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4 | VISION

6/7.12VOLUME 33 / NO. 4

THIS ISSUE / INGENUITY WORKROOM COMPETITION WINNERS

14 TheMillennialConnection by Deb Barrett A look at who we need to

target for the future of our industry.

18 ANewWaveofNostalgia Craft-influenced looks set

the trends during New York Design Week 2012.

24 Collaborationand Contradiction The urge for flexible,

residential-style workplace enviroments, balanced with the need for privacy, defines many of the new designs seen at NeoCon 2012.

A detail from the Pleat collection by Debra Folz, as seen during New York Design Week. This style, called Lynette, is one of several differ-ent hand-pleated slipcovers for a stool. For more of Folzs designs see the New York Design Week report starting on page 18. Photography by Molly Akin.

28 JewelryattheWindow New trim introductions and details from the 2012 Ingenuity Workroom competition.

32 WelcometotheBigTop Highlights from the 2012 Creative Camp.

34 WhatMakesaWorkroom Work Workroom pros weigh in on what they love and hate about their own workrooms.

38 2012IngenuityWorkroom Competition Details and insights from the

custom window treatment professionals who make these stunning designs happen.

54 2012EnvisionDesign Competition More winnng designs to wrap

up our 2012 competition coverage.

EVERY ISSUETHIS ISSUE

6 Viewpoint: WhatWereLovingNow Comments from contributors

8 Viewpoint:OurView President/CEO Grace McNamara

10 Viewpoint:InfoBar Renovation and remodeling stats from a recent Houzz.com survey.

12 Viewpoint:WFCP ControltheClutter A review of the new Paperless

Office coaching program.

14 Viewpoint: ImOfficiallyObsessedWith Carol Collins on precision. 62 ProductShowcase

64 WhatsNextOnthecover:A detail from Tina Fontanas winning entry in the 2012 Ingenuity Workroom competi-tion. For the description of her project go to page 42. Photographer: Pete Albert Photography.

6 | VISION

WINDOW FASHION VISION MAGAZINEPresident & CEO Grace McNamara [email protected]

Vice President/Circulation Director Peggy Yung [email protected] Director Susan Schultz [email protected]

Managing Editor Nichole Day Diggins [email protected] Director & Trend Specialist Deb Barrett [email protected]

Office Manager Rhianna Huizenga [email protected] Manager Gabriela De Rocher [email protected]

SALESAdvertising & Trade Show Director Shannon Leclair [email protected]

Publishers Representative Kerri Caldwell [email protected]

IN THIS ISSUEContributing Writers: Deb Barrett, Carol Collins

Contributing Designers: Anna Davis, David Draves, Yelana Draves, Tina Fontana, Nancy Hogan, Nanci Iiams, Marena James, JDebbie Knox, Karen Lee, Colleen B. Petersen,

Olga Polyanskaya, Nancy A. Sibrava, Gillian Wendel, Katherine Wolfe, Katherine E. Wozniak

Special thanks to:Therese Davis, Vivian C. Dibrell, Susan Kostelecky, Jeanne McDermott,

Emily Petitt, Judy Soccio, Kathy Wakeman

2012 EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDDonna Elle, Donna Elle Seaside Living

John Fitzgerald, ComfortexNeil Gordon, Decorating with Fabric

Joyce HoltSusette Kubiak, Drapery Connection

Rory McNeil, TechStyles Window Covering Products Inc.Tom Perkowitz, B&W Window Fashions Inc.

Jane Shea, Blinds Unlimited

CIRCULATIONNCS Fulfillment Services 877/344-7406 [email protected]

Window Fashion Vision (ISSN 0999-7777; USPS 708930) is published six times a year, by AIM Communications LLC, 4756 Banning Ave., Suite # 206, White Bear Lake, MN 55110;

NEW NUMBERS: Tel 651/330-0574; Fax 651/756-8141. Visit our website at www.wf-vision.

com. Periodicals class postage paid at St. Paul, MN and additional offices. Postmaster:

send address changes and subscription correspondence with mailing label to Window

Fashion Vision, 4756 Banning Ave., Suite # 206, White Bear Lake, MN 55110. Allow 60 days

for address change. Subscription rates: $22/yr. U.S. and possessions; $29/yr. Canada; $90/

yr. Foreign (includes airmail postage). Single copies/back issues $6 each, except for special

issues, which are individually priced. (Payment must accompany order.) Copyright 2010

by AIM Communicaations LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permis-

sion prohibited. Canadian Publications Agreement Number: #40036514. Canadian Return

Address: Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ONT N9A 6J5

WF-VISION.COM

Window Fashion Vision magazine makes every attempt to credit each person involved in

the process of creating a window covering and will not be responsible for crediting any

person whose name, company or participation did not surface during the information-

gathering process. Crediting disputes between parties other than Vision magazine are solved at the discretion of those involved.

