Even though it’s been an unusually mild winter all over North America, we’re ready for spring and summer in Alpharetta, Georgia. It’s time to open up those draperies, blinds, shadings and shutters to let in the light! If your curtains are looking a little tired and under the weather, it’s time to freshen up. Like a new spring wardrobe, layers on your windows can add fashion and style to your home in a unique and surprisingly affordable way. Here’s some great ideas for spring that will make your home look and feel warm and welcoming all year long. Read the entire decorating tips newsletter here

Great decorating ideas that help you freshen up for spring and summer using custom draperies, blinds, shades or shutters in Alpharetta, Georgia are my specialty at Exciting Windows! by Youngblood Interiors. It’s easy to get started with my free in home consultation or my brand new service… a free phone consultation to help you get your thoughts together.

Unity in a neighborhood is nice, but what we really want is a home that expresses our unique personality; one in which our friends and family say “WOW!” when they walk in.  In Alpharetta, Georgia, homeowners generally start with the unified look of Blinds, Shades and Shutters for light control and privacy and then add the WOW impact with custom window treatments.  Draperies, fabric shades and top treatments will give you a unique look and the WOW you want.  Read the entire decorating tips newsletter here. 

Great decorating ideas that help you express your own uniqueness using custom draperies, blinds, shades or shutters in Alpharetta, Georgia are my specialty at Exciting Windows! by Youngblood Interiors.  It’s easy to get started with my free at-home decorating appointment or my brand new service… a free phone consultation to help you get your thoughts together.

motorized window shades

As a Hunter Douglas Dealer and Window Treatment Designer a question that clients often ask is “How do I treat windows that are different shapes or sizes that are in the same room?”  For a while, the solution was fairly limited to shutters or blinds, as they can be made to fit different shapes while using the same finish. Today, there are many more creative, beautiful solutions.
If your  room  has a sliding glass door in the center of the wall that is flanked by two large open windows then stay tuned, there is a photo following that will give you a great visual for an attractive solution.

Many of these solutions feature sheer fabric you can see through to preserve your view.  While we don’t have majestic rocky mountains in Georgia, we have beautiful lakes, golf courses, pools, and landscape views that we want to see through our walls of windows.

The example above shows how to use a Luminette (the vertical sheer treatment) and the Silhouette (the horizontal sheer treatment) in the same room with visual appeal and a practical solution to a UV or glare challenge. The fabrics are the same on both styles giving a great whole room solution.
This lovely living room had a similar dilemma, and again the Luminette was used on the patio doors and a Vignette, a treatment similar to a Roman Shade, was selected for the window seat.  The fabrics coordinate for a consistent color and texture match.

A more modern take is to use a sliding panel system for the patio door and a screen shade for the window.  Screen shades are great for blocking glare and filtering light in areas that privacy is not needed.  Many of my clients love the simplicity and clean line appearance of these two treatments. Again, they are both made from the same fabric for a well designed look.

Many homes offer upper story windows that we fall in love with until we realize that the sun streams in through them and creates glare, fading, and general discomfort at particular times of day. How to handle these windows I am often asked, yet no one wants to totally cover them up.  This example illustrates using a Silhouette in the upper windows. Notice that you can still see the trees through the sheers and there is still plenty of light in the room.  The most common comment I hear after Silhouettes are installed is that the light is so much gentler–it is filtered and softened.  Can you imagine sitting with a friend in these chairs and having a conversation? Plenty of natural light to see, but no squinting required.

I like the way that the three windows on the left of the room below are treated with one Luminette over the entire wall. The silhouette of the window frames is visible through the sheer as is the railing of the deck outside.  When the vanes are closed there will be a continuous flow of fabric to cover all the windows and the wall space and maximizing the appearance into the illusion of a larger window. A good choice rather that breaking this space into three smaller narrow shades. The fabrics on the two windows are from the same collection for the consistent look I’ve been highlighting in this post.
close up gives even better impression.

So you see that there are some wonderful attractive solutions for solving sun, UV, and glare challenges for different shape and style windows within the same are of your home.  No longer are you limited to just wood products!  And if your significant other is vetoing window treatments because he wants his lake view unencumbered, but you are worried about fading your favorite rug and leather sofa, there are solutions for all your windows that will fit all types of shapes and sizes.  No, you do not have to use the same treatment for every window!

