More Arched Windows

I have been working with wonderful clients over the last few months. This couple had just put a new addition on to the back of their home and needed to dress the windows. The first step was to add shades for light control and insulation. Their large arched window was very wide and options were somewhat limited. However, the Duette Architella Honeycomb shades from Hunter Douglas were the perfect solution for these windows. These shades are the best insulating shades on the market, and they are available in wider widths. We found the right color, ordered the shades, and we were on our way.

The next step was dressing the windows. My client came into the showroom and spent many hours searching for just the right fabric for the room. She took home books, and we ordered lots of swatches. While this process was happening, we also had to come up with a design. Some very important criteria had to be met:

1. We could not block too much of the windows. Here in Western NY, we can be very light starved in the winter months. It is a very common request to block the windows as little as possible. Also, there is a great view into the back yard.

2. The window treatments had to have a "wow" factor........ something that had an impact, but was not totally over the top.

While she was looking at fabrics, I sat down and started doing a quick design on my computer. I had not yet seen her windows and the only information I had was a rough sketch and some rough dimensions. With a great design program called "Studio" from Minutes Matter, I was able to to quickly set up the window configuration and drag in some components for a window treatment design. I added some furniture and wall color and in about five minutes had the rough design that is pictured here. The client loved it!

We had a design, now we had to find the "perfect" fabric. In the end, we found this beautiful double woven semi-sheer from Kasmir Fabrics. The color was perfect and it has a damask type pattern woven into it. Of course, a fringe was also needed and that was found from Conso.

Our next step was to go to the home and do some final measurements. Because we did not want to block too much of the window, and I was not quite sure exactly where each swag was going to fall, we had to get creative. Initially, we had chosen 3" diameter metal holdbacks. I cut some 3" circles and brought a spool of fluorescent pink twine and blue painters tape. We climbed the ladder and began placing the 3" circles, one for each holdback, on the wall. I then draped the pink twine between the circles and adjusted lengths until both the client and I were happy with the placement of everything. These pieces were used as my patterns for the construction of the swags. In the process of doing this, it became evident that 3" holdbacks were going to be too small that high up, so it was decided to switch to 4" diameter holdbacks. These were found from a company in California, called Orion Iron Art. Each piece is made to order and custom finished by hand. We also decided to add small jabots in between each of the swags to add interest and cover some of the wall that was showing.

This window treatment consists of several parts. The swags are all attached together for easy installation. The jabots and side panels are all separate and were added at the end. If you look closely, you will also see that the swags and jabots have a scalloped bottom. This was done to add more interest and uniqueness to the overall look of the windows. There is a contrast fabric lining each of the jabots and a khaki drapery lining was used for the swags and side panels. The side panels are hung on plain rods and puddle on the floor for added elegance. It is also important to note that there is a double window on the other wall to the right of the picture shown here and the overall treatment was repeated there. These pictures show the finished treatments. The clients are thrilled with the results and so are we. Thank you, Deb and Sam for allowing us to help you with this beautiful project!