Comments on: Window Treatment Design Solutions http://poshsurfside.com/window-treatment-design-solutions Posh Living, LLC - Furniture Store, Interior design services, sofas, custom slipcovers, window treatments, draperies, fabric, flooring, rugs, & lighting. In South Carolina: Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Garden City, Litchfield, Pawleys Island, Charleston, Columbia, Florence. Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:40:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: webmaster http://poshsurfside.com/window-treatment-design-solutions/comment-page-1#comment-1498 webmaster Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:00:44 +0000 http://poshsurfside.com/?p=128#comment-1498 Hi Deborah, Sounds like an interesting idea that might look really great. Colored blinds do show outside the house more than you'd think, especially if there is direct sun. I'd see if your blind supplier can order a slat sample for you that you can try inside the window. We are also seeing a return of aluminum wide-slat blinds, because they fold up very tightly off the window, and the street side can be done in one color with another color facing the interior of the house. If the house is contemporary, they may work too. Best of luck - send me a picture! Kerry Ann Dame Hi Deborah,
Sounds like an interesting idea that might look really great. Colored blinds do show outside the house more than you’d think, especially if there is direct sun. I’d see if your blind supplier can order a slat sample for you that you can try inside the window. We are also seeing a return of aluminum wide-slat blinds, because they fold up very tightly off the window, and the street side can be done in one color with another color facing the interior of the house. If the house is contemporary, they may work too.
Best of luck – send me a picture!
Kerry Ann Dame

]]> By: deborah http://poshsurfside.com/window-treatment-design-solutions/comment-page-1#comment-1495 deborah Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:04:52 +0000 http://poshsurfside.com/?p=128#comment-1495 Weeks away from moving into our newly built house. I guess you could say that the style is a contemporary farmhouse! Exterior is red painted siding w/ some rock accents and front door is sorta a turquoise blue-green. I am considering installing black wood blinds in windows across the front of the house. I have vowed to not put any white woodwork anywhere in this house. I have no doubt the black would work on the interior. It's the exterior that I can't imagine how it would look. But think it might just work and not draw attention away from windows and ext. but just blend with how the glass in windows looks dark anyway. what do ya think? Weeks away from moving into our newly built house. I guess you could say that the style is a contemporary farmhouse! Exterior is red painted siding w/ some rock accents and front door is sorta a turquoise blue-green. I am considering installing black wood blinds in windows across the front of the house. I have vowed to not put any white woodwork anywhere in this house. I have no doubt the black would work on the interior. It’s the exterior that I can’t imagine how it would look. But think it might just work and not draw attention away from windows and ext. but just blend with how the glass in windows looks dark anyway. what do ya think?

]]> By: webmaster http://poshsurfside.com/window-treatment-design-solutions/comment-page-1#comment-993 webmaster Tue, 12 May 2009 02:11:06 +0000 http://poshsurfside.com/?p=128#comment-993 Dear Derby Mom, Whenever anyone says they hate window treatments, I feel what they're really saying is that they don't want their home to feel old and stodgy. Window treatments today offer fantastic light control so you can enjoy the views and sunshine while controlling glare and keeping the room a comfortable temperature. Roman shades underneath sheers are a modern, clean twist on classic window treatments. The sheers filter the light and keep hot afternoon sun at bay, and add softness. Roman shades mounted directly on the French doors are perfect for evening privacy. In a tailored style, they will fold up quite small at the top of the door and function as a decorative valance when raised. Usually, I will install full-length sheers near the crown molding, on a simple iron or wood rod and rings, with modern styled pleats for a tailored look. There are many gorgeous ones now that have some light embroidery or a tiny bit of pattern so they can be quite interesting. Also, check out some new sheer blind products, like Hunter Douglas' Silhouette shades - they combine sheers with the light control vanes of a blind, yet they draw up into a tiny box and disappear too. The best of both worlds! You can see them at <a href="http://www.hunterdouglas.com/our-products.jsp?so=ft&sop=hp#" rel="nofollow">http://www.hunterdouglas.com/our-products.jsp?so=ft&sop=hp#</a> If you treat the entire window wall with one large pair of sheers, then you can add shades or blinds individually on the windows and doors underneath. Raised to the tops of windows, they can add a little texture and pattern. Mount them inside the window frames for a clean look, and right onto each French door about an inch wider than the glass on each side. Dear Derby Mom,
Whenever anyone says they hate window treatments, I feel what they’re really saying is that they don’t want their home to feel old and stodgy. Window treatments today offer fantastic light control so you can enjoy the views and sunshine while controlling glare and keeping the room a comfortable temperature. Roman shades underneath sheers are a modern, clean twist on classic window treatments. The sheers filter the light and keep hot afternoon sun at bay, and add softness. Roman shades mounted directly on the French doors are perfect for evening privacy. In a tailored style, they will fold up quite small at the top of the door and function as a decorative valance when raised. Usually, I will install full-length sheers near the crown molding, on a simple iron or wood rod and rings, with modern styled pleats for a tailored look. There are many gorgeous ones now that have some light embroidery or a tiny bit of pattern so they can be quite interesting. Also, check out some new sheer blind products, like Hunter Douglas’ Silhouette shades – they combine sheers with the light control vanes of a blind, yet they draw up into a tiny box and disappear too. The best of both worlds! You can see them at http://www.hunterdouglas.com/our-products.jsp?so=ft&sop=hp#
If you treat the entire window wall with one large pair of sheers, then you can add shades or blinds individually on the windows and doors underneath. Raised to the tops of windows, they can add a little texture and pattern. Mount them inside the window frames for a clean look, and right onto each French door about an inch wider than the glass on each side.

