Decorate Your Home - It's Easy & Fun!

Home Fashion Forecast Summer 2011

2011-08-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

Hunter Douglas Palm Beach Shutter

I recently ran across the "Home Fashion Forecast" summer edition. This magazine is published for the design professional and is full of advertisements to show the newest home furnishings, accessories, lighting, area rugs, etc. The magazine can be looked at on line which is interesting. Their "Season's picks: Well tailored sofas, royal accents, eco-friendly wallpapers, "wood" table lamps, mirrored accents and an ode to the circle." It's been awhile but the antiqued mirrored accents of the 1970's are back. YUCK! They're calling the style "traditional refreshed". Bold blue is back too along with florals that remind me of the early 1960's...never expected to see the old daisy pattern again, yet here it is. (Spent the better part of the morning today looking at one well-known fabric supplier's website trying to research a project I've been working on and there they were...the daisies that is...once again.) Traditional furniture is now painted unexpected colors to liven the mix of modern and traditional furnishings. There are also a lot of bold pinks and orange colors that go nicely with the blues.

They say if you live long enough you'll see the same things again and again. To me this "traditional refreshed" is more of the same old thing - but with a new coat of paint. Happy decorating!

Roman Shades - Popular Window Covering Trend

2011-04-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

Roman Shades Come in Many Styles:

As the popularity 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 fabrics and natural products like woven woods and woven reeds as shown in the picture from Hunter Douglas.

Roman Shades add style, softness 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. Roman Shades use a minimum amount of fabric, can be designed to be used as a black-out shade or a light filtering shade; can be trimmed with contrasting hems, trim and other forms of design to make them truly unique. Also, the use of natural hand woven materials provides texture while providing filtered sun control. Flexibility of materials that can be used and style elements are the keys to their resurgence and popularity.

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 give privacy and light control. This way you get the contemporary, sophisticated look of Roman Shades but the added softness at the top of the window. These shades are extremely versatile, they can stand alone or be coupled with draperies, cornices or other fabric treatments. I love installing a window dressing using a Roman Shade for privacy, adding a decorative iron rod over the window then drapery side panels on each side of the window. This look becomes a soft design that helps coordinate with the room's decor adding color and texture to the room.

Using Draperies to Insulate Your Home

2011-03-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

Draperies Can Be An Insulator

Draperies do an excellent job in trapping air between the drape and the window glass, which serves as a natural insulator. The quality of the lining though really makes the difference in the amount of insulation the drapery offers your home. As an example, a drapery lined with interlining and a black-out lining can add over 300% better insulation than an unlined drapery.

Coupled with a Hunter Douglas Luminette Sheer Shade, as shown in the photo, means a warm room in winter and a cooler room in the summer. Window glass, even though it may be double paned, naturally heats up in the summer or cools down in the winter and the energy is radiated into the room making the room colder in winter and warmer in summer. Having the proper insulating shades and draperies over the window can mean your energy dollars will be saved - paying for the decorative products at the window over time. Seems a good way to spend your money when you remodel.

HGTV Video - Kitchen Window Treatments 101

2011-01-18T18:00:00.000-08:00

Recently ran across this great HGTV video entitled Kitchen Window Treatments 101 on YouTube It is a great film which shows many good products and great options to solve various problems when decorating your windows in the kitchen. The film also will give you ideas that can be used in other rooms in your home.

Window treatments are the finishing touch to a room, something like icing on a cake. Unfortunately we see many clients that have let their window coverings be their last decision when finishing a room. However, we recommend window coverings be in the first planning stages when construction or remodeling of the home is underway. Too many times we must tell clients that a specific window treatment they had their heart set on will not work because they have not included the depth needed to hang the product properly in the window when the building work was underway.

In my opinion fabrics added to the window in the form of a valance, side drapery panels or working draperies are the most beautiful window treatments especially when coupled with the many wonderful shades available today. Energy savings can also be one of the most important benefits of using the proper window treatments.

What's Your Decorating Personality?

2010-10-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

"What's your decorating personality?"; is a question we all need to look at as we all have different life styles. Some change their furnishings frequently and match home decor to fashion trends and others buy the highest quality traditional furniture, keep it forever and plan to pass it down to their children. Here are a few tips to help you make home decor decisions:

Determine the function of each room. Look at the wear and tear the room will get from kids, pets or frequent entertaining?

Take stock of your current furniture. If you have family heirlooms, antiques or high quality furnishings, you have the option of reupholstering or refinishing them to restore their appearance and function. If you are living with furniture that you dislike, doesn't quite fit the space or is past its prime and not worth repairing, buy new pieces and donate the old ones to a charitable organization.

Determine your personal style. Look for ideas in your favorite colors and motifs. Magazines, books, online sources, home shows, stores and professional decorators can give you insight into the types of decor that best suit your style and make you feel at home. Start a photo collection of styles that you love, as pictures say a thousand words when you go out to find the similar look in the stores.

Identify a focal point in each room, such as your fireplace, a conversational seating arrangement, a piece of art or a window with a view. Keep in mind natural traffic patterns and arrange your furniture accordingly for ease of movement. Define spaces in open floor plans.

Choose paint colors last. Take samples of fabric, wood tones and flooring when choosing paint colors and bring chips home to view them in the room at different times during the day. When you think you have found the right color go back to the paint store and buy samples of the colors so that you can paint a sample on the wall in several places. It is sometimes amazing to see how a color changes with the light in the room as the day passes. Most of all - don't be afraid of color. With a little imagination you will be able to transform your home.

Roman Shades - A Popular Window Covering Trend

2010-09-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

Bestline Roman Shades

As the popularity 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 fabrics and natural products like woven woods and woven reeds.

Roman shades add style, softness and texture to the window. This cannot be achieved by the use of blinds alone. They can also be used as a black-out shade or a light filtering shade depending upon the lining that is used; and can be trimmed with contrasting hems, trim and other forms of design to make them truly unique. Also the use of natural hand woven materials provides texture and sun control. Flexibility of materials that can be used, and various style elements, are the keys to roman shades' resurgence and popularity.

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. When you want the "look" of roman shades but desire the blinds ability to see through it when tilting the vanes, roman shades become great valances when installed permanently above the blind. This way you can get the contemporary, sophisticated look of roman shades but with the flexibility of being able to see out when the blinds are down.

