BrendaFam

CDD celebrates moms

 “For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.”

We are a company built on mothers

These words penned by William Ross Wallace in the 1800s are no less true today. Custom Drapery Designs admires, respects and applauds mothers everywhere because we are a company built on mothers. Let us share a little about the moms behind the magic of our designs.

Brenda Baxter, owner and principal designer of CDD, raised this business from the talents and passions uncovered during her early years as a mom.

“As a young Mother I would sew bedding, drapery and pillows for my Mom. While tending to my newborn, a friend noticed my project and recommended this as a business,” Brenda recalls. “So, utilizing my marketing degree and passion for textiles, I did!”

In the beginning, Brenda did all of it herself

In the beginning, Brenda did it all—designing, sewing and installing each project. She even completed one installation on a ladder while 8 months pregnant!

“With continued growth and demand, my personal preference was to spend time with the clients and reach greater design potential with elegant couture details (which had surpassed my personal ability), so I began to introduce myself to professional workrooms and talented craftsmen and soon established the Custom Drapery Designs A-team.”

An established, 22-year old company now

Her attention to exquisite couture details brings us to today—22 years after the birth of her business baby. CDD continues to grow and expand while constantly reaching new heights of professional accomplishments and greater depths of client satisfaction.

Brenda’s husband of 27 years and their lovely children, two college graduates and one high school student, continue to support and encourage her talents and passions as she daily invests in their lives. She and her family love beach vacations and time on their boat. She loves immersing herself in art galleries and visiting Santa Fe. And, who could forget the importance of snuggle time with each of her fur babies!!

“While building Custom Drapery Designs, I managed the flexibility needed for my family—attending every class party, carpooling to every soccer practice—which was the priority. I am thrilled to recognize Custom Drapery Designs can now extend this opportunity to other Mothers while pursuing their passions as well,” Brenda says.

Stephanie

Stephanie Freeman—Lead Designer

Stephanie Freeman, CDD’s lead designer, couldn’t be happier with the professional opportunities and flexibility she has in working with Brenda.

“I have many passions in life: my faith, my family, travel and design. It wasn’t until I started working at Custom Drapery Designs that I felt the passions combine in a beautiful balance,” Stephanie shares.

Her education includes a degree in psychology and a degree in interior design from The Art Institute of Dallas. Stephanie began her career as an intern and progressed to a softgoods specialist at a leading design center and then to vice president of sales at an award-winning workroom.

Since joining Brenda’s team in 2014, Stephanie enjoys a family-friendly flexibility in her job. She may begin her week with busy days full of back-to-back client appointments, take a break for a Wednesday lunch date at her daughter’s school and then round out her week with a 3-day weekend getaway with her family.

“The beauty of the career is in the flexibility. My work can go where I go without skipping a beat!” she says. “Most of all, I love what I do and the people I work with. I am passionate about the beauty and creativity of custom window treatments and am thrilled to make it my career!”

AmyFamily

Amy Linscheer—Social Media/Office Manager

Newest to the CDD team, Amy Linscheer began work a few short weeks ago as the social media/office manager. Amy’s past experiences include an advertising degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas (where she met her husband), account management for several advertising agencies, marketing management for another corporation and teaching at the elementary school level for more than 10 years.

She and her husband leapt at the opportunity to move back to their friends and favorite places in the Dallas area with their three children—ages 12, 10 and 4. Amy began searching for a job that would still allow her to be there for her kids when they need her. That search led her right to Brenda!

“It was such a blessing to find someone who put as much priority on family as well as business,” Amy says. “I can be home when my kids need me most and still be a part of a growing, creative, thriving company. It doesn’t get much better than that! Not to mention how fun it is to see beautiful fabric and designs every day while working with two very talented moms. It’s pretty amazing to see what Brenda’s accomplished all on her own, and I’m loving being able to work with both her and Stephanie.”

JoyandKids

Joy Rancatore—Freelance Writer/Editor/Photographer

Joy Rancatore, a homeschooling mother of two, never imagined the wealth of information and inspiration in store for her when she joined the CDD team in 2010. As a freelance writer, editor and photographer, Joy enjoys the opportunity to write about Brenda and Stephanie’s fabulous designs, travel experiences and product favorites from her home in Slidell, La., where she lives with her husband of 10 years, their two children, an energetic labrador retriever and her 13-year-old feline baby.

