INTRODUCING - Pirouette Window Shadings

Here are two photos that I took when we attended the first ever Hunter Douglas hosted International Alliance Conference held in Denver, Colorado on July 26 & 27, 2007, that show the revolutionary new window shading - Pirouette. This shade will be available at my shop Drapes & More Interiors (http://www.drapesandmore.com/) in early September, 2007. These shades will be available only at selected stores until early 2008.

My photos do not do justice to this wonderful new product! The photo on the left shows two shades, one open but down and the other down and closed. The shades look very much like a roman shade - imagine the capability to open the shades to see a view through them but still have the sun control benefits of a shade and the softness of a roman shade. When the shade is open or closed completely, as you can see by the photo on the right, you will be able to enjoy a variety of 44 fabric colors and three fabric styles. With the vanes open, the sheer backing maintains privacy, reduces glare and blocks up to 86% of harmful ultraviolet rays. The shades will come in semi-opaque and black-out style fabrics, plus can be made into large sizes 120" wide X 120" long making the shade even more unique. When you raise them, they go completely up into their headrail making them almost invisible.

We hope to have our showroom samples by the end of August and also plan to have a large sample at our booth at the Sonoma County Home Show in mid-September.

Over 4,000 attendees of this International Alliance Conference, who represented "the best in the window covering industry", were privileged to hear General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret) give the keynote address. General Powell offered insight on leadership and his vision for tomorrow. His address was well accepted and everyone agreed that he left the group with many inspiring thoughts & feelings.

As always, Hunter Douglas is the revolutionary manufacturer in the window covering industry and we are proud to represent all of their products; especially the new Pirouette window shades.

Bedspreads - The Right Way to Fit Your Bed

A common question we hear from clients is: "Where can I find a bedspread to fit my bed?" This is a frustrating question because there isn't a simple answer. Retailers offered bedspreads in many stores years ago because mattresses were by-and-large the same. The "drop", or distance from the top of the bed to the floor, was a consistent 21" then; but now, the drop can vary from 18" to 38"+.

Since the popularity of pillow-top mattresses came into fashion, bedding retailers simply cannot afford to have inventories of so many bedspread sizes on hand. Consequently the popularity of separates for the bed (bed skirts, pillows, duvets and coverlets) has become the norm in the bed covering market because they can be mixed and matched. However, people are getting tired of this look and are turning to a sleeker look for their bedding; a look without the need for multiple pillows and the tedious job of making the bed because of all the pieces that make up the bedding package.

As all trends return, one piece bedspreads are gaining in popularity. Homeowners want a more sophisticated look on their beds that speaks to their tastes. Sleeker and less cluttered bedrooms is what the market is turning to. This is why custom made bedspreads are gaining in the market today.

A custom bedspread can be made of any suitable fabric. Your designer will need to measure the exact size of your bed before the spread can be made. You will have many choices of style as examples; extra long pillow wraps, fitted corners, tailored or flouncy styling, decorative trims and custom fitting to exactly fit your specialty bed frames. There are numerous choices on quilting patterns and fillers for the spreads. They are usually dry cleanable but your designer can have them made so that they can be washed.

Buying a custom fit, quality bedspread will give you the freedom to be creative and to end up with a one-of-a-kind sophisticated bedroom.

Interior Design Books - Recommended List

There are so many wonderful books available today about interior decorating that I thought it would be a good idea to include some of them on my blog that are available from Amazon.com. Please see the current list below. Good reading about one of my favorite subjects - having a comfortable and beautiful home!

Woven Shades - The Natural Window Coverings

Woven shades for your windows are natural, eco-friendly products. They are chic and will help save our planet while keeping your rooms stylish. On top of these benefits they are economical and last a long time too.

They are made from select natural woods, including reeds, bamboos and grasses. They add casual good looks to any room in your home. They come in various operating styles but the favorite today is the Roman Shade style with a front valance that covers the operating mechanism. When they are lowered, they lie flat; when raised, the woven shades hang in even, overlapping folds.

These shades offer varied privacy and light control options due to the fact that some of the materials used to make the shades are very light weight and airy, while others are made of more substantial woods and other materials that are set closer together when the shade material is manufactured. If privacy or light control is an issue, you can add a privacy liner that is separate from the shade itself to your window that is mounted under the shade and operates separately, which is my chosen way to add privacy or light control, or you can have a liner permanently attached to the shade itself. Permanently attaching a liner, however, will take away the beautiful filtered light and muted views that an unlined shade offers.

