Sure there are other options for window treatments – cornice boards, swags and jabots, valances, shades and many more. But today I wanted to highlight a project I am finishing up using roman shades to solve a design challenge.

My clients wanted to use this room as their TV room and an area for their young kids to play. The room has 3 very large floor to ceiling windows and gets alot of afternoon sun. It is a gorgeous room, but the challenge was all that natural light made it very difficult to watch TV with the glare, plus the room tends to get a bit too warm, and sun was most certainly going to fade the color of the carpet and furnishings. They also wanted to be able to open and close the shutters without any obstructions

Drapery panels were out of the question since the room was going to be heavily used by their children to play, draw, and paint. My clients did not want to have to worry about tiny fingerprints. Another reason was that there’s not alot of wall  space remaining on the window wall for an abundance of fabric. It would take yards and yards of fabric to make functional drapery panels to solve their light control issue.

Here’s an in-progress picture (I couldn’t find a before photo )

Ok, I couldn’t find a BEFORE picture of the windows but this one’s close enough

As you can see, we decided on functional flat roman shades with blackout lining. the shades can be lowered to cover the windows completely when complete darkness is needed. The lining helps to prevent fading and also helps to control the heat from the direct sun.

After Installing Roman Shades

We decided to install the shades all the way up to the ceiling to allow for complete clearance when my clients want to open out the shutters. The cords that raise and lower the shades are neatly hidden behind the treatments. We also had to keep in mind that the louvers of the shutters projected about 3-4″ so we were sure to construct the shades with enough depth to clear the louvers of the shutters when they are open.

Geometric Fabric from Duralee

We chose this beautiful geometric linen fabric from Duralee. We wanted a simple and casual appearance in the room and I think we accomplished that with the use of roman shades. We opted for a slipcovered, plush Pottery Barn sectional that is oh so comfy. We also did some custom pillows in various sizes, patterns and colors to coordinate with the artwork that’s still hasn’t arrived yet . The pillows all have zippers so that can be removed easily for cleaning.

Close Up Of The Custom Pillows

Next we will have the kids create some art, which we will have professionally framed at Hobby Lobby or Micheal’s and create a wall of kids art! What could be better than decorating with your kids’ own art! My client was so thrilled with this idea! A kids play table, storage baskets, an ottoman and a few chairs and this room will be complete! Photos to come later.

So there you have it. A fun set of roman shades that are as functional as they are beautiful!

Be sure to check out my online store to order your custom drapery panels and receive them in time for Christmas! If you are interested in custom roman shades or any other window treatments, please contact me here for details. We can ship your window treatments anywhere in the USA.

Connect with me and contact me here

Please comment and share

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Be Inspired!

Veronica Solomon

Take a look at the pictures below, and tell me what you think. Do they look like wrought iron? Or perhaps not?

Tableaux Faux Wrought Iron

If you guessed that it is not real wrought iron, then you are absolutely correct!

This product is called Tableaux.

What is Tableaux? It is a light weight (10% of the weight of iron), non-structural and highly customizable material crafted from a composite material made from recycled or reclaimed wood fibers and resins. It provides the look and feel of wrought iron at a fraction of the cost.

Some features and characteristics of Tableaux

• Tableaux expands and enhances the ornamental or decorative design characteristics of iron with its increased design flexibility and customization potential.
• Tableaux is a green and environmentally friendly product
• Tableaux designs and motifs are available in decorative designs spanning from modern European classic, romantic Mediterranean, to modern geometric designs.
• Tableaux designs can adapt and render any design concept or wish into unique personalized custom designs (even custom family crests)
• Tableaux prices are particularly competitive when compared with any custom ironwork projects requiring precise shapes, dimensions, and design specifications.
• Tableaux can be finished in several different colors to complement any décor
• Tableaux can be used for the following applications: Windows, Ceilings, Doors, Skylights, Art Niches, Wall Decorations, Room Dividers, Exterior and countless other applications.

Here are a few examples of how Tableaux can be just the perfect touch for your décor.

