Decorate Your Home - It's Easy & Fun!

Happy Holidays - Let's Count Our Blessings

2009-12-14T15:19:00.000-08:00

All of us at Drapes & More Interiors wish you and your family the happiest holiday season. The last two years have been a trial for many of us but we must not forget that good years will be coming again. The meaning of Christmas, kept in our hearts throughout the year, will help us to 'count our blessings', making it easier to proceed with successful ventures in the new year.

2010 will be here before we know it so it's time to set our personal goals, clean up old business and start the new year with enthusiasm and bright expectations. May next year be your best year yet!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year too.

Duette Architella - Up to $1,500 Federal Tax Credit

2009-10-13T17:01:00.000-07:00

Smart Hunter Douglas Products. Smart Energy Savings

Purchase qualifying energy-efficient Hunter Douglas products and you may qualify for a Federal Tax Credit of up to $1,500!

Enjoy big energy savings at the window with some of our most energy efficient products - the Duette Architella honeycomb shades with certain fabrics and options. This tax credit offer is retroactive to January 1, 2009 and will remain in effect until December 31, 2010.

Contact us for a detailed list of the qualifying products and restrictions. Consult a tax professional regarding your individual tax situation and ability to claim a tax credit related to the purchase of qualifying Hunter Douglas products.

Duette Architella honeycomb shades have a patented honeycomb-within-a-honeycomb design offering the industry's highest level of energy efficiency when covering your window. In fact these shades are so energy efficient they can reduce energy loss up to 50%. See our previous blog on January 12, 2009 for more information on these wonderful energy saving shades.

Hunter Douglas - Generous Fall Rebates

2009-09-29T12:46:00.000-07:00

Hunter Douglas is offering the largest mail-in rebates ever offered on its most popular window fashions. We can now offer our clients savings of $25 to $600 per window through this mail-in rebate program.

$600 rebate per window

Duette Vertiglide Honeycomb Shades with Duolite

$300 rebate per window

Duette Vertiglide Honeycomb Shades

$200 rebate per window

Luminette Privacy Sheers

$100 rebate per window

Skyline Gliding Window Panels

$100 rebate per window

Park Lane Privacy Sheers

$75 rebate per window

Silhouette Window Shadings

$50 rebate per window

Pirouette and Nantucket Window Shadings

$30 rebate per window

Vignette Modern Roman Shades

$25 rebate per window

Duette Architella Honeycomb Shades

Hurry - offer ends December 15, 2009. Visit our showroom located at 1305A Cleveland Avenue in Santa Rosa to see all of these fine products, or call 707-578-0849 to schedule an in-home appointment.

Interior Design Color Outlook for 2009

2009-08-19T16:30:00.000-07:00

Interior Design color trends in 2009 are affected by, really no surprise; fashion, nature and the economy. These are the three motivating factors that shape color trends overall and they tend to shift and evolve each year in regards to how they impact consumer trends.

Since our economy has been in a recession we are seeing more conservatism in decorating. Colors have been shifting to neutrals with bolder colors for accent. Everyone is thinking "Green" these days too and nature is much more mainstream and on the minds of almost every consumer.

Fashions seem to be running counter to the more conservative trends. We are yearning for art, culture, beauty and fun. With many of us staying in our existing homes much longer than before we have been searching for options to renew and reinvigorate our living spaces. We are beginning to find comfort in colors that are familiar, yet at the same time we are embracing colors that make us happy. The demand for products that reflect an environmentally "greener" world is going way beyond a passing trend. Exotic places in the world have become fascinating to everyone and oranges, turquoises, teals, reds and yellows bring these places into our homes. These colors are optimistic touches in accessories, dishes and our clothing. Believe it or not shades of white are becoming more popular when painting our interiors so that these colorful accent pieces really pop with childlike exuberance.