For more information, please call 678-341-9236 or visit our website:

http://www.excitingwindows.com/studio/youngbloodinteriors/

Top Ten Color Tips (Part One)

Springtime brings spring cleaning and often a desire to have a fresh look in a room or two.  I recently came across this list of ten valuable color tips from The Voice of Color, the online color source from Porter and Pittsburgh Paints.  I liked the list so much I thought it was worth re-posting, along with a comment or two. Here are one through five:

1.  Warmth:  White should only be intentional. If you go clean white make sure your decor wants a pure white. If you decor is warm, choose a creamy white to add warmth to the setting, Add softness with a tint of your favorite color. Pull a Voice of Color Whites card for beautiful options.  In other words, don’t use white walls as a default color because you do not know what else to do.  There are many variations of white that will make quite a difference in your room’s appearance, so be as intentional with white as any wall color.

. Trim: To minimize unattractive trim, paint the trim the same color as the wall.  To accentuate trim and moulding, paint it a lighter or darker color than the wall.

3. Hold: Don’t hold your color chips against a white wall. Hold your chips next to your furniture, window treatments, and cabinets to see how the color wall react next to your paint colors. Test in the light throughout the day.  Every room needs an inspiration piece–a fabric, a rug, or even artwork that provides the jumping off point for the color palate. Gauge your color for the walls from the furnishings, not the reverse!
4. Big: Powder Rooms are the perfect place for big color. Experiment with a big red, black, dark grey, of sharp pink for your powder room to make statement and have fun.  I could not agree more!

5. Shelf: Paint the back of shelves and bookcases with color the create interest and design. Consider painting the backs of your bookcases and built ins the same color as your walls or a shade darker. Just this small touch of color will bring positive energy to this feature of your room.

If you find this color information helpful, I am so glad,  However, if this makes your head swim, remember that investing in a color consultation may be the best money your spend on your decorating project. Imagine the relief your will feel and the confidence you will have if you get  professional guidance in selecting colors. A good consultation will take into account many of the concepts mentioned above, as well as more personal exploration of color so that the rooms really reflect the vision that your have.

Worth mentioning–I provide complementary color consultations for my clients with the purchase of new custom window treatments. After we select just the right window treatment design and fabric for your room, I will guide you through the process of finding the perfect wall color to bring it all together.   Easy, personal, and very convenient. I’ll leave you with professional size paint samples as shown in the picture above tip #3. No more multiple trips to the paint store!

Tips 6-10 to follow in another post. Stay tuned!

http://www.excitingwindows.com/studio/youngbloodinteriors/

Photo Credits:  Lonny Magazine, Elle Decor, and TradHome Magazine

For more information or an in home consultation, please call 678-341-9236.

“There is no such thing as a bad color. It just depends on what you use with it.” Dorothy Liebes, famed textile designer of the 1950s and 1960s.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and color is truly a personal expression of beauty!  Color, whether expressed through wall color, fabrics, or draperies, is part of your personal journey to create your special space.

Some of us have a natural eye for color and are completely comfortable in selecting a palate for a room. Others find this totally intimidating and lack the color confidence to make a color choice. If you desire color in you home are unsure about how to make just the right choice, consider hiring a color consultant.  The cost of getting sound advice will pay dividends for years to come as you enjoy your colorful rooms and the positive effect on your space!

Exciting Windows by Youngblood Interiors offers Color Consultations to assist you in finding just the right color combination for your special space. Feel free to contact us at 678-662-5523 for more information. And did you know that at ExcitingWindows that the color selection for your walls is included with your window treatment purchase?

Credits: Photos from Traditional Home Magazine, Elle Decor

For more information or to schedule an in home appointment, please call 678-341-9236

http://www.excitingwindows.com/studio/youngbloodinteriors/

A photo of a  Paris apartment bedroom from Interior Design Magazine.  This room caught my attention immediately. I think it is sharp and sophisticated, yet restful and elegant. Of course, since I love, love, love, brown, and love Paris even more that does not hurt.
If you are attracted to brown, whether in your rooms or in your wardrobe, this is what the color can say about you:

• Associated with taste and sophistication. Think about dark chocolate desserts and the decadence of chocolate truffles.

• ·         Brown is a sensual, earthy color. What other color conveys grounding and balance like deep rich brown?

• ·         Seen as confident, yet restful and quiet. Think the serenity of a mountain hike, or the beauty of pebbles in a stream bed.

• ·         The comfort of brown is almost universal, as many people find the color to be a comfortable neutral to use in their decor. Ralph Lauren has used this color in many palates to add depth and elegance to his collections.

