Brenda Baxter, owner and principal designer for Custom Drapery Designs, attended a special conference—Inspiring Design by Kim Kiner, with Hunter Douglas—back in October. She returned with a revitalized crush on colors and a sneak peek at what hues will be hottest in 2018.

Color Calls

Color influences 85 percent of our purchases. Think about the last time you browsed for clothes or décor. What drew you to your final choices? You likely answered, “Color!”

Even food or household product packaging shows an understanding of this concept. Next time you’re at the grocery, head to the middle of an aisle that’s not too busy. Situate yourself across from a shelf and close your eyes for a moment. Look up and take a mental snapshot of which packages your eyes latch onto. Think about the colors.

Certain colors simply call to us. While every person has a favorite hue—or more—each color produces particular emotions or reactions in people.

Color Creates

If you have ever chosen paint colors, you likely considered the tone you wanted to set in that room. Yellow or orange for your creative spaces. Blue or lavender for your relaxation zones.

Frank Lloyd Wright, the Father of Modern Architecture, knew a thing or fifty about color! In many of his buildings, he installed umber stained glass designs which filled his architecture with feelings of cheer and happiness.

Color Kings and Queens

Hoping for balance and peace of mind this year? You’re in luck! Pantone has selected Ultra Violet as the 2018 Color of the Year. Calm your chaos with splashes of this regal and inspirational shade.

Colors with similar tone-setting abilities include blues, greens and neutrals. You can set the stage for serenity and softness with this palette.

Colors Combine

Another color aspect Wright mastered was his fabric designs, as we saw in a previous post. He was all about creating geometric designs and exploring various color combinations. With such passion, it’s no wonder he remains a household name for design, architecture and style.

Another beautiful thing about colors is they play off one another, and the combinations feel endless. You’re sure to find exactly what you love when it comes to designs. Do you prefer a more geometric look like most of Wright’s work, solid colors with a pop of metallic glitz, global prints with tribal or ethnic designs or more traditional patterns like plaids or florals?

Let us find your perfect color combination for the new year. Contact us today!

Custom Drapery Designs delights in the constant variety of our job. No two clients are the same, so no two designs are the same. Each project brings new challenges, inspirations and opportunities. We love to highlight our clients’ personalities and bring out the very best details of their homes and offices in their designs. To help us achieve that, Hunter Douglas’ line of window treatments cannot be surpassed.

Hunter Douglas offers customization and quality.

We have used their blinds, shades and shutters in every room of the house. They cover massive floor-to-ceiling windows, bay windows with their challenging curves and angles, narrow rectangular bathroom windows and everything in between. The flexibility and customization we find with Hunter Douglas products make completing each client’s unique design even more fun!

Quality tops our list in importance because we want our clients’ designs to stand the test of time. Hunter Douglas agrees, which is why they run more than 100 tests to guarantee their fabrics are built to last and stand up to UV rays, high humidity and normal daily life.

Woven Woods provide classic designs.

The timeless look of a classic woven wood complements many rooms’ décor and can be brought out with an occasional splash of color or paired with natural linens with wide trim, like this inviting room we completed.

We chose Hunter Douglas’ Provenance Woven Wood in this warm Cambria Garden Path color. The inside mount and 6 ½” valance provide a seamless appearance that allows our custom draperies to pop. We included a light-filtering fabric backing to aid in energy costs and room darkening.

One of the things we love about Hunter Douglas Provenance Wovens are the lifting system options. Our clients don’t need to worry about children or pets getting tangled in any dangling cords.

Gamerooms beg for woven woods! We just love the natural striping in these. The lovely earthy emerald shade is Hennrick, Pewter Cup. Such a vibrant color stands alone perfectly without custom draperies.

In another space, the custom fabric valance atop the natural woven woods crowns three windows angling around the clients’ deep walnut table. We love the combination!

Motorization meets elegance.

This stunning room provided a delightful challenge. It wasn’t too hard for the Alustra® Collection of Silhouette® shadings, though. What don’t we love about this product? The front of these shadings are textured sheers. They come complete with customizable hardware finishes.

The cherry on top is Hunter Douglas’ PowerView® Motorization. This technological breakthrough allows you to adjust your window treatments to provide optimal lighting—or shading—depending on your preference and time of day. Control options include your tablet or smartphone and the Pebble Remote Control, a cute and stylish accessory from Hunter Douglas that comes in 10 different color choices.

We matched the grandeur of this room’s height with custom Kingston Valances using Pamplona Santa Fe fabric from RM COCO DECOR LTD. To add the perfect finishing touch, we draped stunning tassel tie-backs on either side. This project was a dream to manage.

These shadings’ floating design stops the show.

This flowy cotton fabric pairs perfectly with the exquisite floating appearance of Silhouette® shadings. The colorful sashes and detailed medallion hardware adds to the whimsy of the embroidered scroll fabric, making this entire custom bedroom design a study in whimsy. The shadings are designed specifically to alter the harsh glare of sunlight into softer natural light.

