Draperies that break on the floor can add a relaxed feeling to a room.

I love the feeling you get when you break a drapery on the floor. There are many benefits to breaking draperies on the floor. One of the reasons I like to break draperies on the floor is that it gives a more relaxed feel to a space. Another benefit is when it comes time to clean; it is much easier to dress a drapery that slightly breaks on the floor as opposed to a drapery that puddles on the floor. Draperies that break on the floor also appear fuller since the bottom section of the drapery spreads out slightly.

A break can vary from 1/2" - 1 1/2" verses a puddle which can vary from 5" - 12". Years ago it was fashionable to puddle draperies on the floor, now most designers recommend draperies break instead of puddle.

There are certain circumstances when it might not be advisable to break a drapery on the floor; a breakfast room and maybe a bathroom. Many windows in breakfast rooms are close to the table and therefore, leaving the draperies at constant vulnerability. There are also times in a bathroom the window just screams for a drapery to cozy up the bathroom, however, since there is so much activity in this room and debris on the floor it might not be best choice to have a drapery break in this room.

Make a Room Feel Larger

Everyone wants their home to feel warm and inviting but we also want the room to appear larger. As a rule, we recommend mounting window treatments several inches above the window. For example, say you have an 8' ceiling height and you mount your window treatment under your crown molding or just below the ceiling, not only will the room appear larger but the ceiling height will appear taller as well.

Another mistake a homeowner might make would be to add a cornice with a straight bottom and then mount that cornice at the top of the window. Below I have created a rendering with our "Minutes Matter Studio" graphic design software to illustrate the different look achieved when the cornice is mounted near the crown molding or ceiling opposed to mounting at the top of the window. See how much taller the ceiling height appears and how much larger the room looks.

Here is another design tip when trying to make a ceiling look higher. Add a shape to the bottom of the cornice. By adding movement to the bottom of the cornice it can trick the eye into moving up and down so the eye does not stop at the longest point of the cornice.


You could also accomplish extra height with drapery panels and a decorative rod. Notice the difference when you mount the drapery rod at the top of the window or when you mount the rod under the crown molding or near the ceiling.

We recommend giving every room that extra lift! Would you like to see how new window treatments could change your room? As part of our service we create renderings to help our clients visualize how new window treatments will look on their windows.

Paint Those Baseboards Dark ~ See the Difference

When you want an inexpensive way to dramatically change a room; consider changing your paint color. Doing something as simple as changing a paint color not only will freshen up the room, but create a totally new mood in the room. When you decide to paint your walls a different color, you should also consider painting your trim and baseboards. The furniture and the window treatments did not change; only the wall color and the trim color changed. I did add an oversized mirror over the fireplace and a few new prints that I found at High Point Market.

Years ago almost everyone painted their trim a white color. Now trends have changed and trim is being painted much warmer colors. We recommend to clients with hardwood floors that they paint their baseboard a dark color. Most people paint their baseboard the same color as the other trim in the room. I am not talking just two shades darker than the trim, I mean really dark; I decided on "Sarsaparilla" from Porter Paints. When you paint your baseboard a dark color it helps ground the floor. Take a look and see the difference, I think you'll agree.

Hunter Douglas Shades Reduce Energy Costs

Hunter Douglas window shading not only adds beauty to your home but did you know the right window shades or window treatments can also cut energy bills. In an average home about 10% of the exterior walls are made up of windows. That does not sound like a lot but windows can generate about 50% of our homes energy cost. The walls of a average home typically have an R-value of 19, while standard double-pane windows only have an R-value of about 2. R-values measure resistance to heat flow. Homes that have a lot of window are at risk for much larger amounts of energy loss.

Recently attended a Hunter Douglas seminar "How Windows Impact the Environment" which addressed the use of various window treatments to control heat loss and heat gain through windows. During the winter we try to keep the heat in our home and in the summer we try to keep the heat out. The better we can control heat gain or loss the more efficient and (Green) our home will be. Less energy used translates to a lesser utility bill.

Adding Hunter Douglas Duette Architella Opaque honeycomb shades can increase an additional +4 R-value to an existing 2 R-value window thus increasing the efficiency of an average double-pane window by 200%. Architella shades have a double cell adding even more R-vaule than a normal honeycomb shade. A Duette Semi-Opaque honeycomb shade can add an additional +2 R-value. Hunter Douglas Vignette Modern Roman shades, Hunter Douglas Silhouette, and Pirouette window shades can add an additional +1 R-value to your windows.