]]> By: KY Derby Mom http://poshsurfside.com/window-treatment-design-solutions/comment-page-1#comment-926 KY Derby Mom Fri, 01 May 2009 20:48:42 +0000 http://poshsurfside.com/?p=128#comment-926 A wall of windows, a set of french doors and transom windows measuring 38.5" W x 29 " Lg. What type of window treatment? Really hate window treatments. If I could have lived during the Shaker era would have loved it! The room measures 15"1" x 19'7" and is a garden, sitting room that walks out onto a 2 story covered porch this is used for entertaining and leisure. There is a 10 ft. farm table and grommet/ tension wire hung sheer curtains. The french doors that sit between the 2 sets of windows are the problem. Like to have them uncovered during the day. Thinking about roman shades and sheers. What height do we hang the curtains and roman shades? Thanks!!! KY Derby Mom A wall of windows, a set of french doors and transom windows measuring 38.5″ W x 29 ” Lg. What type of window treatment? Really hate window treatments. If I could have lived during the Shaker era would have loved it! The room measures 15″1″ x 19’7″ and is a garden, sitting room that walks out onto a 2 story covered porch this is used for entertaining and leisure. There is a 10 ft. farm table and grommet/ tension wire hung sheer curtains. The french doors that sit between the 2 sets of windows are the problem. Like to have them uncovered during the day. Thinking about roman shades and sheers. What height do we hang the curtains and roman shades? Thanks!!!

KY Derby Mom

]]> By: Kerry Ann Dame http://poshsurfside.com/window-treatment-design-solutions/comment-page-1#comment-681 Kerry Ann Dame Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:29:54 +0000 http://poshsurfside.com/?p=128#comment-681 Thank you for your question. Allen + Roth is a house brand of Lowe's. While they may look like the same product as Hunter Douglas, in my experience as a designer, the "big box" versions of blinds and shades do have to cut corners somewhere to have the price so low. Typically, the parts in the headrail are not as high-quality (such as plastic pulleys instead of metal) or, with faux-wood blinds, the resin slats are not the best resin and will yellow and warp. So while you may get similar-looking shade fabric, it may be lacking sun-protection treatment, or the mechanisms you can't see are cheaply made. Of course, Lowe's is big enough to sell direct and come in at a lower price. So a good way to tell if the product is close in quality is to compare the warranties. The best brands - Hunter Douglas, Kirsch, Graber - have a 5 year to lifetime warranty, and really stand behind their product. Check to see if they warranty actual performance (materials changing color or warping) or just manufacturer defects. Since blinds and shades are often in baking sun, it is important to have high-quality parts that won't split or crack after just a couple of years, and if the manufacturer thinks that's a problem they won't warranty against cracking, fading or warping. There are many cheaper brands of blinds (Vista comes to mind) that have a worthless warranty. The other problem can be installation - with Lowe's you are usually on your own, or using a sub-contractor. In our experience Lowe's installation fees are very high, because they hire a local guy and add markup, which quickly offsets your savings. I have seen clients buy blinds from Lowe's and end up spending close to what they would have spent on a premium brand once the measuring fees and installation are added on. My suggestion would be to get a quote from a couple of dealers in your area who sell Hunter Douglas; they will give you the service you need to get a good job, since measuring and fitting can be tricky. Since the shades come in several grades of fabric, ask to see the lowest-priced styles first, and work up from there. Otherwise, you may pick a color from the book that is a high-priced shade and never realize you might have liked a cheaper one nearly as well. If you need several windows, don't be shy about striking a bargain - ask if they will throw in the installation for you - often smaller shops will do this to get the job, you save money, and you get great service. You'll also be getting an American made product and supporting a local business. I hope this has been helpful - I'm all for getting a great deal if you can; you are smart to make sure you are comparing "apples to apples" before you make your decision. Best of luck! Thank you for your question. Allen + Roth is a house brand of Lowe’s. While they may look like the same product as Hunter Douglas, in my experience as a designer, the “big box” versions of blinds and shades do have to cut corners somewhere to have the price so low. Typically, the parts in the headrail are not as high-quality (such as plastic pulleys instead of metal) or, with faux-wood blinds, the resin slats are not the best resin and will yellow and warp. So while you may get similar-looking shade fabric, it may be lacking sun-protection treatment, or the mechanisms you can’t see are cheaply made. Of course, Lowe’s is big enough to sell direct and come in at a lower price. So a good way to tell if the product is close in quality is to compare the warranties. The best brands – Hunter Douglas, Kirsch, Graber – have a 5 year to lifetime warranty, and really stand behind their product. Check to see if they warranty actual performance (materials changing color or warping) or just manufacturer defects. Since blinds and shades are often in baking sun, it is important to have high-quality parts that won’t split or crack after just a couple of years, and if the manufacturer thinks that’s a problem they won’t warranty against cracking, fading or warping. There are many cheaper brands of blinds (Vista comes to mind) that have a worthless warranty.

