Pretty Custom Draperies

 Did you know I make custom draperies?  At one time the bulk of my business was just making custom draperies full time! Sharing this info for my newer readers~anyway I pride myself on customer service, and once I install the window treatments I always come back if any problems arise and try to resolve the issue promptly.  I made these treatments about 6 years ago . 

 Silk panels with goblet pleats and an overlay swag in a complementary fabric that was the same as the roman shade underneath.

 The panels broke on the floor(that means they "break" like a mans pant on his shoe) and were stationary.  The romans were blackout lined for room darkening and privacy. 

 The romans were made out of a pretty pin tucked fabric as were the overlay swags.  My client called because one of the romans was not going up and down properly.  I used a rolled mechanism that has a continous cord loop to raise and lower the shade.  This rolled part gathers all the strings from the shade and winds it around a rod that twirls as you pull the cord.  The strings had gotten tangled, so I took it down and straightened it all out.

 So while I was there, I took some pictures of this pretty treatment to share with you.

In the adjoining bathroom we used just the roman shades alone. I like the tone on tone effect of the curtains and the walls, and after 6 years, this treatment is still looking fabulous!  The other thing I wanted to share was how much less I am making custom treatments these days.  I find myself being asked to install ready made draperies from Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware.  It is a sign of the times, and you can get a decent look most of the time by installing panels with the proper hardware from one of these stores. Still, there are windows that just call for a customized drapery and my current project combines the ready made with the custom aspects of window treatments.

 Here are the materials currently in my workroom~champagne and blue dupioni silk with an ivory trim.

The sneaky part is that the panels are 96" long Pottery Barn panels that I am going to embellish with a long ruffle and trim.

 A long ruffle is added to the bottom of the PB panel.  However that leaves the stitching line of their hem in plain view~not so nice, right?

 A flat embroidered trim will hide this line and add elegance to the overall treatment.

This is the collage board for my clients living room. These are the actual fabrics, furnishings, mirror, plates and rug we will be using in the room.  Her windows are very similar to the room shown in the collage with an arched top~I think you can see that these panels will look stunning!

 These are for an online client from Pennsylvania.  I have been working with her to decorate her living room, dining room and foyer and will be sharing befores and afters by the end of the year!  Next time you see these draperies they will be hanging in front of an arched triple window~her ceilings were very tall, and we were able to stretch the budget by doing a combination of ready made with custom details. Custom treatments are only as beautiful as the styles and fabrics selected, and the same can be said of ready made treatments too.
To see my custom drapery portfolio, click here.

linking to

Feathered Nest Friday!
and