Custom Window Treatments: Worth the Investment?

Yes!  Hands down, without question, you'll never convince me otherwise.

Custom is just that -- made for you, to reflect your taste,  help convey the personality of your room, and add the perfect details that cannot come from store-bought "ready-mades." (We'll address the pros of ready-mades in another post!)  Even the most minimalist design needs to pay attention to how the window treatment converses with the other furnishings in the room.  From the simple to the elaborate, they can take a room from ordinary to extraordinary.

Design and photo: Carol Beck

The following photo shows the large linen press in this room (this is the position the client chose for this gorgeous antique to be placed, wanting it to be a second focal point in the room) between two previously naked windows.  The photo above is the detail shot (notice there are at least four different textures in this treatment) of what's shown below.

Room design and photo: Carol Beck

The clients requested that this room reflect their love of Nantucket,  and the texture in the window treatments helped add to the overall feel of the room -- textural and soothing like the beach.  Here is another shot of the room for fun:

Room design and photo: Carol Beck

What you cannot see from this photo is that the blue floral fabric is actually a slipcover on a beautiful wood-framed french chair, done in a neutral textured fabric.  The sofa on the opposite wall is a grasscloth-inspired fabric, also with fabulous texture.

Here are a couple of  window treatment close-ups from my own house (a work in progress to show later!) to show the joy of detail, detail, detail.

Kitchen window treatment - design, fabrication and photo: Carol Beck

Living room drapes - design, fabrication and photo: Carol Beck

Master bath  - design, fabrication and photo: Carol Beck

Notice all the detail in these?  That's what you get with custom.  In future posts, we will look at lots of window treatment styles and uses for conveying just the right feeling in a room.

On the Side...

I have to share with you my recipe for Grilled Shrimp that I've adapted from Williams-Sonoma's book "Grilling."  It led to my invention of this Orzo and Grilled Shrimp dish:

I made this the other night for a "patio party" that a fellow designer was having, and the pressure was on to invent something yummy for this group of  foodies/designers.  If you'd like these recipes, email me at sofasandsage@gmail.com.and I'll happily, hungrily, send them along!!

Talk to you soon,

Carol