Pirouette® shadings lend a floating appearance to a window’s design as well but look just like a traditional shade when closed. In this kitchen install—complete with PowerView® Motorization—we combined Beacon Hill fabric and Leopard Velvet trim from Scalamandré. The colors echoed those in the table and chairs, and we matched the hardware to the unique light fixture.

These are not your grandma’s Roman shades.

Sometimes the most stunning window treatments are seemingly the simplest. Take these pristine white Roman shades. They complete the look in this bathroom perfectly. Don’t you just want to sink into a warm bubble bath in that tub? Hunter Douglas’ Roman shades come in a variety of styles and colors. The options just keep on coming with this style, and we love to find just the right combination for our clients.

This is the ideal time of year to consider new window treatments. Hunter Douglas’ Season of Style Savings Event runs through Dec. 11. Also, head to their website to enter the Holiday Makeover Sweepstakes for your chance to win a room full of window fashions. The Sweepstakes ends on Nov. 28, so don’t let the turkey slow you down—get your entry in today!

We have trusted Hunter Douglas to deliver our clients’ needs since 2009, and we’d love to share what they can do in your home today. Schedule your in-home consultation today!

Photography captured by Ruda Photography.

When a custom drapery installation turns into a whole-home design, intentional collaboration and couture details make the entire project a work of art. Brenda Baxter, owner and principal designer of Custom Drapery Designs, received a request for draperies in a new Dallas home. During the consultation process, the clients expressed a desire for interior design assistance as well.

With that wish, Stephanie Freeman, CDD’s senior design consultant, hopped right in and began brainstorming and creating alongside Brenda. Their combined expertise resulted in elegant draperies intentionally kept in neutral tones. These intricate window dressings may be showstoppers in themselves; but their primary purpose lies in setting the stage for all the bright colors in furnishings, artwork, decorations and other design details to shine.

The home owners loved the idea of experimenting with color in custom upholstery and rugs. They welcomed bold, modern choices in décor and art as well. Between the clients, who were an absolute joy to work with, and the opportunity for Brenda and Stephanie to join forces in a mighty way, this project quickly climbed the ladder of favorites. And, we get to show two main rooms off to you now!

Architecture and design: a dynamic duo

With a little inspiration from the lovely arched doorways and windows, Stephanie and Brenda reflected the curves in the style of the chairs. They added depth to the design with a stunning cut velvet pattern on the two host chairs. The Robert Allen peacock blues and palm greens of all the chairs stand out against the cream-toned wool rug, as does the smooth espresso table with gold-toned “feet.”

The sideboard pairs perfectly with the table; and the lovely golden geometric accents and nailhead trim highlight the gold in each. These elements join with the modern painting and porcelain vases and bowl in Mediterranean jewel tones against a backdrop of metallic geometric embroidery fabrics and Roman shades. The linen/cotton draperies feature European top pinch pleat headings. This is a dining room worthy of many mealtime memories!

Beauty and brawn: custom installations require attention to details

All the creativity and brilliant planning in the world means nothing if great care and attention doesn’t accompany an installation. CDD employs the most conscientious installers for all the behind-the-scenes tasks. Without them the designs would not reach completion. From climbing precariously high ladders to lifting surprisingly heavy drapery panels and furniture to steaming wrinkles out of fabrics and wearing stylish blue “booties,” this team delivers every single time!

“Installation day was exciting with furniture and rugs moving in and drapery installers standing on ladders! Excitement and energy filled the rooms as each worked on their perspective jobs,” Brenda recalled. “It was great fun to have everyone collaborating multiple aspects which came together with one amazing finish. In the spirit of the day, lunch was provided; and, together, we all picnicked on the back patio, admiring the amazing backyard and White Rock Lake park view.”

Life and style: designs for daily living

This open concept living room and kitchen gave Brenda and Stephanie every designer’s dream—an extensive blank canvas to fill with unique brushstrokes. They certainly succeeded!

From the big picture of maintaining a flow through use of complementing colors in the living room and kitchen, to the details of perfectly pairing accent pillows with furniture, this room reveals new design delights wherever the eye lands. The inviting custom rug from Delos pulls all the color choices together and stands out against the softness of the sheer full-function draperies. Three modern art canvases behind the custom wingback chairs tie the whole home design together as well.

If you’re looking to redesign your entire living space—from the windows in—and want a team who care about the full canvas and each stroke that fills it, contact us today!

Custom details—like rugs—set our designs apart.

A home contains much more than its windows to the world around it. Custom Drapery Designs goes inside the window coverings to highlight all the details and depth a room’s design holds. This often takes our focus to the floors with exquisite custom rugs.

Davis and Davis creates custom rugs in Chattanooga.