“As a writer, I love to view the world through others’ eyes and keep a bit of their experiences for myself. Working with Brenda for the past nearly six years has taught me so much about the beauty and history of the textile and design industries. I have learned things and vicariously experienced opportunities I never would have been able to otherwise,” Joy says. “I look at fabrics and home designs with completely different eyes; and I have gotten to ‘know’ these amazing and inspirational moms a state away who share my passion for their families and their God-given talents. It’s truly an honor to be part of their team.”

So, from the moms at Custom Drapery Designs, we wish mothers everywhere a very happy and special “Moms’ Month” as you find your own ways to balance the beauty of motherhood and the fulfillment of taking your passions and turning them into a successful enterprise.

IMG_3589

Textiles history comes alive

Limitless possibilities

Ever growing and ever adapting, the textile industry is a living, breathing creature. Technology, new creations and a world of influence weave together to produce patterns limitless in their possibilities. And, perhaps the greatest catalyst in the industry’s continued evolution and growth is its fascinating history.

Our fall 2015 trip to Paris

Pierre Frey embraces both the history and the future of textiles. And, they captured the hearts of the Custom Drapery Designs team during our fall 2015 trip to Paris.

The Pierre Frey showroom and museum archives houses fragile silk pieces dating to the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. These protected pieces simply took our breath away and fueled our creative side…as they do for the artisans at Pierre Frey!

Archives

Sophie Rouart, Director of Heritage of the Pierre Frey house spent hours sharing her passion for these materials with us during our tour. She showed us each piece and gave us details on the history behind them. Delicious silks are preserved in drawers by century and continue to live through the reproductions they inspire.

IMG_3589

Designers eye antique fabrics and draw the designs to scale on graph paper. They alter thread choices and the patterns’ sizes, giving birth to a modern interpretation of these lovely preservations. As their website declares, “This is an art that imitates life to inspire and delight.”

Pierre Frey proudly preserves more than antique fabrics. They embrace centuries-old techniques in order to reproduce period textiles. The company, which began in 1935, purchases fabric mills which boast a history of mastery in their craft. These mills often still work with their original looms.

IMG_3594

Several houses purchased by Pierre Frey include Braquenié, which was founded in 1824; Fadini Borghi, an Italian-born house specializing in silks; and Boussac, a house with a more modern focus. At the heart of Pierre Frey are the people who work there, and the company values family as well as fine craftsmanship. We visited with Pierre Frey, son of the founding Pierre Frey, during our visit.

Textiles have been a huge part of life since Adam and Eve discovered the need for clothes. But, over time, this need has developed into a passion and a search for the unique while keeping in touch with its origins. Textiles have brought the world together through trade and inspiration. From the Silk Road to the traditions of the fabric mills of North France to the first U.S. factory and the Father of the Industrial Revolution in America, Samuel Slater, textiles have developed over time, layering the rich heritage of the past with the global awareness and new ideas of the present and the technological advancements in production and materials of the future.

untitled
Photo Sep 04, 10 54 33 AM

think HANDMADE

Photo Sep 04, 10 54 33 AM

Good design in a room opens up conversation and sets the stage for memories, inspiration and so much more. When that design includes handmade elements, the room becomes a story teller.

At Custom Drapery Designs, we love to tell stories; which is why each design we complete is unique to each home owner and completed with the best quality materials. Any handmade materials used are simply the icing on the cake; but every completed project CDD does is a hands-on process from concept to installation.

Brenda Baxter, owner and principal designer, says: “Custom couture or handmade art alludes delicate details with breathtaking quality and professional craftsmanship. I believe couture quality is the broad scope understanding of both the nature of fabric and confidence in creativity. The value of couture or ‘handmade’ is understood when realizing the value of delicate personalized detail created by an artist. We consider our drapery design as art with individualism and the understanding of the nature of textiles and decorative elements. CDD teams with workrooms who are proven professional craftsmen with outstanding care given to the tiniest of detail. Together, building ‘wow’ factor.”

During Brenda’s September visit to Paris and the MAISON&OBJET Observatoire de la Maison, she spent time examining the materials of two companies that share her passion for these details—STRIGO and Maison Fey. These two companies are different because of their age—one still a young company; the other, more of a historical institution—but both commit themselves to quality in the details.

