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Case History
When Good Design Hangs in the Balance
Meeting the challenge
of balancing differing window sizes through window treatment design.
The design of window
treatments often must deal with unique circumstances such as room
size, layouts, obstructions, privacy and other factors. A relatively
common setting is one in which a room may have windows of radically
different sizes and the challenge of the designer is to develop
treatments that soften this mismatch and bring a better visual balance
to the windows of the room. Added to this difficulty is the normal
challenge of showing the clients how alternative designs can be
used to achieve the desired results, especially when the clients
may have preconceived solutions of their own.
This was the situation facing Bonnie Greco, owner of B Greco Window
Designs, Aston, PA. The client had responded to Greco’s yellow
page ad in which she states “Pre-Approve Your Window Treatments
As They Will Appear on Your Window in Your Room Using Digital Photography
and Computer Technology.”
The challenge was obvious during the initial visit—a dining
room with a large 101-inch bay window and a much smaller 29-inch
window on the side wall (Illustrations 1 and 2). In addition, the
client had just remodeled and added crown molding, which left only
a 1 1/2-inch space between the trim and the crown molding.
FINAL DECISION
Job 1, of course, was to get the contract. The clients admittedly
had difficulty visualizing what a finished treatment would look
like. Greco took digital photographs of the windows, and the clients’
decision to retain her was due to her ability to show them, using
the DreamDraper system, various alternatives in design, hardware
and fabric patterns.
The solution in this case was to show how the design would look
more proportional using two separate rods on the bay window and
expanding the look of the smaller side window by using a 48-inch
rod (Illustrations 3 and 4). Greco also contrasted this by showing
the clients how the room would look with just one long rod on the
bay, which is what the homeowners originally had in mind.
The clients also had a hard time envisioning the overall look with
the balloon shades and the two separate drapery panels on the bay.
Privacy was not a concern and the clients did not want to cover
too much of the window. However, they saw from the DreamDraper illustrations
how the balloon sheers helped fill the large bay while also adding
a nice touch from the exterior.
The finished treatments are shown in Illustrations 5 and 6. The
clients were amazed that the final product looked exactly like the
designs that they had approved. It also was interesting that, while
both husband and wife were involved, the husband’s interest
level really increased when the computer line drawings were presented,
and the final decision was truly a joint one.
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