Reference
Window furnishings glossary — Australian terms explained
Plain-English definitions of the terms used on shutter, blind, curtain and outdoor-screen quotes across Australia. Useful before your in-home consult — or any time a manufacturer spec sheet uses jargon you want decoded.
Acmeda
Australian-owned motor and hardware manufacturer headquartered in Victoria. Common Acmeda product lines: Automate (motors), Rollease Acmeda (hardware), with strong smart-home integration via the Pulse hub.
Related: Motorisation, Somfy
Architrave
The decorative timber moulding that frames a window or door opening. Heritage Australian homes have wide, profiled architraves; modern builds typically use simpler square-edge architraves.
Related: Reveal Mount, Face Mount
Awning
A retractable or fixed external shade attached above a window or pergola. Folding-arm awnings extend over outdoor entertaining areas; pivot-arm and channel awnings are smaller window-specific styles.
Related: Zipscreen, Wind Rating (Beaufort)
Basswood
A lightweight, fine-grained hardwood from the Tilia genus, the most common timber used in Australian plantation shutters. Holds paint and stain evenly; suitable for interior dry rooms.
Related: Plantation Shutter, PVC Shutter
Bay Window
A window arrangement that projects outward from the main wall, typically with three or more panels at angles (commonly 90° corner bays or 135° canted bays). Requires angled or shaped shutter / blind fitting.
Related: Corner Window, Plantation Shutter
Blockout Fabric
A roller-blind or curtain fabric that blocks 100% of light transmission. Used in bedrooms, theatre rooms, and shift-worker properties. Combined with a side-channel or pelmet for full blackout.
Related: Sunscreen Fabric, Roller Blind
Corner Window
Two windows meeting at a 90° corner without a structural post between them. Modern build feature; requires careful measurement so the shutters or blinds operate without interference at the corner.
Related: Bay Window
Curtain Track
The horizontal rail above a window that holds curtain carriers. AU residential tracks are commonly ceiling-mounted or face-mounted; motorised tracks accept Somfy Glydea or Acmeda Skyline motors.
Related: S-Fold (Curtain), Motorisation
Eyelet (Curtain)
A curtain header style with reinforced metal rings (grommets) that slide directly over a curtain rod. Casual, easy-to-operate, and the least expensive header style.
Related: S-Fold (Curtain), Pinch Pleat (Curtain)
Face Fix
A mounting method where the shutter, blind, or curtain track attaches to the face of the wall or architrave (outside the window reveal). Used when reveal depth is too shallow or when an outside-mount visual is preferred.
Related: Reveal Mount, Architrave
Face Mount
A shutter or blind mount where the product is fitted to the face of the wall or architrave, sitting outside the window reveal. Used when the reveal is too shallow for a reveal mount.
Related: Reveal Mount, Architrave
Honeycomb (Cellular) Blind
A pleated fabric blind with hollow honeycomb cells running horizontally that trap air for insulation. Double-cell versions add ~R 1.5 to a window. Common in alpine and Tablelands homes.
Related: Roller Blind, R-Value (Insulation)
Louvre
A horizontal slat in a plantation shutter that pivots to control light and airflow. Louvre sizes range from 47mm (small) to 89mm or 114mm (large).
Larger louvres allow more open-position view-through and clearer outward sightline. Smaller louvres give a more traditional cottage look. Australian-made shutters typically default to 63mm or 89mm.
Related: Plantation Shutter, Tilt Rod
Motorisation
Powering blinds, shutters, curtains, or outdoor screens with an electric motor controlled by remote, wall switch, app, or smart-home assistant. Common motor brands in Australia: Somfy, Acmeda, Alpha, Simu.
Battery-powered motors typically last 12-18 months per charge; hardwired motors run indefinitely. Smart-home integration commonly uses RTS, Zigbee, or Wi-Fi protocols. Always confirm the motor brand and protocol at quote stage — they aren't cross-compatible.
Related: Somfy, Acmeda, Roller Blind, Zipscreen
Openness Factor
The percentage of light + air that passes through a sunscreen roller-blind fabric. Common openness factors in Australia: 1%, 3%, 5%, 10%. Lower = darker interior + better outward view; higher = brighter interior + reduced privacy.
A 5% openness sunscreen is the most common AU residential default — blocks ~85% of UV while preserving the outward view. For bedrooms and theatre rooms choose blockout fabrics (0% openness) instead.
Related: Sunscreen Fabric, Blockout Fabric, Roller Blind
Pinch Pleat (Curtain)
A traditional curtain header style where fabric is gathered into pleats (typically 2-finger or 3-finger) and held by stitching. Carries a heavier, more formal drape than S-fold.
Related: S-Fold (Curtain), Eyelet (Curtain)
Plantation Shutter
A window covering made of solid horizontal slats (louvres) set inside a rigid frame, with a central tilt rod that pivots the louvres open or closed. Mounted to the window reveal, architrave, or face.
Plantation shutters in Australia are typically made from PVC, basswood timber, aluminium, or composite. PVC and aluminium do not warp in inland NSW heat. Basswood timber holds the natural-wood look better but is best for interior climate-controlled rooms.