Rex - Our Shop Dog & Best Friend

2009-07-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

Rex - Our Shop Dog & Best Friend

It is with a great deal of sadness we must report that Rex our Cocker Spaniel left us the day after Easter 2009. He came to work almost every day of this life from the ripe old age of 3 months until his death 14.6 years later. He never complained about the management or his clients, he never stayed home because he was lazy and wanted to skip work - in fact he beat us to the car every morning when it was time to leave for work. Rex had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful clients during his years; he would greet every one who came into our shop with a sniff, a wag of his little tail or maybe he'd bring them his ball. He used to lay on the carpet in the front window and several times through the years people turned their cars around and came into our store to see if he was a stuffed dog in the window; no, he was just waiting for me to come back from an appointment.

What a wonderful friend he was. Trixie, his companion the last two and one-half years has big PAWS to fill! Oh, we have a new puppy Teddy, who was born on March 26th, he is a nephew of Trixie's. But, Rex no one can take your place and we will always miss you!

Spring Hunter Douglas Rebates - Stop the Great Energy Giveaway

2009-02-11T11:51:00.001-08:00

The best rebate program ever offered by Hunter Douglas started on February 1, 2009 and will be in effect until April 30, 2009. The rebates will be offered on selected products and there are limites to the number of shades that will qualify for the rebates.

Rebates will be from $50 to $300 per shade, up to 10 units on each product below:

$300 for each Duette VertiGlide with Duolite honeycomb shades

$200 for each Duette VertiGlide honeycomb shade

$200 for each Luminette Privacy Sheer

$150 for each Park Lane Privacy Sheer

$150 for each Skyline Gliding Window Panel

$100 for each Silhouette window shading

$75 for each Pirouette window shading

$50 for each Duette Architella honeycomb shade

$50 for each Duette LiteRise with Top-down/Bottom-Up or Ultraglide with Top-Down/Bottom-Up

$50 for each Vignette Modern Roman Shade

$50 for each Nantucket window shading

(Duette Architella rebate is not combinable with Duette Vertiglide or Duette LiteRise/UltraGlide TDBU rebate. Only one rebate submittal allowed per client during this offer.) Please allow approximately 8-10 weeks for delivery of rebate checks by US mail after products have been installed.

Hurry - this is a great opportunity to add beautiful new window covering products in your home and receive this special rebate offer too.

Making GREEN Beautiful - Saving Energy at the Window

2009-01-12T14:50:00.000-08:00

Heat flow through windows is graphically shown in the infrared photo above, where red areas indicate energy loss. The dramatic color difference between the walls and windows shows the contrast in resistance to heat flow. How can we make the windows more like the walls? By adding insulation. Not with the fiberglass you would use in the walls, of course, but with window coverings - products that also control light and privacy, and add a fashion statement to each room.

This infrared photo illustrates that by simply adding an insulated shade to the uncovered window means saving a lot of energy when heating your home. Energy loss, both in heat loss and heat gain, is through the windows; when they are insulated this means that you are saving money. The Duette Architella shade can add R-Value to your windows up to +4.

R-Value measure resistance to heat flow. The walls of a contemporary home typically have an R-Value of 19, while standard double pane windows only have an R-Value of about 2. By adding window fashions like Duette Architella honeycomb shades can add up to four points tripling the energy efficiency of a standard double pane window and cutting heat loss through it by up to two-thirds. Imagine the impact of this much increased insulation on your utility bills!

When you choose Hunter Douglas products for your windows you're doing more than saving energy resources and money. You're also enhancing the look of your home with remarkable beauty and style at the window plus you're increasing the resale value of your home as well. Come into our showroom at Drapes & More Interiors to see a sample of this fine product. We will be happy to come to your home to give you a free estimate too.

Clock Close-out Sale - Howard Miller Clocks

2008-12-16T13:44:00.001-08:00

Clock close-out sale through January, 2009. We are not planning to carry these fine clocks in stock when our current inventory has been sold. In order to sell them we have discounted them down to 65% off their suggested manufacturer's listed retail price. The sale is for instock clocks only. We can special order clocks from Howard Miller but they will not be included in the close-out sale.

