Simple Guidelines to Hanging Drapes

I love the way drapes make a decorated room feel complete, but they must be placed well and suit the space to optimize the interior design, looking as lovely as possible. So how do you know if you’re choosing curtains that are the right size and placing them well? There are some basic rules of thumb to follow that can get you on the right track for hanging that finishing touch.

The height at which to hang a drapery rod depends on the style of window, window covering and the height of ceiling in the room.

HOW HIGH DO YOU PLACE THE ROD?

For standard drapes that hang on either side of a window creating a frame, the typical height at which to install the drapery rod is halfway between the top of the window and the ceiling. This applies if there are more than 12 inches between the window trim and ceiling. For a cathedral ceiling, try to leave approximately 4 to 6 inches above the window trim as a guideline. If your ceiling is low, consider installing the rod as close to the ceiling or crown moulding as possible. In a small room, hanging drapery panels as high as possible will give the illusion of extra height. DO NOT hang the rod so low that light shines through between the rod and the window treatment (I see this a lot with tab top curtains).

LENGTH OF DRAPES

Most drapes should just touch the floor to create an elegant look. In areas where you can't use functioning panels (ie: you have a bench or piece of furniture in front of the window), install roman shades for privacy and frame the window with floor-length drapery panels to achieve a “dressed window” look. Ideally, panels should go to the floor or in some cases stop at the windowsill, DO NOT install panels that stop anywhere in between.

WIDTH OF DRAPES

“Fullness” refers to the width of the finished panel. For more traditional drapery, fullness of 2 to 3 times the width of the rod will result in billowy, pleated drapery. Keep in mind that some fabrics hang differently than others. A sheer fabric might require more fullness, while a heavier fabric like velvet or chenille will only require a width of 1-1/2 to 2 times that of the rod. DO NOT hang wimpy looking panels it cheapens the look altogether.

TRICK THE EYE AND LET THE LIGHT IN

One of the best ways to make your windows look bigger and ensure you will maintain the most amount of natural light in your room is to not hang your window treatments more than 4 inches into the window (whenever possible).  If you are hanging panels be sure to mount your rod wide enough so that when your panels are open they are mainly covering the walls and trim, not the window itself.  When hanging a valance the same concept applies, the bottom edge of the valance should not fall more than 4 inches into the window. DO NOT hang valances level with the top of the window.

HALF-HEIGHT CURTAINS

For café curtains, install a tension or café-style rod halfway up the window, making sure the rod is parallel to the fixed horizontal mullion. This style of drapery should be installed inside the window frame for a finished look and should just touch the bottom windowsill. For a more tailored look, purchase or make curtains with a width less than 1-1/2 to 2 times that of the window. DO NOT let your treatment hang past the windowsill.

ROUND TOP WINDOWS

For round-top windows, hang the rod just below the rounded part, leaving the upper section of the window uncovered to let in natural light. Or, hang the rod over top of the entire window to emphasize tall ceilings and "frame" the special window with fabric. DO NOT hang your rod in the middle of your arch.

Collections or Clutter?

Everyone collects things as a kid—stickers, baseball cards, stamps—but as we get older, either the items change to reflect a new aesthetic or the collections grow in size and value. But what makes the difference between a tasteful and well-curated collection and a room or house that looks like it’s straight from an episode of Hoarders?

The difference between a bunch of stuff and a beautiful collection is all in the presentation. How to display small items in a home is a big problem for a lot of collectors. Collections can take over a room or, in a worst case scenario, a whole house.  This mistake is compounded when the collection is of a mid-sized thing like figurines, pottery or books.  Somehow when a collection is of a dozen ducks from 8-12″ tall, you’re likely to find them scattered here and there, singly and in pairs, around the house.  Gather all the pieces of the collection in one place and evaluate the strength and interest of each piece. 

Another clever solution is to give a neutral-colored collection a colorful backdrop. On their own, the white vessels pictured on the right might induce a yawn. But group them together against green-painted shelves and their forms pop and become interesting.

Of course, shells are beautiful the problem is they can have a "been there, done that" look if they are simply lined up on a shelf or (worse) stacked in a bowl. Use small display stands to turn shells (and other natural wonders) on end and elevate them. They go from dust collectors to sculpture in one easy move.

A collection of vintage bottles works perfectly on a large windowsill.  Casually group like colors and make sure there are a bunch of different sizes for an unfussy look. Bonus- the light streaming through these bottles will brighten up the whole room.

Don’t hide beautiful platters or serving dishes in kitchen cabinets! Instead group them together and display them on kitchen shelves. Not only are they easier to access, it creates a great focal point in the kitchen.