Roman shades can be extremely versatile - they can stand alone or be coupled with draperies, cornices or other fabric treatments. I especially love installing a window with a roman shade for privacy, then adding a decorative iron rod over the window and drapery side panels at each side. This becomes a wonderfully soft design that can be made to easily coordinate with the rest of your room's decor.

Pirouette Window Shadings - Now Available With PowerRise & Specialty Shapes

2010-08-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

Pirouette Now Available in PowerRise & Specialty Shapes

Pirouette window shadings manufactured by Hunter Douglas are now available with PowerRise 2.0 with Platinum Technology and Specialty Shapes.

These uniquely designed shades with soft horizontal fabric vanes attached to a single sheer backing allow for enhanced views to the outside and full beauty of the fabric appearance to the inside. The shades not only offer a contemporary finished look to your windows they also protect your home from Ultraviolet UV rays; blocking up to 86% of rays when the vanes are open and up to 99% when closed. There are many fabrics, two vane sizes and a stylish color palette of 44 options, all available in semi-opaque or room-darkening opacities.

New to the line is the PowerRise 2.0 operation with built-in infrared eye; external eye optional, built-in battery or optional wireless wall switch operation. They can be conveniently operated with one Platinum remote, even if shades are in different rooms.

New Specialty Shape options are now available in any fabric, vane size, opacity and color. All specialty shapes are non-operable and will be in the closed contoured position. Call us for a free estimate at your home or office (707) 578-0849.

Yep...It's Finally Summer

2010-06-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

Search Amazon.co for gh Can't help smiling again! We had the wettest winter in many moons. Now the sun is shining and the temperature has risen. Matter of fact went to a high school reunion picnic on Saturday and it had to be over 100 degrees in the little town of Cloverdale where the picnic was held. ( Didn't realize how old I've gotten until I spent the better part of a day with some of my 'old friends', almost no one there had any color in their hair... even me.) The heat that day reminded me that now is a good time to look at the window coverings in my house to make sure they are in good condition to keep out the heat to save energy this summer. Also soon PG&E will be installing a new smart meter at our house and from what we read in the newspaper and see on the TV news we'll need to get ready for the shocking energy bills to come.

Hunter Douglas' Duette Architella shades are still part of the Federal Energy Act through 2010 so now is the time to be able to get a Federal Tax refund, up to $1,500 this year, when buying the best energy saving shades on the market. These shades are wonderful energy savers, not only in the summer, but in the winter too. They come in many different colors and fabrics to satisfy the most picky shopper. Call us to give you a free estimate. In the mean time, I hope that your summer is - well, just great!

Saw this little tree on Amazon reminded me of Hawaii and summer!

Hunter Douglas - Exclusive Shop-a-Home Service

2010-04-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

Drapes & More Interiors is changing after 24 years in business! After 17 years at the same showroom location our lease is up! It is the perfect time to rethink our business' direction and to make plans for the future. With this in mind we have decided to change our business' model from a Hunter Douglas Window Fashions Gallery into a Hunter Douglas Exclusive Shop-at-Home Dealer.

This change will allow Walter & I to be able to spend more quality time with each and every customer giving them the benefit of our years of experience at their home or place of business. We know that our client's time is the most valuable commodity they have and the convenience of shopping at home will save them time.

Our product mix will remain the same. We specialize in Hunter Douglas' fine products for the window: shades, shutters, blinds, etc, plus we can design custom draperies, roman shades, bedspreads and re-upholstery of furniture. We measure and install every product we sell, plus we offer window covering repair services.

Let us help you make decorating your home easy and fun - and now, more convenient!

Call us at (707) 578-0849 for a FREE IN-HOME CONSULTATION. Visit our website at www.drapesandmore.com. We look forward to being able to help you!

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.

Goodbye Son - Time to Get Back Into Life's Joys

2008-11-24T13:38:00.000-08:00

To say goodbye to your only son is the hardest thing I've ever had to do in this life! It's been just four months since my son Steven died suddenly. There was no warning that he may have been ill; he just fell to his knees and fell backwards on the floor while eating a sandwich - he died instantly. I guess there is some comfort in knowing that he was safe and happy when he left us, and that he died in his own home.

This snapshot of him laughing on his last birthday in February shows the man that was my son. We are still shocked and miss him very much but life must go on.

About a week after he died he visited me in a dream. I could hear his voice as if he was standing next to me in the room. He said to me, "Mama-kins, why are you so sad?" I looked up at him and replied that I was so sad because I missed him so much. He then said, "Please stop crying, I'm just fine." He was smiling and looked wonderful, as if he had lost 20 years; his face was without lines, his teeth were quite white, his eyes were clear and deeply green. He was framed by a golden light at the back of his head which seemed to make his brown hair glow; he was a handsome man before he died but what I saw was a re-born, handsome young man, in good health, who was extremely happy.

I am thankful that I could see him as he is now and am deeply thankful that Steve accepted Jesus Christ as his savior before he died. I know that he is in His care. What a wonderful promise from Him we all have, to meet each other again some day soon. Now I can say "Goodbye" to Steven with a little less sadness.

October is National Child Safety Month

2008-09-24T14:14:00.000-07:00

If you have children their safety is your #1 consideration. Unfortunately cords on window coverings can contribute to fatal accidents; every year about 50 children in the USA are injured or killed by strangulation involving window covering cords. Pets are sometimes victims too.

Hunter Douglas is offering a FREE child safety upgrade this fall - a FREE LiteRise cordless lifting system with every purchase of Duette or Applause Honeycomb Shades. This free upgrade promotion runs September 25 through November 17, 2008. Hurry promotion ends soon.

We invite you in to our showroom to see these fine products and this unique - and safe - lifting system. We offer free measuring service to our clients and also offer installation services for every product we sell.

Solar Film - A Way to Improve Your View

2008-09-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

This photo is just a snapshot taken with a cell phone so obviously isn't of great quality; however, it does tell quite a story about how solar film, properly applied to your windows in your home, can not only save you energy costs but it can also improve the view. The photo was taken on a day where the air quality wasn't at its best due to fires in the area which left the air very smoky- note that you can hardly even see the distant hills on the three panes that do not have the film on them while the right pane, with recently installed film, shows the hills and everything between much clearer and more colorful.