It’s easy to see that these Hunter Douglas products can easily pay for their cost in a short period of time. Not only do you add fashion to your home you cut energy consumption and cost.

Repainting Oak Cabinets ~ A Fabulous Surprise!

Jerry and I inherited our antebellum style home from my parents/grandmother. The house was built in the late 1800's. We remodeled our home over 23 years ago and the time had finally come to update my tired old oak kitchen cabinets. As you well know this is a project most everyone procrastinates or decides not to undertake at all due to the major inconvenience and frustration. My project involved repainting a lot of oak cabinets, which a lot of people don't think can be done. I decided on two tone cabinets with a final coat of glaze to give them a slight worn effect. (I knew I had to have the worn look due to the grain of the oak.) I also added glass knobs in keeping with my home style. We also a ceramic tile counter top and back splash which included a mosaic tile banding, a new sink, faucet and pot filler. The total remodel took about six weeks.

My decision to renovate my existing cabinets instead of purchasing all new cabinetry was based on two facts. One was, of course, the cost and the other was the fact I like being as green as I can. The finished results were amazing as you can see.

Practice safety with window treatments

Since 1990 more than 200 infants and young children have died from accidental strangulation by window cords. Visit the WCSC website and get educated. Child proof your home. Many functional window treatments involve unsafe cords. Cords can be a chocking hazard.

Many people have blinds or shades installed near a crib or a child's bed. If these shades or blinds have dangling cords that are not tied down they can be extremely dangerous to a toddler or small child. We do not recommend that any shade or blind be installed in a toddler or child's room.


Here are some safety tips regarding cords and window treatments from the Window Coverings Safety Council.

• Install only cordless window coverings in young children's bedrooms and play areas. Replace window blinds, corded shades and draperies manufactured before 2001 with today's safer products.
  
• Move all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window cords, preferably to another wall.


• Keep all window pull cords and inner lift cords out of the reach of children. Make sure that tasseled pull cords are short and continuous-loop cords are permanently anchored to the floor or wall. Make sure cord stops are properly installed and adjusted to limit movement of inner lift cords.


• Lock cords into position whenever horizontal blinds or shades are lowered, including when they come to rest on a windowsill.
  

Hunter Douglas offers numerous alternatives to double or loop cords on window treatments. PowerRise is a motorized lifting system that is battery operated. LiteRise is a cordless lifting system in which a shade can be raised simply by lifting the bottomrail. Ultraglide is a lifting system which has only a single cord in which the shade is lifted by using a pumping action on the cord. Visit Hunter Douglas website to read more details regarding these innovative lifting systems.

Protect Window Treatments and Furnishings From the Sun's Harmful UV Rays

When a client is interested in window treatments one of the first things I recommend is that they consider tinting their windows to protect their new investment. Adding window tinting to a window can block up to 99.9% of the harmful UV rays from the sun. UV rays from the sun can fade and destroy fabrics fast.

These treacherous rays can ruin a beautiful hardwood floor, sofa table and grandfather clock. Ask me how I know, it actually happened to me. I thought my grandfather clock was safe because it was next to my patio doors which lead out to my pool. These patio doors face due north and never get even a glimpse of the sun. These doors allow a lot of light in and with natural light comes those UV rays which totally faded one side of my grandfather clock. Another lesson I learned is just because you have a porch doesn't mean you are safe from UV rays. My dining room has beautiful silk draperies installed. Several years after they were installed I decided to test the fabric for sun damage. I scraped my fingernail on the back of the lead edge side hem and to my horror I ripped the fabric. I was sick, I thought my porch would have somewhat protected my draperies from the sun. Now I have all the windows in my house tinted with Vista film (Soft Horizons (v-33 SR C). I also use Solar Insulations which is a local company in Nashville, TN. They have been in business for years and provided excellent service to all of my clients. I have never received one complaint regarding their service or the products they use.

When you visit Vista Flims website there is a link to a pdf document that states that a homeowner may be eligible for up to a $500 credit for window tinting installed during the 2009 calendar year.