We have a nice selection of wall and table clocks in stock. Hurry there is only three floor clocks left for sale. The one pictured is in the tradition of the Arts & Crafts Guilds style and is in a medium oak. The floor clock is cable-driven with a Westminster chime and a Klininger movement with the chime silence option.

Unique Window Treatments

2007-02-19T18:49:00.000-08:00

We specialize in window coverings and have for almost 21 years. We opened our store in 1986 in Sonoma County California. Since that time we have become a Hunter Douglas Window Fashions Gallery store as well as experts on motorization and custom draperies. Rounding out our products are re-upholstering of furniture, roman shades, bedspreads and bedding items, custom area rugs and some flooring. We appreciate the many wonderful clients that we've been able to help through out these many years.

We hope to be able to help more people by setting up this blog and welcome anyone to send their questions in to us about your own window covering needs and problems. We will make every effort to respond to questions that are sent to us via this site.

WHAT'S NEW?

We would like to introduce a new energy saving shade manufactured by Hunter Douglas... the Architella Honeycomb Shade. This latest generation of honeycomb shade offers greater energy efficiency, greater sound absorption and a radiant color palette. They come with wonderful Ultraglide and Easyrise control system options. Come in and see the beautiful colors and superior energy savings due to a double honeycomb construction. Take a look at the photo above and you can see the difference. They come in semi-opaque and opaque shade cloth choices.

R-values, which range from 5.48 to 7.73 are so superior that Hunter Douglas has created a new Energychic logo to help customers identify these most energy-efficient products that also deliver high fashion for your windows. Duette Architella shades are the best and most beautiful way to meet your energy savings needs at the window.

There is a new wood rod made by Graber called the Groover Rod. This rod can become a traversing rod, one-way or two-way draw, or a rod that you can use for valances. They come in several colors in 2" and 3" diameter. Look up the information we have on this rod and the Architellas on our website under blinds and drapery hardware: www.drapesandmore.com

We have a brand-new line of drapery and decorative fabrics - Trend Fabrics. The line offers the latest colors, newest patterns and textures available on the market. The price points on this line are very reasonable and the fabric manufacturer is assuring us that they will keep a good stock on hand. Come in and look at the new books. We can help you pick the fabric that best suits your decor.

Our motto is and will always be:

"Let us help you make decorating your home easy & fun!"

Shutters - Popular Window Covering Alternative

2007-03-26T17:02:00.000-07:00

Wood shutters have been a popular window covering for a long time; however, it's only been a few years since the new polysatin shutters have been on the market. These shutters will not crack, warp, chip or shrink. They are UV resistant and unaffected by temperature or humidity changes. Color throughout their structure keeps them looking new for as long as you own them. These shutters will never need sanding, repainting or staining and they can be cleaned easily with a soft cloth and soap and water.

They are also flame resistant and I've heard several stories where wild-fires have occurred where homes, with these shutters installed in the windows along with stucco siding and tile roofs, have helped keep the house from being burned while their neighbor's homes were lost to the flames.

They can be ordered in 2-3/8" and 3-3/8" louver sizes and they come with several styles of frames. You can get them with the standard tilt bar in front or have it installed on the backside of the shutter panel, or you can order them without tilt bars at all for a clean unobstructed look. Personally I prefer the wider louver size as it increases the view and light that will enter the room when you have the louvers open. We have them in our Master Bath over a large soaking tub, they are perfect for this application as well as kitchens and children's rooms. For more information check out www.hunterdouglas.com or my website at www.drapesandmore.com.

Silhouette Shades With Extra Special Savings

2007-03-31T17:06:00.000-07:00

For a limited time Hunter Douglas, the manufacturer of Silhouette window shadings, is offering a special savings to anyone who purchases the shades from now through May 31, 2007. You will save $50 per Silhouette window shading on up to five shades for a total savings of $250.

