Kinsale Quatrefoil and COUPON

It's been a while since I've blogged. I've been working on lots of upcoming projects like

• Textiles by Melissa, a Window Treatments by Melissa fabric line

• Expanding our service area to other countries

• Expanding and improving the quality of our products

. . . and speaking of that. . .  if I have any followers in Canada that sew and would like to work with us, please email me! I'm in the market for more seamstresses!

 One of our new fabrics is called "Kinsale Quatrefoil." We currently offer it in metallics, but will be offering it in 13 other non metallic colors soon. Here are some projects we did in the Kinsale Quatrefoil.

One of my favorites!! This is black metallic Kinsale Quatrefoil. It looks great in this gray and white kitchen with black accents.

This relaxed roman shade is made from gold metallic Kinsale Quatrefoil. It is very soft and feminine in this little girl's nursery.

Silver metallic Kinsale Quatrefoil adds the perfect finishing touch to this teenagers retreat. And look at that light fixture!!!

Here's a sneak peak at the colors we will be offering soon in this pattern!

Are you entertaining for the end of the year holidays? Get your window Treatments order in now and use coupon HOLIDAY2017 in the Etsy shop to get 10% off. Coupon good through 10/22.

Thanks for stopping by!

Popular designs we recreate

Our clients often run into the problem that popular design stores don't carry the window treatments they want in their custom sized window. With an inspiration photo we can recreate anything to fit your size window. We alter the design slightly so as not to infringe on any design right issues with the companies. We will make slight alterations such as a ribbon size, ribbon placement or the fabric will be slightly different. For example, we may use a cotton canvas instead of a cotton duck or cotton twill.

We have a talented team of seamstresses and can recreate most anything with an image to replicate. Here are some samples of window treatments we have recreated based on an inspiration picture.

The curtains in the image above are lined with a pink lining. When the light shines through the window you can see the pink. It is a nice, subtle feminine touch. One of my favorite projects!

We started making the ribbon trim shades after so many of our clients had custom sized windows that this particular design from major stores could not accommodate. We changed the design slightly from the original designer store pattern by making ours with cotton canvas instead of twill for the base and using a 2.25" wide ribbon instead of 1.75" wide. We also have it inset 3" down the length sides and across the bottom.

The Greek Key design came to us from another popular design store inspiration image. The design store could not accommodate custom window sizes, so we created our own design and started applying it to shades, curtains and even pillows!

Sorry for the terrible image, but it's the design that's important :) We had a customer once send us images she took in a cafe in Europe and ask us to recreate the window treatments! The design was complicated, but came out beautifully when it was finished.

We recreated this penant valance from an inspiration photo from a client. She picked her own coordinating fabrics.

For these particular curtains, the client sent us an image that looked similar to this, but she wanted the colors to be different. So we tracked down the fabrics and found them in the specific colors: Virginia Tech colors! (Yes, the VT colors were picked on purpose). 

And one of our most asked for recreations is the Harper Shade from Pottery Barn. Pottery Barn only offers select sizes. We have changed the placement of the ribbon to be inset a little more than pottery barns. We also used slightly different sizes of ribbon and our base fabric is cotton canvas instead of twill.

We actually make a LOT of different styles of window treatments. Unfortunately, I am limited to images that clients think to send me after they have hung the treatments. So we do not have an image of all that we can do. If there is something you would like done, please don't hesitate to ask us if we can recreate it. 

See something you like somewhere? Get a picture and send it to us! I am confident we'll be able to provide you with the design you want in your unique window size. 

Friday Fabric Finds! NEW Imperial Trellis Colors!

Friday Fabric Finds!

Imperial Trellis CRAZE! 

The shade that gets THEEE most attention in our shop and on our website is the Imperial Trellis in Citrine Roman Shade I made for Fran at greenstreet blog. 

The first question we get is, "What colorways does this pattern come in?" We usually resort to doing a custom color on spoonflower.com. But the fabrics available on spoonflower, while being quality fabrics, are just not the quality of the flax linen that the true Imperial Trellis pattern is printed on, I wrote a blog post once including all the color varieties in one place. It can be seen here. 

My supplier, Lynn Chalk, wrote me to inform me of the latest Imperial Trellis colors! And now I want to pass that info on to you!

JET!

MINERAL!

BLUSH!

The pink color is the one I get asked about the most. I am so glad it is now available on the higher quality linen flax fabric. 

And the best part is that Lynn Chalk has them discounted from their original price of $215.00 per yard!

Remember that they holidays will be here before you know it. It's time to think about getting your windows covered before guests arrive :) Consider using the new Imperial Trellis! Write me today!

Ask Melissa: Why do you not make shades for extra wide windows?

Ask Melissa:

Why Don't you make shades for extra wide windows?

There are several reasons we don't make shades for extra wide windows. 

1) Fabric. Fabric is only 54" wide, typically. Wider shades would result in having seams put in the shade to add pieces of the fabric for width.

2) Ribbing. The ribbing on our shades is created with wooden dowel rods that only come 48" long. 

3) Weight. Wide shades get to be extremely heavy and difficult to manage. They are difficult to raise and lower and the cording system can wear down quickly because of the weight. 