Related: Louvre, PVC Shutter, Basswood, Tilt Rod
PVC Shutter
A plantation shutter made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), valued in Australia for its resistance to heat warping, moisture, and UV degradation. Best for wet areas, north-facing windows, and inland NSW climates.
PVC shutters carry typical warranties of 5-10 years in Australia. They will not crack, peel, or warp under sustained 40°C+ summer temperatures. Cleaning is a damp cloth — no specialty products needed.
Related: Plantation Shutter, Basswood
R-Value (Insulation)
The resistance of a material to heat flow. Higher R-value = better insulation. Plantation shutters typically add R 1.5–3.0 when closed, comparable to a thin layer of fibreglass batt.
Related: Plantation Shutter, Thermal Break (Frame)
Reveal Depth
The distance from the front edge of an architrave back to the window glass. Determines whether a shutter can be reveal-mounted (typically needs 65–75mm minimum for plantation shutters) or must be face-fixed.
Related: Reveal Mount, Face Fix, Plantation Shutter
Reveal Mount
A shutter or blind mount where the product sits inside the window reveal (the recessed area between the window and the architrave). Cleanest visual finish; requires precise width measurement.
Related: Face Mount, Architrave
Roller Blind
A flat fabric panel rolled around a top tube that lowers and raises via chain, spring, or motor. Most affordable and most common Australian internal window covering.
Related: Sunscreen Fabric, Blockout Fabric, Motorisation
Roman Blind
A fabric blind that folds into horizontal pleats when raised. Soft, formal aesthetic. Available in flat-fold, hobbled-fold (relaxed), or balloon styles. Typically blockout-lined for bedrooms.
Related: Roller Blind, Blockout Fabric
RTS (Radio Technology Somfy)
Somfy's proprietary 433.42 MHz radio protocol for remote-controlling motorised window furnishings. Pre-dates modern Zigbee/Wi-Fi smart-home protocols; bridged via the Somfy TaHoma hub for app and voice-assistant control.
Related: Somfy, Sonesse (Motor), Motorisation
S-Fold (Curtain)
A curtain header style where the fabric forms continuous S-shaped waves. Provides a more modern, fluid drape compared to pinch-pleat. Hangs from a track with carriers spaced ~80-120mm apart.
Related: Pinch Pleat (Curtain), Eyelet (Curtain)
S-Fold (Curtain)
A curtain header style where the fabric forms continuous S-shaped waves. Provides a modern, fluid drape compared to pinch-pleat. Hangs from a track with carriers spaced ~80–120mm apart.
Related: Pinch Pleat (Curtain), Eyelet (Curtain), Curtain Track
Somfy
French-owned motor manufacturer, the dominant motor brand on premium Australian window furnishings. Common Somfy product lines: Sonesse (interior blinds), Altus (outdoor zipscreens), Glydea (curtain tracks).
Related: Motorisation, Acmeda
Sonesse (Motor)
Somfy's premium interior tubular motor line for roller blinds, Roman blinds, and honeycomb blinds. Quietest in its class; battery-powered Sonesse RTS variants common in AU retrofits where wiring is impractical.
Related: Somfy, Motorisation, Roller Blind
Sunscreen Fabric
A semi-transparent roller-blind fabric woven from PVC-coated polyester or fibreglass yarn, designed to block UV while preserving outward view. Openness factor (typically 1-10%) controls how much light passes through.
Related: Blockout Fabric, Roller Blind
Thermal Break (Frame)
A non-conductive insulating barrier inside an aluminium shutter or window frame that interrupts heat flow between the inside and outside surfaces. Significantly improves R-value vs unbroken aluminium.
Related: Plantation Shutter
Tilt Rod
The vertical bar that runs down the centre of a plantation shutter and turns the louvres in unison. Modern shutters often use a hidden side-tilt mechanism that omits the visible front rod.
Related: Plantation Shutter, Louvre
Venetian Blind
A horizontal-slat blind (typically 25mm or 50mm slats in timber, faux-wood, or aluminium) that tilts open/closed and raises via cord or lift system. Often confused with shutters; venetians are lighter and less expensive but offer less insulation and privacy.
Related: Plantation Shutter, Louvre
Wind Rating (Beaufort)
How much wind an outdoor zipscreen or awning can safely tolerate when extended. Quoted on the Beaufort scale: residential zipscreens commonly rated 6 (39–49 km/h), premium 7 (50–61 km/h), commercial 8+ (62+ km/h).
Zipscreen
An outdoor blind that uses a side-channel zipper system to lock the fabric edges into the track. Eliminates side-billow in wind. Common product names include Ziptrak®, Vergola, and Acmeda outdoor systems.
Zipscreens are typically wind-rated to a specific Beaufort scale level (commonly 6-7 for residential, 8-9 for commercial). Motorised versions with smart-home integration are standard on premium installs in Australia.
Ziptrak®
A specific Australian-made zipscreen brand. Often used generically — many homeowners say "Ziptrak" when they mean any zipscreen. Ziptrak® is the trademarked product from Ziptrak Pty Ltd in South Australia.
Related: Zipscreen,