Decorating with Pattern

May 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

This photo, taken from Elle Decor.com, shows a bold use of patterns in a room.  Some love this look and others would be very uncomfortable in this room.  I call this phenomenom “Understanding Your Pattern Tolerance”.  Everyone is different.  But even those with low pattern tolerance can enjoy adding more to a room if it is done properly.  Most people need the help of a professional to really pull off a heavily patterned room, so that it is tasteful and not tacky.

But here is a very simple formula that you can use anytime. When mixing patterns in a room, the following can all be used together successfully – a large scale print, a small scale print, a stripe, a geometric, and a solid.  Make sure they are all in the same colorway and you will be successful.

Happy decorating!

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Roman Shades

January 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I LOVE Roman Shades.  They are such versatile treatments for a window.  They provide not only function of privacy, light control, and energy savings, but also add a softness to bring beauty, warmth and style to your room.  They truly provide the whole package.  Roman Shades can be made from any fabric you want that coordinates with your interior.  They can also me made from a more traditional shade cloth, or natural woven wood materials.  It all depends on what feeling and look you want to achieve at the window.

Recently, Roman Shades have undergone extreme scrutiny for child safety.  Our industry just adopted new guidelines for the manufacturing of products that have working cords, which includes roman shades.  It is important to purchase your Roman Shades from a company that strictly adheres to these new guidelines.  I am very proud to align myself with manufacturers that have undergone all the testing necessary to comply with the new guidelines.  You can be assured that our shades, when professionally installed,  meet the current industry standards for safety.

Roman Shades are  available in many different styles.  Enjoy these photos of several of my favorites.

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Come Celebrate With Me!

January 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Happy New Year!

I look forward to this time every year as we look at new beginnings and goals. It is with great satisfaction that I share with you that it was this time of year in 1996, when my ideas for a new business began to take form. 2011 is going to be a celebration year for 15 years in the window coverings industry. As a company, we have experienced much over the past 15 years. Changing our name to Exciting Windows! was a big one as we joined with a larger, national organization to help move us forward in growth. Even though changes have been made to the “exterior”, we never changed the “interior”. Our customers are still what drives us. Few problems have arisen over the years with the window treatments we have installed, but for those few, I can confidently say that we went above and beyond our customer’s expectations in solving the problem. I look over my list of customers through the years and smile fondly as I think of each one.  I have been blessed to meet and work with such great people! That must be why we enjoyed 70 % of our business last year coming from repeat customers and their referrals.

Be sure and check my website and blog regularly this year. I will be partnering with my vendors to bring you special “celebration savings” throughout the year. A different product will be highlighted each month so you can look forward to 12 sales this year!  The first one will be announced later this week!

I look forward to celebrating with you!

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Arched Windows

October 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Arched Valance and Custom Arched Rod

I love new things!  Especially design and hardware.  Arched windows always present problems for homeowners.  There are few “easy” ways to treat them, either for light control and privacy or for decoration.  Many of my vendors offer arched rodding like this one, but I had not yet found just the right client and window for their use.  Then Elinora found me and this is exactly what she wanted.   This is in a small office off the foyer.  It is a very tall window and she wanted it to be dramatic.  As you can see from the photo it was hard for me to capture the whole window in my photo (time to call in a professional photographer for this one!).  But I think you can get the idea.  We did a full arched design on the valance with straight, stationary panels underneath.  She didn’t want to lose any of the light in the room and we were able to completely accomplish that.  The goblet pleat valance hangs from rings that are set on the pole so that they do not slide.  This was a challenging job, but well worth the effort!

 

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Adding Draperies to Plantation Shutters

July 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Drapery Treatment with Plantation Shutters

July 22, 2010
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Often people wonder if they can add a fabric drapery treatment if they have plantation shutters on a window.  The answer is definitely “YES!”, but you have to be creative.  The problem arises because you still need to be able to open the shutter panel if you want access to the window.  Therefore, a drapery treatment needs to be designed that will allow for this flexibility.  Fabric adds so much to a room, and is often the finishing touch in the decorating process that ties everything else in the room together.  Shown here are two examples of adding drapery over shutters.  It requires special planning, creative hardware and extra “know how”.  This is definitely the time you want to call in a professional.

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Filed Under: Cincinnati, Decorating, Draperies, Maineville, Mason, Shutters Tagged With: ,

Dining Room Window Treatment Design

July 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

                                                                                                                                                               Another happy client this week! 

Inverted Box Pleat with Drapery Side Panels and Tiebacks

This dining room has a small bay and the client wanted a simple design with some punch.  She already has one chocolate brown wall and is considering some faux painting on the ceiling.  We found a terrific coppery brown fabric with a silver/platinum embroidered flower.  We selected a very simple, tailored, inverted box pleat valance with stationary side panels.  The punch came with the decorative beaded tassel trim and matching tassel tiebacks.  Once again proving simple can be fabulous!

Beaded Tassel Trim

Now I can envision a faux finish on the ceiling with metallic tones of copper and silver…..ooh, can’t wait to see that!

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Cuff Top Valance

June 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Cuff Top Valance

Without a doubt, the most popular valance with my clients is what I call the “cuff top”.  You can see several examples in my photo gallery.  These can be made with contrast lining so that the cuff adds an interesting design elelment.  They can also be installed on different types of hardware, which changes the look dramatically.  You can see photos of them installed on knobs, poles, boards, or larger holdbacks.  Use your imagination and design away!  Shown here is the most recent one we installed for a new client in Liberty Township, OH.  Notice how we took a plain, rectangular window and added interest to it, just by raising the treatment in the middle.  This definitely grabs your eye when you walk in the room, and draws your eye upward, making the room appear larger.  Even though many clients are choosing the “cuff top” design, no two are alike………..custom!

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Remote Control Window Shades

June 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I just returned from installing 6 Hunter Douglas Applause shades with the PowerRise 2.0 operating system.The customer has a wall of 6 windows,

Hunter douglas PowerRise 2.0 with Platinum Technology Remote control and Wireless Wall Switch

three above and three below.They wanted to be able to operate the shades from a remote control.The shades are battery operated and then the remote is programmed to operate the shades in groups.The customer chose to group the top shades as one, and the bottom shades as another group.Because the new Hunter Douglas Platinum Technology allows the remote to work using infrared or radio frequency, each shade can still be operated independently by using the point and click method.The customer took a long lunch and met us at his home.When we left, he was still happily playing with the remote and exploring his many options.I wonder if he ever went back to work?

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Dramatic Custom Draperies

March 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Hello Maineville!  The Color Forcasters called for Turquoise to be the color of 2010.  This Maineville Dining Room is right in style!  Contrasting with the beautifully faux painted walls, but highlighting the tones in the rug, are these graceful and dramatic silk draperies in a fabulous turquoise shade.  Notice how the bead trim detail adds extra life to the design.  Simple, yet incredibly elegant!  See more great designs on our website.

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Make Your Bed!

February 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment

That was the title of the Lunch n Learn that I presented  to a large group of women in downtown Cincinnati.  Using a miniature bed display, we discussed the different types of bedding available.  Bedspread, coverlet, or comforter?  Do you know the difference? www.EWbyKimLyon.com

Mason, Ohio

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