Meet Our Family
We love what we do and where we live. Eight generations of our family have thrived in Wollongong, three of them in the family business. For 85+ years, our unmatched product knowledge of window treatments and soft furnishings has defined coastal living.
Luxaflex Wollongong Specialists for over 55 Years.
Living Heritage
Our family business has flourished in Wollongong for 80+ years. This is our story.
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![A historic Certificate of Incorporation of a company from New South Wales, dated 1936, printed on aged paper with official seals and signatures. Barnes Darling, Luxaflex Wollongong]()
1939
Cecil Barnes and his business partner Thomas Darling establish Barnes Darling at Lang’s Corner in Wollongong.
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![A parade on a city street with a large crowd watching, a float with people walking on it, and storefronts with signs. Barnes Darling, Luxaflex Wollongong]()
1951
Cecil buys out his partner and continues alone, making Barnes Darling a byword for quality furniture and bespoke window furnishings in the Illawarra, Southern Highlands and southern NSW.
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![Three men wearing shorts and socks, holding oversized lamps and chairs, standing on the steps outside a building with glass doors. Gwil Barnes, Barnes Darling. Luxaflex Wollongong]()
1970s
Cecil’s sons Gwylm, Gareth, and Martin take over the business, retailing iconic Parker Furniture, Chiswell, and many other leading Australian brands. The Barnes family starts a relationship with Luxaflex Window Furnishings that will endure 50+ years.
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![A black and white photo of a young man in a white shirt and tie reading a magazine, sitting next to a smiling woman in a patterned dress, sitting on a couch in a room with curtains.]()
1984
Barnes Darling closes its doors. Gwylm and Patricia Barnes continue the family business, operating from their family home in Mt Pleasant. The business thrives in the premium end of the market, nurtured by word of mouth.
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![Five people in formal attire at an award ceremony, holding framed certificates and smiling for the photo.]()
1992
Steen joins the business officially as a designer and head installer/technician of bespoke window furnishings. His brother Cade follows in 1995 in the same role. Their synergistic combination of design talent, business integrity, and vast experience creates an award-winning dream team. They move the business to a private residence in Mount Ousley, working by appointment only.
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![A black and white photo of a smiling middle-aged man and woman close together, looking at the camera.]()
1997
Steen and Cade Barnes assume full control of the business with their mother Pat as Gwil fights a tough battle with cancer. They continue building the Barnes reputation for quality by staying true to their father’s ethos, as he stayed true to his father’s before him. Sadly Gwil loses his fight with cancer on 29 December 2000.
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![Interior of a clothing or fabric store with shelves of fabric samples on the left, a long table in the center, and display cases on the right.]()
2003
Honouring our 32-year relationship, Luxaflex Australia asks us to become one of Australia’s first and Wollongong’s only Luxaflex Window Fashions Gallery. We open a new showroom in Balgownie. With the largest range of high-quality window furnishings and fabrics, and many products exclusive to Barnes Interiors, it’s become a destination for homeowners and design professionals creating premium bespoke designer window treatments.
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![A man with short light-colored hair and a goatee, dressed in a dark coat over a checked shirt, is standing with his arms crossed in front of a set of shelves filled with various fabric samples or curtains. Luxaflex Blinds Wollongong, Steen Barnes]()
2011
Reflecting our evolution as one of Wollongong’s most trusted residential and commercial design consultants, Steen Barnes is appointed to the Luxaflex National Advisory Council.
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![Two men in suits posing for a photo at a Luxaflex event, standing in front of a backdrop with the Luxaflex logo. Luxaflex National Award Winners, Luxaflex Blinds, Luxaflex Wollongong]()
2019
We celebrate 80 years in business and 50 years as Wollongong’s only Luxaflex Window Fashions Gallery. As Luxaflex’s preferred supplier for our area, we are the only store to carry the complete range of Luxaflex products including the Designer, Classic, and Living ranges.
A 5-star experience