Photo Sep 04, 10 54 02 AM

STRIGO’s origin comes from two sisters’ journey across the legendary Silk Road and their visits with ancient trade towns along the way. Cathrin and Tina Ott took a trip they will never forget and discovered embroideries that planted the seeds of their very own company. Four short (but full) years ago, these sisters committed to bringing “the richness of the ancient textile technique to a modern and professional level” through STRIGO. One year after its founding, the Munich-based company enjoyed a very successful debut at MAISON&OBJET in 2012. So, early on, the company’s dedication to the details earned them international applause.

Photo Sep 04, 4 19 10 PM (1)

Each material with the STRIGO stamp of approval comes from family-based artisanal workshops in Germany and Uzbekistan. Brenda loved meeting the sisters and found herself surrounded by inspiration while browsing their bedspreads, custom embroidery throws and lovely cushions, which are paired with individually-chosen linings such as alpaca fur, cashmere, goat suede, handwoven silk and linen.

From the beginning of the process, the customer chooses each detail of his or her finished product, including the color and linings. According to STRIGO’s website, “The embroideries for a throw alone take a well-versed artisan three months to make.”

Brenda knows her clients agree that handmade items and custom-designed pieces are well worth the wait. It’s all about the story and the journey of taking quality materials and turning them into a unique masterpiece.

Maison Fey, at more than 105 years old, knows something about that journey. The leather craftsmen at this Paris company complete a five- to seven-year internal training in order to produce leather products that are simply works of art on fine Cordoba leather.

“What caught my eye was the art the craftsmen created with stamped leather,” Brenda said. “They apply a stamped design to a thick cardboard before actually applying to the leather of choice. I was so impressed with the precision and attention to detail even with the cardboard sample that I bought their remnant for myself. I began to think of how this technique could be applied to window treatments. A stamped leather cutting would look outstanding featured as a cornice board with beautiful silk or textured fabrics draping from underneath. Creating a conversation piece!”

Photo Sep 04, 4 28 29 PM (1)

The embossed cardboard piece shown is used by the craftsmen to practice before the actual leather is stamped. Then, this leather can be used as textured wallpaper that can be painted to any chosen color. As we examined in last month’s blog, bringing texture to the walls takes design to another dimension.

Each detail of a design works together to create a completed masterpiece that fits a home and its owner; and, when those details come from such intricate processes, it makes the story one worth sharing from generation to generation.

Stroheim trim

Custom Drapery Designs delights in the importance and prominence of texture in design. This lovely detail transforms a flat design to a multi-dimensional experience; and, many times, accessories offer the best examples of texture.

During Brenda Baxter’s trip to Paris in September, she collected new and exciting products with which to add extra dimensions to future designs. (See last month’s blog sharing some of the inspiration she brought back across the ocean.) Her hotel even got her creative juices flowing and inspired her to snap this photo while resting from her walking tours of the city. Hotel d’Aubusson may very well inspire some upcoming designs! The lobby boasts magnificent elegant draperies which perfectly complement the rustic beams. And, ideally placed accessories bring it all together to make a perfectly-designed package.

Art provides a great starting point for adding depth to a design. Like we saw last time, many fabrics are art pieces in themselves and create an extra dimension or make a fantastic statement to set a room apart. This lovely example of Graffiti Art fabric from Jean Paul Gaultier adds a pop of modern flair to an older furniture style. This chair coupled with a solid drapery background brings both elegance and fashion to any room.

ELITIS_AGLAE_fabric_3_ok

Brenda browsed several showrooms in Paris, including Èlitis. She was particularly drawn to their Artémis and Algaé collections with larger-than-life prints on cotton-linen mix sheers. These flowy fabrics provide the perfect canvas for
watercolor-inspired designs. Artémis brings a pop of color through its detailed flowers. Algaé mimics the colors and shapes of elements in nature from lily pads on a pond to moss encircling a great tree to the variations in color shades in the waters in a lake. These collections bring the outdoors in and add the illusion of stepping into a magical spot somewhere in the great expanse of nature. Close your eyes and you can almost hear the mystical notes of fairies and dryads.

