than 20 years of measuring, installing and cleaning curtains across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, we have a very clear picture of what people are choosing right now and the practical reasons behind those choices. Here’s what’s popular in 2026.
1. Wave Fold — The Current Favourite
Wave fold curtains have become the most requested heading style we’re installing across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and the momentum behind them shows no sign of slowing. The look is clean, architectural and contemporary. The fabric falls into soft, perfectly even S-shaped waves that run consistently from top to bottom no bunching at the bottom, no irregular spacing, no hooks or rings visible at the top. Just a smooth, fluid silhouette that reads as expensive without being fussy.
Wave fold works particularly well in open plan living areas and master bedrooms, where you want a seamless, considered feel rather than the layered formality of a traditional heading style. It photographs beautifully which is part of why it’s been so prevalent on interior design social media over the last few years but it also looks genuinely good in person, which not every trendy style can claim.
The practical consideration with wave fold is that it requires a specific track system and careful measurement to work properly. The even wave effect depends entirely on the fabric being the right weight, the track being the right type, and the measurement being precise. It’s not a forgiving style which is why professional measuring and installation makes a meaningful difference to the final result in a way that it perhaps doesn’t with eyelet or pinch pleat.
2. Eyelet — Still Very Popular, Particularly for Bedrooms
Despite the rise of wave fold, eyelet curtains remain one of the most popular choices in Queensland homes, and in some rooms bedrooms and kids rooms especially they’re as popular as ever. The metal rings give a relaxed, contemporary look. They’re easy to hang, slide smoothly on the rod, and suit almost every interior style from coastal to contemporary to Hamptons.
The trend within the eyelet category has shifted clearly toward plain fabrics in neutral tones. White, soft grey, beige and navy are by far the most requested colours we’re installing right now. Patterned or textured eyelets are available, but the strong majority of customers are choosing plain something that blends into the room rather than becoming a focal point.
Colour choice within the blockout eyelet category also has a practical dimension that’s worth understanding. Darker colours genuinely do block more light than lighter ones, even when the fabric weight is the same. A charcoal or navy blockout eyelet will perform better in a bedroom than a white or cream one of identical fabric construction. If complete darkness is the priority for a shift worker’s room, a young child’s bedroom, or a media room going darker is the smarter choice. If you prefer lighter colours but want strong blockout performance, the solution is to layer with a blockout roller blind on a separate track behind the curtain.
3. Sheer Layers — More Popular Than Ever
Double curtain setups a sheer layer paired with a blockout or heavier outer curtain on the same window have become increasingly standard in Queensland homes, and the trend shows no sign of reversing. The layered approach gives you complete flexibility: sheers during the day for soft, filtered light and daytime privacy, blockouts closed at night for complete darkness and thermal insulation.
In Brisbane and Gold Coast homes, linen-look sheers in cream and warm natural tones are the most popular pairing with blockout outers. The relaxed, coastal feel of a linen-look sheer suits the Queensland lifestyle and aesthetic without the stiffness of a formal voile. They photograph well, they wash well, and they age gracefully which is more than can be said for some of the heavier sheer styles that were popular in earlier decades.
The practical consideration with double setups is the track system. You need either a double track, which carries two sets of curtains on the same bracket, or a double rod system. Both work well the choice usually comes down to the aesthetic you want and the window type you’re working with. We’ll recommend the right approach during your measure and quote.
4. Blockout in Bedrooms — Non-Negotiable for Most Buyers
When it comes to bedrooms, blockout curtains have become essentially standard across Brisbane and Gold Coast homes. Queensland’s early sunrises, extended summer evenings and the intensity of the afternoon sun coming through west-facing bedroom windows make proper light control almost essential not just a comfort preference.
Shift workers and parents of young children are the most motivated buyers, but it’s far from just those demographics. Most of our customers wanting new bedroom curtains specify blockout as a requirement from the beginning of the conversation. The question is rarely whether to get blockout it’s which heading style, which colour, and how to integrate it with sheers if they want both options.
The fabrics themselves have evolved significantly over the last five years. Today’s blockout curtains are lighter, more refined and available in a much wider colour and texture range than they were even a few years ago. You’re no longer choosing between light blocking and aesthetics the best current blockout fabrics deliver both.
5. Neutral Colours Are Dominating
Across all heading styles and fabric types, neutral colours are by far the dominant choice in the Brisbane and Gold Coast market right now. White, off-white, cream, stone, sand, beige, warm grey and natural linen tones make up the overwhelming majority of what we’re installing. These colours work with the light timber floors, white or off-white walls, rattan and natural material furniture palettes that define the contemporary Queensland interior aesthetic.
The reason neutrals are so popular is partly trend and partly practicality. Neutral curtains don’t date. They work with furniture and wall colour changes without needing to be replaced. They reflect Queensland’s bright natural light rather than absorbing it. And they’re genuinely easier to sell a home with which is increasingly relevant in a market where people are thinking about property presentation.
That said, there’s a quiet shift happening at the deeper end of the colour spectrum. Navy, deep teal and forest green are appearing more frequently in bedrooms and media rooms particularly in homes with a coastal or contemporary direction. These deeper tones work well as a single curtain without sheers, they block light more effectively than pale colours, and they add a sense of grounded warmth to a room that all-neutral schemes can sometimes lack.
Frequently Asked Questions
The honest answer is that you can’t always tell from photos. The best approach is a free in-home measure and quote, where we bring actual fabric samples and can show you how different heading styles and weights will behave in your specific room with your lighting, your ceiling height and your existing furniture as context. It’s far easier to make a good decision when you can see the fabric in the space rather than trying to visualise it from a screen.
Wave fold typically costs a little more than eyelet because it requires a specific track system and uses a greater amount of fabric to create the even wave effect the fullness ratio is higher. However, the price difference is not as significant as many people expect, and the result is often a considerably more polished look. We’ll provide a clear quote for both options at your measure and quote so you can compare and make an informed decision.
Yes there are now excellent blockout fabrics that closely replicate the appearance and texture of natural linen without the light-transmitting properties. These are among our most popular choices for bedrooms in homes with a coastal or natural interior direction. We’ll bring samples to your measure and quote so you can see and feel the difference.
Allow approximately three to four weeks from measure to installation for custom made curtains. Lead times can be slightly longer during busy periods which is why now, in late winter, is a good time to book if you want everything installed before summer. We’ll give you an accurate timeframe at your measure and quote based on current production schedules.
New curtains from reputable manufacturers are generally clean and ready to hang they don’t typically carry chemical residues that require a pre-wash. If you have a specific sensitivity or concern, we’re happy to discuss it. What we do recommend is booking a professional clean 12 months after installation to remove the first year’s accumulation of dust and allergens before it has a chance to become embedded.
Thinking About New Curtains Before Summer?
Spring is traditionally our busiest period for new curtain installations. Homeowners want everything fresh and finished before summer entertaining, Christmas, and the warmer months when the home is at its most used and most visible. If you’ve been thinking about updating your window furnishings whether that’s a whole-home refresh or just one or two rooms booking your free measure and quote in August means you’re ahead of the spring rush and can choose your installation date rather than fitting around ours.
We bring samples to you. We measure every window properly. We give you a clear, written quote before any commitment. And we install professionally, including checking your tracks and brackets and making sure everything hangs and operates exactly as it should from day one.
Interested in new curtains for your Brisbane or Gold Coast home? Call us on 07 5549 0996 or visit www.kleenabc.com.au for a free measure and quote. We’ll bring samples to you.