Featuring fabric vanes suspended between two sheer fabric facings, Silhouette window shadings give you total light control and privacy. The shades completely disappear into the headrail when fully raised and are now available in 2", 3" and 4" vanes. Sizes available are up to 120" in width and up to 120" in height. They can be made to fit arches, angles, circles, sliding glass doors and french doors. The shades can be battery powered or electrically powered with remote or switch controls. They easily clean www.winsbysungard.com and provide excellent UV protection. They are at the high end of the price field for window coverings, but are worth it. We have had them in our living room windows for about 5 years and they still look like new. I highly recommend these shades to anyone who desires a soft look to their window, with the ability to have complete privacy yet maintain a view. Look up our website for further information www.drapesandmore.com

Budget - How Much Should I Budget for Window Coverings?

2007-04-06T07:13:00.000-07:00

"How much should I budget for window coverings?" is the most common question that we get from prospective clients. It is important to prioritize your window covering purchases prior to actually placing your order to set a realistic budget.

The first priorities for most homeowners is taking care of privacy issues, room darkening needs and energy efficiency. This means that the windows should be covered first with alternative window coverings (blinds, shades, shutters, etc.) that will satisfy these needs before adding the more decorative elements that will make your room's design pop. I recommend that you add the fabrics later as they are the most expensive part of the window covering budget. They should take a bit of time to plan for and to find the just right fabric and design.

In our society we are taught not to "talk about our money" with strangers and this actually hinders us from being able to let professionals in any field offer us their advice and service. We place a barrier between them and us. There is nothing shameful about stating what you hope to accomplish and for how much you hope to pay to do this with someone who has the product knowledge that you lack. These professionals will tell you quickly if you will be able to do what you want to do spending the amount that you stated. And, you must be realistic - I see clients all the time that are simply out-of-the-loop on what costs are today. They seem to be stuck in the past. Do a little research before you actually hit the stores so that you will be armed with some knowledge, it will make your shopping experience much more enjoyable.

Today there is such a hugh selection of products available to us that it is confusing. Try to find a window covering design specialist that you are comfortable working with and remember the most important piece of advice - when you set your budget always remember "you get what you pay for!". If the cost is cheap the product usually isn't the best quality and won't last as long as a better quality product that sometimes costs just a little bit more.

April - National Garden Month

2007-04-11T06:45:00.000-07:00

"April hath put a spirit of youth in everything." - William Shakespeare

April is the time we all look to the outside of your homes. In Northern California our roses are just about to begin blooming, all the spring perennials have put on their new coat of growth and are just about to begin blooming too. The hills are a beautiful shade of green which will, it seems, turn a golden yellowish color the minute the rain ceases in about a month. This is the time of year that the "wine country" renews itself

Recently discovered a great gardening site when I was looking up information about container gardening on the web. As this is National Garden Month they have some very interesting articles that can help you in your spring gardening adventures.
Visit http://ww.nationalgardenmonth.org.

My new spring garden project is about to get underway - a water trough container garden. Have purchased the trough, a galvanized trough 6' long, 2' wide and 2' deep. Will drill drain holes in the bottom next, then will fill container with soil. Plans are to make a kitchen herb garden that will contain rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, parsley, etc. and a few seasonal items. The first year I'll have to experiment a little.

These water troughs are very "useable". Have another one set up as an outdoor aquarium. It was been set up for about 2 years and the fish have lived over the winter very well. The only problem I've had is that we've been visited by a Giant Blue Heron on several occasions and he has taken some of the fish for his dinner. Now have a wire cover over the top!

Roman Shades - A Popular Window Covering Trend

2007-04-15T09:58:00.000-07:00

As the desirability of using draperies and fabrics at the window has risen, the popularity of Roman shades has also increased. These shades operate as a complete window treatment and can be manufactured from many different materials, including many styles of fabric and natural products like woven woods and woven reeds.