• Brown represents wholesomeness and earthiness. While it might be considered a little on the dull side, it also represents steadfastness, simplicity, friendliness, dependability, and health. Although blue is the typical corporate color, UPS (United Parcel Service) has built their business around the dependability associated with brown.

Godiva anyone?

for more information or to schedule an in home appointment, please call 678-341-9236

http://www.excitingwindows.com/studio/youngbloodinteriors/

[Show as slideshow]

Sometimes just a little fabric and color goes a long way to transform a space. In this project, my client wanted to fill in the upper windows, the transoms, with fabric and color in this family breakfast area. She was quite happy with the blinds on the lower windows.

Additionally, this is a replica of a historic home, so the trims and moldings around the windows are just beautiful. No fabric to cover this detail was permitted!

My challenge was to come up with a simple treatment that would fit inside each window opening that would also scale into a larger treatment or smaller, according to the actual window. The doorway below is an example of the need for sizing the valance.

The valance was mounted to small blocks of wood that we mounted inside the window frame to keep the open feeling and draw attention to the special architectural details.

Each valance is trimmed with a scalloped fabric applique and colorful, lush tassel fringe at the hemline.

My client was very pleased with the results and loved the cheerful effect of the additional saffron yellow and grassy green fabric in her rooms.
As a Designer in Atlanta, I frequently encounter clients with dilemmas like this. Do you have a series of windows with different sizes and shapes that you want to unify? Let’s put our heads together. We’ll have some fun with the challenge and I am sure create a solution that will delight you too

for more information or to schedule your in home appointment, please call

678-341-9236

or visit our website:

http://www.excitingwindows.com/studio/youngbloodinteriors/

Many of you know that I am a die hard antiques marketer. I will change the route of a trip in order to stop by a good antiques store. I love the fun of the hunt for treasures and unusual items which truely make a room personal. So much more interesting than new I think.
In June I had the pleasure of going to one of the south’s best known markets, Scott’s, with Eddie Ross of Bravo’s Top Design. He offered a tour of Scott’s where he guided us through looking for the potential in many of the categories of booths and vintage items.

There were rows of furniture like this chaise that would take on a completely new look with new upholstery. He pointed out the benefits of older frames–many are made of solid hardwood. Imagine this horrid old velvet gone and a beautiful new damask. OR how about a fun and fresh contemporary print for a reading area in your home office? This is when redecorating is adventuresome and so much fun! Not to mention green–we are keeping pieces out of the landfills! We have a ton of great upholstery fabrics in our resource room that would absolutely transform this tired piece into a show stopper.

One of our first stops was in the fabric department, which you all know is dear to my heart. Crewel fabrics are back in fashion and are emerging in all colors and designs. Here Eddie talks about this beautiful gold crewel on a cream linen. His recommendation was to use this fabric for pillows and accents in the room to allow for a flexible design scheme. I, of course, would make some fabulous drapery panels draped on some hand finished poles, finals, and hardware. More is better, right?

This booth was filled with furniture and lighting straight off the boat from France. I travelled to France in June this year and saw first hand the trend of painted furniture in the grey and taupe hues like the chest in this picture. Crystal lighting on metal frames is still strong and creates a soft ambient light in a room.
Fashion is big in France too–don’t you love these jeans she is wearing?

We looked at old prints like this monogram out of an old book. Framing old items that were not originally intended for framing is fun and can create a very personal statement. There were several vendors there with huge selections of prints and old book pages.

A great day–very inspiring. I returned home and rearranged several things. Nothing like a new perspective on what you have to ignite creative energy!

If you are looking for a new perspective, ask about our in home design services to help you make the most of what you have. We will make suggestions for reupholstering your furniture and updating your accessories and adding fabric and drapery to give you a fresh look with a manageable investment.  Use what you have and add window treatments to get a refreshed look!

Many times clients ask about creative ideas for enhancing plantation shutters in their windows. This discriminating homeowner wanted the best of both worlds–a beautiful focal point and the ability to open her shutters. This gorgeous treatment was created over a cornice board that in mounted high enough to allow for the shutters to open. The rest of the beautiful silk swags drape into the window to soften the hard lines of the wood louvers.

This custom window treatment valance was created from embroidered silk that was fully lined and interlined for body and draping quality. Hand finished finials and silk tassel trim complete the look.
As a very southern friend of mine would say, this is “rich enough to eat with a spoon”.

Custom window treatments created just for you and your windows with shop at home service. We have been serving the Atlanta, Alpharetta, Roswell ,Georgia

for more information or to schedule an in home consultation, please call 678-341-9236