GDCOMM 2009 ShowBlog

Been looking at options for the drapes - the main issue seems to be that we need them to be very long (4m/3.5m/2.7m depending on how low the balloons are). Spaces to be covered are 21m, 24m (with some leeway for the door) and 11m (the 'wall' being created in the corner). I've given the full details below and estimated prices to the largest measurements, looks like by far the cheapest would be the first Ikea option.

IKEA:



Best option seems to still be Lill curtains - they're basically very fine polyester netting but the light bounces off them pretty well, the opacity improves if you let them bunch up or layer them so could allow extra.

£2.93 for 2-pack, 280x300cm = approx £30 if we were using just one layer, so probably £50 if we're layering them.


Vivan - bright white, cotton, quite rough-looking but more opaque. £6.84 for 2-pack, 145x300cm = approx £130 total.


Wilma - more transparent than Vivan, smoother, cotton. £11.73 for 2-pack, 145x300cm = approx £220.



Sarita - organza-like, doesn't hang nearly as well but has a great sheen, might work if stretched out. Oddly they don't do the curtains in white but it comes on a roll at £2.53/m for 150cm width. Works out v. expensive - using a height of about 3m it'd be £280.


Panels: they say these need a specific top/bottom rail but could probably be fixed over wires and weighted down, otherwise fixings are £3.91 per panel. Dimensions: 60x300cm - very narrow so might not be suitable for the whole thing but maybe for the 11m wall? The only plain ones were Anno Tupplur £7.82 which acts as blackout, or Flyn Lill £1.36, there weren't any examples hanging up but assuming it's similar to the Lill curtains.

Couple of other things... Tupplur blackout comes in lots of sizes up to 200x195cm for £19.56, roller blind were all far too short, cable+clip sets for curtains come in packs of 5m for £7.82.


OTHER:

Called lots of scenic/theatre stockists... scenic gauze is far too expensive, most just have regular muslin on the roll, which will work out v. expensive since at 150cm width you'd need 3m just to get the size of one of the Ikea curtains. Same goes for organza/taffeta/voile in fabric stores.

Brodie and Middleton stock back projection fabric @ £.20.35/m for 520cm width, also bolton twill blackout @ £5.22/m for 122cm width.

Also in case we wanted to do the frosted door idea, Flints stock frost film 2mx1m £15, frost varnish 300ml £7.24, frost spray £4.98.