IMG_9272

Pillows, throws and rugs join art as great starting points for a design. Custom pillows can mimic the colors and textures of a room’s draperies and add depth and warmth to any space. These lovely pillows on display in the Lelievre Paris showroom show the range of possible options with this accessory—dark colors, light colors, patterned, simple, decorated with tassels and trims…the possibilities are as varied as people and their styles! Lelievre embraces the history of fabrics and carries those ideals into modern times with rich, luxurious fabrics and sensuous silks paired brilliantly with timeless solids.

Veda_Slideshow3-1266x760

Pairing more busy patterns with solids offers great design potential. And, don’t shy away from lighter colors…even white or off-white—be prepared to hear much more on that in 2016! Also, check out these simply elegant stonewashed linen pillows from the Èlitis Veda collection. We love the contrast of the deep violet with the white and the detailed decorative stitching along the seams—simply making a statement! A careful mixture of textiles adds dimension to a room as well. A great design can mix and match silks, linens and velvets through the use of properly-placed accessories. The depth and added dimension multiple fabric types bring to design opens the door to a new horizon for interior styles. Pairing rugs and throws that play off one another in texture and style pumps up a design.

Stroheim trim

During a recent installation, Custom Drapery Designs chose some new trimmings from Stroheim to add some custom pizzazz to a room. Brenda chose this Nuage in Moss trimming by Charles Faudree. An interior designer and philanthropist, Faudree passed away in 2013; but not before making a great impact on the design community. Within his collection on Stroheim’s website he is quoted as saying, “You can have a lot invested in throw pillows with trims and fringes. But, it’s the frosting on the cake; the detail that really makes a room…it’s important.”

elitis pillows

While touring the Èlitis showroom in Paris, Brenda swooned over their decorative pillows. She looks forward to using a number of them in upcoming designs. These “art pieces,” as she refers to them,  come in a variety of sizes, highlighting the company’s signature large patterns and solids with tiny lip cord accents that add a signature finishing touch. It’s these exquisite couture details that Custom Drapery Designs seeks out for our clients and their designs. It’s in life’s little details that the greatest beauty often lies.

elitis wallcovering

One final way to achieve great depth in design is through textured walls. That’s right—texture comes across in way more than fabrics! Stamped wallcoverings, like this one from Èlitis, simply tie a room all together and add depth in a surprisingly refreshing way. These wallcoverings feature “natural plant materials in wood, bamboo and paper mâché” and create “a world of walls made up of simplicity and sophistication.”

While modern technologies allow many new textiles and colors and patterns, handmade items retain their unique values. Clients do not mind waiting for fabrics that are hand-painted or hand-sewn. Handmade rugs, like we saw in a previous post, are in high demand. The stories behind these pieces and the obvious attention to detail in the work make for timeless additions to any room’s design. Join us next time for a closer look at the beauty of handmade textiles and get ready to chat with some industry leaders whose commitment to handmade captured CDD’s attention.

Spring2014-Design5

Design trends transcend time and space

Make the Old, Fresh!

We’ve glimpsed the future of interior design fashion, and we can’t wait to share it with you! These new trends marry perfectly with Custom Drapery Designs’ approach to each project. Today’s emphasis is a modern interpretation of traditional design—utilizing layers, personalization and mixtures—capped off with exquisite trim and embellishments to bring it all together and to provide our clients with one-of-a-kind exquisite couture details.

Custom Drapery Designs Cloth in Dallas, TX

This is what we’re all about—amazing styles. They excite and drive us to create the best spaces for our clients. And, to provide the best in design, we look to the best in the textiles business for inspiration and for show-stopping quality. Brunschwig & Fils certainly believes in quality, and their fabrics bear witness to their commitment to good design. In fact, their mantra—”Good design is forever”—which was first uttered by Zelina Brunschwig (better known by those who loved her as Mrs. B), encapsulates the heart of today’s new design trends.

Long known for color, many of the Brunschwig & Fils fabrics today bring stylish neutrals to the design table as well. The company has actively carried the great designs of the late 1800s and early 1900s throughout the decades while making them fresh all along the way.