Goldstein Fireplace Niche

Reina Entry Way Niches

So if you are the proud owner of those two story art niches that have you baffled, then Tableaux is the answer to your design challenge.

Here’s a close up shot of Tableaux showing just how authentic it looks

One more for good measure

Tableaux designs can be finished on one or both sides of the piece, so if you are installing it in a window or as a room divider, it will be pretty on both sides.

A template is required for round or arched designs, which ensures a snug fit.

The beauty, style, customization and versatility of Tableaux makes it a very much sought after product in interior design.

So if you are looking for a custom and unique touch for your home’s décor, consider the wonderful design versatility of Tableaux faux wrought iron. Here are just a few of the designs that you can achieve.

Please contact me for more details on Tableaux or my design services

Please comment and share!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Be Inspired!

Veronica Solomon

  ]]> http://nonakedwindows.com/Blog/2013/06/19/what-is-tableaux/feed/ 19 http://nonakedwindows.com/Blog/2013/05/29/how-to-hang-drapery-panels/ http://nonakedwindows.com/Blog/2013/05/29/how-to-hang-drapery-panels/#comments Wed, 29 May 2013 04:55:29 +0000 http://nonakedwindows.com/Blog/?p=1936 Continue reading →]]> Purchasing and hanging drapery panels can be very overwhelming. There are a lot of little details that need to be considered, which we will talk about briefly in just a second. Most big box stores that offer curtain panels usually have them stocked at 84″ lengths or shorter, and if you are lucky, you may be able to order from their online stores up to 95″ lengths. But what if you have taller windows?

I have seen this happen so often on my in-home consultations. People usually move into a new home and are anxious to cover their windows whether for privacy or decorative reasons, so they run out to the big box store down the street to find an inexpensive solution. But is it really a solution if it is not addressing the problem? Store bought curtain panels rarely fit the windows properly. As I mentioned earlier, they are usually too short,  not many choices available, usually unlined or inadequately lined, and little or no consideration given to aesthetic and your energy savings needs. As I always say, you are going to spend the money anyway, why not spend it right. Custom drapery panels are made to fit your windows, and are a beautiful and timeless solution when done right.

Here at No Naked Windows, we have made it easy to order custom drapery panels through our online store. You get to choose your fabric type (silk, faux silk, linen, cotton, burlap etc), your choice of solid or patterned fabric, your choice of header (the pleating at the top of the drapery panels), the finished length, type of lining, or even the choice of using two or three different fabrics for a color blocking effect. Visit our online store to see your options. They start at just $269 per pair!

Once you have determined that custom drapery panels are the way to go, you now need to know how to measure for them and how to hang them, which directly impacts the finished length to order. Measuring is simple – just measure from the floor to your desired height

Some additional tips for measuring:

The finished length is the actual length of the finished panels. To measure for the finished length of your custom drapery panels, simply measure from the floor to the desired height from where you want the panels to hang. A good rule of thumb is: If the space above your window is 8″ or less, it is usually more aesthetically pleasing to hang your drapery panels right at the ceiling. If the height is more than 8″ then you can determine how high above the window you would like to hang the panels. Please note if you have low ceilings hanging the panels closer to the ceiling gives the illusion of more height. One more thing to keep in mind is the hardware you will be using to hang your panels. The hardware will add approximately 1″-2″ to the overall length when hung. If you desire some puddling in your drapery panels, you can add 2-3″ for a trouser break look or 6-8″ for a formal puddled look. 

Here are a few illustrations of the Do’s and Don’ts of how to hang drapery panels

In this example there are  few don’ts:

• Don’t hang the drapery panels right above the window. Hang drapery panels closer to the ceiling or crown molding to give he illusion of a higher ceiling
• Don’t hang drapery panels so far above the floor. The minimum floor break is 1″. otherwise your drapery panels will look like high water pants
• Don’t hang your drapery panels so far into the window. Hanging drapery panels starting at the edge of the window outward, helps to visually widen the window. Be careful that the edges of the window aren’t visible. Drapery panels should cover about 3-4″ of the window edges on either side. This applies to decorative drapery panels. If privacy is desired with your drapery panels, then you will need much more fabric for fullness, and room on either side of the window for stack-back ( The stacking back of the fabric when the drapery panels are in open position)

In this example, at least the drapery panels are touching the floor, but notice that they are still hung too close to the top of the window and the drapery panels are too far inside the window.

