Journal

Making the optimum selection for window coverings in your home is not really as difficult as it might seem. Having a good understanding of the various ways in which window coverings function, as well as an inherent sense of how to make them work aesthetically is really what it is all about.

There are two fundamental reasons that window coverings are used: to control light and for decorative enhancement. Sometimes one function is more essential than the other, which is when the expertise of an interior designer becomes extremely helpful.

It is important to note that not every type of window treatment will work in every interior. And in many cases, there is really only one appropriate treatment that will work at all.

For instance, if you have a set of French doors with a half-round glass transom above the doors, window treatment options — that fit today’s standards – are limited. You could use a half-round shaped gathered sheer. However, this would completely obscure the glass. For this reason, this type of treatment is constrictive, not to mention quite formal and outdated.

There is another way to cover this type of window, while enabling light to flow through the glass transom. This entails surrounding the negative space with a valance to conceal drapery hardware, with drapery panels stacking on each side of the window and/or door opening. This is a successful solution – allowing light in when desired — and much more functional and flexible than blocking the window with a sheer fabric or shutter that conceals the light at all times.

While the rage today is to strictly have either shutters, Roman shades, or simple drapery panels that hang from decorative metal or wooden rods with no valance, these single-pass treatments limit the function of a window covering. Shutters offer an “all or nothing” solution; Roman shades create a huge amount of stack at the top of a window and do not provide for filtered light; and drapery panels that hang from a rod also do not allow for the filtered light provided when sheers are used. (There are double-pass decorative
rods available, but their appearance looks forced, and there is limited inventory in this configuration).

Therefore, when you are using drapery panels that are either stationary or functional, and also wish to filter the light through sheers, or prefer to block out all of the light through black-outs, (or both) a drapery valance is the most effective way to hide the necessary hardware, and can also act as a decorative element.

Valances come in all forms, shapes and sizes, and can be traditional, contemporary or transitional. They can be soft, upholstered or hard, and are completely flexible in their appearance and size — allowing multi-layered treatments that include decorative, functional, see-thru and black-out window coverings.

There are many forms of window coverings, and determining which one best suits both the form and function of each room in your house is an important decision that should not be underestimated.

I will place my bet, that while traditional rod-and-ring window coverings may initially seem attractive because of their simplicity, you may end up re-thinking their limitations once you live with them.

Window coverings that contain more than one pass are more functional, and the valance infuses additional layers of depth and color to your room.

As I like to tell my clients, they are an artistic statement with function – and that’s a whole lot of bang for your buck!

I’ve been in my home for a number of years, should I make some changes? Where do I begin? Should I renovate, or just redecorate? These are questions that I often hear from clients. Figuring out where to start and how much to do often depends on the value of your home.

If you plan to sell, consider your home’s value in its current “out-of- date state” versus. a fully renovated state. Keep in mind that simple redecorating – which does not include construction work – typically brings less appreciable value than a full-scale renovation project. Without question, most homes where there has not been any major work done for twenty years or more are bound to require some sort of renovation. And in nearly all cases, this will include both the kitchen and bathrooms – for the simple reason that interior standards and amenities in these rooms have changed dramatically over the past twenty plus years.

Therefore, first on your list when renovating your home: kitchen and bathrooms. Updating them may be as simple as refinishing or reworking the cabinets, installing new countertops, replacing the appliances, flooring and wall coverings. Or on the other hand, you may simply want to gut everything and start from scratch.

Another important way to update your house: smooth coat any textured ceilings or walls. Unattractive popcorn or ‘cottage cheese’ ceilings definitely date your home. Decorative and energy efficient lighting, window and door replacement, flooring, wall coverings, and built-ins for new entertainment systems are also standard ways to make your home up-to-date.

The above tasks often require the services of a general contractor. However, prior to taking your project to a GC, I would advise that you first consult an interior designer, who can help you develop conceptual design documents and drawings for the construction aspects of your project. Taking this extra step in the process will help ensure a more accurate cost estimate for the ‘nuts and bolts’ part of your project as well as help you determine necessary elements and hard costs that relate to the ultimate design of your interior.

Prior to lifting a hammer, each and every aspect of your project (no matter how large or small) should be carefully thought out and designed – in order to keep all of your options fluid, and ultimately allow you to control costs. Starting a remodel without having the conceptual design as well as the development portion of the project (the working drawings) in place can ultimately cost you a whole lot more money and time. Designing a project from A to Z prior to the start of construction, will not only expedite the project, but will also keep dollars in your pocketbook!

Ever fantasize about your Dream Home? Do you wonder what it would look like, or what “style” it would be? More importantly, where and how would you begin the design and planning process? How would you make your dream home come true?

The other day, I was visiting a friend, and in our conversation it was mentioned that he and his wife were planning to build a new home. This came as a surprise to me, as they had told me more than once, that they had no intentions of building a new home, at least not for a very long time.

I asked them about the style of home they were envisioning, and they seemed somewhat uncertain.  Sound familiar?

Apparently, they hadn’t given it a great deal of thought up to that point.  Not surprisingly, when people have no idea of what they want, the design process becomes much more involved, and can often take much longer. When clients come to us prepared, armed with a collection of their ideas, thoughts and preferences, it simplifies and streamlines the entire process.

Collected ideas are even more valuable if they are presented in an organized format. So whether you plan to build a new home, hope to move from your existing house to a new home, or simply plan to redecorate a couple of rooms in your present home, begin by creating your own personal “design book.”

A book of your ideas and/or “wish list” can be as simple or organized as you want it to be. And if you don’t have the time to organize it now, that’s okay. Putting your ideas into a more orderly format can happen down the road.