Roman shades add style and texture to the window. This cannot be achieved by the use of blinds alone. They can also be used in any room in the house. They take a minimum amount of fabric, and can be designed to be used as a black-out shade or as a light filtering shade. They can be trimmed with contrasting hems, trim and other forms of design to make them truly unique. The use of natural hand woven materials can provide texture and light filtering sun control. Roman shades also offer softness at the window. When pulled to the up position they can look very much like a valance, yet when lowered they give privacy and light control.

These shades are extremely versatile - they can stand alone or be coupled with draperies, cornices or other fabgric treatments. I expecially love installing window treatments for one of my clients using a Roman shade for privacy and then adding a decorative rod over the window and drapery side panels at each side. This allows us to tie in color, texture and different fabrics to give their home a truely "up scale" look.

Wallcoverings - A Little Research

2007-04-19T07:35:00.000-07:00

While surfing the web I've run across some really interesting websites that allow you to look at their wallpaper selections in the comfort of your own home. Some of these sites even offer free sample offers to see firsthand how patterns and colors will complement your home's decor, plus some sites also offer helpful advice about measuring, hanging and repairing wallcoverings. A carefully chosen wallpaper can be the final touch to a great room.

For the 60s and 70s op art designs and the 50s space age selections: www.melinamade.com
For reproductions of 19th century & early 20th century: www.carterandco.com
For reproductions from the Victorian, Arts & Crafts and modernism eras: www.bradbury.com
For vinyl and specialty collections in abstract designs: www.knolltextiles.com
For classic collections: www.thibautdesign.com
For tips on how to measure & install: www.pdra.org

The photo came from the opening page of the Thibaut website. Photos of wallpapered rooms on their site will provide a lot of inspiration. Enjoy!

Roosters - A Popular Home Decor Motif

2007-04-22T18:17:00.000-07:00

Roosters are a popular home decor motif. Look at any catalog or home furnishings store and you will find roosters on lamps, pillows, rugs and table top accessories according to a "Styles & Trends" report from a recent "Home Decor" magazine article. This trend has been going on for several years and is not showing any signs of letting up.

They are cheerful and add a nice touch of color to your kitchen giving it a French Country feeling. I would say that I talk to at least two clients per week that like them as part of their decor, especially in the kitchen and family room areas of their homes.

This ceramic rooster (already sold, of course) stands about 30" high and has a companion hen. It was made by Intrada (www.intradainc.com), a fine importer of Italian hand painted pottery. I have a large sized pair of black and white chickens in my own kitchen. Ceramic chickens remind me of my grandfather, who raised them on his ranch when I was a child, which brings back wonderful memories of visiting Grandpa and Grandma. I used to love going out to the chicken coop to feed the chickens and gather the eggs.

If you would like to purchase one of these special birds or any other of Intrada's beautiful products, please contact us and we can help you.

Sheer Drapery - Softness At The Window That's New Again

2007-04-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

Those of us who are "a little older" remember our Grandmother's homes with a great deal of pleasure. Warm bread, resulting in a warm kitchen, mixed with aromas of baking cookies & a loving person to share the experience with you - you remember this well. Overstuffed sofas, large dining room tables and draperies at the windows were her style. Grandma usually had sheer draperies too, either voile see-though sheers or lace curtains, hanging in the living room or bedrooms of their home.

Would you believe that sheer draperies have come back and are beginning to capture the drapery market once again? There are many wonderful sophisticated fabrics that can be used that offer this stylish sheer feeling at the window; loosely woven fabrics, sheers that gleam and shimmer, laser cut-out patterns, colored sheers, retro patterns that remind us of earlier times, deep colors that offer mystery, traditional materials that have been on the market for years and even sheers with Swarovski Crystals on them. (see photo and visit www.ado-usa.com to see some examples.) Mix one of these fabrics with a decorative drapery rod and you have a truly wonderful soft statement at the window that lets in a lot of light, yet offers daytime privacy and adds softness to your rooms. You can also add a shade under the sheer to add nighttime privacy or hang them under draperies for that custom look.