Edit ruthlessly if necessary and just place your best pieces – all in one place…… one or two tabletops, or throughout one bookshelf.  If the collection is of small items, gather and anchor them together on a tray.  If the collection is of oversized items, group them in pairs or trios and place judiciously around the room.  If it starts to feel like a store, edit some more.

Hang your pictures...PERFECTLY!

For the most part I don't walk into places, my friend's houses, and mentally critique their decor (well it does happen sometimes, but only if it is really bad and those people aren't usually my friends...cause I would have already told them what was up), but one thing that I see all the time that drives me crazy is artwork that is not hung at the right height.  Men tend to hang stuff WAY too high and women...well that goes either way. 

So here is a great tip that will make picture hanging a simple, pleasurable task. The tip is to always hang your art at 65" on center. "On center" means that the middle of the picture is at 65" (obviously, the hook will be higher). Interestingly, the 65" standard represents the average human eye-height and is regularly used as a standard in many galleries and museums.

If you stick to this standard, you create a harmony among ALL the pictures in your home, as they will always hang in relationship to one another from their centers, not their sides. Additionally, I have also found that this helps solve the problem many people have, which is that they hang their pictures too high.

Step By Step:

1. Measure and lightly mark 65" on the wall
2. Measure top of your picture to the middle (or take height and divide by 2)
3. Measure top of your picture to the tightened wire (a small amount)
4. Subtract this last amount to tell you how far above 65" your hook should go
5. Measure up from 65" with this last amount and lightly mark on the wall

Example:

1. Picture is 20" tall
2. Middle is 10" down from top (this should rest at 65")
3. Wire comes to 2" below the top
4. 10" - 2" = 8"
5. Lightly mark 8" above your first mark OR 73" on the wall

Though this may seem complicated to read, it is quite simple when you do it. The thing to always remember is that the CENTER of all your pictures are hanging at the same 65", and you are just figuring out where the hook goes above it.



The artwork in this picture is hung about 12 inches too high,
while the collage is interesting, it looks like it is hung on the
vertical center of the wall (not good)



This 65" also applies to groups of pictures. Think of a group as ONE picture. After you arrange how you want them all to hang (doing this on the floor makes it easier), start with the center picture/pictures and get them at 65" on center. Then surround them with the rest of the group.

One except to this rule is if you’re hanging art over a sofa, table or chest, the bottom of the art should be 4-8″ off the furniture.

Check every picture and painting in your home and rehang them………..lower.

Easy Stripes on Textured Walls

As much as I love a beautiful painted wall in a single color, I also adore the look of painted stripes on walls.  They can be bold or subtle, symmetrical or varied, horizontal or vertical, but done just right, stripes are perfect for creating big impact on a budget.

Designing, measuring, and prepping your space for stripes is difficult enough, but the greatest frustration felt by most is taking the time to paint stripes around a room with textured walls, and then peeling off the tape, only to find uneven lines.

The best way to get a crisp line is to first paint your lighter color on the whole wall and let dry for an appropriate amount of time (or, if you’re painting stripes over an existing paint job, make sure you have the original paint color, at least enough for touch ups.)

Lay out your tape lines, then seal the edges of the tape with your ORIGINAL color using a brush or roller.  Let dry, then paint your contrasting stripe color over that, and remove the tape while the paint is still a bit wet.  Not only will you get a clean stripe, but the only seepage you’ll get is in the original paint color, and should blend in just fine.

Happy striping!

Top 10 Reason to Hire an Interior Designer

You might think that hiring an Interior Designer is only for the rich and famous, but actually hiring an Interior Designer is a smart way to go at any budget.  Here are some of the tops reasons.

1.  Hiring an Interior Designer will save you money.    How many times have you purchased something and have no where to put it, or purchased something and it doesn’t fit or look quite right and you end up getting rid of it shortly there after?  Hiring an Interior Designer can help save you money by suggesting purchases that will work and fit into your home decor.  A Designer will help you purchase quality items that will last longer and can transition with moves or changes.   Designer’s also have trade access and discounts that are often passed on the client, so you can purchase higher quality items for the same or lower than you would pay buying retail.  An Interior Designer can help you get it right the first time.

2.  An Interior Designer has access to trade only showrooms and products.  Buying retail is like have a choice of vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry ice cream.  But buying through an Interior Designer opens the world to a whole rainbow of colors.  When you purchase through an Interior Designer you have access to a fabulous world of fabrics, furniture, and other products that cannot be found in retail.

3.  Designers have an array of associates.  One of the biggest challenges facing homeowners and business when deciding on a new project or remodel is how to find quality craftsmen and trades.  Designers work with the trades daily, and they often know the best of their craft, from general contractors to upholsters to custom woodworkers, a Designer has contacts that will help ensure your project is done professionally.

