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Greetings!
Happy August everybody! Having grown up in NJ I still find it hard to wrap my mind around August being "Back to School Month," but sadly, that's the way it is down here! Please don't shoot the messenger, but Thanksgiving is less than 17 weeks away and Christmas is 133 days away. Why am I tormenting you so? Because that time is going to go by in the blink of an eye, so if you are wanting to get any home improvements completed by the holidays you should think about starting SOON!
With that in mind, this month's issue is all about window treatments. I'll share some advice as to how to decide what kind of window treatments you need and how to solve that bathroom window problem. You'll see the hottest trend in window treatments and ways to do them in an eco-friendly way. The Color of the Month is Lime Green, and our Recipe of the Month is S'mores bars. YUM!
I hope you are all tuning in to my radio show "Ask the Design Diva" on Saturday mornings at 8. You can hear it on WAVO1150AM or you can click on the "Listen" link at askthedesigndiva.com to listen in via U-Stream on the website. Also on the website you can find Podcasts of all of our shows so if you missed any you can catch up while walking the dog, working out, or driving to work. Decorating questions can be emailed to the show anytime at askthedesigndiva@gmail.com.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to call 704.608-9424 or email sensiblychic4u@aol.com. Have a great month, and I'll see you September 1st! Best, Barbara Green
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Window Treatments
Designing window treatments is one of the favorite parts of my job. Some people feel that window treatments are unnecessary, but I feel that they can be the defining factor that makes or breaks a room. The room below features three layers of window treatments, Luminette Privacy Sheers, to allow filtered light and privacy, a chenille roman shade to totally blacken the room when lowered, and stationery panels for softness and style. Most homes will not have quite as elaborate layering, but I thought I'd show you this as inspiration.
I know it is still summer, but if you plan on entertaining during the holiday season, now is the time to start thinking about making improvements to your home. Think about it; it takes time to decide what to select, then it takes time for the materials to come in, then it takes time for them to be made, then you need time to schedule the installation. That's a lot of time!
So how do you decide what kind of window treatments you need? If privacy is not an issue, simple stationary panels in the corners can visually soften the hard edges of a room.
If your windows have a beautiful view, standing side panels would serve as a beautiful frame for that view.
If you don't care about privacy and want to maintain maximum window area, hang a valance so the bottom of it just grazes the top of the glass. This will make your window look bigger and your ceiling look higher. It will also help to pull together your design's color palette and unify the room.
 If you have smaller windows and want them to appear larger, hang panels on the wall beside the window which will give the illusion of a larger window.
If you have high ceilings and want to accentuate them, floor to ceiling panels will draw the eye upwards.
A home office looks tailored and finished when a simple valance or cornice is added. If privacy or light control are needed you can hang blinds or shades that can be completely hidden underneath when not needed.
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The Color of the Month
This will come as no surprise to those of you who know me well, but I am pretty regimented in everything I do. Spontaneity isn't really in my DNA, so I plan and plan and plan some more and eventually drive folks crazy with all my planning. Why am I telling you this? Because my entire year of "Colors of the Month" is planned out, except for January (when I feature Pantone's Color of the Year) and August. August is my "wild Card" month, where I can focus on whatever color I haven't done but I am noticing a lot in the design world.
This month's Color of the Month is Lime Green. I always do green in March in honor of St. Patrick's Day, but this green is more acidy, more vibrant than the greens I usually feature. Here is a living and dining room combination that comes to life in this vibrant shade, accented with red. So many clients worry about their home looking too "Christmas-y" when I suggest green and red, but you can see by switching up the tones you lose all sight of Santa Claus. 
Surprisingly, lime green is a very versatile color. It mixes well with black in this guest bedroom and chocolate in this gender-neutral nursery. The color I see it paired with most often these days is turquoise. Here it is in a master bedroom, but there are decorative items in this color combination for every room in the house.  Perhaps all of that bright color is too much for your taste. Lime green still adds a lot of personality even when featured simply as an accent. Without the bright green upholstery on these dining room chairs, this room might look a little boring. 