We chose to highlight certain colors in this room through its draperies, furniture fabrics and rug. Stephanie Freeman, CDD’s senior design consultant, hand-picked the colors in this rug to match the custom furniture. She began with a black and white design, selecting colors from the wool samples we have in the office.

Davis and Davis Rugs, Inc., then sent a paper version of how the completed rug would look. After the paper version received the thumbs up, Davis and Davis sent a strike off (or corner sample)—a miniature of what the real rug would look like—for a final approval.

As you can see, the finished product pairs perfectly with the lavender velvet from Robert Allen on the sofa and the textured gray velvets from Fabricut and Lee Jofa on the chairs. The completed design allows the lavender to really pop, tying in with the draperies as well.

Davis and Davis, part of the Miller Davis Group in Chattanooga, Tenn., manufactures 100% New Zealand wool rugs and carpeting. From wool dyeing to production to trimming and backing to quality inspections and finishing touches, Davis and Davis takes a rug from concept to reality in house. You can see the whole fascinating process in this video.

Delos delivers custom rugs with style.

CDD has spent a lot of time recently on a whole house redesign for a client. We can’t wait to show off the finished product either!

In this room, Stephanie chose the colors and modern design of the custom rug. She received two different strike offs from Delos, another American rug company headquartered in the South. She worked with the client to choose the perfect option for this living room. As you can see these colors paired flawlessly with the upholstery and pillow fabrics. The rug draws the eye in to the room and allows each color to make its own statement.

Delos produces American Made rugs which showcase how today’s technology makes products as close to handmade as possible. They also offer clients rugs with a variety of textures, including shags and loops.

In addition, they have four hand-crafted options—Hand Knotted, Hand Tufted, Microloop and Soumak. Each Delos Journey Made option includes wool blends and spun bamboo accents, and several have a silk option instead.

Well-made rugs from quality companies give a custom appearance.

We don’t always have to design a custom rug when some of our favorite rug companies produce such vibrant colors. In this elegant dining room, we chose a bright Surya rug. It adds depth and warmth without changing the opulent design feel.

Surya satisfies us every time with their high quality, stunning designs and immaculate craftsmanship. Check out this blog post for more details about the hand-knotted rugs Surya produces.

Ready to sink your toes into a new design?

CDD would love to create a new design for your space, complete with custom details you can sink your feet into! Contact us today to set up your in-home consultation.

Fabrics fuel our work at Custom Drapery Designs. What excites us most, though, isn’t just the softness of a velvet or the pop of color in a modern damask. The stories behind the fabrics get our hearts racing and add to the excitement of transforming a client’s space with beautiful textiles and their histories.

Holland & Sherry: An International Delight

This company recently came to our attention. Our magical meeting brought love at first sight. Begun in 1836, Holland & Sherry continues to produce some of the highest quality wools, silks and tweeds for both clothing and interiors. Attention to detail and commitment to perfection set this company apart.

Started at a time when wool mills were common, Holland & Sherry exists today as one of the few remaining. And, it stands strong!

While their “heart” lies beside the River Tweed in Scotland’s Borders, they have a remarkable international presence. They design exquisite hand-worked custom embroidery in Paris. Artisans in Bavaria, Germany, create custom finished embroideries. Each detail stands alone as a miniature work of art. Plus, Holland & Sherry allows for complete customization of embroidery—from concept to creation your product can be exclusively yours! This video gives us goosebumps.

At the Crossville Fabric mill in Tomé, Chile, artisans dye wool fibers, spin the yarns, weave and finish the textiles—all under one roof. Natural, raw materials used in these fabrics come from Australia, New Zealand and Patagonia. Wool, “the oldest natural fiber known to man,” has long been the fabric of choice for the finest men’s suits. Holland & Sherry brings wool home to rest as an ideal choice for interior design.

In addition to textiles for suits and interiors, they produce unique leathers from the best tanneries in Italy as well as wallcoverings and custom rugs crafted by artisans all over the world.

Each of these productions maintains a commitment to environmental protection. The mill generates its own energy by means of renewable clean resources; water used in production returns to safe-drinking quality; and any leftover yarn or fabric finds new life in some way either through reuse or donation.

Schumacher: The People Behind the Names

Since its genesis in 1889, the elite homes and finest buildings in the United States have chosen family-owned Schumacher for its Parisian-inspired interior designs. The Vanderbilts’ home, the White House, the Waldorf Astoria and numerous iconic TV and movie sets boast their designs.

Princess Pyne

This lovely fabric took our breath away when we first saw it. Pyne Hollyhock from Schumacher received a name change after the screens used to create the design were damaged.

Designer Albert Hadley installed draperies with this lovely design in the living room of Mrs. Nancy “Princess” Pyne’s Somerset County, N.J., home in the 1960s.

Princess, best friends with President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s wife, Mamie, kindly loaned the drapery panels back so the Schumacher company could reproduce the lovely pattern and duplicate it into a few other colors.

