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Our home needs the outside colour changed. Do you do exterior colour schemes?
Yes we do. It’s really important to have a ‘flow’ between the exterior and interior. This can be achieved with clever colour choices, and once again, Robin Drake is highly experienced in developing exterior colour schemes as well as assisting select exterior products. Not only paint colour for the broad exterior walls and trims, but assisting with choices of roofing colours and products, alternatives in exterior cladding, window joinery colours, garage and entrance door styles, right down to the soffits and guttering. -
My room needs a new look. I’ve got a pile of decorating magazines and I’m more confused than ever. Can you help me?
Options today are endless and can be a minefield to wade through. Short of having a compass to guide you, a cut lunch, and a search party to come to your rescue as you become more and more confused, instead the process can be very enjoyable and totally stress-free by having a qualified interior designer work with you. Robin Drake, Dip. Interior Design, with over 35 years in design and styling would welcome a call or e-mail from you design@drakes.co.nz to create a fabulous new look for your room. -
I’m looking for a special gift for a friend. What do you have?
From quirky to classic, from ‘on trend’ to ‘pioneer spirit’, we have exciting lines of giftware to choose from for all age groups. Art works, tableware and glassware, stylish cutlery, lamps and lighting, beautiful mohair throws, floor rugs, mirrors, vases & jugs, and occasional furniture. Plus, we are happy to gift-wrap your purchase at no extra charge (even a leather recliner chair!). -
I need a new pillow. What can you recommend?
Not all pillows are equal! Part of the formula for a goodnight’s sleep is to have great comfort and the correct support in a pillow. We stock specialist pillows offering unique support for the head and neck, as well as generously filled feather pillows; easy care, machine washable blended polyester / microfibre filled pillows; standard size to king size, and zip-off pillow protectors for your convenience. -
How can I tell the quality of sheets from looking at them in a packet?
The packaging on better quality sheeting will often have a ‘Thread count’ number for the sheeting fabric. The higher the number, the better the quality. If this isn’t visible, our staff are here to guide you through the mysteries of ‘Thread count’ details! -
I can’t find a duvet or bedspread I like. Can I have them made?
From our extensive range of fabrics in store, many are very suited to custom-made duvets and bedspreads. Often fabrics have a companion or co-ordinating fabric which gives you the opportunity to use one design for drapes and use the co-ordinating fabric for a bed spread or duvet. Drakes Furnishers specialise in custom-made duvets and bedspreads. -
What about curtain tracks?
From functional to fashionable, there is a wide variety of curtain drapery hardware to choose from. From tracks which blend in seamlessly with your décor to contrasting decorative rods with finial options; from hand drawn to cord drawn; standard colours to custom colour choices, and all with holdbacks to match. -
Which gives the best insulation? Thermaldrape® (self-lined) versus drapes with separate, sewn-in linings?
The term Thermaldrape® is a bit misleading. Thermaldrape® is merely a trade name and over the years it has been used to generically describe all fabrics which are self-lined, but they don’t necessarily keep the warmth in a room as you would expect! With self-lined fabrics there is still only one layer of fabric at the window, whereas, a lined drape has at least 2 layers of fabric at the window, thereby trapping more cold air between the window glass and your room thereby keeping you cosier. We offer a variety of linings for specific situations: blockout linings for small children’s and shift workers’ bedrooms, coloured linings to suit one’s decor, interlinings for added acoustic properties and any more. -
Can I have both drapes and blinds in the same room?
Yes. Sometimes drapes are simply too much at a window, or there is insufficient wall space for the fabric to stack back beyond the window frame. This situations is ideal for blinds, whether they be made from the same drapery fabric into Roman blinds, or in a contrasting textile such as venetian blinds, or roller blinds. We offer a wide range of options. -
What length should I have my drapes?
When drawn closed, floor-length drapes offer greater insulation. You will lose considerable heat from a room with below sill-length drapes. Floor-length drapes give a greater softening and elegance to a room, but there are occasions when below sill-length drapes are necessary due to restrictions by furniture placement. -
What difference is there in sizes of beds?