In this example, it’s finally done right:

• The drapery panels are at a 1″ floor break
• The drapery panels are hung closer to the ceiling
• The drapery panels are hung at the window’s edges and outwards

I get this question a lot: What if I have double windows with drywall or trim in between both windows? Here’s the answer:

I recommend ordering a third drapery panel to cover the drywall between the two windows….especially if over 6″ wide. This helps the overall window treatment to flow better and look like one unit and be more cohesive. If you have beautiful wood trim casings around your windows that you wish to show off, then no need for the third panel, as long as there isn’t more than about 18″ between the two windows with casing included, in which case you may need to treat them as two separate windows with two drapery panels each.

Here’s an example of drapery panels I designed and had installed for my client about two years ago. Notice that there wasn’t a lot of room above the window, so we took it all the way to the crown molding.

A couple more examples:

These are actually drapery panels with handkerchief swags. I included this picture to illustrate what happens when we are working with a bay window. You still want the windows to be one unit and have a cohesive flow. Here we used three different rods, but added a special hardware called an “elbow” to join them together at each 45 degree angle. The elbow is quite flexible and works much like our elbows do. The drapery panels are then installed to wrap around the angles for a better flow and cleaner look.

So today you’ve learned how to measure your windows, where to order your custom drapery panels, and how to hang them. We will be running our summer special on custom drapery panels and all other window treatments starting June 1st through the entire summer – up to 20% off! You can use coupon code SUMMER20 at checkout beginning June1. If you are in the Houston area, lucky you! We can install your custom drapery panels for you at an additional charge, and even order your hardware for you!

maybe you have some questions before ordering. You can contact me here and connect with me on all my social media channels.

Please don’t forget to comment and share!

Be Inspired!

Veronica Solomon

Hello friends!  Lots of packing remains on the agenda for this week, but as promised from yesterday’s post, here is the other side of the room where the mural was done above the fireplace.

These pictures were taken using my iPhone, so the lighting is not great

We started out with a plain room. The walls were builder beige flat paint and standard white 2″ faux wood blinds for window treatments. My client already owned most of the furniture pieces and art, and just needed help pulling it all together. In her previous home, gold was the dominant color, and although the accents of her furniture were mostly gold, she wanted to try some color this time. She was also very concerned about the high ceilings and wanted to cozy up the room just a bit.

Her beautiful aubusson area rug (hard to see from this picture) became the inspiration for our color scheme. Her rug had beautiful golds, corals, greens, creams and blues, so we had plenty of options for the new color scheme.

For the wall color, I chose a beautiful green from Benjamin Moore called Huntington Beige (HC-21), and that completely warmed up the space. For the windows, I chose battery operated honeycomb shades in a soft gold fabric for the rectangular windows, and for the arched window, I custom designed a motorized arched roman shade in a gold fabric matching the honeycomb shades, that fit perfectly inside the window opening. (Roman shade not shown here). I also designed these lush silk drapery panels  in two beautiful high-end silk fabrics and mounted them on medallions instead of a rod and rings. The Medallions are a beautiful hand painted gold finish, and are like jewelry in the room. I also added plenty of cozy throw pillows  and accessories to tie it all together.

Fabrics Used Throughout The Room

These are the beautiful fabrics that were used in the room – A beautiful solid silk in coral – a paisley silk in gold, green and coral – silk velvet – tweed – cut velvet damask, another rich paisley pattern and a diamond mini print. Notice that the fabrics are various textures and the patterns are a different scale, but they all work together using a complementary color scheme

One last view of the room. Notice the breakfast area beyond? The kitchen and breakfast room also got a makeover, the dining room, foyer, study, master bedroom, master bathroom, and upstairs loft all got the Casa Vilora Interiors treatment . Who knows, you may see some of those rooms in future posts

This was indeed a fun project! I must add, that my client and her wonderful family were so great to work with. She has a wonderful sense of style and very hands-on (she hung all the art herself!). Just a beautiful person inside and out.

