Contemporary treatments...

Sometimes less is more, this is especially true in a contemporary setting.  Solid fabrics, or large scale geometrics used in low-fullness treatments allow the other decorative elements to stand out.  The elimination of clutter is the main difference between the kind of look most of us would like, and what most of us actually have.

Silk strie cornice board over cotton/poly sateen panels.

 Above we have a dining room with a large painting hanging on the right wall.  The 1.5 width panels and cornice board coordinate, but at the same time don't draw attention away from the more important pieces.  Few rooms, and even fewer contemporary rooms are well served by having the window treatments be the focus.  Especially with a stunning view you should always remember that the picture not the frame is what is important.

Cotton/poly sateen panels on decorative 2" rods. 

I didn't stage this, that really is a happy family enjoying their new treatments.

In the living room we have the same fabric as the dining room.  This helps tie the two rooms together.  The fullness is slightly reduced and the lack of top treatments helps to further define the living room as less formal than the dining room.

Large scale geometric pattern  on 2" stub rods.  The temporary ties are to help "train " the fabric.  Tiebacks will  likely be added too.

Finally the family room treatments mounted on small sections of decorative pole called "stub" rods.  This helps the pillars of fabric look more deliberate, and is important when long narrow treatments are selected.  Often if the rod runs all the way across it emphasizes that there is not really enough fabric for the treatment to close.  Also if you really like finials this is a way to squeeze extra in.

What is a slip-seat?

Look in your dining room.  If you don't have a fully upholstered chair (often called a Parsons chair) then you just might have slip-seats.  If there seat of the chair is the only uhpolstered part then look to see if the fabric is attached to the frame (an attached, boxed, or tight seat) or if it is attached to a small board that is screwed (most often with 4 screws) to the frame.  If it is screwed on then it is a slip-seat.

Not a slip-seat

Slip-seats are a great starter project for people who want to do their own reupholstery.  The standard  slip seat will require 3/4 of a yard of fabric to do two seats.  In 8 years i have yet to see one that takes more.  With most fabrics this amount will allow you to match the repeat and make a self welt on the bias should you choose.  Measuring is easy.  Using a screw driver of other implement pull out the old staples and lay the old cover down on the new fabric.  Cut it out and staple it down (replacing foam or batting should be done first if it is needed).

These are slip-seats.

Like tightening a tire work in a pattern crossing between the four sections.  Save the corners for last.   They should be folded down neatly and stapled like the corners of a wrapped present.  Welt (which should always be done on the bias (diagonally)) should be applied next and then the piece can be screwed back in.

Pretty easy huh?  If you are having trouble one of our staff can show you in any of our stores, or we are always happy to do it for you.  We even have a sale going on.  Think about it with 8 chairs you only need 3 yards of fabric.  You can purchase something expensive and not kill your budget or you can easily find a remnant at that size for even greater savings.

How much does fabric cost?

Despite the fact that I am adamant that you should look at the total cost of your project not the price of the fabric alone, I am constantly quoted a price per yard maximum when I ask people what their budget is.  But caving to popular sentiment, let's talk about what fabric runs per yard.

The first thing to remember is that fabric is usually sold by the linear yard not the square yard.  What does that mean?  That means that you get the whole (normally larger than 36") width for the price listed.  The second thing to remember is that while yes to an extent you get what you pay for, and yes beautiful things cost money...That like most other things the generic very well may be 100% the same, but cost a lot less.

There are two main ways that fabric is sold, the first is by the bolt.  A company my buy 25, 35, 50, or even 100 yard (or meter) piece of fabric and have it in their store (these fabrics are usually what is meant when a company says "in stock" regardless of if they can be reordered or not).  The cost of the fabric is greatly reduced allowing for either a low base price, a high discount, or in some cases both.  The second way that fabric is purchased is referred to as "cut yardage".  Fabric that appears as hanging samples, in books, or that is sold by businesses that don't have showrooms with bolts of fabric is normally purchased in this fashion.  A minimum yardage (often 2 yards, and frequently only in whole yard increments) is purchased and shipped to the designer, workroom, or client.  This normally carries a much higher price per yard, but depending on the amount of fabric needed may still work out to be much less expensive then buying an unneeded bolt.  That being said, not every company will sell the fabric at a reduced price if buying a bolt.

So how much should you expect to pay for fabric?  Bolt pricing on a reasonably priced drapery weight fabric will be anywhere from $15-30.  Prices can and certainly do climb from there, but most places won't stock fabric that runs significantly more than $100-150/yd.  Upholstery fabric normally runs between about $25-50/yd at the reasonable end, and once again most places won't stock a bolt of $350/yd fabric (most places, not all).