Please call us for a free estimate or look up our website at www.winsbysungard.com for all kinds of information on how solar film will make your life more comfortable while you are spending less on energy. The added benefits of lowering fading of floors, furniture and art work makes solar film a smart addition to your home or office.

Thibaut Wallpaper and Fabrics

2008-06-30T06:32:00.000-07:00

We're excited. We are now able to provide our clients with a group of truely unique wallpaper and fabric collections. Come into our showroom and see the samples of these fine products.

Thibaut (pronounced Tee-Bo) was established in 1886 making it the nation's oldest continuously operating wallpaper firm. Their fabrics and wallpapers are known for their color palettes and classis style. They offer unsurpassed quality and design in styles that range from historic reproductions, toile and chinoiserie to tropical and novelty patterns. Their products are only sold through selected retail stores and interior designers.

Thibaut wallpaper and fabrics are what a well decorated room needs. All patterns are exclusive and coordinate beautifully. Whether you are planning to add custom draperies, bedspreads or re-upholster one of your chairs, Thibaut has a beautiful choice of fine fabrics to do the job. Visit their website to see all of their collections at www.thibautdesign.com .

We would be happy to give you a free estimate on any of our services. Let us help you make decorating your home easy and fun!

Hunter Douglas Fashion for Windows Summer Sale Event

2008-06-30T05:52:00.000-07:00

Take advantage of special rebate savings on selected Hunter Douglas products from May 15 through August 31, 2008. Savings apply on up to 10 windows per product. Visit our store for all the details.

Save up to $500 on Silhouette shades. Hunter Douglas will rebate $50 for each shade with a maximum of 10 shades per household during this exceptional offer. Hurry offer ends soon. See more details on our site www.drapesandmore.hdwfg.com.

Designer Screen Shades - Save Energy & Your View

2008-04-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

Remember the old roller shades your Grandmother had in her home? Today it would be hard to find ones like them because there are so many wonderful new roller shade products on the market. Hunter Douglas' Designer Screen Shades are an example of up-to-date style, texture, color and style. Please look at the attached reference library video to see how these great shades would look today in your home or office.

Reference Library - Hunter Douglas Window Fashions and check on Designer Screen Shades to see the video.

If you want to control the sun's harmful UV rays and heat, yet keep your view, try one of the open weave sunscreen style shades. They come in many colors and textures to go with almost any decor. These energy saving shades will help save your floors, furniture and wall hangings from premature fading. Add a solar film on the window itself and you create a double energy savings guaranteed to save you energy costs. Give us a call, we'd be happy to help you.

Searching for Furniture on The Internet Can be Time Consuming

2008-04-20T12:40:00.000-07:00

Shopping for home furnishings can be a daunting task - driving from store to store trying to find the perfect piece of furniture to fit into our home's decor. So, most of us now sit down in front of our computers and begin looking for information about the furniture pieces we wish to add before we actually go shopping. Recent studies found that 57% of internet researchers spend three or more hours online to research furniture and two out of five consumers, who recently bought furniture, logged on first before buying.

Unfortunately, there is so much information on the internet you can literally receive millions of links that range from blogs and encyclopedia entries, retailers very far away from your location and retailers trying to sell overstocked items on the internet. In other words, an over load of information awaits the casual information seeker.

Furniture Style magazine, a publication for furniture retailers, has created a new guide for consumers to direct them in their search for information about furniture and home furnishings. A new industry-focused search engine has been developed to deliver results to viewers who want to skip the clutter . In addition to directing consumers to furniture retail web sites and online sources of inspiration for the home, www.furniturestylesearch.com is for industry professionals too. Save this site in your favorites or you can download a FurnitureStyleSearch.com toolbar for your web browser. then you'll have it when you need it. This tool will save a lot of time when you're looking to buy or replace a furniture piece.

ATA Airline's Bankruptcy - Or, Marooned on a Tropical Island

2008-04-16T17:28:00.000-07:00

This is one of our favorite places to just kick back and enjoy a little R&R - the Marriott's Maui Ocean Beach Club on the beach at Ka'anapali in Maui, Hawaii.

We scheduled a week's vacation and took off from the Oakland CA airport on the ATA Airlines on Sunday March 30th and flew without problems directly to Maui. The tickets had been purchased and paid for some time ago.

The day after we arrived in Maui Aloha Airlines announced they were closing but they had made some arrangements with other airlines to handle the return of their passengers to the main land. We smirked with self-satisfaction that we would be OK; until early on Wednesday morning when the Marriott's personnel notified us that the ATA Airline had also filed bankruptcy sometime in the night and had already stopped flying. Luckily we had brought a laptop computer with us and my hubby immediately got on it and his cell phone to try and get us two seats back home later in the week. Were we ever surprised - ATA had made no efforts to help their stranded passengers throughout their entire flight area. Our tickets home were worthless!

The helpful customer service rep for United Airlines finally found us two tickets to get home by a circuitous route, but three days later than we had planned to go home. The one-way tickets for two people cost nearly $1,600. We then contacted the hotel's desk - and luckily for us - they had another room in the resort that we could stay but only for the two extra nights that we would be forced to stay in Maui. Adding the cost of additional nights at the resort, additional days of a car rental and food to the expensive ticket home you can imagine what these few days cost.

The route home was a very long one; Maui to Molokai, Molokai to Honolulu, Honolulu to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to San Francisco - then a $100 taxi cab ride from the San Francisco airport to the Oakland airport to pick-up our car for the drive home. We were thankful to get home because many people were still stuck in Hawaii when we left and wish to thank United Airlines for their courtesy and help in getting us to the main land.

Why do large corporations have the ability to cheat so many people? You could not convince anyone that ATA Airlines hadn't know about their financial problems far in advance of the closure date; especially since they had all the paperwork together to file bankruptcy during the night and close up immediately. Yet, they kept taking client's money selling tickets until the last minute with no plans to perform as promised. If a small company continued to sell and collect money from clients for products or services that they didn't intend to provide, the local law enforcement people would be in hot pursuit of these business owners to put them in jail for defrauding their clients. Why does corporate America have the ability to defraud people with no regret and no reprecussions?