The shades come in many styles of woven combinations and colors. Many different finishes are available so that you will have a wide choice of shades to match your decor. These products are simple to ensure that attention remains on the architectural elements in your room. You can add fabrics to the outside edges to trim them to match your decor or just leave them plain, it's your choice.

They are also wonderful combined with decorator rods and decorative draperies. Many times I have added side drapery panels on windows that have woven shades already installed in them to finish the window's design. The addition of drapery panels adds softness, fabric texture and color to your room. You can visit http://www.hunterdouglas.com/ to see more photos of this fine product. We will be happy to give you a free quote, also see our website at http://www.drapesandmore.com/.

Your Summer Home - Simple Things To Make It Shine

It is natural to want to "summerize" your home when the weather gets warm; similar to wanting to "winterize" your home when cold, wet weather is on the way. In winter you think of conserving heat while in summer you think of cooling, light, air and color.

To change your home for summer a fresh coat of colorful paint will do wonders. Change winter's darker colors for light and fresh colors that speak of fun in the sun. Accent pillows are a fast and affordable way to change the colors in your home; or change an area rug and you won't believe the difference this can make. (I keep a black background area rug for under the diningroom table for winter at my home and change it in the spring for a fresh light beige background one. Wow, what a difference this exchange makes.)

Add some glass accessories that light can go through, plus add light colored candles and flowers which will add whimsey and color. Bring in some fresh green plants and place them on tables near windows to help bring in the outside views. Take down heavy winter draperies and add light weight curtains or sheer draperies to your windows, sheers are wonderful this time of year all by themselves. Open the windows and the curtain's soft movement at the window is just lovely.

Small touches like putting on a new tablecloth, rearranging your furniture and opening the shades more often adds a great deal of light and makes your rooms more inviting. Putting a slipcover on your sofa or chairs with fresh summer colors will be a welcome addition. Clean out your fireplace and fill it with candles or flowers. Bring accents of summer to your decor by adding seashells, glass balls, dragonflies and birds to your tables. Change your bedding to a lighter weight and use lighter color fabrics.

Lastly a cleanup of your patio area and front entrance; add some blooming pots, a fresh umbrella and chair pads. These changes will bring your home a welcome additional "outside room" that can be enjoyed all summer by everyone in your family. Make sure that you can B-B-Q and dine there sometimes too. Summer-time, "when the liv'in is easy"!

Hunter Douglas Trip & More

What a wonderful trip! We were lucky enough to participate in an annual Hunter Douglas trip, this time to the Greek Isles in May. I took this photo at the Acropolis in Athens between a break in a rainy day. Before we got on the Royal Caribbean's ship, Splendour of the Seas in Venice,we spent a week in Rome. Believe it or not, I took over 980 photos and Walt has another 600 or 700 during our trip - what a job it will be to go through them and delete the bad ones. We also are lucky to have a disc of photos that our friend Bart, also on the trip, shared with us. The digital camera has changed the way we take photos for sure.

On the cruise we visited the site of the original Olympics in Olympia, also stopping at several other Greek islands that are very beautiful and of much historical significance. The last stop was at Split, Croatia - what a marvelous place. Would love to go back there and rent a place for a few months as the pace of life seemed to us to be a little more laid back than what we're used to.

Three weeks later we were lucky to take our two grand-daughters to Monterey for a week. Monterey, California is one of our favorite places to go to rest and relax. The girls had not been there before so we took them on a five hour whale watching cruise of the bay. What excitement! We saw a pod of Orca Whales, six in number, plus Humpback Whales, a Blue Porpoise, a group of Dolphins that I didn't know existed, thousands of birds that had flown all the way from Australia and an Otter floating on his back holding an up-side-down crab on its belly while it was eating it. Many Seals and Sea Lions rounded out the nature watch. This company had a marine biologist that told us what to look for and discribed each animal and its habits. We also spent a day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We've been to many aquariums throughout the world and this one stands out as one of the best. They have another new wing that focuses on Otters, plus there is an outstanding display of jelly fish. Whatever you do don't miss this aquarium, you can look it up at http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/

Now it's time to get back to work!