(ARA) - A new husband, a new house and 47 bare
windows would be enough to cause decorating stress in just about any woman.
But Barbara Ellis had a plan.
Ellis and her husband, Jeff, recently purchased a new house and have been
trying to make it look like home. The family room, located right off of the
kitchen, has great windows that make it feel open and inviting during the day,
but very visible at night. A combination of Roman shades and paisley draperies
that enhance the earthy colors of the stone fireplace and a family heirloom
armoire addressed their need for privacy while also adding warmth, softness
and a burst of color to the room.
“I knew what I wanted this room to be like,” says Ellis. “But the fabric,
furniture and window treatment ideas I found at Calico Corners helped bring
everything together.” |
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“A window
will tell you what it needs,” suggests noted interior design expert, Donna
Talley, the national spokesperson for Calico Corners, an interior design
retailer creating over 100,000 custom window treatments per year.
 “Stunning
artwork, fabulous wall or floor coverings and fashion-forward furniture are
often the primary focus of home decorators,” notes Talley, who has styled
magazine covers for some of the most prestigious design publications. “Using
window treatments in much the same way that gorgeous frames accent cherished
photos or paintings can make all the difference.”
Talley offers the following tips to bring out the best in windows throughout
your home:
Scale and Proportion are Key
The most common mistake homeowners make when doing their windows is getting the
proportions wrong - a valance or cornice that’s too small; draperies that don’t
stack off the window and cover up too much of the view; or skimpy side panels
made with too few widths of fabric. These little design flaws make all the
difference in the finished appearance of a window and a room.
“Getting proportion right takes a good eye and a lot of experience,” notes
Talley. “One size definitely does not fit all, so it can pay to have treatments
created specifically for the windows in your home.”
“Custom furnishings are often comparably priced to ready-made, and can represent
great value when you factor in the time and expertise of professionals,” adds
Talley.
Functional or Decorative?
 This
has a lot to do with the design and proportion of a window treatment. Does it
need to clear French doors? Protect from hot afternoon glare? Provide privacy?
Or enable you to see a television or computer screen without an eyeshade?
Understanding what the room requires will help create the appropriate design
solution.
A room that requires privacy will need blackout shades or interlined fabric
panels, wood blinds, woven wood or cellular shades to provide functionality. A
second layer with soft fabrics and pleasing color accents adds an inviting
decorative element. A more formal room might benefit from a third layer in the
form of a valance, cornice or other top treatment.
“The different elements of a room, or a window, should be in harmony,” advises
Talley. “Even a simple decorative band of trim in a pretty, complementary
pattern on a solid fabric panel can add visual interest to a window and tie in
the other design elements of a room.”
Finding the perfect window treatments for your home is all about the details.
Using the right materials, determining the proper scale and proportion and
addressing both functional and decorative concerns will help make your home more
comfortable, more stylish and a distinctive expression of your design savvy.
Celebrating its 60th Anniversary in 2008 as one of America’s leading interior
design retailers, Calico Corners provides expert advice, decorating solutions
and in-home design consultation in addition to quality designer fabrics for the
home, trims, custom window treatments and upholstered furniture. They also offer
measure and install services for window treatments. For more information or to
find a location near you, visit www.CalicoCorners.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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