Maybe it's time to once again regulate the airline industry - they don't seem to be able to do it for themselves. What do you think?

Wall Art...Or How to Make Your Home Special

2008-03-19T06:49:00.000-07:00

Art, either painted on a wall as in my photo, or hanging on a nail in a frame can be the "jewelery of the home". Too many times I am invited into a client's home and quickly see how carefully they have painted their walls, picked their furniture and rugs, etc. yet see unfinished walls...without art or, worse yet, with tiny pictures hung too high on a large wall, which look lonely and forlorn.

When you choose the pictures for your room pick subjects that you like to look at, not something that just goes with your colors. Art should speak of your personality, hobbies and dreams. The wall art you pick tells your guests who you are and what you love more than any other accessory in the room. Art brings color and life to your room.

Original art works are always best for your rooms because they are just that...original. Look for original works of art at local art shows and you will be surprised at the many wonderful choices you will have at reasonable prices. You will be helping a potential "starving artist" gain recognition in the art world by buying one of their pieces.

There are many prints available to decorate your walls too. Use them in combination with sconces, shelves, decorative plates, metal grates, etc. and your home will truly be unique.

Vitamin C Doesn't Belong in Your Lungs!

2008-03-07T17:27:00.000-08:00

Every once in awhile life seems to give you a little "kick in the knee" - and, boy did I get one last Sunday afternoon. Obviously, this is a story about an event, that according to all the doctors I've spoken with this week, just shouldn't have happened!

My hubby and I were working in our home office, discussing what we wanted to do about an issue, when I decided that it was time to take my daily medications being it was around 1:00 PM in the afternoon. The pills themselves are standard sizes, except for the two "horse" sized tablets I take of Calcium /Vitamin D and the Vitamin C which were not only both large, but dry and gritty. Anyway, I put the two larger pills into my mouth at once, grabbed a swig of water and swallowed. I knew that I was in trouble the second they passed the back of my tongue. The Vitamin C pill somehow turned cross ways in my throat and the Calcium acted as a battering ram as it drove the Vitamin C tablet down and into my Trachea (or as my mother used to call it the "wind pipe"). My God - what a panicky feeling it is to have a rather large foreign body suddenly and unexpectedly enter your breathing zone.

Hubby immediately began to administer blows to my back and jolts to my diaphragm with no success. Coughs began to rack my throat and a deep burning sensation began to develop in the bronchial area of my lungs on the right and center of my chest. Lucky for me the Vitamin C pill quickly began to break up and, I thought should be dissolving, as I could now breathe above and around the pain. Anyway after an hour or two I felt somewhat OK except for the persistent burning feeling. Coincidentally I had a previously made appointment with my Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)physician the next morning, so decided to wait to seek medical attention - what a fool!

When the ENT doctor heard my story and my symptoms he ran out of the examination room yelling over his shoulder that this was serious and that he was calling a Lung Specialist immediately; and I was to wait there. Less that five minutes later he directed me to the nearest hospital's Emergency Room (ER) as the specialist would be waiting for me there. What a shock - when I got to the ER they took me in immediately, no waiting in the waiting room for hours for me.

Within an hour of arriving at the ER, I was unconscious on a table having a Bronchoscopy procedure to try and assess the damage to my lungs and to try and remove as much of the Vitamin C as possible. Remember Vitamin C is an acid. The photos of the procedure were even clear to me, a non-medically trained person. Imagine the inside of your lungs covered in a white frosting-like material. When the matter was removed you can see the burned lung tissue under it. What a mess - so I spent three days in the hospital and had three different physicians and numerous nurses tell me how lucky I am to be alive. I've been left with the worst case of bronchitusI've ever experienced and am taking huge dosages of Prednisone just to keep the ability to breathe. Oh, and I'll have to undergo another bronchoscopy in about a month to see what other damage the Vitamin C may have caused.

Moral of this story - don't try to take two large capsuls of any kind of food supplement. vitamin or medicine at once like I did! Also, if you ever have a Vitamin C loged anywhere in your body get to a doctor immediately. (This experience makes me wonder what it does to your stomach.) Now, maybe I can be back to work by next week?

Wood Cornices - Beautiful Addition to Your Windows

2008-03-02T11:22:00.000-08:00

Last month Hunter Douglas released a new product to the window covering industry. They will come in 46 colors to match their Country Woods Expose wood blinds or can be purchased unfinished. Each cornice will be made of 100% domestic wood and will be hand-finished and hand-assembled by genuine craftsmen.

There will be six styles in heights of 6", 9" and 12". The unfinished cornices will be available in Basswood, Cherry, Oak or Pine and you can paint or stain them to any desired finish.

There are several design options to truly customize them:

Decorative keystones
Carved wood appliques
Coordinating mantel shelf & decorative shelves
Decorative plate groove

Cover a shade and a drape combination as in the photo with one of these stylish cornices and you have a window fit for a "queen". If you also have a fireplace in the room you can add the mantel shelf too and the room comes live with style and beauty.

Motorized Window Coverings - Introducing "Platinum Technology"

2008-01-30T15:02:00.000-08:00

Always something new in the window covering industry; especially at the Hunter Douglas company. They are the obvious leader in supplying homeowners with the finest, newest window covering products on the market.

Introducing "Platinum Technology", the next generation in motorized window coverings. This system offers both infrared (IR) line-of-sight and radio frequency (RF) out-of-sight group controls. So now raising, lowering and adjusting window coverings is as simple as touching a button.

The beauty of "Platinum Technology" is the ability to operate an individual window covering or an entire group of them, even in multiple rooms from the same remote. You can also operate multiple groups at the same time up to 100 feet away with radio frequency control.

"Platinum Technology" is available with: Duette shades, Silhouette shades, Vignette shades, Luminettes, Country Woods, Brilliance pleated shades, EverWoods and Modern Precious Metals. Look at the video below for more information. Call us for a FREE estimate.

Did You Get Your Utility Bill? Window Coverings May Help!

2008-01-29T07:03:00.000-08:00

My Gosh! Were you as surprised as we were when we opened our utility bill for last month? Wow, our energy bill had gone up 43% from the month before. Yes, it was Christmas and we did have a few low voltage lights in the trees outside in our front yard but the natural gas was the real culprit.