There are accepted standard sizes: Single 91cm x 188cm, Long Single 91cm x 203cm, King Single 107cm x 203cm, Double 137cm x 188cm, Queen 153cm x 203cm, King 167cm x 203cm, Super King 183cm x 203cm and Californian King size 203cm x 203cm. Special custom sizes can be made on request. -
Which beds are best? Soft, medium or firm?
Consideration must be given to a person’s individual weight, along with possible muscular / skeletal requirements, allergies (respiratory issues) and so on. -
Can I have the upholstery fabric of my choice? I like the style shown but the fabric wouldn’t suit my room.
Yes. We carry a broad range of upholstery fabrics from highly reputable suppliers for you to choose from. Also, most upholstery fabrics are graded with the ‘Martindale Rub Test’ which indicates suitability for different end usage. -
Does lounge and dining furniture come in other sizes?
New Zealand manufacturers of furniture and beds generally have size options available. We are happy to mix dining tables with alternative chairs unless they form part of a specific set. -
What do I have to do before hanging wallpaper? What about ‘Paste the wall’?
Preparation is the most important part of wallpapering and correct preparation will ensure a great result. Old wallpaper should be removed, and evidence of dampness / mould needs to be fixed. Sand, dust and size new Gib board before hanging paper. For old, yellowed or sunburnt Gib board, an oil based pigmented sealer should be used. When dry, sand, dust and size before hanging paper. We stock all preparation products you will need to ensure a professional looking finished job. ‘Paste the wall’ makes wallpapering easier than ever before. Just roll the paste onto the wall and hang paper straight onto the pasted wall. Easy-peasy! -
How many rolls of wallpaper will I need, and how much extra if I choose a wallpaper with a pattern?
To estimate the number of rolls you need, first measure the wall height and the total distance around the room (all walls, including doors and windows). We have a chart which makes it dead-simple to establish the number of rolls required from the dimensions of your room, regardless of pattern match. -
Can I use water-based paints over oil-based (spirit) paints?
As a rule, yes, but careful surface preparation is essential. -
How many coats will I need to apply?
Depending on whether you are applying an undercoat or finishing colour, will determine the number of coats. Some very deep colours require an extra coat to achieve the required depth of colour and for good coverage. Others may only need two coats. Talk to our fully trained staff who can guide you through the correct system (primers, undercoats, finishing coats) for your project. -
How many litres of paint will I need?
We stock Resene brand paints and all products have information on the paint container with ‘spread rate’, i.e the ratio of the number of square metres to the litre. e.g 10 – 12 m2 : 1 litre. If you know approximately the area you need to cover, we can take out the guess work and calculate the quantity of paint required as per information provided on the product you choose. -
Do I have to have joins?
If the room size exceeds the width of the carpet or vinyl being installed, joins (seams) are necessary, but with expert installation seams can be visibly minimised. -
Can I l have new vinyl installed over the top of our existing vinyl?
If absolutely necessary, yes, provided an underlayment is installed first. Otherwise, for best results we prefer your existing vinyl be uplifted and the floor prepared for installation of new vinyl. -
Do I need new underlay for my new carpet?
Yes. Manufacturers’ warranties for newly installed carpet are invalid if installed on old existing underlay. -
Which carpet is best? Wool or nylon?
Both have unique benefits and here are a few comparisons between wool and nylon carpets. Colour fastness: Solution dyed nylon carpets have the colour locked into the fibre, protecting it from fading. Wool is a natural textile and will exhibit some fading over time in areas consistently exposed to sunlight. Stain resistance: No carpet is completely stain-proof but a solution dyed nylon carpet should provide a level of protection against stains from common household spills and stains. The unique scaly structure of wool fibre gives a natural stain resistance. Provided you attend promptly to spills and stains, most common household spills should be able to be removed. Durability: Most synthetic carpets don’t wear out, but lose their looks due to crushing, matting fibres, and from harsh treatment. Wool is a tough natural fibre and exhibits excellent durability. Under normal residential use conditions in a private household, both wool and nylon carpets graded heavy duty would have a durability and wear lifespan of seven years, and 10 years for an extra heavy duty carpet.
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(06) 756 7648
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