If you have questions about our design services, you can reach me here

Please don’t forget to comment and share

Be Inspired!

Veronica Solomon

Windows are considered the eyes of your home. Just as it is important to pick the right style of windows for your home, it is just as important to consider how you will dress those windows.

Shutters are a cost-effective way to add beauty and value to your home. They are great for controlling light, ventilation and privacy. They form a wonderful first layer of privacy when dressing a window. Draperies and other soft window treatments can be added to soften the look of your shutters if desired, which adds and even richer more luxurious touch. Great looking and quality made shutters become an architectural element to  your home, which may add resale value. While the upfront cost of shutters may be more than blinds and other types of hard treatments, shutters are more durable, timeless and a better value for your home for the long term.

Although shutters were originall used for exteriors to help cool down the home in warmer climates, they have definitely moved indoors and are in high demand now-a-days.

Shutters are manufactured with different types of materials – the most common being solid wood and composite wood. How can you determine which is better for your windows? Here is  a list of pros and Cons for each type of shutter.

Solid Wood Shutters

Solid wood painted shutters are the lightest in weight which helps in operation.  Solid wood shutters are typically around half the weight of their composite counterparts.
• Solid wood painted shutters are available in any finish.  From white to black and everywhere in-between.
• Solid wood painted (and stained) shutters are the longest lasting shutters.  In many applications, solid wood shutters will offer good service for decades.  Often, solid wood shutters will last as long as the house.
• Solid wood shutters have the most solid feel.  The natural ridged materials of wood provide solid, twist free operation when opening and closing.
• Solid wood shutters are available in the widest array of sizes.  Wider panels, taller panels and panels without additional support components (such as divider rails) are available in solid wood.
• Solid wood shutters are available in a variety of shapes – arched, round etc

Wood does however have a few cons.

• Solid wood painted shutters are not recommended in areas where the shutters are going to be subject to direct and repetitive contact with water.  Not the occasional steam in a bathroom but rather direct water drops you would find in a bathroom shower surround or glass-less window.  Even though the wood itself is perfectly suited for high water areas, the fact that wood swells to absorb and then contracts as it expels water, the paint on top of the wood cannot expand and contract as well.  Paint will chip and peal when used in the incorrect environment.
• Wood takes longer to construct.  There is a large amount of hand finishing and multiple construction steps associated with solid wood shutters.  Typical wood shutters can take anywhere from four to eight (or more in certain specialty applications) to construct.

Solid wood stained shutters.

• Stained shutters offer all the same pros and cons as their painted counterparts with the exception that stained shutters come in stained finishes.  With stained shutters, various woods can be used including basswood, maple, poplar, oak, cherry, maple, mahogany, and teak (which is an environmentally friendly option). Although specialty woods add to the cost of shutters, nothing provides a perfect color, finish and feel than an exact wood species match when appropriate.  Stained shutters are most expensive than painted shutters.

Composite shutters.

Composite shutters are produced more quickly than wood shutters. Composite shutters can be made within two to three weeks in most applications.
Composite shutters are impervious to water making them the perfect choice for shower and bath surrounds and windows without glass.

Composite shutter cons.

• Composite shutters are heavier than solid wood shutters.
• Composite shutters are not as stiff as their solid wood counter parts.  Materials such as wood and aluminum are often added inside of the composite parts to help stiffen and support composite shutters.
• Composite shutters require divider rails, center frame posts and are limited in panel width and configurations due to weight and stiffness restrictions.
• Composite shutters are available in solid colors only.  Since there is not a “grain” in composite materials, there would not be a reason to stain the material.  In addition, the process of staining requires an absorbent material to adhere the finish.  Composite materials do not provide this material characteristic.

