People are driven to find peaceful sanctuaries as a prescription for our stressful lives.  Outdoor patios and porches are becoming more sophisticated and refined, and are becoming a living extension of the indoor spaces.  Three season indoor spaces are also making a come back.

Creating or renovating an outdoor space has many elements.  Landscape design, stonework and carpentry are all critical components of designing your outdoor haven.  Outdoor furnishings, lighting and accessories are also an essential element in your overall plan.  As you begin the process and consider space planning and design be sure to include the entire family.  You will be amazed at the wish list that you come up with.

Your outdoor space should accommodate all your needs throughout the year.  Do you entertain outdoors?  Make sure that there will be enough seating for your larger parties.  Do you spend time outdoors in the evenings and at night?  Make sure that you have adequate lighting and bug control included in your plan.  Is the outdoor grill seasonal for you or all year round?  Where you place the grill and whether it has a protective roof will make a difference depending on how you use it.  Do you plan to have your family meals outdoors often?  If so make sure that your dining area comfortably accommodates your family and then some.

Outdoor furniture has greatly evolved from the folding, vinyl strap versions of the past, to beautiful pieces make of teak, steel, rattan, and wicker.  Many pieces lo just like indoor furniture but are contructed and designed to stand up to the North Eastern outdoor elements.

Fabrics are being manufactured to resist fading from ultraviolet rays, to resist mildewing from damp conditions and to resist odor absorption.  These types of fabrics are a must for any upholstery or drapery that will be used outdoors or in a screened-in location.

Lighting is also a very important aspect in creating an inviting outdoor space.  Be sure you incorporate various types of lighting in your outdoor space just as you would in your indoor spaces  Landscape lighting, overhead lighting, ceiling fans or decorative side lighting are good ideas.  Torches or tiki lighting can also be a charming and functional element to your lighting plan.  Developing a creative lighting plan can help you create a space with increased ambiance and functionality.

Remember to create a space that is perfect for you and your needs.  This is a space where memories will be made so consider it an important investment.  I like to call an investment like this an emotional anchor:  a space where your family gathers, shares and remembers forever.

Don’t hesitate to call on my for help with furniture, lighting, rugs and accessories for your special outdoor room.

For one, you get exactly what you want, in the size and style that you want.  With custom, there are hundreds, even thousands of fabrics to choose from.  Then there are the trims.  Beautiful glass beads, wood beads, shells and of course, fiber.  But there’s more.

There are the styles to choose from.  We already know that ready-mades are limited. They don’t know how high your window is or how wide it is.  So they are made to fit a generic window and wall.  Stores that sell “custom” window treatments do a little better.  They can offer you a broader choice of fabric and style, but are still limited to the fabric companies they carry and their corresponding workrooms.  They use a chart for their window treatments.

Window and Interior Designers use their imagination and sense of style.  They look at the rooms architectural elements, furnishings, colors, textures and of course your budget, to determine the style of the drapery or valance.  They use, but not limited to, small workrooms and work with the seamstress directly, to make-up something totally new, just for you.

Then there is the fullness of the custom window treatment.  Store bought treatments are usually 1.5 or 2 times the width of the window.  That really is not a whole lot, especially if you want to close the drapery.  It would look almost flat.  Custom starts at 2.5 up to 3.5 fullness.  Sheers are always at the fuller end of the spectrum.

Now about the fabric.  Silk is one of my favorites to look at and to work with.  It is wonderful to sew!  Silk comes in almost any color imaginable , because it is easy to dye. Silk catches the light beautifully and comes in many grades, from affordable to extravagant.  Here again is where custom makes a difference.  You may be able to buy ready made silk, but I bet they won’t be lined in a quality lining and will most definitely not be interlined.  Interlining is a flannel fabric that goes between the lining and fabric.  It makes the drapery look and feel luxuriant.  It also insulates and protects the fabric from the sun.  Silk rots when exposed to the sun.

Cottons come in all kinds of weights or thread count, from rough textures to almost silk like.  In better fabrics, designs are woven in, instead of printed on the fabric.

Linens are the same as cottons and they are usually printed on.

These three fabrics would be considered “Green.”

Polys and other synthetics are available.  Some are wonderful and have a nice hand or feel and others, well, I just wouldn’t use them.

Also, with custom window treatments, come custom window hardware.  The variety is mind numbing!  The prices vary greatly, but what ever you want, you can usually get.

With all of these choices, you need a professional to narrow them down and to help you decide on exactly the right treatment.

Here are some examples of treatments the client wanted for some challenging windows.

First of all, I don’t charge to come out and talk to you.  Many times we can clear most of the questions you may have, on the phone.  I like to meet with the client first, so that we can get to know each other.  She needs to be able to work with me and quite frankly, I need to work with her/him.  There have been a few times that I did not take the job, because our personalities did not mesh.

I never impose my decorating style on others.  I try my best to make their dreams a reality.  I love just about every style anyway, so this is not a problem.

Here are a few tips to help you enjoy working with the decorator of your choice:

1.)  Do your homework!  What are your color preferences?  Styles?  Basic priorities?

2.)  Look through design magazines  What catches you eye?  Start a notebook or file of the ideas you like best!

3.)  Give some thought to your budget.  Having some sort of guideline will save you lots of valuable time.  I always ask, for those who don’t know.  ”Are you shopping for a Ford or a Lexus?”  There is nothing wrong with either one.  It just helps me narrow down the many choices there are.

4.)  Think about your function needs as well as your decorating desires for your rooms.

Above all, working with a professional decorator should be an enjoyable experience!