The secret to a beautiful sheer drapery is how they are made. Sheers are lightweight fabrics that should be made at least 3 to 1 fullness in order to not look skimpy. For an example, a 100" wide window should have at least a sheer drapery that is 300" wide at the bottom. Most sheer fabric is made 118" wide so this will allow them to be made seamless. To have the right look don't buy narrow strips of ready-made sheers that are not sewn together, it actually doesn't cost much more to have them made properly all in one piece. They can be gathered onto a rod if you do not plan to open them or they can be pleated and opened as any other drapery style would do.

Try an "old" style sheer that is suddenly "new" again and very sophisticated!

Alouette LightLouvers - Shutter, Shade & Blind Combined

2007-05-09T07:53:00.000-07:00

Photo is NewStyle Shutter

Window Covering News:

Alouette LightLouvers, a fine window covering product from Hunter Douglas, is coming out with new colors and patterns. This shade offers the bold shape of shutters, the flexibility and easy function of shades and the privacy and light control of blinds - all in one product.

This month Hunter Douglas is introducing a new sampling package for Alouette. They are adding two new fabric prints: Chambray, a variation on fine linen, available in six colors, and Raw Silk, designed to accentuate the horizontal look of the louvers, also available in six colors. Coordinating Duette cellular shades will be shown in the sampler too so that it will be easier for customers to mix and match products on windows for their home. Visit our showroom and we will be happy to show you the new products (www.drapesandmore.com).

"Summer Sale Event" - Hunter Douglas' first ever summer sales event will be in effect June 1 through August 31, 2007 (www.hunterdouglas.com). They will offer consumers special rebates on many of their best-selling products, including their new Duette Architella Collection shades, Heritance & NewStyle shutters, Provenance woven wood shades and others of their products. Further information on the sale will be advertised in Better Homes & Gardens, Coastal Living, Home and many other top magazines starting in June. As soon as I know the details of the sale I will include them in a future blog.

Reupholstery - Is your Chair or Sofa Worth It?

2007-05-12T07:45:00.000-07:00

To reupholster your favorite chair or sofa, or not, is a question faced by many of our clients when they are redecorating their rooms. There is a lot of confusion about this subject and many "wives tales" abound about this subject.

When you are making this decision you need to ask yourself several questions:

Do I like the chair/sofa?

Is it comfortable, does it fit in my room, is the style still good?

How old is the piece? How much did I pay for it when it was new, did it come from a quality store?

You get the picture. You must make an honest assessment before you start looking for an upholsterer's services. Frankly, if the sofa or chair originally came from a "discount type" store the frame is probably not worth saving. If it is an old well loved piece, and/or it came from a quality furniture manufacturer, it is worth recovering as it probably has a solid wood frame and good springs.

When a chair or sofa is recovered this is the time to have springs retied if needed and new cushions installed along with the outside covering replacement. A good upholsterer can make an old piece of furniture more comfortable and look better than it did when new, for about half the cost to replace it today with a same quality new piece.

There are many beautiful upholstery fabrics on the market. The cost of these fabrics vary widely. The rule of thumb is to buy the best quality fabric that you can when you recover an upholstered piece. The labor cost to reupholster the piece will be the same if you buy a cheap bargain basement fabric or quality yardage. Doesn't it make sense to use fabric that will last for a long time even though it may cost a little more?

We carry a large selection of upholstery fabrics and have a professional upholsterer who can rebuild your chair/sofa to be better than it was when new. Give us a call or come into our shop.

Also the photo shows a wonderful looking roman shade style window covering - the Vignette Shade which can match any style decor very well.

Accent Furniture For The Kitchen - What's Hot

2007-06-05T05:37:00.001-07:00

Accent furniture pieces for the kitchen are hot right now. The kitchen island table shown here is one that can be ordered in a wood finish or with a painted finish that can be made to look old. I bought one for my own kitchen remodel that has the unfinished natural wood cutting board top while the body of the table is "barn yard" black. The bottom shelf of my island now has three large baskets to store cookbooks. "Barn yard" means it has been distressed and the paint has been rubbed to show some of the wood tones below the paint, this makes the piece look old and worn giving it character. You can find many of these wonderful European accent pieces by looking at the website www.britishtraditions.com.