WHAT WERE LOVING NOW

Colleen (Tough Love)I love the hard project. In my business the trick is to come up with something that is unusual and gor-geous. Whether this means details on a project like pat-tern pleating, or embelish-ments through banding, tassels or upholstery tacks,

I loveadding the details that make it look custom, not ready-made.With the push towards modern and transitional design, I love projects that feel new and still have great detail.I am inspired by graphics, bright colors and bold textures.

Tina (Exterior Approach)I love using outdoor fab-rics inside on upholstery and draperies. The fabrics are incredibly durable and the range of patterns and textures is fantasticout-door fabrics have come a long way since I started in the industry! I recently

selected a cream chenille outdoor fabric for two upholstered sofas, it looked stunning and soft to the touch.

Marena (Slowing Down) I so enjoy creating draper-

ies, bedding, pillows and other types of fabrica-tion that wow my clients.I love, love, love custom so Ive slowed down a bit in my workroom in order to spend time focusing on the details which is a more

fulfulling, creative process. The interesting thing is, my cli-ents are thrilled and don't mind paying for the extra effort!

Olga (Home Town Heros)The fires that have devas-tated the state of Colorado have renewed my love for my adopted home town of Colorado Springs. I al-ways took inspiration for my work from the beauty around me, but sadly, it took a fire to realize just

how much this city and people who live here mean to me. Some of my friends and clients were displaced and unfor-tunately some lost their homes. However, the outpouring of support for those that have lost everything is incredible. Its encouraged me to come up with ideas so that my own busi-ness can aid in the recovery.

Were on Facebook twice!facebook.com/wfvisionmagazine and facebook.com/vision.iwce

Keep up with all the VISION12: IWCE Chicago tweets attwitter.com/#!/VISION12IWC

Check out our Pinterest Boards Follow us and re-pinpinterest.com/wfvision/

8 | VISION

dont know about you but Ivebeen spending more time in-doors this summer than ever,which is disappointing since I

liveinMinnesota.Wehavesixmonthsofwinterthatkeepsusindoorssowewant tobeoutsideeveryminute thattheweatherpermits.Duringthese90+degree days with 85% humidity, theonlyreliefisairconditioning,oraraftonalakeorpool.Fortunately,livinginthelandof10,000lakes(thereareac-tuallyover15,000),wedohaveaccesstowaterbutitisntthemostpracticalthingtodoonaregularbasis.

So,likeeveryoneelse,Ivebeenspend-ing more time at home and actuallyfocusing onmy interior. I decided topaintmost rooms, upholster a couchandordersomebeautifulnewdraper-ies.Blindsandshadesarelowereddur-ingthedaywhichmakesahugediffer-enceinthetemperatureofthehouse.Iwouldntbesurprisedifyourcustom-ersaredoingthesamelookingatthefourwallsthattheyrespendingmoretime in than theywant toand think-ingofhowtomaketheirhomecoolerandmoreattractive.Timeto takead-

vantageoftheheattodosomemarket-ingtoyourcustomerstoseeifyoucanhelpthemstaycool.

Weve got some great summer read-ingforyouinthisissue.First,areviewofagreatnewbusinessclassofferedbyWFCPonline:PaperlessCoachingwithSandyCruz.Thisincredibleclasstaughtevenmehowtobemoreeffi-cientwithoutpaper!Wellbeofferingitagain this falland it isanamazingbusiness and organizational skillIhighly recommend it. Our NewYorkDesignWeek and Neocon show re-viewsbringyouhighlightsfromtwoofthemore important design events intheU.S.

SomeofmyfavoritepiecesoftheyearinVISIONmagazinearethewonderfulideasandinspirationwegetfromthewinners of the Envision Design andIngenuityWorkroomCompetitions. Ihope you enjoyed the great designsin the last issue; we're bringing youevenmorestartingonpage38.Whileyoure relaxingonvacation, seriouslyconsiderenteringthecompetitionsin2013.Thereisnothingliketheexcite-

mentandthrilloftheDesignCompeti-tionAwards,whichbytheway,willbehelpatIWCE:VISION'13onApril19,2013inNewOrleans.thatshouldbeanevengreaterinspirationtogetyougo-ing.Dontwaituntilthelastminuteenterearly!

