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. 

Client Appreciation: See the window treatments in action!

See some of our window treatments in action and get ideas for our own space.

 

These hidden tab panels were a project I did with JSW Interiors. The fabric they are made from is called Green Bean Beads.

These Flat or Classic style Roman Shades were made for a client of ours out of Richloom Evelynne, colorway is Graphite. These shades are a good representation of how we make each shade identical so that when they are being hung next to each other or in the same room the pattern starts in the same place on each window treatment.

This is a  French door curtain that was custom made for a client with a ruffled rod pocket at the top and bottom of he curtain. It also has a 3" wide sash in the middle with Velcro attachment that can be adjusted so the gathering can be as much or little as you like. The fabric tis curtain is made out of is called Hollyhock by Shumacher. We ordered it through Lynn Chalk's discount designer fabrics.

And finally, a blackout lined flat roman shade,

 

to match these rod pocket valances,

 

and matching pillow covers and baby blanket (blanket was not created by WTbM).

Accents so affordable you can justify purchasing for the season

I have found some home accents so affordable, you can justify purchasing them for just the holiday season. Yet, these are quality items that you will be able to use again for holidays to come!

 

Burgundy Sheers from Swags Galore on sale this week for $6.99!!

 

Whitfield striped valance in "wine" from Swags Galore.

 

Riley Blake Christmas Dots fabric from Bobbie Lou Fabric Factory.

 

Riley Blake Christmas Chevron  from Bobbie Lou's fabric factory.

 

Chartreuse and White zig zag accent pillows from Rainey Creek Home.

 

Red and white chevron pillow covers from Rainey Creek Home.

 

Table runner in Premier Prints Traditions from Rainey Creek Home.

 

Happy decorating!

 

Be sure to check out Swags Galore to learn how you can enter to win a $250 shopping spree!

 

 

The Most Effective Positioning For Your Window Treatments

Effective Placement of Window Treatments

Narrow a wide window

To narrow the width of a window reduce the curtain track or curtain rod so that more of the window is covered when the curtain are opened. This is a reasonable option for blocking out light.

Widening a Window

To widen a window extend the curtain track or curtain rod so that the curtains will only cover the very edge of the window when opened. The curtain will be mostly be covering wall in this instance.

Lowering the Height of a Tall Window

Install either a valance or pelmet box so that the bottom of the valance or box will cover up some of the glass of the window.

Heightening a Low Window

Place a valance or pelmet box high above the window so that the bottom of the valance covers just the very top of the window as demonstrated in the picture below.

Window Treatments for a sliding glass door

Sliding glass doors can be awkward. The one size fits all drapes you find at the store come in 84" length or 96". One is usually too short and the other is too long. And with a standard 50" width you aren't left with much fullness.

The first thing to consider when deciding on treatments for a sliding glass door is their function: Do you want them for decoration or to block out light?

Next you will need to consider any potential damage that might be done by pets or children going in an out of the door. My first thought was my children coming in from the backyard after eating popsicles and grabbing the door frame where curtains might hang. Yikes!

If the latter is a concern for you then you may want to consider top traetments only: a valance or a cornice board. Here are some ideas:

Cornice Board

A penant valance above the door would add a niced finished touch.

A flat panel or clip ring valance would dress it up quite well.

If children grabbing at door frames and curtains with messy hands or dogs coming in from out of the rain and getting mud on curtain panels is not a concern for you then you can consider drapery panels. I have found two ideal situations for sliding glass doors in my few years experience. 90" seams to be the ideal length for a sliding glass door. But in some cases there isn't room between the window and the ceiling, or some sliding glass doors have a transom above the door that won't all you to hang a curtain rod. In these cases I have found that hanging a track panel from your ceiling works nicely to hang flat panels from.

Here are some ideas:

Mount the track on the ceiling and attach th curtain with ring clips.

And of course, if space allows, hang a curtain rod.

And if blocking light is your primary concern, add blackout to your panels.

If you want both privacy and light blocking but not necessarily at the same, consider hanging a first layer of sheers and a second of panels with blackout liner.

We can do any of the above! Just send us an email to windowsbymelissa@gmail.com to get your custom order started or contact us through our etsy shop.

As always, we look forward to hearing from you.

Our New Wesbite!

Winodw Treatments by Melissa, LLC is proud to present

The Roman Shade Store

Use our new website to order your next window treatments with ease. Browse our selection of the most popular fabrics. See the latest available products. We have a price quote calculator that will allow you to view the cost of your window treatments in various fabrics to find one that fits both your style and budget.

When ordering, the website also allows you to choose the option to have matching pillow covers with your treatments in addition to several other upgrades.

Check it out!    Tell me what you think!



Window Treatment Style Education: Valances

Valances

Every valance we make is either my own design or has been inspired by a picture someone sent to us. We love a challenge here at Window Treatments by Melissa and invite you to send us your inspiration photos and we will see if we can recreate it for you!

Our Standard Valance

This is our standard valance and is my own pattern. This requires on one type of fabric. Home Decor fabric is always best. Not ideal for long windows unless you do two or three of the swoops with jabbots inbetween each swoop. It is mounted with brackets on a 2x3 or 2x4.

Ruffled Rod Pocket Valance, or Rod Pocket Valance

This is a standard ruffled rod pocket valance. It can be made with or without the ruffle at the top. This valance only rquires one type of fabric. It can be made lined or unlined. Home Decor Fabric is always best, but technically we can make this valance from a light weight quilters cotton. I made my son's "book nook" curtain from some "Cars" quilters fabric (below):

Ideal for any size window. It requires a curtain rod for hanging.

Penant Valance

The above is called a penant valance.. I recreated this for someone from a photo. It requires TWO fabrics: a main fabric and a coordinating fabric. Home Decor fabric is the only appropriate fabric for this style of valance. Ideal for any size window. It requires a curtain rod for hanging, however there is not pole pocket. It is simply draped over the curtain rod. Where it is hanging from the rod in the picture is actually the center of the treatment. It is all one piece. Very simple! Easy to remove for cleaning!

Ring Clip Valance

Above is a ring clip valance. This can made with or without the jabbots on the sides. It rquires TWO fabrics: a main fabric and a coordinating fabric. Home Decor fabric is best for this style, however, a light weight quilters cotton can be used. Ideal for any size window. Requires both a curtain rod and ring clips

Tapered Valance

I recreated the above valance from a photo for the Southern Virginia University allumni house. It is a tapered valance and is not ideal for wide windows. The ideal windows size would be 40" or narrower. It requires TWO fabrics: a main fabric and a coordinating fabric to line it. Home Decor fabrics are ideal, as always. Mounted on wall with brackets on a 2x3 or 2x4, or can be mounted inside window frame on 2x1.

Ribbon Valance

Above is a ribbon valance. This was recreated from a photo. It requires TWO fabrics: a main fabric and a coordinating fabric for lining and making the ribbon out of it. It is fized and is not meant for window covering, but decoration only. Ideal for anyh window size.

Below is the ribbon valance and how it looks in the window frame for an inside mount. Mounted on a 2x3 or 2x4 and requires brackets. Can be mounted inside frame with screws instead of brackets.

 I have several different photos of the ribbon valance to show you how much a difference fabric choice can make. They all look so different even though they are all teh same style.

We have been able to recreate almost everything that our clients have provided us a picture for. When the shop opened in 2010 we only had the first valance in our shop. Everhything else we have available now is because someone sent us a photo and asked if we could recreate it.

We love a challenge! Don't hesitate to send us a picture of something you have seen or like and ask us if we can recreate it for you.

Which valance do you like best? I am partial to the penant valance, myself.