Just trying to keep our house warm was the real issue, especially with the high price of gas and other fuels today.

This high bill made us begin to think of what we could do to try and keep our bills down. The obvious is to wear more sweatshirts in the house and to turn off the lights when we leave a room. The other things we could do is to check the weather stripping around our doors and windows, which we did; and to turn down the water heater temperature. Probably the next best thing that we could do was to look at the energy loss we were experiencing from several windows that we had chosen not to cover because we wanted to maintain the views from these windows. What a mistake! Now they are covered with Silhouette shades and what a difference - the rooms are about 10 degrees warmer, no kidding! And, the views will not be lost as the shades disappear almost completely when they are raised into their headrails.

Window coverings cut heat loss in winter and increase your home's cozy comfort as they slow the escape of warm air. It is a proven scientific fact that heat gravitates towards cold and when a window is not covered the glass is always cold and the heat just disappears. This creates a huge loss in warmth from your room. Window treatments act as insulation, covering the glass to keep warm air inside. Window coverings also cut infiltration of solar heat, the single largest contributor to the workload of your home's cooling system in the summer. By putting the best window coverings on your window you will save money on utilities and save the natural resources used to generate energy. On top of all these benefits you save your interior fabrics, furnishings and woods from fading and deterioration.

Visit www.hunterdouglas.com for their listing of test results for their fine window covering products. R-values range from 2.01 to around 7.0. Oh, and you still have time to purchase Architella Duette, honeycomb style shades with the factory rebate now underway, see my previous entry on this blog with all the details. Visit us at our shop and we will be happy to show you all of their fine products or visit our website at www.drapesandmore.com.

Fresh Flowers - Preserving Their Life

2008-01-17T09:04:00.000-08:00

Keukenhof Gardens, in the Netherlands near Amsterdam, is one of the most beautiful gardens in the world. Its tulip display lasts for only about 6 weeks each spring but the trip is worth it as you will see some really beautiful flowers there, you will be surprised at the variety and colors. We saw so many tulips that just don't seem to grow in Northern California when we were there. (Website: www.keukenhof.com) & click on the language flag at the bottom of the home page.)

It is the middle of winter here in Northern California, I've had a little time to start "going through" some of my garden travel photos and the thought of what's to come in the spring, as our garden begins to wake up, has come to mind. It is also the season to think about bringing fresh flowers into our home so we can enjoy their beauty and to remind us that spring will be here soon. Fresh flowers improve our moods. We love them in our gardens, on our decks and patios and on our dining room tables.

When you cut a fresh flower or buy them from your local flower shop, you want them to last as long as possible. If buying flowers try to pick the ones that are just starting to open. If cutting them from your garden, gather them in the early morning before the dew has dried or in the early evening. Cut them with sharp shears, snipping above the dormant bud to spur new blooms. It is best if you immediately immerse the cut flower into a bucket of lukewarm water until you can begin your arrangement.

When you are ready to arrange them, re-cut the stems at a slant - underwater if possible. Use a clean vase. Fill the vase with warm water - about 110 degrees F. is ideal - because freshly cut stems take up lukewarm water more easily than cold water. (One exception is with bulb flowers such as tulips & daffodils, which should be placed in cool water.) Add a preservative to the water. You can prolong the life of many flowers by adding a floral preservative. Commercial brands are available but you can also make your own as follows:

Floral Preservative

1 Cup regular 7-UP

1 Cup water, lukewarm

1/2 teaspoon household bleach

After your bouquet has been completed, replace the water and re-cut stems every couple of days. Some flowers give off sap that is toxic to other flowers, so it is important to frequently refresh the water of a mixed bouquet. Water changes will also help prevent the growth of bacteria that can clog the stems and block water uptake. Keep your vase out of direct sunlight and away from the heater, the best place is in the coolest place in your room. Yes, a fresh bouquet of flowers in your home is an antidote for the winter blahs!

Trevi Fountain - The Voice of Rome

2008-01-11T14:36:00.000-08:00

Before we joined a group of window covering dealers (who sell Hunter Douglas products) in Venice in May, 2007, to board a ship for the Greek Island cruise, we spent six days in the "Eternal City". Rome, Italy has many wonderful places to visit and many fountains, but none eclipses this "voice of the Eternal City" - the Trevi Fountain.

The Trevi Fountain is huge, 65 feet wide and 85 feet high, literally part of the host palace's facade. It appears that the fountain just flows from the base of the building itself. What an impressive structure, seemingly tucked away in a confined space off narrow streets. The mythical figure Oceanus (or, some say Neptune) stands proudly in his shell-shaped chariot, controlling the flood that cascades beneath him. Water gushes around the other figures and tumbles over the rocks below. The water basin takes up a large part of the piazza making you feel as if the fountain is part of the piazza itself.

The Trevi Fountain was commissioned by Pope Clement XII and designed by Italian architect Niccolo Salvi. Construction was started in 1732 and completed in 1762. The fountain is fed by the first-century BC Agua Virgo aqueduct.

An interesting story we heard from the guide we had hired to show us Rome's fountains, was that there had been a barber shop across the street from the fountain's construction site, to the right of the photo, when it was being constructed. Evidentially, the barber gave the architect and his workmen quite a bit of trouble because he objected to the noise of the construction. So bad was his behavior towards the builders that the architect "fixed him" by building a large obstruction on the wall of the fountain in front of his shop so that the bottom shops in the building, including the shop that the barber occupied would never be able to see the beautiful fountain. This explains the rather large obstruction on the right side of the fountain's wall still standing today.

Hundreds of visitors visit the Trevi Fountain each day to toss coins into the fountain (legend says that the fountain has special wishing powers), the money left by tourists averages about $11,000 per week which is collected and donated to a religious charity.

Both Walt & I want to thank all of our 2006 clients for making this trip possible. This year, 2008, we will be again going on a Hunter Douglas trip to Europe - a cruise of the Baltic Sea. How can we thank all of our wonderful clients in 2007 for making another wonderful trip possible?

We wish everyone a wonderful, successful & healthy 2008!

