October 25, 2011
The window fashions industry is now pushing its manufacturers and retailers to pay more attention to child safety. All those dangling cords are a real hazard to young children and there are several deaths each year in the United States related to window treatments.
Hunter Douglas has led the way in making everyone in the industry, as well as consumers aware, of the potentially dangerous features of some window fashions. With their bent for innovative design they have introduced products with child safety in mind.
The main issue is the cords. So cordless options are a must in households with young children (including grandchildren). Some products to bear in mind – the wood/alternative blind category all have cordless lifting options. Add a tilt wand and all cords are elminated. Their honeycomb offerings, Duette, Duette Architella and Applause also come with cordless literise lifting systems. Vignette Tiered Roman Shades replicate a traditional roman shade, but with a cordless lifting system. If the shades do not have a cordless option, most are available with battery operated motorization, a relatively affordable approach to motorized shades.
The latest introduction to the cordless shade scene is from B & W Window Fashions in Gurnee, Illinois. The Vitale line of roman shades is truly a first on the market – beautiful fabrics, 6 shade styles and all with the One Touch Control. Check out the video below to see this amazing shade in operation!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eubQLGFnOto
August 23, 2010
A fabulous look – why change?
The client created this fabulous look in her home – custom made draperies and an elegant rod and then she added the Mackenzie Childs scarves to tie together the decor in her living room which featured the Mackenzie Childs line.
Four years later it was time for a little fine tuning and a room refresh. She wanted to hide the security system sensors in the windows and requested roman shades inside mounted into the opening. We suggested mounting the roman shades outside the window and near the top of the existing drapery pole in order to increase the height of the window and ceiling and tie the 2 window treatments together. She had originally planned to keep the scarves in place.
However, there are 2 slliding glass doors on the opposite side of the room to which we added Hunter Douglas Duette Vertiglides. We suggested to complete the look and enhance an already elegant room, we should add side panels and elegant rods. Now we will need the scarves to use as holdbacks. The result will be a beautiful room that highlights the client’s collections.
June 28, 2010
REWORK TO FABULOUS
Would you believe that this room is a rework? The client had this fabulous custom bedroom ensemble in her home up north. She LOVED the fabric and the look, but because of the tall windows and ceilings in our Florida homes and a new mattress, nothing would fit!
We came up with a great solution. We needed a new bedskirt, which we made and recovered the headboard so that it would match.
In her “up north” house the drapes were only 84 inches long and operable, whereas here we had installed some beautiful Hunter Douglas Silhouette shades on the window. The drapes only had to be decorative. We made pelmets/overlays for the top of the drapes. Luckily the client had kept the extra trim from the original installation 12 years ago so we were able to trim out the bottom of the overlay to match the bed pillows. Add a 3 in pole from Resin Solutions with luscious finials and behold a stunning bedroom.
And all for a fraction of the cost of a complete redo of this luxurious master bedroom suite.
April 14, 2010
I don’t want to block my view! This is a comment frequently heard when clients are considering a window treatment - whether a privacy shade or a decorative treatment - or both. Elegant window fashions, well designed, are a complement to any view.
The picture above is a good example. The client has a fabulous gulf view from her master bedroom window. She had selected a soft coral as the main color for her decorating scheme. We chose a small pattern for the pleated valance - with a curve added to soften the rectangular window – and then side panels in a silk/linen fabric. This room has an eight foot ceiling and the valance was 22 in high at its tallest point – yet the view is preserved, in fact, it is highlighted!
The client chose a motorized Silhouette for a privacy treatment – again even at the sun’s most ferocious with a blinding glare coming off the water – the view is still fantastic!
January 10, 2010
 
In homes in Florida aquarium windows often present a problem – how to dress the window to add beauty to the room and also solve sun and privacy issues. The biggest predicament is how to place privacy treatments so that there are no ugly and dysfunctional gaps at the corners. Hard treatments such as blinds and shades need to be overlapped at the “bends” in order to minimize the gap. This can be unsightly, especially if you are not adding a top treatment.
A client recently asked me to solve this particular problem. The morning sun was really annoying at the breakfast table, but for the remainder of the day she wanted to enjoy her view. In addition, she wanted to “finish” off her room with a decorative top treatment.
My solution was a bent rod with sheers operated with batons. The sheers were easily pulled to cover the opening but also provided a soft, decorative accent when pulled back. We added a box pleat valance which pulled the main colors for her room. The client was thrilled with the result. She has also found a bonus in the sheers – they help insulate all that glass during the cold snap we are experiencing in Florida!