Interior shutters are a wonderful investment to any home. The quality of construction will vary from company to company, so a bit of research should be done before selecting a company for your shutters. Casa Vilora Interiors and No Naked Windows offer a wonderful range through Hunter Douglas and Norman. You can click here to send us an email with any questions.

Please don’t forget to comment and share!

Be Inspired!

Veronica Solomon

We completed an install this past weekend for a client with the highest ceilings we’ve ever worked on! This wonderful couple had recently bought a very beautiful custom home. They had interviewed several other designers and window treatment specialists before deciding to choose me for their project. Of course, I was quite honored and made sure that they did not regret that decision. After taking the initial measurements, I realized that the ceiling was 22′ high! My installer is going to kill me! Their builder had done a great job of making the room feel cozy even though the ceiling was that tall! You barely noticed the super volume when you’re in the room.The finished panels were going to be 253″ long! Wow! We can do it!

They were wanting simple but elegant, neutral colors for the fabrics in case they desired to change their color schemes later, and something that would not block their view to the outdoors. After showing them a couple of options, we decided on four fixed drapery panels with handkerchief swags with a little bit of trim to embellish them a bit, and hung on smaller individual rods. They wanted rich and luxurious fabrics (for which they did not have to ask me twice ), and beautiful hardware. We decided on a beautiful chocolate dupioni silk for the panels from Kast Fabrics and a luxurious embroidered damask silk fabric from F. Schumacher for the swags. The trim was a beautiful tassel fringe from Stout Fabrics and the hardware was from Paris Texas Hardware. The panels were all lined with blackout lining to help prevent fading from the sun over time. Here’s a “Before” shot of the windows, sketch of the design and a close up of the fabrics we selected.

Embroidered Silk fabric for the swags

Chocolate dupioni silk fabric for the really long drapery panels

Tassel fringe on valances. It’s all in the details!

My installer had to bring in a 28′ ladder for this install and it made me so nervous watching him go up and down it multiple times

In the end it was all worth it. My clients were very happy, and the window treatment was so beautiful. Here’s the finished product!

So I think we accomplished what we set out to do: simple elegance, neutrals that still had pizzazz, preserve the views, and be beautiful!

Thanks for taking the time to read about this challenging window. If you have challenging windows, we can definitely help! Custom drapery panels are available through our online store up to 120″ finished lengths, starting at just $269 per pair! Or we are just a call or email away.

Be Inspired!

Veronica Solomon

How many of you out there still have naked windows? Ready for a change? Purchasing custom drapery panels doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive, and will add the finishing touch to your decor. Drapery panels is one of the least expensive ways to dress your windows and add the finishing touch to your space. Sure you can run out to the big box stores and purchase a pair of the ready-made panels, but they usually aren’t long enough to fit most windows or they just look like they are missing something. You may already have blinds, shutters or shades on your windows and wonder why you still need additional window treatments. A well-dressed window typically has a couple of layers of window treatments. The first layer, or functional layer is usually hard treatments such as shutters, blinds, natural woven shades, roller shades etc. This is necessary of course to maintain privacy and for light control. Adding a second layer will visually “soften” the windows. This could be a sheer treatment, light curtains or even beautiful silk panels. They can either be functional or fixed. Of course there are other styles like swags and jabots, but those are usually reserved for more formal or traditional decor. Adding a layer of fixed or non-functional drapery panels is a great way to add a custom, elegant look to your windows. It is also great for grounding your color scheme or decorating style. Fixed panels simply means that the draperies do not completely cover the windows, but are decorative side panels mounted to the edges of your windows, that are not meant to open and close.

As an Interior Designer, I have consulted with many do-it-yourself clients, who just need a little professional direction from an expert like myself. In a lot of cases, they desire the look of custom drapery panels, but would rather not wait 8-10 weeks or more, or pay the high costs. This is why I decided to launch an online store making it easier, quicker and inexpensive to order while maintaining the highest quality, fine tailoring and vast selection, and they start at just $269! Here are the simple steps to ordering new custom drapery panels.