The other problem can be installation – with Lowe’s you are usually on your own, or using a sub-contractor. In our experience Lowe’s installation fees are very high, because they hire a local guy and add markup, which quickly offsets your savings. I have seen clients buy blinds from Lowe’s and end up spending close to what they would have spent on a premium brand once the measuring fees and installation are added on.

My suggestion would be to get a quote from a couple of dealers in your area who sell Hunter Douglas; they will give you the service you need to get a good job, since measuring and fitting can be tricky. Since the shades come in several grades of fabric, ask to see the lowest-priced styles first, and work up from there. Otherwise, you may pick a color from the book that is a high-priced shade and never realize you might have liked a cheaper one nearly as well. If you need several windows, don’t be shy about striking a bargain – ask if they will throw in the installation for you – often smaller shops will do this to get the job, you save money, and you get great service. You’ll also be getting an American made product and supporting a local business.

I hope this has been helpful – I’m all for getting a great deal if you can; you are smart to make sure you are comparing “apples to apples” before you make your decision.
Best of luck!

]]> By: Bill Iacono http://poshsurfside.com/window-treatment-design-solutions/comment-page-1#comment-678 Bill Iacono Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:23:19 +0000 http://poshsurfside.com/?p=128#comment-678 We're currently in the process of purchasing silhouette window shadings for our windows. We've priced two manufacturers: Hunter Douglas and Allen + Roth. We found that the ones made by Allen + Roth are considerably less money for the same product. I have never heard of them, and was wondering if they make a good product comparable to Hunter Douglas. Please advise. Bill Iacono We’re currently in the process of purchasing silhouette window shadings for our windows. We’ve priced two manufacturers: Hunter Douglas and Allen + Roth. We found that the ones made by Allen + Roth are considerably less money for the same product. I have never heard of them, and was wondering if they make a good product comparable to Hunter Douglas. Please advise.
Bill Iacono