4.  Coordination and Project Management.  Projects such as renovations and remodels can involve a lot of different processes and a lot of different people working on the same space.  A Designer has experience coordinating such projects, and can facilitate the work flow and timing of the installation.  A Designer can also act on your behalf to manage and oversee the project, and ensure that the work is proceeding according to schedule and most importantly correctly.

5.  Fresh ideas and perspective.  Sometimes it doesn’t matter how talented you are and how good your taste is, when you live in a home for a while, you can lose the ability to have an objective perspective.  Bringing in a Professional can give you a new and fresh perspective of the space.

6.  You’ll get more use out of your furniture.  A Designer can help you make quality choices in furniture that will last decades.   With such quality and classic pieces, you may only need occasional reupolstering to refresh your look.

7.  You’ll get more use out of your space.  A Designer can help you get more use of out of your space by designing a space that is functional and useable as well asesthically pleasing.

8.  Free marriage counseling!  Some couples have differences of opionions and tastes when it comes to buying something as simple as a couch; image the complications that arise when redoing a whole room or renovating a home.  Hiring a Designer can help find keep your marriage sane, by offering an outside perpective and recommeding materials that you will both love.

9.  You’ll have more time to do the things you love.  Let’s face it not everyone loves designing and buying for their home.  Hiring an Interior Designer will allow to you avoid the things you dread, and move on to enjoy the things you do love.

10. Your home is still not done.   And it may never get done!  Give your home the priority it deserves.  Bringing in a Professional Interior Designer to get those rooms and projects done once and for all, and enjoy your home the way you dreamed it to be.

A Modern Spin on Traditional Artwork



I guess President's Day in combination will all the history homework my daughter has been bringing home from school this month has sparked an interested in me to have sillhouettes made of my children.  You know, the very traditional black and white profile bust pictures typically in a black oval frame.  I remember seeing them all the time as a child, usually in homes belonging to friends of my grandmother's or Victorian styled homes. 

While I like the simplicity and traditional-ness (like my new word?) of the original sillhouettes, I don't have a traditionally styled home.  So that got me searching and researching...I wanted to find a sillhouette maker that could give a spin on a timeless artform. I also wanted to know the history of sillhouettes. Sillhouettes date back to the 1700s in France but really became popular in America in the 1800s.  These profile views are cut free-hand by artists, but now with technology a lot of the sillhouettes are computer generated.

Apple Blossom Print

In my search for an updated verison of the orginal Sillhouette I came across Apple Blossom Print (on www.etsy.com of course). These pieces have the traditional-styled sillhouettes with added colors, words or styling. I love the idea of adding color and your child's name to background of the artwork.      

There are very few things in life that are more precious than the profile of our sweet babies. And I don't know about you but time seems to be flying by way too fast! Lately I have been constantly trying to stop my cuties from growing, and getting bigger.  This is one way I can freeze my little loves ones in time.

T Minus 6 Days and Counting

"Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions.  It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines")." - Wikipedia

With less then 1 week until Valentine's Day I have been racking my brain for ideas for my Valentine.  I want something that will make him think of me when he sees it.  Jason is not a "jewelry-kind-of-guy" so watches and such are out of the question.  I don't want to get him something generic...I want it to be personal, and loving all things home decor, I would like it to be something we can keep out year-round.  So after doing some research, this is what I found...

I love the idea of this...a handcarved expression of love between you and your significant other.  The Lonely Heart can personalize it as you see fit, your initials, your wedding date, a special saying between the two of you, you decide!

This pillow from Alexandra Ferguson cracks me up! I am not sure you could use it on your family room sofa, but it would be great for the bedroom. 

I don't know about you, but my mom always made us use coasters under our glasses! These fun and persoanlized coasters from Biscotti Beads are another great way to display pictures of you and your cutie throughout the house.

I love these personalized and hand painted blocks from Mleefipps. What a great way to showcase the two of you as a couple. 

Isn't it true! The way we feel about the one we love is hard to express with words, but why not try! This cute sign from My Primitive Boutique is a great way to tell your guy (or girl) how you really feel about them!

Men are so proud of who they are and where they come from, so why not show him how proud you are to be part of his family...and what better way to do that then let everyone know! Have a plaque made from The Country Mouse with your family name and the date it was established, I promise he will feel honored!

Every year the focus of Valentine's day is on the women...or once you have kids it sometimes shifts to them...so this year, why don't you go out of your way to make it special for him!

PS-

I would love to hear what you plan to do for your special someone! Let me know if any of these ideas work out for you! Plus I could always use other great ideas for futures "I love you" gifts!