British Traditions only sell items to designers and furniture dealers for their stores. They are one of several companies that manufacture new furniture items that resemble antique furniture pieces. They have armoires, bookcases, kitchen islands, tables, chairs, chests, & etc. Take a look at their website and you will be able to look at their catalog. If you find something that you would like to have more information about, send me an email. If you need a colored accent piece anywhere in your home this is the place to find it.

Kitchen accent pieces can make your kitchen an even warmer place to be. People tend to gather in the kitchen for most of their meals even in homes that have a separate dining room. Built-in eating areas are popular in many kitchens. Portable kitchen islands can add flexibility while baker's racks can showcase cookbooks, cooking tools and plenty of other odds and ends. Ceiling hung iron pot holders can help make your kitchen look like a chef lives here.

The kitchen is the "hub" of today's home, it is a great area for casual entertaining. Parents cook while their children sit at the counter and do their homework. When we entertain everyone just naturally gravitates towards the kitchen. Food is a large part of interaction between friends and family so the kitchen becomes the most important room in our home. We spend a great deal of our time there; add a little color and some accent pieces to your kitchen, you will be surprised by the results.

Hunter Douglas Trip & More

2007-07-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

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!

Woven Shades - The Natural Window Coverings

2007-07-14T12:28:00.000-07:00

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/.

INTRODUCING - Pirouette Window Shadings

2007-07-29T15:06:00.000-07:00

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.

Get Your Home Ready For The Holidays

2007-09-11T18:11:00.000-07:00

Well it's grape harvest season once again in Sonoma County's Wine Country. And, time once again to be thinking of getting your home ready for the holidays. Don't they come too fast? I remember, many years ago to be honest, how long it was from one Thanksgiving or Christmas to another and now I marvel that the dust doesn't seem to have settled on the ornament boxes I think I just put away from last Christmas!

If you plan to have a family gathering at your home and you want to spruce it up a little, it is time to get started fixing up your home. Especially if you are thinking of adding a new pair of draperies, a new valance or having your sofa re-upholstered before your family & friends get there. This time of year most of the workroom folks are putting in over-time just to get all the orders ready in time, so you'd better get going.

To get yourself motivated, I hope that you will visit us at our booth at the Sonoma County Homeshow which will be held this weekend at the Sonoma County Fair Grounds in Santa Rosa. The event will be held three days, September 14, 15, & 16, 2007. This is the 20th year that the show has been produced by G & G Productions and the shows just keep getting better and better. Please look up their website at http://www.ggshows.com/ for a complete listing of home improvement companies that will be there.

We'll be in booth #117 and I look forward to seeing you there. We'll have the new Pirouette Shade and the new Skyline shade on display, plus the Alustra line of fine window covering products. Unfortunately, Rex and his new pal Trixie (a Chihuweenie designer mutt) can't come to work with us these three days. Will have to pay a price each day when we get home from the show! See you there.

Shutter Sale - Hurry Will End Soon

2007-09-18T07:55:00.001-07:00

Drapes & More Interiors is having a special Fall Shutter Sale on all three of the Hunter Douglas shutter products. The sale will be for all Hunter Douglas shutter products purchased from Drapes & More from September 18th until October 31, 2007.

The photo at left is a photo of the NewStyle hybrid shutters. These shutters combine the great style of wood with the strength, stability and straightness of advanced modern day materials.

Also on sale are the Heritenance hardwood shutters. These shutters are made of natural hardwoods and feature hand crafted dovetail joinery combined with wonderful finishes. There are 100 colors to chose from, even custom coloring is available to match the furniture or moldings in your home.

Palm Beach polysatin shutters are available on sale too. They are ultraviolet resistant and are guaranteed never to warp, fade, chip or peel, regardless of high heat or other extreme climate considerations.

Come into our shop and see samples of these shutters or call us today at (707) 578-0849 for a free estimate.