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Bathroom Windows
Bathrooms offer unique challenges when it comes to window treatments. Today, so many bathrooms feature large picture windows over the bathtub and homeowners can't figure out what to do with them. Most people prefer not to display their naked bodies to their neighbors, but find climbing in and out of the tub to raise and lower or open and close a window treatment is difficult. Here are some options for you if you suffer from the same problem:
Motorized Shades and Blinds  The cost of motorized blinds was prohibitive when they first came out, but as with all new technology, the prices have come down markedly now that they've been around for a while. Whether using pleated shades, honeycomb shade, or traditional blinds, a wireless remote control makes it easy to close them when you need privacy and open them when you don't.
Shutters  Shutter are a great option for the bathtub area as they offer adjustable levels of privacy by simply moving the slats or opening the shutter completely. In wet areas like bathrooms I like to recommend composite shutters rather than real wood, to prevent warping in a high moisture area.
Iron Work  This option is best for those who want a decorative element over the window, but still want light to stream in. Iron pieces can be welded in all shapes, sizes, and patterns and give a beautiful, old-world look to the room. Window film can be added beneath for privacy while still allowing maximum light to stream in.
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The Trend Report
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Since we are talking about window treatments, the one trend I find most prevalent is that of using multiple fabrics in a single drapery panel. It can appear as simple as a contrast band on the leading edge, or as contrast banding around the perimeter.  However, you can also find fabrics used for horizontal stripes
or in this more complicated design with several different fabrics used in horizontal banding. 
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The Green Report
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You do not have to sacrifice your commitment to the environment when deciding on window treatments for your home. There are simply three things to consider:
Quality - As in all things, purchase the highest quality you can afford, especially products with moving parts like blinds, shades, and traversing rods. You really aren't saving money if you have to replace broken mechanisms and the products end up in the landfill.
Conservation - In the summer, cover windows in the morning to prevent the sun from overheating the inside of your home, but in the winter keep them uncovered on the southern exposures to allow the sun's rays to help heat the room.
Organic - Consider the environmental impact of the materials you use, and try to avoid petro-chemical based synthetics. For draperies, valances, and roman shades, use organic cotton, wool, silk, linen, or hemp. For blinds or shades use paper, reeds, bamboo, grasses, and responsibly harvested woods for blinds and shutters.
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Recipe of the Month
One of summer's simple pleasures is toasting marshmallows over a campfire for s'mores. Here is a quick, easy and delicious recipe to allow you to savor the flavor of s'mores, without the campfire.  Ingredients 1 pouch sugar cookie mix 1 C. graham cracker crumbs 1 C. butter or margarine, melted 3 C. milk chocolate chips 4 1/2 C. mini marshmallows DirectionsPreheat oven to 375. Combine cookie mix, graham cracker crumbs, and melted butter and stir until soft dough forms. Press into ungreased 13x9 pan.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until set. Sprinkle chocolate chips over crust, let stand 3-5 minutes, then when melted spread evenly over crust.
Sprinkle mini marshmallows over the melted chocolate and place in oven, 5-6 inches from the heat source and broil for 20-30seconds. Watch closely, as it can burn quickly! Let cool 10 minutes, then cut into 24 bars.
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Yoga Anyone???
While this has nothing to do with window treatments, August is the Grand Opening of a new yoga studio in the Skybrook area of Huntersville. It is The Retreat at Wellness with Attitude and my dear friend Sandy Warren is the yogi. If you are looking for a gentle, restorative approach to improving your physical condition, this is the perfect place for you. Call 704 713-0911 today, your first class is free! | |
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| Save 15% |
Window Treatment SaleThis is your only month of the year where you can order custom window treatments and save 15% on your entire order which
includes fabric, lining, labor and hardware!
Call 704.608-9424 today to schedule your in-home or in-office consultation and save 15% on your entire purchase.
Feel free to share this special offer with friends, family and co-workers.
| Offer Expires: August 30, 2012
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