Duette Architella Shades - Energy Efficiency Promotion

2007-12-17T15:06:00.000-08:00

Enjoy even greater energy efficiency, sound absorption and, for a limited time, rebate savings during Hunter Douglas' Energy Efficiency promotion which started December 1, 2007 and will continue until February 28, 2008. Limit one rebate form per household. Four unit maximum on this offer. Duette Architella honeycomb shades come in light filtering or room darkening styles and offer a choice of decorator colors to match your decor. Most importantly they offer an energy savings not matched by any other honeycomb product. Hurry rebate ends soon!

Clock Sale - Howard Miller Fine Clocks

2007-11-22T12:00:00.000-08:00

We have a large selection of in-stock Howard Miller clocks at our shop. Selection includes several floor clocks, wall, mantel & table top clocks. Howard Miller is the world's largest maker of floor clocks and they strive to be the best! Each clock shows quality craftsmanship in the meticulous attention to details - the rich, hand applied finish, the satin smooth feel of every cabinet, the beautiful chimes - which make each floor clock a sensory delight. Clockmakers have always considered the floor clock movements made by Kieninger the finest of their kind. Howard Miller uses these movements in all of their fine floor clocks.

Wall, mantel & tabletop clocks are also their specialty. All of the clock-making expertise that goes into their floor clocks can be found in these clocks too.

Drapes & More Interior's sale on in-stock clocks starts November 23rd - we are offering a 50% discount on all in-stock clocks purchased by December 21, 2007. Come into our shop at 1305A Cleveland Ave, Santa Rosa to experience the best sale ever on these fine clocks. Surprise your loved one with the gift of time this Christmas!

You can also see quite a few clocks on our website: www.drapesandmore.com. Of course, we can special order a clock if the one you want is not available; however the 50% off sale will not apply for special orders.

Colors of Mediterranean Decorating

2007-10-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

The Mediterranean style home is still very popular in our area due to its Wine Country ambiance and how the style fits into the area. Sonoma and Napa counties can easily be compared to Tuscany landscapes and views. This was recently brought to mind when a client asked us to provide her color pallets to chose from so that she can paint her home in a Mediterranean color style.

Mediterranean decorating values color above anything else. The colors are bright and bold...reflecting the sky and the sea or the beautiful warm sunset. All colors used are natural colors that appeal to everyone. Different areas of the Mediterranean use specific colors that are popular to their area. In May, 2007 we had the chance to visit Rome, then flew to Venice to board a ship that took us to Athens, Greece. The Greek isles have a color pallet all of their own and are very different from the Italian colors. The islands are very bright because of their proximity to the sea; therefore people seem to use a lot of bright white and deep, vibrate blues along with burnt oranges. and yellows These colors compliment the beautiful blue of the Agean and Ionian seas.

The colors in Tuscany are different. Beautiful shades of burnt orange, golds and muted reds complimented with tan, dark blue and dark greens are common. These colors stand out in the hilly, green home site areas and compliment the blue sky and feeling of distances one gets when looking out at the extended view. Most Tuscan colors are muted with the use of darker colors applied over the paint that have been rubbed off to give the house an older look while the Greek Islands homes are left with clear, clean colors that have not been aged.

In our area, in my opinion, colors are best muted just a little to take advantage of the beautiful surroundings. A painted house that is very sharply colored will standout and will take away from the view. Paint colors will add a great deal of value to your home if they meet with the design of the home and the topography.

Energy Efficiency for Your Home

2007-10-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

Understanding R-value

Building materials are assigned an R-value according to the product's ability to resist heat movement. The higher the R-value the better it insulates your home. Most windows have an R-value of 0.9 to 3.0 and can be responsible for 40% to 70% of heat or cold transfer for an entire home. The heat loss or gain at your home's windows is impacted by the following:

Window Properties - Window frames can be metal, wood or vinyl. The R-value of a metal frame can be 5 to 20% lower than a wood or vinyl framed window. A single paned uncovered window has an R-value of 1.75. Advances in glass coatings have improved the energy performance of new windows, but a window's age, quality and condition of weather stripping and caulking will impact how much air infiltrates or escapes from your home.

Window Square Footage - Windows make up 20% of the typical home exterior and 40% in contemporary construction. Numerous large, uncovered windows can break your energy budget when they are on a cold north exposure in winter or a sun-saturated west wall in summer.

Window Coverings - Heat moves towards cold. In the winter it is drawn to cold glass to escape your home. In the summer outdoor heat moves toward the windows of your air-conditioned home. Using layers of solar film and putting window treatments at your windows can increase the R-value by 1 to 7 points. In extreme climates, that could save more dollars than you would have spent to install these items in a short time.

Window coverings of all kinds will help you save energy. With the warming of the Earth and the melting Artic ice we must all do whatever we can individually to help our planet by cutting down our energy use. Properly installed window film and cellular shades can be some of the best money you will spend to keep your home more comfortable and to help save our planet. For more information on solar film visit my website at www.winsbysungard.com and for information about window coverings visit www.drapesandmore.com. Remember, with just a little effort you and I CAN make a difference to help our planet!

Minimum Advertised Price (MAP)

2007-09-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

Consumers need to be aware of how the furniture industry sets it's pricing because sometimes there is such a diverse range of prices for the same product in the market place.

Most people don't realize that home furniture is marked up 200% to 400%. As an example if you purchased a sofa for your home and you paid $1,000 for it; the store could have paid $250 to purchase the same sofa from their manufacturer so that they could sell it to you. Hence a 400% markup on this sofa! Many big box stores advertise that their sale prices are 50% off MSRP which would have priced the example sofa at $500, still a 200% markup. The store would still be doubling their money with this sale.

Most furniture manufacturers set their "MSRP" (manufacturer's suggested retail price), then usually in a secret meeting between them and the home furniture store, they set another price called MAP, which stands for "Minimum Advertised Price". The MAP price is the bottom threshold selling price allowed by the manufacturer. If the store sells the furniture product lower than the MAP they will loose their franchise to sell the product. Most of the online furniture discounters in the Carolinas tend to sell at MAP price. If you call them to talk about prices always ask them to go lower, until you hear them mention that they are already at the MAP price and cannot go lower.