The fabric name changed from Hollyhock Chintz to the Pyne Hollyhock pattern, in honor of her assistance. Today it comes in five colors: charcoal, tobacco, indigo, grisaille and blush.

Frank Lloyd Wright

The Father of Modern Architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright touched America’s homes both inside and out. On June 8 his admirers celebrated his 150^th birthday; and the celebration continues at Fallingwater, the visionary’s masterpiece in Western Pennsylvania. Schumacher celebrates Wright with a new line of fabrics—Applied Architecture.

Wright designed these bright, eye-catching geometric designs in 1955. More than 60 years later, they still resonate with home owners who want something as unique and special as the great architect himself. Hand-drawn by him, the original products comprised Schumacher’s Taliesin Line of Decorative Fabrics and Wallpaper.

Brenda Baxter, owner and principal designer of CDD, took the opportunity last month to visit Fallingwater for in-person inspiration. The whole team looks forward to incorporating some of these bold fabrics in clients’ upcoming designs. With a variety of bright colors and neutrals to mix and match, these textiles offer the perfect base for draperies, furniture and more.

Thibaut and Anna French: Made for Each Other

“The oldest continuously operating wallpaper company in the United States,” Thibaut began in 1886 and added printed fabrics in 1960 with expansions in textile offerings over the years. These new linens come from their Trade Routes collection. Textures like these add delightful depth to any design.

Founded by Richard E. Thibaut, the company saw three generations of his family in charge before some employees bought it. Despite changing hands and evolving with the industry, Thibaut continues to thrive as a designer’s go-to choice.

In 2007, they enveloped Anna French, bringing in its English linens, luxury embroideries, fabrics, Scottish lace and wallcoverings. Anna is known for color and drama in her designs, and we love it!

The pillows on these master bedroom chairs were custom made using linen fabrics from the Anna French Natural Glimmer Collection. They give the design an inviting touch anyone would love to sink into after a hard day.

Whatever your story may be, Custom Drapery Designs has a fabric in mind for you and all your design needs. Give us a call today to set up an in-home consultation!

Exquisite Couture Details

Bedrooms offer designers a perfect stage on which to star subtle custom couture features alongside supporting elements, debuting a finished production deserving of a standing ovation.

From draperies to bedding to complementing furniture, Brenda Baxter and Stephanie Freeman of Custom Drapery Designs plan each detail of their clients’ rooms with care and with CDD’s signature flair.

Vision. Sketches. Colors.

Brenda and Stephanie begin each project with a personalized in-home consultation. They get to know their clients’ needs, styles and passions. This commitment to the client translates into a perfect vision.

That mental image moves to paper, and magic begins to happen! Colors appear along with fabric and trim samples, making a detailed sketch vibrant. From there the plan comes to life as they create each custom piece and join them all together in the final installation.

Silk. Velvet. Chenille.

As the first materials, fabrics set the tone and color scheme for all the fun embellishments to come.

On a recent bedroom project, Brenda paired elegant Stroheim Athena Taffeta quarry blue silk draperies with luxurious Lili Alessandra Chloe champagne velvet bedding. Coordinating with the window coverings’ color, the bed’s king-size pillows display Ralph Lauren Georgiana Damask fabric in Antique Blue.

Stephanie’s recent bedroom design combines timeless elegance and a little Hollywood glitz for an inviting master retreat. She chose Stroheim Surna Sheer Porcelain fabric to gently caress Hunter Douglas Silhouette® shades.

Not many fabric choices can top the luxury of a velvet coverlet! Stephanie selected a Lili Alessandra Chloe Ivory Velvet Coverlet and matching European pillows to dress the comfy California king bed.

Tassels. Trims. Pleats.

Once the stage is set, those lovely custom details enter as the understated stars.

Brenda takes draperies to another level with each custom project and finds special ways to tie a design together seamlessly from window to bed. For this room she added 6” pinch pleats into each panel and chose Scalamandré Zardozi velvet tape in Mineral and Pewter to run the length. She then completed a custom pillow with the same fabric and trim as the draperies to take center stage on the bed along with a custom tasseled roll pillow. Those little tassels complemented the larger Fabricut Altura Metallic key tassels adorning the custom draperies.

She selected intricate carved rings and decorative finials to display the draperies in style and used custom rods mitered perfectly into the bay window. Anna French linen fabric accentuated with natural glimmer glass beads and mini cord accent make the rectangular lumbar pillows the crown jewel of the bedroom’s custom chairs.

Stephanie selected a fun, mirrored accent pillow for the center of the bed. She also designed a pair of neckroll pillows to accessorize a custom bench. On these, she used Robert Allen Royal Beauty Sterling fabric and added a glamorous detail with Marge Carson jeweled trim. The trim and cut velvet fabric added two more elements of texture to the exquisite design.

Furniture. Art. Nailheads.

Every element within a room plays a role in the performance of design.