Mrs. B, daughter-in-law of the company’s founder, infused her passion for lasting looks into the business when she took the lead in 1941 while her husband, Roger E. Brunschwig, fought in World War II. Her resourcefulness and creativity carried the company through the somber time of war, and the company remains an industry leader today. Their story is one of perseverance and passion and love of lasting style. This video explores the Brunschwig & Fils history and Mrs. B’s influence that is still felt today throughout the design world:

Design Trends Of Spring 2014 by Custom Drapery Designs

Part of the Brunschwig & Fils family, Jagtar originated in British India and Thailand more than a century ago. Their exquisite silk fabrics have been featured world-wide by leading architects, designers and decorators. The flowing solids, textures, stripes and jacquards grace the cabins of private yachts and jets and welcome weary travelers into luxury resorts and hotels. Custom Drapery Designs delights in using such high-quality fabric to breathe a gentle air of beauty and sophistication into clients’ homes. Silk fabrics have long been the ultimate in style and bring a global feel to any design simply through their creamy touch. Jagtar’s commitment to quality craftsmanship inspires confidence and appreciation for this beautiful fabric. Watching these fabrics take form and come to life is breathtaking. Take a look at the intricate process with this informative video:

Current design trends travel through both time and space. As we explored in our June blog, inspiration comes from all around the world. With the Internet and endless communication possibilities as well as manageable international travel, bringing the world into our homes has never been more achievable. Interior design has embraced these opportunities and gives us a new style: Global Ethnic.

We have clients who are seasoned world travelers and clients who may not have a passport at all; but, either way, the world can live in their homes. Often travelers desire to wrap a room’s designs around a treasure from an adventure…perhaps a tapestry, a rug, a pillow, a piece of art or a bit of fabric. Others choose to welcome home far and exciting places through colors, tones and patterns that reflect the influences of distant regions. Sample the world!

IMG_2930

LIZZO, an infant company with grown-up sophistication and a global palette, hails from Spain; but has already spread throughout Europe. Designers in the United States have taken notice and are bringing LIZZO’S quality and depth to their clients. New 2015 collection offerings include inspiration from 19th century Romanticism, the Roaring Twenties, traditional British styles and the “Paris of America,” New Orleans.

Fabrics include sheers with stunning finishes for a vintage or shabby chic affect and embody fil coupe, the extra floating wefts that lend to use as a delightful fringe effect, and exposed jute yarns, which create great dimension. Fabric like this breathes life into draperies. They lift draperies from lovely to marvelous and add dimension and charm to design. LIZZO offers lovely contrast between sheen and matte textiles, and the company masterfully blends traditional with contemporary. Their fabrics evoke a multitude of emotions.

Join us next month as we further explore old-made-new fashion trends and Global Ethnic touches through more delicious fabrics!

Soleil-Outdoor-Fabric-header

Warm up your outdoor living

“March winds and April showers bring May flowers” and barbecues, picnics and outdoor movie nights. You bring your life outdoors during the spring and summer, so why not bring your style with you? Custom Drapery Designs loves the outdoors both for inspiration and as an extension of indoor designs and lifestyles. We look forward to sharing with you new and exciting ways to transform your backyard, porch or patio into the most comfortable and stylish space we can envision together.

Perhaps you already have great furniture outside, but the fabric colors or patterns have lost their pizazz. Let us introduce you to three Kravet fabric collections that can revitalize your backyard: the Oceania Cruises for Kravet Collection and the Kravet Soleil Echo Design and Windsor Smith Home Collections.

Set sail with the calming tones and soothing patterns of fabrics designed specifically for the Oceania Cruise Lines and available for you through Custom Drapery Designs. The blend of teal blue, sea green and sand beige will rock you on gentle waves as you relax and embrace friends and family in your backyard oasis. Patterns vary as greatly as waves at sea with ikats, stripes, solids and a variety of others. As an added bonus, this fabric cleans easily so you can keep your new décor as bright and aesthetically pleasing as the day we install it.

Kravet Soleil offers two similar yet distinct styles for the connoisseur of outdoor designs. With the Echo Design and Windsor Smith collections, you will embrace the colors of the four elements: earth, water, air and fire. Their galleries include bold browns, soft shades of seafoam greens, calming beiges and vibrant oranges. Echo entered the fashion scene in 1923 as a scarf company and grew to “a global design company.” Windsor Smith labels her work with her name as a promise of its enduring beauty. As the Kravet brochure explains, she “has emerged from collector to one of the leading talents in the interior design industry.”