4) Weight, again. Wide shades can be droopy because that much fabric being supported by just wooden dowels can cause drooping.

We will occasionally make shades wider than 52", but we don't recommend going much wider than that. I do wider shades on a case by case basis.

We do have some solutions. We recommend putting two shades on a wide window.

Putting multiple shades on wide windows gives you more control over the lighting in your space.

The shades are also easier to use when they are lighter and have a left and right pull control.

For shades going on the same window we always match up the patterns so that the shades flow nicely.

We also make our mounting blocks a half inch narrower than the shade in an effort to eliminate the gap between the two shades. 

For window near each other, but not quite the same window, we always make our shades identical so they will match in your space. 

We will consider doing extra wide shades if they are for decorative purposes only and made to be non functioning. In this case we can create the shade without seams in it by using a fabric with a print that will allow to be turned sideways, or using a solid. We can also add to pieces of fabric to the sides of the main panel to make up the width if you don't mind the seams. 

I made the shades above for Melanie at My Sweet Savannah. They are two non functioning roman shades made out of linen for two wide windows. The one on the right measured 72" wide. Since it was a solid color we could turn the fabric on its side and use the length for the width since we are limited by a fabric's 54" width. No seams!

Feel free to ask a question here in the comments or send one to my email and we'll get you an answer on a future "Ask Melissa."

What we've been up to and what you can expect

Good morning! I wanted to take a post to share with you what we've been up to. I touched a little in my last post about how I was taking this past year to get a good solid team in place before returning to the blog to let you all know what we can handle now. We've still been producing a lot of window treatments in that time and I wanted to share some of our recent work with you. We have been teaming up with several designers and here's what we've done.

Pin it!

I made these roman shades for Melanie Metting of Henry Kate Design, Co.

The fabric was an imported hand embroidered silk from India. Stunning!

Pin it!

These are a set of relaxed roman shades made for Aimee Wine Interiors.

The fabric is Isadella Coral in Navy by Premier Prints. Perfect in this themed bedroom.

Pin it!

For this project, I teamed up with Kristen Forgione of The Life Styled Company. They are our ribbon trim roman shades made with a canvas base and 2.25" wide ribbon in the color Millennium Silver. 

We have also added a clearance section to our etsy shop in addition to the one here on our blog. We put items in there such as things that our seamstresses made in training. 

Etsy Clearance Shop

We're excited to be coming back to the blog and returning to

Ask Melissa

Give Away Tuesday

Sponsoring Families

And The Ugly Fabric Challenge!

As well as many other fun things, of course. 

Stay tuned for the latest in window treatment design and the latest in decor fabrics!

Thanks for stopping by!

Where we've been and where we're going.

Where we've been and where we're going.

Earlier this year I did some work for Bellini Baby Furniture. Our shades are not being sold through them as they just do furniture. I helped with their staging set ups. The shade in this image of their "Jessica" dresser is our bordered shade with a four inch border down the length sides and across the bottom.

Our Flat Roman Shades were also featured in HGTV magazine.

We are looking forward to this fall when we will be featured in the Land of Nod catalog! 

Enjoy more pictures from Michelle at Land of Nod on her blog by clicking here. Thank you, Michelle, for the amazing opportunity! We are grateful to be a part of this project!

A House Project with Tara, great ideas inside!

Tara first contacted me a little over a year ago to do some window treatments for her bedroom. We have since outfitted the rest of her home with custom window treatments. If you are having several custom window treatments made, it is best to have them done by the same person that they can all be uniform. Here are some things we did for her.

 

These curtains are made out of Les Touches Green Brunschwig & Fils.  We ordered it through Lynn Chalk. We lined them with a matching green liner. You can see how the light reflects the green against the lower wall and window ledge. A subtle and pleasant little surprise without affecting the true color of the main fabric.

Now this fabric was my favorite! These are roman shades, lined in blackout, made from Lotus Blossum in Spring Green.

 

These Hidden Tab Panels are also made out of Lotus Blossum in Spring Green. They are Hidden Tab Panels lined in blackout liner.

 

We also made the roman shades over the French doors. They are made from a basic ivory linen fabric and bordered in Leaf Green and Ivory greek key trim from M and J trimmings.

This is a ruffled rod pocket door curtains with a sash. It is made out of Pyne Hollyhock in Charcoal, which we were also able to purchase through Lynn Chalk at a very reasonable price.

This fabric is stunning, so Tara decided to use it in a few places in her home.

This is a set of Rod Pocket Curtains also made from Pyne Hollyhock in Charcoal. We lined it in a pink liner. It offers a subtle, feminine look when the light shines through. It is gorgeous! Tara had a wonderful idea here to line her curtains in a colored liner instead of our standard white. Turned out breathtakingly gorgeous!

You'll notice she also has an ottoman covers in the green Les Touches. We made the matching pillow covers with the leftover Les Touches and Hollyhock.

 

Of course, it was no surprise when Tara contacted me about her next set of treatments in this stunning fabric:

 

picture from Quadrille

The fabric is Quadrille's China Seas Lyford Pagoda in Orange tint. We were also able to order this through Lynn Chalk.

