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The Gathering Place

Created and Written by Barbara J. August
Graphic Design by Elizabeth Milnes

Whether for a holiday or everyday, family and friends gather in one place to enjoy time together. Use ideas from the following pages to show your clients how you can create the right mood and setting with color, pattern and texture to make them comfortable in their Gathering Place.
This luxurious kitchen dining area of a million-dollar home in the Portland Street of Dreams, Portland, OR, features Hunter Douglas Vignette[TM] window shadings. Used here to softly tie the dining room and expansive kitchen together, the layers of three-inch, gently contoured fabric folds in satin weave add neutral color to complement the sleek granite countertops and bird's-eye maple cabinetry.
The essence of traditional entertaining is a relaxed setting adorned with English botanical fruit and vines as pictured here with the Gatehouse[TM] Fourth Edition collection of wall coverings and coordinating fabric from Color Tree Designs by Eisenhart®.
Classic elegance, state-of-the-art technology and unparelleled user convenience merge when BTX Window Automation, Inc. provides electronic lift and tilt of these major manufacturer's horizontal wood blinds and controls. Optional switches, remote controls or home automation controllers are available.
This decorative custom Country Ruffle balloon shade with bishop sleeve side panels were created from Carole Fabrics' offerings of draperies, top treatments and fashion accessories. Coordinating bed coverings and upholstery round out the program.
Among the many new designs by Joan Weinberg of Creative Concepts by Macramates is the macrame, hand-tied drapery. Composed of hand-tied synthetic cord and available in custom sizes, colors and styles, these draperies function on a standard track system, either manual or motorized, and can be coordinated with unique, custom top treatments.
This casual dining area features a Waverly Star table cloth and Donley table runner, chair cushions, napkins and ruffle from Lafayette Venetian Blind's Soft Fashions program. The valance combines a rod pocket topper with accent welting in coordinating fabrics accompanied by eyelet lace. From the Wall Masterpieces program, Boise adorns the wall and Verosol Eyelet pleated shades soften the bright southern light entering this popular room.
Perfect Pitch[TM] shades from Comfortex accent this room in color and style as well as ideal function. Perfectly spaced wide pleats that won't sag in a variety of subtle colors with operating cords hidden from the interior view plus a uniform white exterior lining are just a few of the reasons to apply these shades to any interior.
Window Modes designed C.O.M. motorized Austrian Roman shades, 20 feet wide by 10 feet high, for the La Pactole restaurant in the World Financial Center, New York, NY, to provide both decorative appeal and sun control.
ADO offers draperies and sheers perfect for the dining room or any room that are both beautiful and easy-care. Colorful prints and patterns are machine washable, and harsh sunlight will not fade colors or shrink material.
Graber CrystalPleat® cellular shades, featuring an environmental leaf design in new Arbor print, provide an unbroken sweep of color for a fashionable, yet functional window treatment. These petal-soft shades stack compactly when raised and diffuse and filter bright light when lowered.
Natural fabrics and neutral colors provide a comfortable atmosphere for this dining space. Kirsch Accordia cellular shades in natural wool color soften the sunlight and cast a warm glow throughout the room. Tab-top panels are casually hung from decorative drapery hardware from the Kirsch Studio Coordinates collection.
Artistry ready-made curtains and coordinating table lace from Heritage Lace feature a light and airy design for a cheerful, cozy kitchen or dining room setting. Lace cutwork creates the look of Battenburg in a variety of curtain sizes to fit nearly any window in the house.
Riviera two-inch blinds in sand from Levolor Home Fashions are an ideal accent to this casual-contemporary dining room. Paralleling the popularity of neutral and natural colors, Riviera's choices of soft white shades, casual tints and nature-driven mid-tones complement any desired look.
To create a wonderful feeling of cozy comfort and quiet security, Seabrook Designs adorns this kitchen setting in the Apple Orchard collection of wall coverings and coordinating fabrics. Designed by Richard Felber, the series includes an apple crate label sidewall, fabric and border design taken from actual wooden apple crates used in the 1930s.
This elegant and elaborate window treatment was actually accomplished in just a few short minutes using coordinating fabric from Imperial Wallcoverings Bayshore collection. The fabric matches the border and sidewall and can easily be changed for a totally new look.
Fabricel[TM] cellular shades from LouverDrape® in Shimmering Light Blue Matisse provide a beautiful, softly colored backdrop to this traditional dining room. These shades range from a myriad of sheer looks to watercolor prints to jewel tones in a variety of light-filtering woven patterns.
Conrad Sunshades surround this gathering place with natural color and texture. Shown in weave #27, natural arrowroot, the golden strands are woven in a beautiful raw-silk look. Handwoven fabric from natural arrowroot is an ancient art dating from Japan's Kamakura Period (1192 A.D.).