Even the Barley Twist wingback chairs in Brenda’s room received the custom touch with soft chenille upholstery, Tuscany-finished twist wood accents and a pewter nailhead finish. She also chose the table and lamp to create the perfect sitting area—an ideal spot to prop feet on the pillow top ottomans for an early morning cup of coffee or an evening read.

Stephanie decided to go with an elegant custom, ivory velvet tufted love seat to sit in the curved bay. She hung Cyan Designs pendant lights above each nightstand to create a unique and romantic look.

Often featured artwork accentuates custom furniture in a room, like this lovely bench covered in Kravet Polka Dot Plush Natural cream velvet fabric. The texture in the upholstery, along with the nailhead edging along the bottom, transform this bench into a work of art itself.

Custom. Comfort. Style.

Whatever your personal style or space needs, Brenda and Stephanie can create a custom space just for you from sketched vision to completed perfection. All you need to do is sink into your new design and dream big!

The only hard part’s choosing just one!

Unique, modern hardware does so much more than simply hold our custom drapery designs in their proper place. These are the features that accentuate a look and tie it in with surrounding furnishings or décor.

Just like every woman understands the importance of proper accessories to complete a clothing ensemble; Custom Drapery Designs knows the value of a well-chosen custom piece of hardware to finish a design project with style.

Let us introduce you…

A few of our absolute favorite custom hardware options on the market come from Brimar, Design Art by Orion and Kravet.

Think inside the…CUBE!

A long-time CDD favorite, Brimar offers something for every style with their drapery hardware. When we want to go for a modern, sleek vibe, we can’t find a better option than their new heavy-gauge lucite cube hardware. An added bonus is the option to mount your draperies to the wall or to the ceiling.

With matching rectangular rings to smoothly draw draperies back and forth, a variety of finishes and other custom options, Brimar’s Cube collection sure impresses us!

Chrome and steel and…pearls?

Brimar expertly pairs diverse materials into delightfully cohesive finished products. CDD did a recent living room installation where we used this modern chrome hardware, with its narrow lines, capped off with luminescent pearl finials and steel rings that brought the whole design together.

In this airy front entry, CDD found inspiration in some lovely modern light fixtures. Brimar had just what we needed with this simple steel chrome rod, acrylic-turned finials and complementary geometric steel rings. Talk about a perfect finish!

Classic and timeless for a reason

Design Art by Orion makes a name for themselves with their hand-painted details and the unbelievable variety in finishes, styles, inlays, colors and so many more options.

They’re also great solution-finders. If you have a small space or tight spot but still want style, look no further than their ornate rod-enders.

If you like a little bit of glitz with your tradition, may we suggest the Swiss Crystal-on-Wood finials. These baubles are guaranteed to catch the light and your eye, making the ideal accessory to complete your new custom draperies!

Creating a perfect space in which to dream

Master bedrooms always make a special canvas for our designs. This project was no different. We took elegant linen silk, added interline and lining for extra fullness and sealed the deal with cartridge pleat heading—the kind of drapery design we are most passionate about!

Playing off custom couture nailhead trim from the bedframe, we chose Kravet’s iron antique pewter finials to complete the distressed walnut wood rods for each of the four drapery panels. This is one bedroom we didn’t want to leave!

Let us accessorize your design

CDD is…and always has been…passionate about the details of design. Let us accessorize your design today!

While design trends constantly evolve, develop and emerge, some themes remain steadfast. Classic patterns, clean lines, subtle tones inspired by the earth around us and color bursts—especially through delicious new trims—speak to the discerning eye and remain timeless.

Such design aspects celebrate a ground-shaking revitalization with exciting tweaks in 2017.

Top design trend goes to…Trim!

Introducing pops of color into a more neutral or muted design canvas couldn’t be simpler with one of this year’s top design trends—wide braid trims. These are all the rage with styles ranging from 3 ¾” to 6”.

Trim uses vary as much as their styles with applications in draperies, bedding, furniture and accessories. Honestly, the combinations and possibilities defy imagination and get us quite excited!

Our favorite brands for trim for our clients come from Kravet, Scalamandré, Brimar, Stroheim and Cowtan & Tout. How can we incorporate some of these samples into your home design updates?

Color sets a design’s tone

Of course, we can’t mention color in the new year without unveiling the PANTONE Color of the Year—Greenery! With another nod to nature, the industry’s “Coloristas” have chosen a delightful and versatile shade which infuses a revitalizing air into any design, promising the rebirth brought by spring.

Other top PANTONE colors inspire a bit of wanderlust in us with names like Island Paradise and Niagara. And, still others—Kale, Hazelnut and Pale Dogwood—simply make us want to kick back in the hammock with a healthy smoothie.

Inspirations from Dallas abound

Last month Custom Drapery Designs attended one of our favorite events—the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market. We may have reached inspiration-overload with all of the amazing fabrics, home goods, trims and hardware we discovered!

