Pillows

Holy deleted picture, Batman ! ok, this pic was supposed to be at the bottom of my last post but it magically disappeared. ut oh. This linen fabric had wooden and metal beads sewn onto it and I had to make sure it didn't end up in the seam allowance because I couldn't sew over it.

How High You Should Hang Your Draperies

When you have tall 2 story windows some people don't know where to hang their draperies. My client's room had gorgeous 19' windows in their great room. If you hang your window treatments above the first set of windows it brings your eye down and you lose the beauty of the tall ceilings and windows. Windows are the focal point of the room and shouldn't be covered up and hidden. We extended the panels out about 15" on each side to preserve the view.
We choose these 5" square filigree medallions from Finestra in oxidized copper to hang the panels from. My installer turned them to make diamonds instead of squares. These are tied back about 5.5' from the floor because that is roughly 1/3 the length of the panel.


The fabric for the draperies and pillows was a linen with wooden and metal beads sewn onto it. I had to hand sew the entire panels because the beads would not go under my machine. When you are buying custom work be prepared to pay more for hand sewing.

When you hang you draperies mount them all the way up to the crown molding and go out 5-20" from the window. It will make your room feel taller and bigger and you will love it. How high are your draperies hung ?

Throw Pillows

Don't you just love decorative throw pillows ? You can rotate them around with the seasons. I know I have a closet full of them. They can be made with a self cord if you want simple and durable or with tassel fringe or brush fringe for a dressier look. When I was at the custom home furnishing academy
they had these pillows hanging on display.
I like to use a pillow form that is 90/10 feather/down for heavy weight fabrics and 75/25 for light weight silks. They are nice and squishy.

Hope you have a great Labor Day weekend !

Ashton South End

While I was in Charlotte at the Custom Home Furnishings Academy I stayed at The Ashton. It is a luxury high rise in the heart of the historic South End district – an unprecedented $2.3 billion mixed-use redevelopment. A vibrant and emerging pedestrian, yet transit-friendly neighborhood. South End is home to Charlotte’s most desirable galleries, design studios, boutiques and restaurants, and just minutes from Uptown’s Bank of America Stadium and Time Warner Cable Arena.


Ashton mixes classic design with upbeat modernism. It’s an emerging “it” spot – the ideal locale for the urban sophisticate who thrives on energy and seeks out the unique and intriguing.


The kitchen was gorgeous. We made a fabulous dinner complete with corn on the cob Paula Dean style, slathered in mayo and rolled in parmesan cheese..... yum !
The dining room looked out over downtown. It was really pretty at night.