We will be making this into flat/classic roman shades. Stay tuned to see how they turn out!

 

Again, If you are going to go the custom route, it is best to have all the treatments made by the same person. At WTBM, I train all my seamstresses our own patterns, but even though we are all making the same product here, I still send returning customer orders back to the person that made their other window treatments to ensure that the treatments are all uniform and identical.

 

Contact me at windowsbymelissa at gmail dot com if you have any questions about anything you've seen here today and if you want to use any of the fabrics or ideas for your own custom treatments.



Making your window treatments last: Preserving Textiles

Let's face it: There is something about textiles that makes us want to touch them. How many of you have had to shop for your fabric in store instead of line because you have to touch it and feel it?

 

Today we are going to talk about what you can do to preserve your fabrics and make them last as long as possible.

 

There are things we can't avoid. We have to open and close the curtains,



Shumacher Imperial Trellis in Madarin



Straighten the pillows,

 

Amsterdam pillow cover from Rainey Creek Home

Situate the pouf. . .

 

Waverly Bluebell pouf from Rainey Creek Home

We naturally have oils in our skin, but additionally, we touch things throughout the day and get more oils and dirt on our fingers. Then we close, straighten and situate our the items in our home transferring the dirt and oils to our textiles.

 

We also can't avoid the sun, using lights in our homes and the occasional little person who likes to leave love notes to mommy on her couch, pillows, curtains, walls, whatever surface is nearest the crayon.

 

Let's take care of the easiest one first: sunlight. The best way to preserve your fabrics from the sun is to line your curtains. 

 

Hidden Tab Panels from Window Treatments by Melissa

Lining your curtains will not only preserve the fabric used for your curtains, or other window treatments, but it acts as an additional filter that will catch any UV rays from the sun that the window didn't already filter.

 

And I'll bet you wouldn't have guessed that the light bulbs in your lamps and light fixtures will make your fabrics fade, too. If preserving the life of your textiles is important to you I recommend getting the lowest wattage possible on the light bulbs. The worst indoor light for fabrics is fluorescent lighting, commonly used in dark shadowy areas of the home like basements. Keep this in mind when selecting a window treatment or other décor fabric going in a basement and consider using a less expensive option that can be replaced often, if necessary.  

 

Cotton fabrics, like the ones below from Bobbie Lou's Fabric Factory, are good to consider for a situation where you may be replacing items often. Stylish and affordable.



Blue Herringbone from Bobbie Lou's Fabric Factory

 

Maritime Chevron Wave from Bobbie Lou's Fabric Factory

 

Poufs and pillows in high traffic areas are also best in inexpensive cottons that are easy to wash and easy to replace, if necessary. Consider these options from Rainey Creek Home.

 

 

Chartreuse zig zag pouf from Rainey Creek Home

Utah Grommet in Spa

 

Aruba pillow cover from Rainey Creek Home

 

Now, onto the oils and dirt. Textiles are made from natural fibers. Cotton and linen are plant fibers and silks are made of protein fibers and contain salt. The best way to clean your textiles is simply to vaccume them. If a "love note" from your child finds itself on your textiles, or dirt or oil come in contact with your textiles, there are products out there that not only claim to, but do in fact remove stains and love notes from your textiles. :) But one thing you need to know is that the textiles your home décor items are made from are natural fibers and, therefore, are already undergoing their own chemical changes and natural breakdown processes. When you introduce a harsh chemical to an something that is already undergoing chemical change, you are speeding up the deterioration process.

 

Schumacher Bleecker in Spark from Lynn Chalk

Schumacher Kiribati Ikat from Lynn Chalk

  

If you use designer fabrics such as the ones above or below, you should consider the stain. Is it significant enough that you want to introduce the textile to harsh chemicals? Small dirt spots or smudges should first be cleaned by vacuum before you attempt to introduce chemicals, or even water.

 

Sheer Linen Casual Shade from Lynn Chalk

Consider the use of water on natural fibers. Cotton and linens can stand up to water. It should be distilled water as other water sources contain dirt and other elements.

 

But think twice before using it on silk. Remember that silk is a plant fiber and contains salt. Water on silk will cause it to break down and deteriorate quickly. With silks you should consider either living with the stain or replacing the item before introducing it to water, let alone harsh cleaning chemicals.

 

Schumacher Manor Gate from Lynn Chalk

If children's love notes are not a concern in your home and you generally keep a clean house, then the best thing you can do to keep your textiles for as long as possible is to purchase the most expensive fabric you can within your budget. It's true that you get what you pay for. The more expensive fabrics are higher quality and will last a long time.

 

Sinclair Grommet Panels from Swags Galore

If you have young children, and dirt and oils coming in contact with your textiles is a concern, I recommend going with affordable textiles that can be replaced often.

 

LONG STORY SHORT:

*Line your window treatments.

*If you MUST, use only distilled water, but never use any water or chemical on silks.

*Buy the most expensive fabric in your budget

*Always vacuum first before attempting to treat stains. See what the vacuum will get out first.

 

--If you see a fabric you like, click on the image to find its source.