Check out a few of our absolute favorites:

Anna French exemplifies a timeless look for a modern life

Who doesn’t love linens and lace?

Linens built to last

The Anna French Collection of fabrics includes English linens boasting 67 combinations of various colors and textures. Made in Great Britain, these fabrics not only look amazing; but they will not fade like many other linens do.

And…wait for it…they’re machine washable!! They look amazing and promise to last, and they’re easy to clean. These make perfect draperies as well as upholstery coverings and slipcovers.

Lace leaves a lasting impression

The only thing that may top the linens is to-die-for lace made in the last cotton lace mill in the world. Morton Young and Borland Ltd resides in the Irvine Valley in Ayrshire, Scotland. This mill, dating back to 1900, still utilizes original Nottingham Lace Looms, some more than 90 years young.

Anna French got her start with textiles thanks to lace production in Scotland. And the Lace Library by Anna French pays a lovely tribute to the beautiful types of lace—the more open traditional style crafted with thicker yarn and Madras lace which comes as fine as mosquito netting.

The patterns and prints on her laces range from classic to whimsical to exotic. They simply beg to kiss the landscape through any window.

Contact the CDD studio today to see these exquisite sheers and linens!

International influences move us

Pom Pom at Home bedding may have stolen our hearts. These gorgeous Belgian linens are made to live life in, for sure. Toss in some ruffles and lace, and we’re on board!

“Pom Pom at Home provides the marketplace with superior Belgian linens that are sustainably sourced and embody a ‘lived in’ elegant look that is relaxed and casual,” reads the company’s philosophy on its website. “Pom Pom at Home linens get softer and softer with every wash. Making each time you climb into bed an experience to be savored.”

Bedding isn’t all Pom Pom at Home offers. One of our favorite items right now is their new collection of hand-blocked pillows. This time-honored method of stamping patterns directly onto fabrics to be used in home decorating comes to us from India.

We are huge fans of this style, as you can see in this blog post featuring Lee Jofa’s Artisan Collection of hand-blocked fabric.

Sweet dreams are made…in this bedding!

CDD now carries the Lili Alessandra bedding line in all its yummy, luxurious layers. Options include Barcelona, Versailles Ice Blue Bedding, Vendome Seafoam (perfect for the mermaid in all of us!) and—one of our favorite displays at the Dallas Market—Christian, pictured above. This bedding may just be as close as you’ll come to sleeping in a fluffy cloud.

Ribbons revitalize designs with color and texture

Like our favorite wide braid trims, European velvet ribbons, lace ribbons and even lovely wool ribbons from d.stevens pack a punch of brightness for both furniture and drapery designs. Solids in every color imaginable, multi-colored ribbons and even plaids offer solutions for every design challenge.

Donna Stevens’ ribbons are no mere afterthought; they are what completes a design and sets it apart. Like the royalty and centuries worth of inspirational people and places influencing this line of luscious ribbons, your home deserves that extra bit of pizzazz to make it shine.

Importance of feel equals color and style

Speaking of that little something extra, velvet may just be the smooth finish your design needs. Make that velvet damask fabric and your home just stepped up to the next level!

Scalamandré, a company with a flair for the fabulous, presents its Modern Luxury Collection which includes several metallic stamped velvet damask and linen damask pieces.

Scalamandré’s fabrics feature in some of the most well-known buildings in the country, including the White House, Radio City Music Hall and the Metropolitan Opera House. No doubt they will feature just as well in your own home.

This photo showcases a recent CDD installation which utilized buttery soft lavender velvet from Robert Allen on the sofa. The silver-gray chairs display a marriage of textured velvets from Fabricut and Lee Jofa; while the pillows add a finishing pop of color and texture to the whole design, and the custom rug ties the entire room together perfectly.

Welcome 2017 trends into your home

Contact Custom Drapery Designs today to discover which of this year’s hottest trends can revitalize your home!

Custom drapery installation originates with a wish.

A homeowner or business owner discovers a need…a desire…for something new, different, precise. Their appeal for window dressings sets the stage for Custom Drapery Designs to shine.

Brenda Baxter, owner and principal designer, attends to clients’ words carefully. She breathes in each request and observes every preference—be it color, style or feel. From this gift of understanding others’ design needs, Brenda drafts a 2D image as a second step in the process to interior transformation.

Add to this detailed sketch tangible items such as silky tassel tie-backs, velvet bubble-textured fabric and glass finials bursting with bubbles within; and this installation is a go!

This particular design—a traditional, yet transitional delight—calls for a double rod system to accommodate the thick, rich velvet drapes perfectly framing its flowing sheer backdrop.

Each detail of the design knows intimate planning throughout, from the wood fascia on the back traverse rod to the couture touch of an elongated Goblet pleat to an ornately carved metallic tie-back enhancing the fullness of the draperies while creating an exact break from the floor.

