Jane Bateman The Interior Store » custom valances

Window Treatment of the Month – September

Jane — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 18:54:03 +0000

This semi-swag with a goblet pleat is a great way to update your bathroom window treatment. The swag adds a softness that is hard to get in a bathroom with hard surface counters and floors. The goblet pleat is a unique way to define the swags and it is a very different look from the usual jabot that is often a partner with swags.

The swags are over a pole so you can add a pole that has a metalic look that matches your cabinet pulls or faucet handles. Or you can add a grooved wood pole that coordinates your cabinet’s stain.

The contrast liner in the goblet creates an accent color that can be a burst of color, but in small quantities does not over take the room. Add tassels and trim and you have created a valance rich in texture and interest. Your guests will love it!

Window Treatment of the Month – August

Jane — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:03:18 +0000

A classic window treatment is a swag and jabot valance. But in the classic version, the swags usually have rounded edges. A new twist on this timeless treatment would be to have the swags slightly pointed and the jabots a softer, gathered look. I think this adds a contemporary feel to a traditional swag treatment. The swags still drape beautifully since the fabric is cut on the bias and the jabots flow softly under the swags.

In this particular picture, the swags are “thrown” over a rod. That is what looks like happened but in fact they are very carefully cut, sewn, and draped to give that “thrown” look. …which adds to the contemporary look. The rod can have the finials and pole wrapped to match the fabric or they can be iron rods coordinating with other elements in your room.

Window Treatment of the Month – July

Jane — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:44:04 +0000

This is a great valance for a youthful bedroom. We have made this valance many times and it is very fun when multiple fabrics are used. Perhaps a colorful plaid on the front can be used, a narrow stripe for the accent “lining” fabric that turns into a cuff on the top front, and a solid colored accent used for the rope cording highlighting the top. It is also fun to use four different solid colors – one for the front, one for the back that flips over at the top, one for the rope cording and one for the hem cording. The lining fabric is an important choice because it peaks out as the gathered pleats come forward. This valance has unlimited ways to accent your room. Enjoy!

Pattern Details 2011

Jane — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 16:41:50 +0000

Custom window treatments can be about more than just fitting your window perfectly. Which of course is very important but window treatment specialists also take into consideration the fabric selected when considering a style. It is the chicken and the egg concept but in this case we are assuming the fabric is selected first then the style flows from there.

If a wide stripe is selected the pleating could be pleated on the same strip every time which is a very distinct look compared to random pleating. When we make a swag or flat panel valance, we always center the pattern in each section. Sometimes to make the best use of the fabric we center the pattern every other section, but it still has a rhythm to the style.

We make sure the light does not bleed through the valance and may use a special lining to prevent the bleed through effect. We may use colored lining to line a colored sheer. We ALWAYS match the pattern, even when it appears there is a random pattern. Nothing is random in the custom window treatment business.

Often a micro cord is added to the bottom of a valance to keep the fabrics in place. If you can see the lining of the valance from the inside of the house, we then take into consideration the color of the lining and may add a contrasting colored lining so it doesn’t detract from the style and may even add to the overall look. And we always take the fabric treatment back to the wall on the outsides of the treatment. It not only looks more finished but keeps light from sneaking in the sides.

Window Fashion of the Month – March

Jane — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:10:26 +0000

Our March Window Fashion of the Month is this petal valance. Sometimes a simple valance is necessary – when you want a more tailored look, the window is small, or the room is more casual and not fussy – but a straight hem may be too linear, too much like a pencil on the window. So cutting the fabric into petals can give your valance a little zip.

Notice how the valance is lined in a contrasting fabric that peeks out as the petal is turned back. You can easily use a solid fabric for one side of the petal and a small print on the opposite side of the petal, you can use the same print on each side but in two different colors, or you can use two solid color fabrics one on each side. This valance is easy to make wider by simply adding more petals in proportion to the size of your window.

As you can see, no decorative hardware is visible with this style which keeps the valance very classic and timeless.

Stunning Walls

Jane — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 17:14:51 +0000

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I recently had a customer who wanted to paint her walls dark purple and chose an almost brownish-purple.� I think that would make a stunning bedroom but there are some rules that must be followed when the walls are so dark.

Don�t paint the walls really dark unless the trim around the room and windows is painted� ivory or white.� The ceiling should be white as well.

The flooring also must be light.� If carpet is on the floor it must be light or a washed color.� If the floors are hardwood, use a lighter tone with colorful rugs on the floor.� If you install�wood blinds or plantation shutters, they must be the window trim color. But after setting the foundation of light and dark, you can now break out with more color.

