Thursday, December 17, 2015

It's Deja Vu All Over Again


This is a kitchen I designed for my client, Holly, probably 20 years ago. The wallpaper, the florals and the balloon shades probably give the time period away. But, look at the colors - rose and blue.

So, it with no further ado that I share Pantone's Colors of the Year for 2016:



Wow! 20 years later - they are back! And why not? Rose Quartz and Serenity. They are soothing, comfortable, soft hues that evoke a sense of calm in these turbulent times. And in our "keep it until it rots" Midwestern sensibility, these colors are sure to be quickly embraced. Chances are, many of the accessories that worked with this color scheme 20 years ago are still in use! 

In the case of Holly's kitchen, (did I forget to mention the windows flanking the slider have rose pleated shades under the valance?), how could we update the look to bring it into 2016? If the wallcovering were staying, changing out the handles on the cherry cabinets and installing new light fixtures would be an inexpensive update. Removing the original window treatments and installing a neutral Duette Architella Honeycomb Shade by Hunter Douglas on the small windows with a coordinating Vertiglide on the slider would keep the softness and allow the room to open to the outside. I'd replace that balloon with a much simpler treatment and push it all the way to the ceiling to further open the expanse of glass. Possibly a stripe or even a banded solid would be a good choice. And instead of the laminated tablecloth (she had little children at the time, kept the table practical), I might coordinate custom chair pads with the top treatment and use placemats instead.  

So, if you find yourself looking at home decor or women's clothing in the next year and start to feel like you've done this before - chances are, you have!

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Window to the World...While you shower?

I grew up in a house that was built in 1959. There is a window in the main bathroom. That window is a glass block window - great for letting in natural light along with a window sill for my mom's African violets. You still had privacy and never gave a thought to adding any kind of window treatment.

Something happened since that time that lead to architects and home builders adding windows, big windows, into bathrooms. Especially over the bathtub. Yes, they brought in wonderful natural light. But they also brought out our sense of modesty. Who wants to shower in front of the neighbor's kitchen window 15 yards away?

I'm not complaining! The home builder's thoughtless design has been a consistent source of revenue for those of us called to treat those windows.

Treatments that can go down from the top as well as up from the bottom are frequently the solution to allow light to come in while keeping privacy. Cellular shades like Duettes from Hunter Douglas, seen in this customer's bath, are a great choice. Roman shades are another treatment that you can add


the top down bottom up function, giving you the "pretty" along with the practicality.

Frequently, builders will use bathrooms to feature a specialty shaped window - throwing yet another monkey wrench into the search for privacy in the most private area of the home.


Once again, this builder chose a huge corner window, topped with arched windows, and placed it right over the bathtub. Here we chose Silhouettes from Hunter Douglas as the solution, giving both beauty and practicality. The sheer of the Silhouettes on the bottom, even as the shade is open, provides some daytime privacy for the owners. They can close the vanes in the evening as they see fit. The specialty arches above can be ordered either in the permanently open or permanently closed position.  This customer wanted the closed position, not only for privacy, but to cut the morning light that streams into the adjacent bedroom.


This window was a particularly tough situation. A powder room that looked out onto the front porch of the home, this window demands privacy. The small, oval shape did not fit into most blind or shade options. And, the customer did not want to spend a small fortune on the smallest room in the home. Budget quickly eliminated the custom shutter option. They also did not want a permanent covering, such as a fabric sunburst, preferring the ability to choose open or close. The solution: continue the wood blinds we had put throughout the home. The integrity of the oval window can still be seen, both inside and out, plus the light can still be controlled!

In the end, there are a number of different solutions to treating that "window to the world" in your bathroom. We can have that natural, flattering light we crave when it comes to putting on makeup in the morning. But, we can also have the privacy we need when we step out of the shower before that!



Thursday, August 20, 2015

Panels are on Track!

"I hate verticals!" I hear that from customers at least twice each week! Verticals have been the "go to" treatment for sliding patio doors for years. Like the Avocado Green and Harvest Gold of a generation ago, people remember them as the flimsy plastic vanes from their first apartment and cringe at the thought of putting them into their newly decorated home.

But wait! Practically speaking, they are a great option for families with kids and/or pets. Plus, they are one of the more affordable treatments for an opening of that size. There are many more choices in the present day vertical lines that allow you to enhance rather than detract from the decor in your room.

