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DESIGN SOLUTIONS
Answering the Challenge
Solutions to a grab bag of decorating questions.
by Sharon L. Anderson
CHALLENGE:
There seems to be high interest in the redesign of period homes throughout the United States. Historic preservation is a hot commodity, and interior designers such as my colleagues and me are being called upon to solve many room remodels in keeping with the home’s history.
I am perplexed as to what to do in the interior of a Victorian home in which the homeowner is demanding a simple flow of color and design as it leads to the window treatment ideas. Please offer some suggestions on period window treatments.
SOLUTION:You’re right, there is much interest in historic interiors these days. We had a question involving that same topic last month (see D&WC, October 2006, page 20).
The challenge here is to “go with the flow” of the room’s interior. A soft Victorian look can blend with the wallpaper, window type and decorative lighting in a room. Too many times, we try to overstate this period design.
After much research, I have found that many authentic Victorian homes are not necessarily as overstated on the inside as many of these homes are on the outside. It is like a breath of fresh air as you walk into a Victorian interior and experience a soft and inviting flow of color, textiles and furniture selection.
CHALLENGE: I have a client with three south-facing windows along one wall with a fourth in the corner on the west side of the home. She currently has matchstick blinds in the windows for privacy.
All four windows are short and squatty. Is there another solution for this wall of windows that will add height to the space? I also need to block the heat in the summer months for this client.
SOLUTION: Windows that are short tend to add width rather than height to a room. Especially when they take up the whole wall! I would like to suggest treatments that will add vertical appeal to the room.
One suggestion is that you may want to think about changing the overall architectural appeal by starting a window treatment such as a plain drapery on a bulky decorative rod. This will bring the eye up to the ceiling line in the room and draw attention upward. Pinch pleated draperies from the ceiling to the floor will hide the short windows yet let your client use the windows by being able to open the treatments and letting in the fresh air.
I would also suggest a high quality lining that will keep out the harmful sunlight and keep if from heating up the temperature in the room.
CHALLENGE: How do I know if a shutter company offers the sliding shutter you mentioned in a previous article (see D&WC, July 2006, page 24)?
SOLUTION: Each manufacturer of shutters has various types of panels they can manufacture. Most will offer many types of shutters with many important features. Sliding panels may be among them.
But note that it takes a highly qualified installer to build the casing around the window itself. This casing is necessary for the panel track on which the shutters glide. It’s a little more work than installing shutters directly around a window on a frame.
Call your sales representative before he or she makes the next visit to your business and ask them to bring the latest samples of sliding shutters in product literature for you. It may take a few phone calls, but it is worth it!
Editor’s note: This is a continuing series of articles
written by Sharon L. Anderson that will answer some of the many
questions we receive at Draperies & Window Coverings
as well as questions Anderson has encountered in her own business.
If you have a question you would like Anderson to address, please
send it to:
Design Solutions
c/o Draperies & Window Coverings
1724 E. Grand Ave.
Lindenhurst, IL 60046
Fax: (847) 356-9013
E-mail: SharonAnderson@adelphia.net
Sharon L. Anderson has more than 20 years experience in the
residential and commercial areas of interior design. She is currently
a faculty member at two Southern California colleges. Anderson has
been featured in numerous books and publications. |