As you flip through magazines and see something you might like to have in your home one day, just cut or tear out the photo and add it to your idea book.  Feel free to jot down a few notes beside the photo or article, if you like.

It’s optimum if you can take a bit of time and create sections within the book. For example, I have created sections for each of the different rooms in my dream home – Entry, Great Room, Lounge, Kitchen, Powder Bath, Hobby Room, Master Suite and VIP Guest Bedroom. You, of course, may have others.

But what if you have two or three different styles you like, as I do? I happen to like Traditional Farmhouse for my dream home in the south of France, and Contemporary Regency for my dream penthouse in New York – a juxtaposition of styles using both French Regency and clean-line Contemporary, with simple bright primary colors set against a creamy off-white background, featuring Picasso and Matisse with the whimsy of Magritte thrown in.

It’s really very simple. You keep a design book for each of the different style of dream homes you are thinking about. Then, when it comes time to embark on your dream project, you can pull those books off the shelf and see what style(s) you gravitate toward the most. Maybe one or maybe all of them.

Keeping a book of design ideas will make things much easier for you and your designer, whether its now or in the future.  The saying that “A picture paints a thousand words” is solid wisdom. And to that end, many ideas can come together to make a dream home come true.

By the way, I am sending my friends a hundred or more photos this afternoon in order to help them catch up on their own design idea books. Begin your collection today!

Is everyone afraid to use ‘Color’ in their home?  I am amazed at the number of homes where    color has been avoided, forgotten or misunderstood.  Yet nearly everyone says to me that they “love color.”  What’s up?

I’ve determined that because many people really do not know where or how to effectively use color in their homes   , rather than make a mistake by using it incorrectly, mismatching it or using too much of one color, they instead shy away from using any color at all.  Understood.

But using color in your home can be fairly simple.  Let me share some basics.

One easy way to pick your palette: find a fabric that you like that has at least three colors in it.  These should be colors that you feel comfortable with, so you can use this as your “focal” fabric.  (Focal does not mean that you must use an over-abundance of the fabric, but that it will be seen “throughout” the room, such as in the drapery, or the Coverlett, or maybe even the pillows on the bed, as is shown in the photo below).

Once you have selected a focal fabric, you may then decide to play it against whites or neutrals, which is perfectly fine.  A once colorless room is instantly been transformed into a room with vibrant accents.  Don’t forget to add colorful accessories that replicate the hues in your color palette, as this is another compelling way to bring color to your room.

If you want to bring in even more color, select one of the colors in the focal fabric, and paint the most dominant wall in the room – the “accent wall” – that color.  Remember to use supporting accessories in order to pull everything together, and to carry out the accent color’s hue and value.

Lastly, you may decide to do what we often do in many of our interiors and use the different colors from your “new-found” color scheme in various, creative ways.

For instance, if the color scheme is derived from a special painting, which perhaps has hues of Milanese Gold, Chinese Persimmon, Mascarpone White and Fiji Blue, we would design an area rug with Fiji Blue and shades of Mascarpone White and cover the sofa in the Milanese Gold – adding decorative pillows displaying the Persimmon and Fiji Blue found in the painting, as we did for The Eldorado Country Club’s reception lobby. We often refer to this as “Color Bounce” – essentially using varying colors from your color palette in different areas of the room – a very effective tool for utilizing color.

Collections – such as antiques, artifacts and memorabilia – can be a compelling part of any interior. They can help add depth and interest making a key difference between a bland, boring room and a memorable one.

Artifacts, interesting pieces of furniture and various other objects can all come together to create an “eventual” collection. I am always thrilled when I meet up with a friend or client who has started to assemble their own personal collection – this individual focus can run the gamut – model ships, saddles, pewter, blue and white ceramics, botanicals, bird feathers, ducks, hats, guns and more.

The wonderful thing about collections: they are fluid and can take on a life of their own. They begin at different times, and are never really complete. It’s never too late to amass a collection. Don’t be afraid to have several collections at once. At the moment, I have 14 collections – including Finials, Antique Keys, Chinese Mud Men, Magnifying Glasses, Marble Eggs, and Model Train Engine to name a few– all at different stages.

Lastly, don’t get hooked on the number of items in your collection. It might merely consist of only two treasured items. One of my favorite collections was a beautiful pair of white alabaster lamps with handles carved to resemble swans.

A compelling interior is not unlike a forest – and is characterized by layer upon layer of colors, textures and finishes. There is an art to this layering, and to that end, an art and sense of adventure to acquiring meaningful collectibles, which infuse personality and depth into your home – becoming your very own prized collection.

Reprint from SAN DIEGO HOME/GARDEN LIFESTYLES 5/18/2011

‘STENCILING SAVVY’ by Warren Sheets

Dating back a thousand years or more, the art of stenciling recently resurged as an intriguing way to enliven a room, adding dimension and depth to any space.

In addition to walls — where it can serve as a cost-effective alternative to wallpaper — stenciling can be applied to ceilings and even furnishings.

When applying stenciling, adhere to moderation. Too much stenciling can be busy and overwhelm a room. Ideally, stenciling is used as a decorative border on ceilings and at the top of walls, placed an inch or more under the crown molding.

Sometimes the colors that are used within a space can be incorporated into the stencil pattern. Another interesting technique is to mute the coloration through a process called “aging,” which is accomplished by applying tinted oil-based glaze on top of the painted stencil design.

Stencil motifs also can be carefully applied to wood portions of furnishings, or in and around the back-plate of a wall sconce.

There really is no limit (other than moderation) to how and where stenciling can be used. Applied correctly, it can enliven a room and infuse warmth, bringing color and design to drab surfaces.