Still not convinced? Then panel track may be your answer!


Definitely a more contemporary option, panel track can be many different looks - anywhere from prints like the pattern in the photo to neutral solids. Coulisse is a European line exclusive to Eddie Z's in the Chicago area and boasts fashion forward prints and colors unavailable anywhere else. In this customer's space, we were working with greys and mostly solids, as this was right off the kitchen. The fun and unique design added some needed punch to the room! And since there is a young child in the house, messy fingerprints can be easily wiped clean from this practical material.

Panel track fabrics can also coordinate with the windows in your room that demand a horizontal treatment instead of a vertical, because they utilize the same fabrics. Sunscreen fabrics, woven woods and room darkening are other options available in this kind of treatment. A bit pricier than the typical vertical, but still affordable. Worth considering when you are treating those sliders or other large windows, panel track may be your answer to those verticals we love to hate! 




Tuesday, June 9, 2015

When Pricey is (K)not a Good Idea


This is the end result of a master bedroom we just completed for a retired couple in Barrington. My photography doesn't do it justice - it's better in person! The wife really wanted green to be her main color in the room, despite the protests of her husband! So to keep them both satisfied, the green could not be too pastel. Nor did they want it too dark. If you've searched for green fabrics recently, you know they currently are not easy to find. Originally, we did find three beautiful choices all within one book. The drapery fabric we chose is Robert Allen Ponderosa Pine/Fountain (and also used in an accent pillow).

Ponderosa Pine/Fountain by Robert Allen

We chose to use the light fabric at the window, over the newly installed wood blinds, to keep the windows light and bright, while using more of the green on the bedspread. More practical, plus more impact visually.


Kilties/Fountain by Robert Allen

Kilties/Fountain is used in two other accent pillows. The customer wanted a throw bedspread, so there were several yards of fabric involved.

Her first choice was:

Knot Along/Dew by Robert Allen

Knot Along/Dew out of the same Robert Allen Color Library book. Beautiful fabric - except for two major challenges - 1. it is 85% linen making it a costly choice and 2. it is 85% linen making it a very wrinkled choice for a bedspread!

I liked the idea of a tack quilting for a fabric of this type, but I needed a more user-friendly and a more budget-friendly choice. 

Using a basic cotton duck from Carole Fabrics (Daydreamer/Chambray) and using a tie tack quilting in a white of the same pattern (Daydreamer/White), we achieved a look that was similar but of a better scale than the original choice. 100% cotton will perform beautifully in both looks and wear and we were able to stay within budget! 

And, both wife AND husband were happy!

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Nailed It On The Head!

Nailheads are hot! Furniture for sure. Headboards? You bet! (Eddie Z's does custom headboards!)

But why not take them a step further? This cornice is topping a Hunter Douglas Powerrise Alustra Silhouette in my customer's craft room. She was looking for something different with a little bit of whimsy. We found just the ticket!


Using a pebble grained faux leather from Trend Fabrics and a square nailhead that we angled to turn them into diamonds, we turned a simple shaped cornice into something special. So cute!

There are so many options available with nailheads - size, shape, finish - use it as a border - or why not as a unique design in the middle of a cornice? Maybe an initial?


This creates a truly one of a kind treatment that doesn't add much to the bottom line, but adds a huge amount to the impact in the room. A cornice with nailheads could work in an office, a child's room, a family room or even a craft room (as seen above). As a side note, Eddie Z's is completing the craft room above with custom storage from our closet division, so this room will not only look fabulous, but  also function beautifully!


Thursday, March 19, 2015

Yippee! Inspiration!



Gorgeous room, isn't it? This is a breakfast room designed for a home in Atlanta by interior designer, Vern Yip. If you are an HGTV fan, you'll know Vern from there. These fabrics are part of a new collection he has designed for Trend Fabrics, and they are available through Eddie Z's. In this collection, there are lots of sumptuous patterns, some with an Asian influence, some large scale and other smaller, more textural patterns in colors like cool blues, hot oranges and the ever popular greys. They feel at home in a traditional or contemporary setting or even in a room with a more eclectic view, much like the room pictured above.

I think what really drew my eye to this room was the table runner - this is not a skinny strip running down the center - no, this is a major statement in the room!