Enjoythesummer,staycoolandhope-fullyIllgettoseesomeofyouatourfall regional educationalprograms inNewJerseyonOctober9and10,andinDallasonOctober23and24.YoullseesomeofthebestprogramsweofferLIVEandhaveachancetoseesomegreatnewproductsshownbyourex-hibitors.Formoreinformation,visitusonlineatwf-vision.com/education.Haveagreatsummer!V

GraceMcNamaraPresidentandCEO

Sizzling Hot Summer

Cool ideas for your business

VIEW

POINT

Sizzling Hot Summer

Thank you! With your support,

Somfy has now manufactured and tested over 100 million motors...all covered by our 5-year warranty.

Your loyalty enables our workforce of over 5,000 employees to continue to develop more reliable, innovative

and easy-to-use solutions.Lets keep up the motion!

www.somfypro.com Copyright Somfy Systems, Inc. 6/2012

10 | VISION

InfoBarHouzz & Home Survey Overview

A recent survey conducted among users of the Houzz app and website, an online platform for home design and remodeling with more than four million unique users each month, revealed some interesting information regarding

home design projects under consideration in the next two years.

WWW.WF-VISION.COM

ONLINE PARTNERS

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U.S. Houzz Users

89%homeowners

78%married

27%first-time

homeowners

$450kaverage home

value

$124kaverage income

Project Plans For the Next Two Years

72% plan to decorate or redecorate

40% plan to remodel or build an addition

10% plan to have a custom home built

Top Five U.S. Cities for Custom Home Builds

21% Jackson18% Houston18% Little Rock14% Dallas13% Austin

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WF-VISION.COM | JULY/AUG 12 | 11

In our annual survey, you asked for an enhanced website, and weve answered.

Weve upgraded our website to make searching and ordering easier. Weve brought back the quick order form. You can shop by category or easily search by item name or number. Videos and instructions are linked right on the product page. And the biggest change of all were securing access to pricing and shopping for Professional customers only. Our wholesale pricing is restricted with access exclusively for our trade customers.

Visit RowleyCompany.com today to experience our new and improved website.

1-800-343-4542

New website designed with the Pro

CustomeR iN miNd.

Palnned Spending in the Next Two Years

$12.7Kon bathroom remodel or addition

$28.6Kon kitchen remodel

$9Kon living/family room addition

or alternations

$7.6Kpatio/landscape additions

or replacements

$6.4KRoom decorations and/or

new or replacement furnshings

Other projects include $5.9K for deck or porch additions/renovations

and $5.8K for flooring, ceiling or paneling work.

12 | VISION

VIEW

POINT

tacksoffilesandfoldersonthefloor;pilesofpaper,nodesktoptobefoundinsightsoundfamiliar?Mostofuscanrelatetomoundsofpaperthatworkinginthisindustrygenerates.,butthereishope.Withthe

emergenceofmobiletechnologyandtheexplosionofanappforanything,designprofessionalsarestartingtoventureintothepaperlessworld.WehadasneakpeekintoitlastfallwhentheWFCPseriesof iPad trainingwebinarssetattendeere-cords.AndgiventheresponsetotheseminarsatVISION12inChicagoontopicssuchasbuildingoutyouriPadforbusiness,marketingonsocialmediaplatformsandothernewtechnologytopics,weknewyouwereeagertoknowhowtofitthesenewdevelopmentsintoyourwindowcoveringsbusinessmodel.

Withthehelpofourresidentdigitaldiva,SandyCruz,helpedtheWFCPteamdeveloptheCreateYourOwnPaperlessOf-ficecoachingprogram.WevealwaysknownthattheWFCPcommunityareearlyadoptersbuttheresponsetothisnewtrainingserieswasoverwhelming.FortunatelyCruzistheper-fectchoiceforaninstructorandkepteveryoneintheprogramfocusedandencouragedabouttheirprogress.Herownto-the-tradeworkroom, Everything Custom inNashville,TN, hasbeenpaperlessfortwoyears,andsheoftenconsultswithotherdesignersandworkroomsinallmattersdigital.Inthebegin-ningofherpathtowardpaperless,shespenthoursandhourstryingoutdifferentappsandoptions.Hercombinedunder-sandingofbothtechnologyandhowourindustryworkswasinvaluableinnavigatingourgroupthroughthisprocess.