Start by clicking our Ecwid storefront and clicking the custom drapery panels tab
This will open the menu of fabric types you can choose from. Click the fabric type you desire – whether it is silk, linen, cotton, patterned chevron etc

Now you can choose your custom features such as color, type of lining, interlining option, header style option, finished length, color block option

Header style option refers to the very top of the panels where pleats or grommets are added. You have a choice of goblet pleat, french pleat, cartridge pleat, pinch pleat and grommets. The photo gallery shows examples of each

Finished length refers to actual length of your finished panels. the menu has 4 options 84″, 96″, 108″ and 120″ which is standard lengths, but we understand your finished length could be somewhere in between. With that in mind we have included a “special requests” text box where you can type your finished length (72″ to 120″) or any other special requests

Color Block Option refers to panels where you can choose to use up to three different color fabrics. This option definitely adds a more custom look!

So there you have it! It is that simple! Your drapery panels arrive with drapery pins and ready to hang in 4-6 weeks
Swatches are available for purchase and of course we are available via phone or email to answer any questions you have.
Now there’s no reason to have naked windows!

Color Block Panels

Burlap Panels

These are just a couple of examples of drapery panels. We also have ready-made pillows and bedding available.

Be Inspired,

Veronica Solomon

How many of you out there still have naked windows? Ready for a change? Purchasing custom drapery panels doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive, and will add the finishing touch to your decor. Drapery panels is one of the least expensive ways to dress your windows and add the finishing touch to your space. Sure you can run out to the big box stores and purchase a pair of the ready-made panels, but they usually aren’t long enough to fit most windows or they just look like they are missing something. You may already have blinds, shutters or shades on your windows and wonder why you still need additional window treatments. A well-dressed window typically has a couple of layers of window treatments. The first layer, or functional layer is usually hard treatments such as shutters, blinds, natural woven shades, roller shades etc. This is necessary of course to maintain privacy and for light control. Adding a second layer will visually “soften” the windows. This could be a sheer treatment, light curtains or even beautiful silk panels. They can either be functional or fixed. Of course there are other styles like swags and jabots, but those are usually reserved for more formal or traditional decor. Adding a layer of fixed or non-functional drapery panels is a great way to add a custom, elegant look to your windows. It is also great for grounding your color scheme or decorating style. Fixed panels simply means that the draperies do not completely cover the windows, but are decorative side panels mounted to the edges of your windows, that are not meant to open and close.

As an Interior Designer, I have consulted with many do-it-yourself clients, who just need a little professional direction from an expert like myself. In a lot of cases, they desire the look of custom drapery panels, but would rather not wait 8-10 weeks or more, or pay the high costs. This is why I decided to launch an online store making it easier, quicker and inexpensive to order while maintaining the highest quality, fine tailoring and vast selection, and they start at just $269! Here are the simple steps to ordering new custom drapery panels.

Start by clicking our Ecwid storefront and clicking the custom drapery panels tab
This will open the menu of fabric types you can choose from. Click the fabric type you desire – whether it is silk, linen, cotton, patterned chevron etc

Now you can choose your custom features such as color, type of lining, interlining option, header style option, finished length, color block option

Header style option refers to the very top of the panels where pleats or grommets are added. You have a choice of goblet pleat, french pleat, cartridge pleat, pinch pleat and grommets. The photo gallery shows examples of each

Finished length refers to actual length of your finished panels. the menu has 4 options 84″, 96″, 108″ and 120″ which is standard lengths, but we understand your finished length could be somewhere in between. With that in mind we have included a “special requests” text box where you can type your finished length (72″ to 120″) or any other special requests

Color Block Option refers to panels where you can choose to use up to three different color fabrics. This option definitely adds a more custom look!

So there you have it! It is that simple! Your drapery panels arrive with drapery pins and ready to hang in 4-6 weeks
Swatches are available for purchase and of course we are available via phone or email to answer any questions you have.
Now there’s no reason to have naked windows!

Color Block Panels

Burlap Panels

These are just a couple of examples of drapery panels. We also have ready-made pillows and bedding available.

Be Inspired,

Veronica Solomon