July 16, 2009
Keep the Dog Days of Summer Outdoors with Beautiful New Custom Window Fashions!
August brings with it the long, hot, sultry days of summer, which often stay that way well into evening and nighttime. It can feel like no air is moving at all, inside or out, and that the strong daylight sunshine might just never settle down and be civilized again. Here in Florida, summer feels like it will never end. Where can you go to get away from such oppressive conditions? Indoors, of course!
Your windows provide a perfect place to allow just as much of summer in as you deem fit, keeping out the rest, and saving yourself some money to boot! Beautiful new custom draperies, blinds, shadings, shutters and more will control that hard Florida light, and insulate against the outdoor heat. In doing so, they protect the other valuable furnishings, walls, artwork and fabrics you’ve selected for your home, and help keep the cooler air inside, too. This translates directly into dollars and cents.
 Cool Air In; Hot Air Out… And Vice Versa!
By selecting window fashions made from materials with appropriate thermal qualities, you can actually save money by beautifying your rooms. So many beautiful high-tech window fashion fabrics and other innovative materials now exist that you won’t believe you’re looking at something that will enhance your lifestyle while helping you save energy and adding value to your home! You needn’t go running out to find any of these marvels either… I’ll be happy to drop by and should you the full range of what’s possible whenever it is convenient!
Layering Works in Summer, too!
Just as layers of clothing keep us warmer in winter, layers of window fashions add warmth in winter, and cool in summer by adding even more thermal protection at your windows. By simply adding one of the new woven, see-though solar shadings below your  existing window fashions, you can add up to 95% to 98% UV protection from damaging sunlight without blocking your outdoor views, and keep your rooms cooler at the same time! Conversely, beautiful blinds and shadings work well beneath draperies, valences and cornices to bring privacy and thermal protection to your rooms, year-round.
July 9, 2009
Add Style to Your Windows!
I’ve heard it hundreds of times, “I just can’t believe how window treatments finish the room!” When a window fashion is designed specifically for you, all the elements in the room magically come together. To achieve this decorating nirvana, you should consider working with a professionally trained expert in window fashions.
We can provide you with beautiful, functional and well-appointed treatments. As a designer that masters in creating thousands of treatments, I would like to share a few of our trade secrets.
Couture Window Fashions are truly one of the few remaining elements in home decor that is custom made. As a window fashion designer, the palate I work with is your window and I express my creativity in choosing fabrics and trims and designing fabulous creations for the room.
 I have seen many poorly done window treatments. Sometimes the fabrication is executed wrong, or it could be in the design. How does a consumer know what to look for when hiring a designer?
Since window treatments are first seen at the time of installation, this requires a careful analysis on which company you use. The first place to determine the capability of a designer is to look at their portfolio. Take a close look at the work. Can you see a good use of color, proportions, functionality and of course great looking treatments?
When a trained window fashion designer visits your home, be prepared for the most pleasant decorating experience. The designer will take note of your decor, your choices of color, textures and other important aspects to the room that will affect the window treatments. A discussion of styles is important. There are 6 basic styles of window fashions, which are:
1) Romantic
This is a very soft and flowing design. Typically done with sheers and draped in a swag design. The fabrics can be teamed up with decorative trim. This style also plays with the light, as the fabric itself appears illuminated when the sun streams through the window.
 2) Modern
Modern or contemporary treatments are simple but create a very powerful design statement. Geometrically shaped cornices in suede are great compliments to a modern room. The use of grommets in a drapery panel, add a new twist to drapery on a metal pole. The range of affordable fabrics with modern designs has increased dramatically over the last several years as decorating trends are moving to a modern aesthetic.
3) Youthful
Either for a boy or girl, rooms designed for children have bright bold colors, with fun elements in the design. From simple valances to toys designed into the treatments, the imagination is free as it is in a child’s mind.
4) Elegant
Silk creates the most elegant window fashions. Combined with great trims, silk draperies are the most fabulous treatment. When a silk is interlined (a flannel lining in between the face fabric and the lining) it creates the most luxurious creation. The weave of silk, often with different threads on the warp and weft, create a shimmering vision for your decor.
 5) Historical
Traditional treatments call for the use of damasks, stripes that are layered over sheers. Swags and jabots are commonly used. Ethnic influences can be introduced with this style.
6) Classic
This is a more tailored style of design. A decorative pole, in wood or iron with simple panels is a great way to implement this look.
Whatever style you choose, we can provide you with a sense of comfort in knowing you will be thrilled with your decisions. Remember, these are truly custom products and there should be only one result upon the installation of your window treatments: Pure joy!
|