Theinauguralparticipantsarenowfourmonthsintomakingtheirbusinessespaperlessandwethoughtwedcheckinand-seehowtheyaredoing.

JeanineLynnofJeaninesDraperiesandInteriors,Nashville,TN,andDebbieDiFrancescoofCreativeHands,Rochester,NY,werethinkingaboutstreamliningtheirdesignandsales,butwerentsurewheretostart.Lynnwasgrowingtiredofthetonsofpaperworkpilingup,especiallysinceherfocushadmovedtocommercialworkwhichrequiredanevenmoreextensivepapertrail.DiFrancescoisaworkroomandHunterDouglasGallerydealerwhowasalsolookingforoptionstointegratewiththeHDICMsystem.

WFCP launches paperless office coaching program

Control the Onethingthatyoudontrealizecomingintothisisthatthereisacertainamountofbackendworkscanning,creatingfolders,organizingphotosandsyncingfiles,saidLynn.Heradviceistocontinuetodowhatyoudobestandmaketheinvestmentinhir-inghelpforthepartofthepaperlesstransition.Shehiredaparttimeassistantwithknowledgeofcomputerfilingsystems,whileDiFrancescodecidedtodoitherselfbecauseshewantedtofeelfullycomfortableinthesysteminordertotrainheremployees.

Bothagreethatyouhavetoconsciouslyfocusonbreakingoldhabitsandtrainyourselftouseyourdigitaltools.TheyadmittosometimescatchingthemselvesreachingforaPost-itnotein-steadoftheirdesktopsstickynote.Thereisdefinitelyasteeplearningcurve,saidDiFrancesco,butthemoreyouusethesystemsandtools,themorecomfortableyoubecome.

FourmonthsinandLynnhasbecomeanevangelistforgoingpaperless,tellingherdesignersandpeershowithaschangedherbusinessandfreeduphertime.ClientsareamazedwhentheyseeyouwalkintoajobwithonlyameasuringtapeandaniPad,shdsaid.Ionceheardsomeonesaythattolooklikeaprofessionalinthisbusiness,youhavetohavetherighttools.ThatquotehasstuckwithmeandInowknowhowtrueitis.

Ithasremovedstressinsomanylittleways,saidDiFrancesco,fromwastingtimetryingtofindascrapofpaper;torevisitsbe-causeyouleftsomethingattheoffice.Nottomentionthetimeithasfreedupwhichallowsmetopursueotherthingsbothpro-fessionallyandpersonally.Aspartofhertransitiontopaperless,DiFrancescocleanedoutover3000emailsfromhersystemandnowhasacompletecleandesksurfaceandPCdesktop.

Goingpaperlesshasdefinitelyenhancedmyprofessionalrep-utation,saidLynn.Icantimagineworkinganyotherway.

Ifyoureinterestedinlearninghowmobiledevicesandtabletscan streamline your business, go to wf-vision.com/PaperlessOffice.Thefallsession,withCruzbackastheinstructor,startsSeptember27,2012.Watchyourinboxforourfreechatcom-inginAugustdetailingmoreabouthowtogopaperless.SignupnowandwellsendyouayearsworthofdigitaldayplannersheetsforyouriPadinadesignofyourchoice.V


Before you go paperless

The three must haves are: WiFi-enabled iPad or tablet with 4G+ WiFi. Its an imposi-tion to ask your clients for their password and hot spots and toggling to a phone are unreliable or too slow. If youre going to make this transition, you need to have the right equipment to start with.

A good scanner that allows you to scan to PDF format and import/export across multiple devices. Lynn invested in a portable scanner that allows her to scan paint, tile and fab-rics while at the clients location or at showrooms.

A good stylus if you draw and sketch and/or a Bluetooth keyboard for typing.

Di Francesco also suggests Free One Hand, an accessory that works as a holder, stand and easel, claiming its perfect for balancing tape measure, tablet and stylus.

Favorite Apps

Our app list grows every day, but here are few that are always at our fingertips.

Note Taker HDStickiesEvernoteQuick OfficeAzulHours TrackerSquarePocket Informant HD

During the course of the program youll learn how to inte-grate all these and at least 50 more into your business.