The fabric window treatments can have a pattern with contrasting colors on the draperies or valances. This would really set off the dark walls.� Coordinate �the dust ruffle on the bed using the same fabric that is at the windows, but add a duvet cover in a tone-on-tone color. You can accent with shams and throw pillows that are bright and colorful.� The throw pillows could be dark like the walls, but would contrast nicely with the bedding colors.� The background of the fabrics could be dark or light, but the lighter color should be predominating.

We used to think that dark walls made the room smaller and in some ways it still can, but with the higher ceilings in many old and new homes, I think cozy and striking are better descriptions.� �The dark walls contrasting with the other surfaces in the room lighter in color can really add to the ambience of the room. ��And remember is it only paint, not a life commitment, and it can easily be changed when you are ready to move on.

Spring Cleaning 103

Jane — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:09:42 +0000

As I was brushing my teeth yesterday I noticed cob webs in my bedroom draperies and valances.� I was appalled because I pride myself on not having dirty draperies.� But as I continued brushing, I realized it had been�far too long �since I had cleaned them.�

Dust and dirt can be the enemy of fabrics.� Of course my bedroom draperies weren’t really dirty – no catsup or greasy fingers in my bedroom – but they were dusty.� And a good way to get the dust out is to put them in the drier on air for 20-30 minutes.� This fluffs them, tumbles them, and generally gets the dust out of spots that are hard to vacuum.� I always use a drier sheet as I fluff them to take the static out of the fabric so the dust will end up on the lint filter rather than redistributed on the draperies.

Be sure to ALWAYS take the hooks out first since they will tear the draperies as they are tumbling.�� I usually put one half of the drapery in the drier at a time.� Then when that panel is done, I put the other half in the drier. Immediately I put the hooks back in and hang up the first panel.� This keeps the wrinkles to a minimum and I never need to press them when I do my fluffing in this order.� Then I put the valance in and fluff it too.�

Sometimes the treatments are mounted on a boards so obviouly that won’t go in your drier.� These will need to be�vacuumed.� Vacuum in as many creases as you can.��Since these are supported on the board it will be easier to pull and prod the fabric as you vacuum.�

One more way to spend your Saturday!

Control and Beauty

Jane — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:55:20 +0000

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When I first started in business 30+ years ago, we put up sheers and draperies at almost every window. Now we rarely hang sheers as an under curtain, but instead we often use a �hard� treatment. �This could be wood blinds, cellular shades, sheer blinds such as Hunter Douglas� Silhouette shades, or roman shades.

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Just this month a customer wanted to replace her 20 year old draperies with something new. �So we took down the old treatments and installed Vignette shades � Hunter Douglas� roman shades. �What a difference that made! �They look cool, crisp, clean and modern.� Very flexible, they keep out the sun�s fading rays, yet let in the light. �And they roll up out of the way when the sun is on the back side of the house.

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Although they liked the look, it was a little stark after having draperies for so long, so we will add side panels and valances. �These windows are on the front � a living room window and a dining room window on either side of the front door so we are treating them alike. �The Vignette roman shades will control the light and privacy.� The stationary side panels � hanging nicely beside the windows but will not traverse – and valances that are tailored with inverted box pleats will soften the look and frame the window. �

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They will have the best of�all worlds � clean, tailored and soft � a perfect solution to a fading problem, a privacy problem, and a softness problem. �

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Custom Valances

Jane — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:19:15 +0000

I see custom valances are a frequently googled term when my web site is accessed.� Of course it is always hard to know what you are thinking.� Certainly the custom part is easy to define,�� Custom means that the valance will fit your window or space exactly both in width and length.� But valances are a very generic term.

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Valances can be very simple such as gathering fabric on a rod through a pocket so that the rod is hidden.� Custom fullness can make the valance look very full and fluffy or tailored and almost flat.� I like to use shaping on the bottom hem so that the scallops fit the divisions in the window.�

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Swags and jabots are another kind of valance.� They create a softening with the swooped/swag area and can easily frame a window with the jabot, which is a folded piece of stacked fabric on the ends of the window that angles down into a point. �Custom comes into play when you decide if you want one large swag across the whole window or multiple smaller swags.� The length of the jabot can be the length of the swag, the length of the window, or anywhere in between that follows good design principles.� These valances can be mounted so that no hardware shows or they can be swaged over a decorative rod.

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Decorative rods can accentuate valances as well as the fabric choice.� When decorative rods are used, we find that the fabric can look like it is swaged over the rod, large rings can be used to attach the valance at the pleat, or fabric can be made into flat tabs or fuller scrunched fabric tabs.� All of these choices show the beauty of the exposed rod and decorative finials.

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