How My Award Winning Design Was Created
Have you ever wondered about custom window treatments? What makes them different than those you can purchase in a store or online? In this month's blog, I'll be sharing with you the behind the scenes details of a custom window treatment project.
This project was very special to me as it won first place in the Combination Treatment category for 2021 WF-VISION magazine Design Competition.
Step 1: The Design
For this project, I teamed up with designer Ellie Kaplan of Ellie Kaplan interiors. Meeting at the client's home she explained the design concept to me, grommet panels with motorized Roman shades, and showed me the fabrics the client had chosen. The design by itself wasn't overly complicated, but looking around the room, I saw quite a few challenges that would need to be considered before I started.
In this room there were two side windows, one partially under the second floor balcony, and a taller front window with a transom. Precise measurements were necessary as there would be little room for error during installation.
Step 2: Fabrication in My Workroom
After I determined the finished lengths of the shades, I then had to calculate the vertical ring spacing while adhering to child safety standards. The two side shades were a different height than the front, but I wanted the bottoms to remain even during opening and closing.
Special attention was given to the tops and backs of both treatments as they would be visible from the second floor balcony. The fabric was extended inside the header (the top, back side) of the panels and the shades were attached to the back of the mountboard to create a waterfall effect to the front.
Setting the grommets was the last step in fabrication. There needed to be enough distance from the back of the panels to the shades so that when raised, the shades wouldn't bump in to the panels. To determine the clearance, I installed a shade and drapery hardware in my workroom and used buckram templates for the grommet spacing. This was so I could identify the appropriate number of grommets and offset spacing so the panel cleared the shade yet didn't tip forward.
Step 3: Delivery and Installation
Delivery day is always exciting for me. If you have ever practiced for a performance or trained for a race, you know the "day of" is full of anticipation. Delivery/installation day is very much the same. The keys to a successful installation are preparation, communication, and trust. I have worked with my installer, Mike Isbell, for a long time; we communicate well and I trust him. Due to plenty of preparation the treatments went up without problems. They are gorgeous and operate flawlessly.
The design elements and my attention to detail fulfilled Ellie's design vision and the clients love their new window treatments.
I love to help people improve their homes. Working with beautiful fabrics and coming up with creative solutions to potential problems is also something I enjoy. This project was a perfect fit.
As we all have spent more time in our homes lately, we've found it important to be in rooms that are comfortable and enjoyable. I'm so glad that what I enjoy doing helps other people. Many times clients have told me that they wish they'd called me sooner!
Have any questions about my process? Or what else I can create? Ask below or give me a call!
Until next time,
Laura
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