]]> By: Kerry Ann Dame http://poshsurfside.com/window-treatment-design-solutions/comment-page-1#comment-558 Kerry Ann Dame Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:11:25 +0000 http://poshsurfside.com/?p=128#comment-558 Dear Debbie, When I read your question, I immediately thought of a shop called the Curtain Exchange, which is a franchise with several locations that used to resell designer window treatments. However, a quick check of their website shows that they seem to be only selling new curtains now. But it may be worth giving them a call. It is a shame that you don't like your window treatments, it can be difficult to imagine a finished project when ordering, but perhaps it is not that bad - you must have liked the fabric when you chose it. Perhaps the real problem is that a decorating project was begun, but not completed. Instead of getting rid of the new things, perhaps a little more decorating in the rest of the room would help - recover a chair or paint the room to help the new curtains blend with the existing furniture. I would recommend contacting a local designer for some ideas (preferably not the one who sold you the curtains). Ask a friend whose house you love for a recommendation. Look for someone whose style you like and who is comfortable working with you hourly, and get an hour's consultation at your home. This should be about $100-$150. Ask her to bring a paint deck. You will be surprised what a professional may come up with to solve your problem. You should also get lots of other great ideas for the house at the same meeting, so don't feel like you are throwing good money after bad by doing this. I often meet clients who think they have made a drastic mistake when they chose a rug or fabric, when really what they did was not take the idea far enough. Adding something new to a room can make the old things suddenly look out of whack, so if I were you I would take a deep breath and try to see your room in a new light. I would ask myself if there was one major thing (like a sofa or rug) that was fighting with the curtains, and would consider removing it to see if it looks any better. For example, if the club chairs are neutral but the sofa is the wrong shade, maybe slipcovering the sofa to coordinate with the new window treatments would pull it all together. Photographing your room can help you see what jumps out to the eye. Perhaps it is time for the old wing chair to go live in the bedroom, or for the dark oriental rug to be replaced with a classic, inexpensive seagrass. Changing one or two elements gives you a chance to bring in something that really matches the new curtains, and voila! things will start to come together. You didn't tell me what style the room was, but if you are going for a certain look, get some decorating magazines and spend an evening tearing out pictures you like, to show your consulting designer. This will tell her your taste and save a lot of time so you'll get a lot more out of your meeting. Instead of considering this a huge mistake and trying to ditch the curtains, maybe this is the start of a new look for the room. You can work with your designer to achieve this over time, and of you are clever it doesn't have to be a major investment. If the window treatments really have to go, you can try a high-end consignment shop or a newspaper ad, especially if you live in a tract home with common window sizes. But it will be impossible to recoup the cost. The best thing to do would be to try to make them work, and hopefully, with the right advice, actually come to love them. Best of luck, KerryAnn Dame Dear Debbie,
When I read your question, I immediately thought of a shop called the Curtain Exchange, which is a franchise with several locations that used to resell designer window treatments. However, a quick check of their website shows that they seem to be only selling new curtains now. But it may be worth giving them a call.
It is a shame that you don’t like your window treatments, it can be difficult to imagine a finished project when ordering, but perhaps it is not that bad – you must have liked the fabric when you chose it. Perhaps the real problem is that a decorating project was begun, but not completed. Instead of getting rid of the new things, perhaps a little more decorating in the rest of the room would help – recover a chair or paint the room to help the new curtains blend with the existing furniture. I would recommend contacting a local designer for some ideas (preferably not the one who sold you the curtains). Ask a friend whose house you love for a recommendation. Look for someone whose style you like and who is comfortable working with you hourly, and get an hour’s consultation at your home. This should be about $100-$150. Ask her to bring a paint deck. You will be surprised what a professional may come up with to solve your problem. You should also get lots of other great ideas for the house at the same meeting, so don’t feel like you are throwing good money after bad by doing this.
I often meet clients who think they have made a drastic mistake when they chose a rug or fabric, when really what they did was not take the idea far enough. Adding something new to a room can make the old things suddenly look out of whack, so if I were you I would take a deep breath and try to see your room in a new light. I would ask myself if there was one major thing (like a sofa or rug) that was fighting with the curtains, and would consider removing it to see if it looks any better. For example, if the club chairs are neutral but the sofa is the wrong shade, maybe slipcovering the sofa to coordinate with the new window treatments would pull it all together. Photographing your room can help you see what jumps out to the eye. Perhaps it is time for the old wing chair to go live in the bedroom, or for the dark oriental rug to be replaced with a classic, inexpensive seagrass. Changing one or two elements gives you a chance to bring in something that really matches the new curtains, and voila! things will start to come together.
You didn’t tell me what style the room was, but if you are going for a certain look, get some decorating magazines and spend an evening tearing out pictures you like, to show your consulting designer. This will tell her your taste and save a lot of time so you’ll get a lot more out of your meeting. Instead of considering this a huge mistake and trying to ditch the curtains, maybe this is the start of a new look for the room. You can work with your designer to achieve this over time, and of you are clever it doesn’t have to be a major investment.
If the window treatments really have to go, you can try a high-end consignment shop or a newspaper ad, especially if you live in a tract home with common window sizes. But it will be impossible to recoup the cost. The best thing to do would be to try to make them work, and hopefully, with the right advice, actually come to love them.

Best of luck,
KerryAnn Dame

]]> By: Debbie West http://poshsurfside.com/window-treatment-design-solutions/comment-page-1#comment-550 Debbie West Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:09:47 +0000 http://poshsurfside.com/?p=128#comment-550 Hello, I'm writing to you to see if you can possibly point me in the right direction. I made a huge mistake with purchasing very expensive custom made panels and london shades for my home that were just installed this week (purchased at a local interior design company in Pittsburgh who does not offer exchanges -they are a national outlet). I made the decision just after moving and having a baby and was not in "my right mind" (ha ha). The fabric does not match our decor and my husband and I are sick over this as we spent close to $2000 on these. In your experience, is there anywhere we can go to try to sell these to recoup some of our cost. I am desperate and am trying to find a good home for these custom made products. Any help you can provide would be much appreciated. Thank you Hello,
I’m writing to you to see if you can possibly point me in the right direction. I made a huge mistake with purchasing very expensive custom made panels and london shades for my home that were just installed this week (purchased at a local interior design company in Pittsburgh who does not offer exchanges -they are a national outlet). I made the decision just after moving and having a baby and was not in “my right mind” (ha ha). The fabric does not match our decor and my husband and I are sick over this as we spent close to $2000 on these.

In your experience, is there anywhere we can go to try to sell these to recoup some of our cost. I am desperate and am trying to find a good home for these custom made products.

Any help you can provide would be much appreciated.

Thank you

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