Since all these textiles are made for durability in weather and light, you know your designs will last through many sparkling seasons and entertaining events.

So…you have your stylish sanctuary ready for the fresh air season ahead. But, you’ve got one more problem—the sun has a tendency to be overbearing at times. How can you beat the heat and enjoy more daylight in the comfort of your outdoor living space? We have the answer for you: Insolroll Oasis® exterior roller shade systems.

These state-of-the-art and stylish shades provide relief at the touch of a button for your balcony, deck or patio. They are practical—providing protection from glare, heat, UV rays and insects, as well as lowering cooling costs indoors. And, they are a fashionable accessory that can accentuate any design you have in your outdoor living areas with a variety of colors, textures and beautiful hardware options. Custom Drapery Designs would love to make your outdoor experience better all day long!

IMG_7994-300x200

Natural elements produce passionate designs

Santa Fe, New Mexico, entices visitors with its offer of a “colorful journey;” and, as we discovered, it most certainly delivers! On a recent trip there to befriend a few textile artists and garner new inspirations, Brenda Baxter discovered more than color and beauty; she shook hands with two people as passionate about art, design, texture and quality as she is. Barbara Marigold and Connie Enzmann-Forneris embrace the Southwestern landscape in their woven textiles and wool rugs for others to enjoy.

Barbara owns Marigold Arts, a gallery established in 2002, which showcases these ladies’ handwoven textiles as well as other items hand-crafted by New Mexican artists. Brenda found herself in awe of the time and attention which Barbara pours into creating her own fabrics. (She also found herself wrapped in the soft warmth of a Mohair shawl!)

Barbara explained her process of transforming natural brushed Mohair yarn—brought to us by Angora goats—into an absolute work of art. She works with natural dyes, such as marigolds, walnut husks and other plant products, to develop colors as rich as the Santa Fe scenery. Her blends of colors are very carefully chosen; and, as she weaves, Barbara is careful to maintain perfect spacing and to brush the yarn and rinse it in fabric softener to produce an incredibly soft Mohair blend. She ties her work off with a dramatic fringe finish as seen in the photo of Brenda’s lovely shawl.

Connie — a professional colorist, rug weaver, artist and teacher — embodies a passion for art, design and nature through her production of custom wool area rugs. She colors every single thread of lustrous natural wool fibers from New Zealand with brilliant vegetable dyes. Her handwoven patterns include gorgeous Ikats along with many others. Custom Drapery Designs looks forward to partnering with Connie in the future. She will be using fabric samples from our working designs in order to customize wool rugs to complete our rooms.

We love Ikats!

And, Vervain fabrics blends luxurious quality standards with traditional concepts and a modern flair to produce unique and decidedly memorable patterns that we adore. We look forward to centering future designs around some of their La Goulet Ikats with their coarse cotton textures and bold statement colors.

Each piece that has inspired our musings in this blog finds its origin in the earth around us—from the rich tones to the varied textures to the natural products from which they are fashioned. It is only fitting that we tip our hats to the magnificent Earth Elements drapery hardware by Wesley Mancini for J.F. Fabrics.

This line includes hand-threaded finials which are accented by a layer of netting, increasing the feeling of warmth and connection to nature these statement pieces bring into a room. Each hand-crafted item in the collection proudly bears imperfections that create a purposeful distressed finish and perpetuate the beauty of an artisan’s masterpiece. These natural finials promise to be the crown to many palatial designs.

We love to use natural design elements like these because they brighten and warm any space. Let us help you bring a little bit of outside inspiration into your home today!

STROHEIM FB feature2

Stunning reveals remain focus

Custom Drapery Designs combines the highest quality products available in the design industry with the most detail-oriented work ethic and our desire to give clients a final design project they will be proud of and thrilled to display. We offer more than high-end couture draperies; we coordinate shades, shutters, draperies, valances, bedding and upholstery for our clients to provide a complete package of interior design needs.