Maybe I've seen this before, but never took notice. I absolutely love the impact this huge punch of pattern makes in the room! Dining rooms rarely give you the opportunity to say much with fabric, other than the windows in the room. Generally there is wood - in the table, usually in the chairs, the buffet and maybe a china cabinet. Often the flooring is wood. Hopefully, the home owner had the opportunity to add an area rug under the table to add dimension, color, pattern and warmth. But the runner can bring the whole room together!

I'm inspired for my own dining room. I have a few yards of fabric that I had set aside for pillows in the family room, but as I lay it out on my plain, boring table, the color and pattern give my room the pizzazz I've been searching for! Weekend project...

Think about your dining room. What if you shot a jolt of adrenalin into the room by...

              1. giving your windows a dynamic treatment that softens the room to take the
                  ambience up a notch and
              2. add a custom table runner in the pattern you fell in love with but were afraid
                  to put on your window to really make a bold declaration to your guests
                  that you have a sophisticated sense of style?

Thanks Vern, for sparking my imagination!

Thursday, February 26, 2015

TransFIXING Transoms!

I've been working with people for many years covering their windows, but there is one kind of window all are reluctant to cover at all. TRANSOMS! That window above the window that you paid a little extra for. It brings an added architectural detail to a room and lets extra light in without (usually) affecting privacy.

Normally, I will accomodate the customer's wishes. Sometimes, if it's a patio door with the transom above, we cannot because there is nowhere to put a center support for the treatment below. But look at the windows in the photo of this two story family room. We installed gorgeous Hunter Douglas Vignette Modern Roman Shades in the Etched pattern on the lower windows only, leaving the transoms open. The Stoneware colorway was perfect for her contemporary room with lots of gray. It looks beautiful!


Except......the light coming in from the transoms (and the upper windows) causes tremendous glare in the room, making the television and anyone sitting across from you difficult to see. Because you can't lengthen the Vignettes  (you can only start from scratch), we needed a different solution.

Easy solution for the upper windows - we are installing the same Vignettes in the Etched/Stoneware pattern but adding the Powerrise feature, so they can open and shut them with the push of a button! Next step is the transoms. We will be tinting them in the spring, which will not only aid in reducing the glare, but also the fading of her beautiful new furniture and dark wood floors.

Sometimes getting what you want, like open transoms, can bring about challenges! Fortunately, we can find a solution!

Thursday, January 15, 2015

"Once You've Gone Custom..."

"You'll never go back."

I heard this declaration many years ago, when I was just starting my interior decorating career. And it's true! After you've seen and felt the real thing, the off the shelf stuff is just a poor imitation.

Why?

Breaking it into 3 main reasons:

1. Choice
There are certainly more options out there with online shopping, but with custom - the world is your oyster! I carry 1000's of fabrics right in my van with access to 1000's more. Any shape, length, width or configuration is yours if it is physically possible!

2. Quality
Double turned hems on a drapery give it weight and substance. Two and one half times fullness minimum gives you a luxurious richness that will cover your window with dramatic folds that play to the light. Ready made drapery won't offer you anything close to that.

3. Finish
With a quality drapery, you always need a quality installation! A professional with the proper tools and a keen eye that can install the rods at the proper height, dress the fabric to make it look camera ready and allow you not to have to break a sweat is worth every penny and more! Your window treatments will be with you for many years to come, why not have them look their best?

I recently completed a job for the front window of a fabulously popular restaurant in downtown Barrington. The interior is cozy and warm, with a bit of a Tuscan flair. The owner had originally installed ready made drapery panels that he purchased as a temporary fix from a popular home furnishings chain. Unfortunately, the rod sagged, the panels dragged, the white lining streetside did nothing to add to the first impression of the eatery and the panels themselves were constantly being pulled and played with by the children of the restaurant patrons.

Looks like their laundry is hanging in the window!

When the restaurant owner called Eddie Z's, we worked with him and determined how to give him a better version of the same look. Chocolate brown velvet, this one from RM Coco, still was a great choice as the drapery fabric, but pleating the drapery allowed us to board mount and secured tiebacks keep busy little hands from undoing the beautiful folds. The custom length sits just above the sill and a chocolate brown drapery lining from Carole Fabrics makes the drapery look as appetizing from the outside as it does inside. All in all, a delicious design!

Nice and subtle - blends right in!

Think about making a design reservation for your custom look - you'll be glad you did!