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THE
READING LIST
Tried and True
Sometimes we overlook the gem right in front of
our noses.
Reviewed by Kathleen Stoehr
I was pacing in Barnes &
Noble, trying to decide upon a book to review for this month’s
Reading List. Nothing interested me. Well, that’s not true,
as in general I get the shakes whenever I walk into a bookstore
because I know I’m about to spend way too much money. But
this time I left empty-handed because there wasn’t anything
on the shelves in the Interior Decoration section that spoke to
me, which really stood out.
So I came home and paced my office for a bit, then looked at my
bookshelves. Voila!
I think that, as consumers, we are so wrapped up in the what is
new that sometimes we overlook what’s right in front of our
noses—a tried, true original. That’s how I feel about
Maureen Whitemore’s “Home Furnishings Workbook: An authoritative
guide to solving all of your home furnishing problems with more
than 100 professional techniques and 35 projects.”
The only reason I haven’t reviewed her wonderful book is that
. . . it was published in 1999 (!). And that’s just silly.
This is a book with a tremendous amount of information, written
by a gracious and knowledgeable lady; a book that should be front
and center on any window treatment professional’s bookcase.
For all of those poser how-to books that have followed it—the
equivalent of Hollywood yelling for an A-list actor on a B-list
salary—this is the book that shows how to construct beautiful
window treatments, step-by-step with easy to digest copy, clear
visuals and clean illustrations. What a joy to look at.
Boatload Of Knowledge
For those of you not familiar with Maureen, she has been in the
field of soft furnishings for more than 30 years and, truly, her
knowledge and expertise are second to none. Perhaps you have met
her at an International Window Coverings Expo. In the late ’90s,
she was a frequent lecturer, but has also spoken in Europe and South
Africa.
A little pixy of a woman, she is ready with a quick smile and a
boatload of hands-on knowledge. With her business partner, Deborah
Thwaytes, she not only operates Whitemore & Thwaytes Interiors
(which includes a busy in-house workroom) but also instructs groups
of up to seven students at her studio in the “methods I have
invented to achieve really professional shortcuts to perfection,”
says Whitemore.
For those of you who can’t travel to Foxton House in the United
Kingdom, however, consider “Home Furnishings Workbook”
as your next best investment.
The Tecniques
Her well plotted out techniques section covers such basics as Planning
and Designing, Making Templates and Patterns and Measuring, but
also Curtain Hook Positions, Making Mitres and Headings and also
Making and Inserting Edgings.
Some sections are quite small. For example, the Making Ruche Rosettes
section is only a half page long, but includes a clear photograph,
an illustration and concise directions.
The Projects
This is a section that really sings. Broken into two subsections,
the first covers classic projects such as interlined curtains, classic
valances, Roman blinds, cushions and chair covers. The second subsection,
Professional Projects, digs into pleated valances, goblet pleated
curtains and cornices with shaped tops. Numbered steps guide readers
through the techniques, with occasional reference to techniques
mentioned in the first section.
A glossary, list of suppliers and index finishes the book simply.
For more information on Maureen Whitemore, visit www.whitemoreand
thwaytes.co.uk. To pick up a copy of her book, you can find it online
at www.randallonline.com.
Kathleen Stoehr is president of Chemistry Creative, based
in Minneapolis, MN. She is a former editor-in-chief of Window Fashions
magazine and is the author of the recently published Dream Floors,
Hundreds of Ideas for Every Type of Floor, and the upcoming Dream
Windows: Historical Perspectives, Classic Designs, Contemporary
Creations. Stoehr can be contacted for comments, queries and trend
information at kstoehr@chemistrycreative.com.
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