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.

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!