Actually if all furniture products for sale in the market place had a MAP base, I think it would be better for the consumer because you wouldn't have to spend as much time seeking out the real price for a furniture item that you want for your home. It would also make the poor business dealers that offer little or no service stand out and maybe the better store dealers would rise above because of their customer service practices. By selling at the MAP price, a furniture store still makes a decent profit and you get a nice "discount" off some useless MSRP that really means nothing anyway.

Next time you go into a furniture store ask the sales person what the actual MAP price for your furniture choice is; pay attention to how this question is answered. Because there isn't a "book" for us to look up prices it is difficult to know if you will get the real answer so it pays to check with other dealers of the same product and ask the same question.

It would make my life a lot easier if the window covering business had MAP pricing - but, alas the window covering industry doesn't follow the furniture business in this practice. Maybe someday?

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.

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.

Your Home - Add Flair On A Budget

2007-08-23T06:59:00.000-07:00

Being short on cash doesn't mean you have to be short on style. This means that you can add a few sparks to liven up a stale or tired decor in your home using a little imagination; cleaning and rearranging what you have goes a long way too. Small changes can make a big difference.

Paint probably is the easiest way to freshen a room. Faux and crackle paint finishes are great ways to add an elegant look to your walls and even furniture. Painting the lower three feet of a wall in a darker color and the top half in a softer shade of the same color is a great way to add interest; add a wallpaper border or a molding piece between the colors is the final touch. Changing your walls' color from white to a warm pastel or a rich, vibrant color can make an enormous difference in a room's ambiance.

We all have an assortment of furniture that we've collected over the years; you know what I mean - Grandma's dresser, Mom's desk, Dad's favorite chair, the first piece of good furniture we bought after college. After awhile this hodge-podge of "stuff", well, just looks dowdy. Some of us have over loaded bookcases (I'm looking at one in my office as I write this!), furniture jammed against the walls, pictures hung haphazardly around the room all needing some attention. Adding a custom made slip cover to Dad's favorite chair, a couple of containers to clean and rearrange Mom's desk and a bouquet of flowers and some appropriate accessories to the top of Grandma's dresser can work wonders.

New draperies, or even moving existing draperies from one room to another, can give your rooms a new look. Adding trim to existing draperies is a good way to give them a punch that they don't have now. Greenery adds a breath of fresh air and color to any room. Invest in one large tree, real or silk, as a focal point in the room. Fresh orchids are available everywhere. I have one in my living room that has been blooming non-stop for several weeks. When it is finished I will add it to my growing collection of orchids that are surprisingly easy to grow.

Decorative pillows and throws can add texture, updated colors, bring in a new pattern and immediately jazz up a sofa or a chair. If you are handy with the sewing machine you can buy fabric remnants at reduced cost and sew pillows yourself. Add some beads or fringe to the pillow and - zap - you have changed the look of your room to a more sophisticated style.

Area rugs offer a huge variety of pattern and color. Adding a 4' X 6' size rug in front of your sofa makes an immediate improvement. Arrange your chairs around the sides and add a coffee table; you have created a warm, inviting conversation area that welcomes you and your guests to sit and enjoy each others company. Even if you have wall-to-wall carpet adding an area rug is an easy way to mark off an area in any room.

Cleaning or replacing dusty lampshades, adding new energy saving light bulbs and making sure that there is enough light fixtures in the room to give the room a triangle of light will make your rooms more comfortable. I am always amazed how many homes I go into that do not have the proper lighting; one lamp in a room just isn't enough light as it creates one bright spot and the rest of the room is gloomy and dark making the room uncomfortable.

You get the picture - it doesn't take much to change your home's environment for the better! A little elbow grease and some imagination will work wonders to add flair to your home without spending a lot of money.

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.

Bedspreads - The Right Way to Fit Your Bed

2007-07-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

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

2007-07-15T15:06:00.000-07:00

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

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/.

Your Summer Home - Simple Things To Make It Shine

2007-07-03T18:04:00.000-07:00

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

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!

Summer Sale - Hunter Douglas Window Coverings

2007-06-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

Hunter Douglas, the premier manufacturer of window coverings, has started its "first ever" summer sale in the form of rebates to consumers who purchase their products from June 1, 2007 through August 31, 2007. Hunter Douglas is recognized as the leader in the window coverings field and they have introduced many new and exciting products to the window covering market.

The rebates will be sent directly to the consumer after they send in the required rebate form and their proof of purchase to Hunter Douglas. The rebates include:

$100 rebates on every Duette and Duette Architella honeycomb shades with Vertiglide system
$75 rebates on every Luminette Privacy Sheer
$50 rebates on window fashions with the PowerRise system including Duette, Duette Architella, Vignette Modern Roman Shades, and Silhouette shades
$25 rebates on UltraGlide systems on Duette, Duette Architella, Silhouette, Nantucket and Vignette shades
$20 rebates on every standard Alouette and Duette Architella shade.

There are no minimum or maximum purchase but only one rebate per household. Rebates cannot be combined.

I have been working in this industry for almost 22 years and have never seen such a great rebate from any manufacturer. Now is the time to buy your shades and blinds to take advantage of this sale. We have working samples of their products at our showroom in Santa Rosa where you can actually see how the shades can be used at your home or office, or you can see their entire offering at http://www.hunterdouglas.com/.

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.

Jet Lag - It's The Real Thing!

2007-05-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

Phew! We just got back from a two week trip to Europe and the jet lag everyone hears about really has us under it's spell. Today will be our first day back to work.

We traveled to Rome, Italy where we had the pleasure of seeing so many wonderful historical places. Wasn't prepared, however, for the large crowds everywhere and the traffic in Rome was just unbelievable to a rural country girl from California. We were trained here in the USA as children to form a line and wait your turn; and this training by-and-large has translated to our driving as adults. This habit has obviously not been entrenched in Rome. Imagine five or six vehicles (buses, cars, taxis and motorbikes) merging into two lanes of traffic simultaneously at every corner. This results in an "every man for himself" challenge which results in pandemonium!

We were then guests of Hunter Douglas on a Royal Carribbean ship "Splendour of the Seas" which sailed out of Venice, Italy. The cruise went to Athens, Greece then up the coast to Split, Croatia stopping at several Greek Isles. We like to think that some of our historical sights in the USA are old....but wait until you see the sights in these areas. It is nothing to be looking at a 2,500+ year old landmark! As an example, we visited the site of the original Olympic Games in Olympia, which include some "modern Roman ruins", where the Games started about 2,600 years ago.