Before a big reveal to the homeowners, each layer of this custom design receives careful steaming, including the elegant tassels.

As the finished product reveals, this installation reflects proper placement in relation to every other design element, furnishing or light wall sconce in the room.

While custom drapery installation may seem simple from this step-by-step glimpse into the process, it truly is an art form that portrays the wishes of its beholder thanks to the masterful understanding of its artist.

Would you like an in-home consultation?

An artist seeks opportunities filled with inspiration to fan the flames of passion for his or her craft as well as high quality products with which to create. Brenda Baxter, owner and principal designer for Custom Drapery Designs, joined fellow artists in the interior design field for just such an occasion this spring.

Finding design inspiration from other top professionals

Vervain, a high-end fabric and trimmings company, invited Brenda and other professionals to a dinner with Barry Dixon, an interior designer with his own fabric collections. She also attended a casual meet-and-greet at the Vervain and Duralee showrooms in Dallas with both Dixon and Tobi Fairley, an award-winning designer with her own consulting and design company.

“We enjoyed listening to them speak honestly about their experiences growing as interior designers, as well as providing personal recommendations on how to build a successful design business,” Brenda shared. “We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves while meeting others within the industry and shaking the hands of such genuine design professionals.”

Barry Dixon—world influencer, with Southern charm

One of “the world’s most sought-after designers,” according to his biography, Barry Dixon embraces a world of influence while wrapping it all in Southern charm for his fabrics, trims, furniture and accessories. He even has his own line of paint. With all of his achievements, Dixon remains down-to-earth and accessible, as Brenda discovered during their dinner together.

Barry’s design inspirations come from his travels all over the world and the history he finds in each place he visits. He finds brilliance even in simple items all around him on his 300-acre farm in Virginia. The rough beauty of a cantaloupe and the smooth pattern of haystacks translate to deeply beautiful textures and unique patterns.

Tobi Fairley—helping and mentoring other designers

Tobi Fairley brings encouragement to designers, business owners and women with her example of a successful design company and through her online training and consultation opportunities. Tobi’s desire to help others in the industry could not be more clear. Tobi TV brings professional design tips free of charge to anyone looking for home interior inspiration. Tobi U offers rising designers two semesters’ worth of design business knowledge from the comfort of their own homes.

Tobi’s style reflects her bold, vivacious personality. Tobi Fairley Home and Tobi Fairley Fabrics for Duralee boast large designs and eye-catching colors. Her design inspiration comes from classic designs, modern trends in color and runway fashions. She is fashion-forward with fabric lines that are always evolving and developing.

Brenda counts both Barry and Tobi as two more inspirational forces behind her company.

Where do you find stimulation for your creativity?

Hunter Douglas: 70 years of stylish shades and coverings

Shades leap far beyond simple function and practicality thanks to Hunter Douglas, a leader in window coverings for 70 years. Since 1946, when the company paved the way with the production of Venetian blinds, their goal remains to develop more stylish and effective forms of window shadings.

“Innovation is what drives us—we’re always thinking of new ways to solve challenges,”  – Hunter Douglas proclaims.

Duette® Honeycomb Shades stand as a great example of the ingenuity of the company. First released to the world in the 1980s, this original honeycomb shade has both stood the test of time and evolved into an engineering, design and energy-efficient work of art.

Recent tweaks to the already popular product include updating the headrail with a honeycomb shape to seamlessly flow from top to bottom; adding many lovely fabrics and colors; fine-tuning and improving the operating systems; and maintaining its incredibly energy-efficient status, making some systems tax credit eligible.

Duette faces few rivals when it comes to customized window shadings. Now, Hunter Douglas introduces three new fabric choices: Northwood™, which brings together the charm of the rustic with the simplicity of modern lines; Alexa, a tip of the hat to nature’s elements; and Jardin, which turns textured yarns into a “casual chic” design bomb.

Not just new fabrics…new opacity options too!

Of course, Hunter Douglas doesn’t stop with new fabrics. They throw in a multitude of opacity options from sheer to opaque and varied colors fanning out from whites and neutrals to intense hues guaranteed to bring on the drama. Add in four pleat sizes to choose from, and you are guaranteed shadings as unique as your home and the family inside it.

Hunter Douglas has long championed safety with their window coverings. Long gone are the days of endless cords hanging around and endangering children and pet—thanks to LiteRise®, a cordless lift system, and UltraGlide®, a retractable cord system. And then, they take it one step further with their remarkable PowerView™ Motorization which brings smart technology home and allows homeowners to schedule their shades’ adjustments most effectively.

And brand new colors…

As if that weren’t enough choices, along comes a release of brand new colors and improved style details for Hunter Douglas’ Roller Shades. These shades boast “the smallest light gap in the industry.” They can also be pretty proud of a variety of colors, patterns and textures.