Special order fabric is a bit more complex.  The least expensive pieces from the least expensive companies usually run in the $15-20/yd range.  There are of course linings and sheers that cost less, but for most fabrics this is the absolute minimum.  In reality you should expect to pay not less than $30/yd with a much better selection between $40-50/yd.  Upholstery fabric or fabric from a mid-range company will be $45-80 unless it is one of their more expensive pieces where you could expect to pay between $80-150/yd.  High-end or To the Trade only companies will often start near $100/yd and can easily go to between $300-400.   Lastly there are the few fabrics out there that really break the bank.  It is not unheard of for fabric to be between $1,000-3,000/yd (although at that range I have only seen them sold by the meter).  These ultra expensive fabrics are usually not even produced until they are ordered and paid for, and there are no samples.  An example of this is a historic stripe from France a certain national site asked me to price out once.

Note:  Fiber content can certainly have an effect on the price of the fabric, but it is not the only factor.  The same 100% dupioni silk that you can buy for under $30/yd in our stores (even less now that it's on sale) can be purchased from one of these high-end companies for over $70/yd.  A faux silk dupioni might run you $35-55/yd, either way the silk costs less than the poly.


Hope this helps,
Yaron

A work in progress...

Here is a little something I've been working on with one of my clients.  We're not done yet, but I think the pictures speak for themselves.  that being said I am still going to add captions.  Don't forget to click the pictures to enlarge them.

Unlined inside mount (IB) Roman Shades in the Kitchen.  Why no lining?  Leaving them unlined allows for more light to come through.  

Box pleated Scalloped Valances in the Sun Room.  They look even better in real life, and they hide the shade when retracted.

Master Bathroom Wrapped Swags over Cascades.  Formal, but not too traditional for their tastes.

One more for perspective.

 

One of my favorite pieces.  Arched Cornice Board over stationary panels.

This house came with more than a few real design dilemmas.  When I am finished with the next phase or two I might post about the difficult choices we were faced with.  If you would like to hear about them comment or e-mail.

Where there is a will...

I was recently in our Rockville store, and one of the associates asked me to help them with an "impossible" situation.  The story is as follows:  Ms. X's mother made beautiful window treatments in her daughter's house.  Ms. X put her house on the market and a buyer conditionally offered that she would buy the home if the treatments conveyed (I told you they were beautiful).  Some time after Ms. X's mother passed away.  Stricken with grief Ms. X remembered the treatments that her mother had made and felt that getting them back was imperative.  Contacting the home buyer she learned that she could only have them back if she replaced them with the exact same thing.

As many of you probably know (I know I've learned this the hard way more than once) fabric is usually only produced for a few years in any given pattern.  Ms. X went to G Street and asked one of our sales people for help.  The sales person asked me. About a year ago I had a client who really, really, REALLY wanted a Stroheim and Romann fabric (http://www.stroheim.com/).  The fabric pictured below is called Osborne Washed Chenille.

The strike-off of Osborne Washed Chenille in Claret

  Well not only was the fabric discontinued two years prior, but Stroheim and Romann was purchased by Fabricut (http://www.fabricut.com/).  Did I mention she REALLY wanted it?  Judy my fabulous Fabricut rep was able to visually identify the color as being the same as one used by a pattern in Vervain (http://www.vervain.com/), calling the mill they said they still had a bit of the thead and could make a strike off (shown above - p.s. the color is not true).  Below are a front and back picture of her completed sofa.

So, is it impossible?  No.  Will it take time? Yes.  The average time to get a bolt of heavy fabric manufactured is about 12 weeks (velvet, chenille, most upholstery stuff).  With shipping and the credit crunch 16 weeks is not uncommon.  Normally I would say that drapery weight stuff would take closer to 6-10 weeks, but strikes, customers, and the shifting global weather patterns are making a BIG impact on silk and cotton.  Higher prices and longer waits are quickly approaching.  With that being said, better to start early.

P.S.  Click on the pictures most of them should get MUCH larger.

It's worth the money...

Do you know why silk drapes look so good?  Not only do they have a natural sheen, but that full soft hang and lush curves is what really makes the treatment.  But that hang and look is not entirely the silk itself.  Properly made silk treatments have a third layer between the face fabric and the lining.  This piece is called interlining.

Interlining is a felt like fabric sometimes referred to as "bump" although most people talking about bump are interested in a thicker fabric than what is used here in the states.  The interlining not only adds that nice roundness to the pleats, but also helps protect the silk from fading and dry-rotting from the light and heat of the sun.

Because interlining is not only for looks if the additional expense is greater than you can squeeze into your budget  I suggest that you consider using a faux (fake) silk instead.  These pieces are normally made of polyester or viscose and can look nearly the same without having quite as much vulnerability as silk has.  The other option is to use a lining with an attached interlining (like a flocking).  I have heard good things about one from my friends at Fabricut (www.fabricut.com) but haven't personally used it yet.

Hardware 101...

In general the least expensive hardware is going to be non-decorative and stationary.  This includes single, double, continental, and sash rods.  Up from there is non-decorative traverse rods.  Then Decorative rods (wood and metal rods normally with exposed rings) increasing in price by length and diameter. And then Decorative traverse rods.  Finally the most expensive rods are motorized.  There are of course exceptions, but the above is true in about 85% of all hardware I deal with.

Note:  Don't forget to check item quantities, usually the larger the diameter the fewer rings in a package.