We have been lucky to attend these yearly trips and we have been even luckier to meet the best dealers of window coverings from all over the United States who attend them. Last year we were cruising down the Danube River together and next year, if we work hard, maybe we'll be able to be with the group sailing the Baltic Sea. All it takes is hard work and many satisfied window covering clients to do this. Thanks to all our clients for helping us make our sales goals last year to enjoy this trip!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

Remodeling - What a Mess!

2007-03-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

Not only have we been remodeling our shop and warehouse, but we are in the middle of remodeling our kitchen at home. There is simply no where to go to get away from the mess of stuff everywhere and dust. Where does this dust come from? Why do we surround ourselves with so much stuff? No matter how much we are trying to keep our lives under control everything just seems to have a life of its own and it keeps growing.

The kitchen remodel is the result of a small fire that was caused by our microwave oven. No kidding, it just started itself on fire without even being in use! Imagine walking into the room and seeing it filled with black smoke and flames shooting from the microwave and cascading down the front of the oven to the floor. The local firemen that came to make sure our house wouldn't burn to the ground said that they had never encountered a fire source like this. They said that we were LUCKY to have been at home when the fire started or we would have lost the entire house. Our insurance carrier has sent the microwave oven to a fire specialty company to try and find out why it suddenly burst into flames.

We have just about finished our business remodel and will soon have a sale. We will have all instock items on sale from 30% to 70% off: Howard Miller grandfather, wall, mantel and alarm clocks, lamps, accessories, occassional tables, some window blinds, shutters and draperies, etc. that are in stock. Visit our website at www.drapesandmore.com. Our in-store sale will start on March 29 thru March 31, 2007. We look forward to your visit!

Washable Fabrics for the Kitchen

2007-03-09T07:54:00.000-08:00

Recently I had a client ask me the following question: "Why haven't we been able to find washable fabrics for our kitchen?"

Answer: Yes, you can find them! Fortunately this problem can be solved using fabrics manufactured by ADO. Every fabric that this company makes is machine washable so no matter how dirty it gets in a kitchen environment, it can be washed and look good as new. They also have fabrics that actually remove odors from the air. When you're cooking it is wonderful to have the aroma in the air, but the next morning the last thing that you want to smell is last night's meal in your kitchen.

ADO also fabricates many products that are washable: draperies, curtains, bedding and roman shades are among many other items. As an example, they can make a roman shade so that it can be easily removed, washed and then rehung damp on the rod. Their fabrics should never be put into the dryer. I have two ADO sheer drapery panels, made out of two different fabric styles, in my own home that can be taken down, washed and rehung to dry. They dry without wrinkling and look like new every time I've washed them. Call us if you have a need for beautifully made machine washable products for your windows.

2007 Residential Window Film Tax Credit

2007-03-07T08:45:00.000-08:00

The federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 allows consumers to apply for tax credits based on energy-efficient improvements made to their homes between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2007. Window film has recently been added to the list of qualifying products. Consumers who have purchased certain types of Sun-Gard, Elite and Glass-Gard window films may now apply for a tax credit. The tax credit is not applicable to commercial property.

The federal government has developed standards to determine which window films qualify in each climate zone. Visit website at www.filmtechnologies.com to obtain the list of films that qualify in your climate zone. Homeowners can receive a credit equal to 10% of the cost of the window film up to $500. Installation labor charges are not eligible.

Not only can Sun-Gard, Elite and Glass-Gard window films lower your tax bill, but they can also reduce your energy bill. In the summer months, heat entering a home through glass doors and windows can increase your energy bill by 40%. Window film has been proven to reduce heat gain in a home by up to 78% - thus reducing the load put on an AC unit to keep a home cool. The less your AC unit has to run, the more you save on your energy bill each month. For more information about solar films visit www.winsbysungard.com.

Know Design History of Tiffany Lamps

2007-03-05T14:41:00.000-08:00

Just read a very interesting on-line article in "This Week in Home Decor", written by Jim Carper; this publication is a trade publication that discusses current topics for the design trade. The subject of his comments were about Tiffany lamp designs, as follows:

"Louis Comfort Tiffany was not the sole designer of his stained-glass lamps, according to a just opened exhibit at the New York Historical Society (www.nyhistory.org). It was a woman - Clara Driscoll - who created the Wisteria, Dragonfly and Poppy lampshades, as well as inkwells, desk sets and tea screens. Driscoll supervised a design department of 35 women until she had to leave in 1909 when she remarried. (Married women were not allowed to work in the studio.) If word had gotten out that Driscoll had designed some of the company's most famous lamps, "Tiffany would have died", co-curator Martin Eidelberg told the New York Times. The exhibit, "A New Light on Tiffany", runs through May 28, (2007)."

How wonderful that times have changed for women in business! However, this exhibit looks like one not to miss if you love these beautiful Tiffany lamps.

2007-03-03T17:12:00.000-08:00

NEW WINDOW COVERING PRODUCT:

Skyline Gliding Window Panels

Introducing Skyline Gliding Window Panels. Sleek modern fabric panels that provide contemporary styling and enhance light in a room while maximizing the view. Skyline Gliding Window Panels will set a new standard in modern window fashions providing a sophisticated look to match today's urban design influence.

Wow, that's a mouth full. We have had the pleasure of being part of the beta test of this product recently introduced by Hunter Douglas since July, 2006. We've had it hanging on our patio door in the busiest part of our house. The shade is made up of fabric panels, mostly open weave sun screen products, that slide on a single rod. The bottom panels interlock and are weighted for ease of operation. The fabric offers five styles of fabric; screen, sheer, semi-opaque, opaque and naturals and woven grass. The best part about this new shade is that it can cover large expanses of window sizes - up to 384" wide and heights up to 168". These sizes are tremendous!

The hardware comes in eight designer finishes that coordinate with each fabric. You can have a choice of operating systems, cord pulls or wand controls. They are operable in one way stack or split stack orientation. You can even use this product as a room divider. These shades will offer the perfect solution for both large and small window expanses.

Unique Window Treatments

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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!"