Fabricut, one of our favorite leaders in the fabric industry, added the Stroheim brand in 2010. Stroheim’s classic high-quality products work for both traditional and modern tastes and provide perfect matches for Custom Drapery Designs’ discerning clients. The 148-year-old Stroheim name brings the prestige of being “one of the oldest and most respected fabric houses in the decorating world” along with its high-end textiles, trimmings and wallpaper to Fabricut’s already broad range of home furnishings.

Technology from Hunter Douglas continues to make our jobs easier and design innovations more user-friendly for our patrons. With the Platinum™ App from Hunter Douglas, the control of all the window coverings in your home rests in the palm of your hands. Set the appropriate lighting for different times of day as well as for different activities, such as movie time. Use your Apple device to adjust the amount of light your motorized shades allow into each room of your home. Custom Drapery Designs just received a new Platinum™ App display; so now we can demonstrate with our iPad during our in-home consultations. Click on the app photo above to view a video about all the great features and ask us today about how to incorporate these outstanding window coverings into your new design.

From first contact with a new or returning client, we consider both the big picture and the little details that make that project unique and characteristic of the person’s style. We lead with a phone consultation which gives us the project’s budget, style and design needs. From there, we draw up a plan and choose fabric samples that match the color, style and architecture to bring to our in-home consultation. We return with final samples, sketches and photos to cement our design plans for the space before returning once more for professional measurements. We monitor every aspect of the design implementation from start to processing each detail in the workroom to installation. As Brenda Baxter, owner and principal designer for Custom Drapery Designs, says, “Our goal is to produce an end product that you are absolutely in love with!” Call us today to realize your interior design dreams.

feature

Global inspiration brings the world to your home

Salām from Dubai!!

We recently returned to Texas from an incredible and inspirational visit to Dubai. The culture, the people and the sites warmed us; and the local textiles and spices fueled our passion for creativity and innovations in our designs. The Dubai integration of muted and bold colors within a varied collection of patterns stirred us and remained at the forefront of our design plans for the future as we returned home to similar fine details mimicked in this season’s fabrics.

By framing your windows with these fabrics, you, too, will experience the warm breeze and breathe in the warm and spicy fragrances of the Dubai spice souk…cinnamon, coriander, saffron, cloves and frankincense.

NL DubaiMarch2012 114

Southern Belle turned Big Apple Sensation Charlotte Moss has been known to bend a few rules and incorporate many cultures into designs that epitomize American style. Her new collections with Fabricut include materials boasting subtle patterns, bold patterns, bright colors and muted colors as diverse and impressive as the inspirational female explorers and travelers for whom they are named. And, her collection of trim adds a pop of culture with the look and the names of big cities from Moss’ travels around the globe.

Life and all its experiences inspire Moss. She was quoted in a recent Elle Decor article:

“We designers act as filters, sopping up what we see, where we go and who we meet. Everything funnels through and ends up somewhere, sometime, in what we do and create.”

VACA TRIM BLOG

While her philosophy–”live passionately, decorate luxuriously and entertain beautifully”–is as big and bold as her designs; her focus remains steadfast: “Fine-tune your point of view. It’s what defines style.”

Her energy, passion and focus are characteristics Custom Drapery Designs, LLC. seeks to emulate in our own creations. The sketch here provides an example of our pairing of a Kravet fabric with a Charlotte Moss delicate glass bead trim. This combination stuns with gathered puckers and graduating height and reminds us of the warm light of a lamp reflecting on a tent during one memorable dinner in Dubai.

Another exciting fabric line we have added is Trend, a division of Fabricut, with outstanding quality and style at an affordable price. Their Jaclyn Smith Home Collection can give your drapes an unforgettable look that is sure to have your guests’ attentions!

Helser Brothers new forged finial

We believe in the importance of every detail of drapery design, which is why we are excited about the Helser Brothers Artisan forged iron drapery hardware. The pictured prototype is a breath-taking inspiration for some of our upcoming projects.

Brothers-turned-business partners, Jay and Mark Helser founded their company in 1996 on their principles of hard work; commitment to outstanding customer service; and production of well-built, visually stunning hardware.

Custom Drapery Designs, LLC

Custom Drapery Designs, LLC, serves Dallas and the surrounding metroplex with all aspects of a custom design project. From in-home consultation to project management to exquisite couture details to a perfect installation, we do it all. 

Hours of Operation:

Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

© 2022 Custom Drapery Designs, LLC Custom Window Treatments