Whatever the color palette in your home, one of these roller shades will fit in quite nicely. With color-coordinated bracket covers, colors such as natural Urban Loft Wheat and Earthen Tapestry Green, global-inspired Indie Cami and Fiji Dimout Island Teak, dreamy Haze Horizon and Brighton Bay Beachfront and playful Alexander Fuchsia and Joie Amethyst bounce off your windows and play off the draperies, furniture upholstery, rugs and other fabrics throughout each room to make one cohesive design team in your home.

Not only has Hunter Douglas won the hearts of Custom Drapery Designs and clients everywhere, but they’ve also brought home many larger awards as well. The Window Covering Manufacturers Association recognized the Silhouette® Duolite™ as its 2015 Product of the Year. This remarkable innovation combines the light-diffusing power of a shading with the room-darkening effects of a roller shade…in one!

Would you like an in-home consultation?

As a Hunter Douglas Showcase in-home dealer, Custom Drapery Designs looks forward to showing you all that this fabulous company has to offer for your windows. Contact us today for an in-home consultation and take advantage of the Season of Style rebate event!

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Kitchen draperies—the most important window coverings in a home

Life centers around the home; and, often, the heart of a home resides in its kitchen. In this room, simple ingredients blend together to make memorable meals; jokes bounce from smiling face to smiling face; hopes and dreams emerge; and stories find their shining spotlight.

In this room where life thrives, kitchen draperies require just the right design to highlight windows that welcome in the light and spread the home’s inner joy to the world around it. Custom Drapery Designs specializes not only in bringing together the best fabrics, hardware and coverings in just the right colors and patterns; but also in customizing those combinations for each client and each living space.

A relaxed Roman shade

 During a recent kitchen and dining room installation, CDD paired a relaxed Roman shade made from Robert Allen Serene Linen fabric with a 2” pleated border from Samuel & Sons. This combination of Sterling and Oyster colors fits right in with current kitchen design trends.

Modern kitchens go back to the basics with natural stone in soft gray and white tones. Designers often top this foundation with the elegance of soft natural-colored linens—like the one by Robert Allen—or with simple, flowing sheers. Pops of color come in with blues or turquoise in either fabric choices or with decorative pottery.

Titanium-colored Achilles medallion accents from Paris Texas Hardware add the custom design details CDD loves so much. The pleated sides of the shades draw the eyes up toward these lovely, bold diamond-shaped features. The completed project crowns the view from the kitchen sink. This style then carries over into the three open windows in the dining space, unifying the entire area.

Continuity exists with the colors in the dining chairs and draperies. Meanwhile, the colors of the medallion accents and the table and hardwood floors flow together in perfect harmony, creating a space as warm and inviting as it is stunning.

Valances or Roman shades work best in kitchen designs

Utilizing an outside mount adds height in order to balance fabric designs with the cabinets around them. Durable natural fibers—such as layered linens or cottons, complete with linings—produce optimal fullness and structure, allowing window designs to stand out in the best possible manner.

Since most windows today serve as a frame for beautiful outdoor views and come in large panes uninterrupted by decorative wooden grilles, home owners do not want them covered. Instead, we can highlight such lovely views with shades which can be hidden within a fabric-covered headrail or which open stack to become an accent in themselves.

Framing the view of outside activities

We chose the first option in this elegant eating area flanked by large curved windows which join the outdoor and indoor entertaining areas and allow for a framed view of the outside activities. These custom draperies feature Kravet’s Maeva Sparkle Linen fabric.

But, what truly makes this window design complete is the wide Celtic Knot braid designed by Barry Dixon for Vervain. CDD loves Dixon’s intricate trimmings and exquisite style. Check back for more on his designs and inspiration in a future blog!

Open stack options

For an open stack option, CDD likes Hunter Douglas’ Provenance Woven Woods, as used in this breakfast nook with three large windows to provide a homey quality while maintaining a rich design element. The Tahiti Coconut color contrasts well with Fabricut’s Panettone fabric in Denim. The Panettone pattern lends itself well to use in kitchens and bedrooms and comes also in Aqua and Fog colors.

Two other window coverings we like for kitchens are the Hunter Douglas Pirouette® and Silhouette® shadings. The Pirouette® option includes a sheer backing that presents the illusion of floating shades. This style also closes up to look just like contemporary shades. Stay tuned for more details about new colors available for these shadings in next month’s blog.

Silhoutte® shadings

The Silhouette® shadings brilliantly diffuse light and as they seem to hang suspended between two sheer fabric panels. Both types of shadings qualify for the 2016 Smart Shades Rebate Program. Call Custom Drapery Designs today to take advantage of this great event; but hurry—the deal ends on September 12.

Style choices for kitchen draperies are as varied and unique as the families they represent. Three aspects remain the same for all houses, though. Custom designs in kitchens should reflect the family’s character, maintain functionality and accentuate all the positives the heart of a home has to offer.

Would you like an in-home consultation?