14 | VISION

Carol Collins on precision

Im Officially Obsessed With

When it comes to draperies, I guess you would have to label me

a perfectionist. At the beginning of my design career, I not only

designed the draperies, but I also fabricated and installed them.

This experience taught me that being precise about the types

of fabrics I use and about every little detail of the fabrication

ultimately affects the presentation of the final masterpiece. My

objective with each job is to deliver the quality that I would expect

if I were the client. I am motivated by these two little words:

precision and perfection. I wouldnt have it any other wayjust

ask my workroom.V

VIEW

POINT

The combination of coordinating silks and beaded trim with the swag treatment style of this treatment are the perfect frame for the pastoral view from this master bed-room. Chosen for their earthy look, the copper and amethyst colors help carry the eye through to the view outside. The beaded fringe trim add sparkle to the room when the sunlight streams through the windows.


Carol Collins, WFCP ExpertCarolscustomdraperies.hdwfg.com

Blog: carolscustomdraperies.blogspot.com

Facebook: carols custom draperies & interiors

Pinterest: pinterest.com/carol_tcollins

Twitter: twitter.com/carolsdraperies

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Both bedroom and bath of this master suite fea-tures slightly arched windows. To keep the integ-rity of this architectural feature Collins followed the precise curve of the windows with oil-rubbed bronze finish hardware that perfectly matches the claw feet and faucet of the tub. The beaded silk fabric for the arched Roman shade, flanked by panels of embroidered linen, were selected for their Old World charm

16 | VISION

VIEW

POINT

neoftheseminarsIpresentedlastAprilatIWCEin Chicagowas an in-depth look at the customwindow treatmentmarketwhoweareaswin-dowtreatmentproviders,whoourcustomersare

andwhat they're buying.Thosewho attended that seminarwerebombardedwithfactsandfigures,buttheonethingthatreallyseemedtostickwasthatwereooold.

What Imean is that aspracitioners, the vastmajority of us(74.8%)areover50yearsold.And,consideringthatthemajorityofourclientsarealsoaging,(73.4%fallinthe35-54agerange)itsclearthatanyofuswanttobeinbusinessevenadecadefromnow,weneedtostartaddressingtheneedsanddesiresofanewgenerationofclients.

Foralongtimeourbusinesses,andmanyothersintheU.S.,havedependedonthepurchasinghabitsoftheBabyBoomers,thoseofusbornbetween1946-1964.Astheolderboomershavebeguntoageintoretirement,GenXtooktheirplaceasprimeconsumers,but,critically,notascustomwindowtreatmentcli-ents.Thisisanentiredemongraphicgroup,39.9millionofthemin2010,aged35-44,thatwelosttoreadymadetabtoppanelsandsimilarno-commitment-necessaryoptions.

Nowisthetimetocapturethenextgroupofconsumers,calledtheMillennials(orGenY),agroupbornafter1980and,asof2010,thereare41.1millionofthem,aged25-34justreadytocomeintotheirprimeearningyears.

What Does The New Consumer WantItdoesntmattermuchwhatagegroupyourcurrentclientelefallin,youvesurelynoticedsomethingdifferentaboutyourprojectsinthepast5-7yearsvs.thosecompletedpriortothat.In general consumers aremore demanding and better in-formedthanever.

Whatthatmeansforourbusinessisbothpositiveandnega-tive.Onthenegativeside,itmeanspriceshopping,and,be-causeoftheparadoxofchoice,theinabilitytocommit.Whoamongushasnthadaclientthatwantstoseeanotheroption,orvariationonthedesign?Yourealwaysonestepawayfromclosingthedealbuttheresjustonelastthingshewantsyou

Understanding our future customers

The Millennial by Deb Barrett

toaddress.Youvealreadyinvestedthismuchtime,youthink,whatsonemoresmallrevision,orspeccingadifferentfabric?Andeverytimeyouthinkyoureprovidingexcellentcustomerservice,yourereallyjustprovidingherwithonemorereasonnottomakeadecision.

ConsumershavealotofgeneralinformationattheirfingertipsduetotheInternet,butbecausecustomwindowtreatmentsaresuchaninfrequentandcomplexproducttopurchase,theydonthavethespecificsnecessarytomakeaninformeddeci-sion.Thisiswherethepositivesideoftheequationcomesin.Astheprofessionalitisourroletominimizeinformationover-whelm,directourclientsthebestpossiblechoicesfortheirbudgets,theirneedsandtheirtasteandclarifythelong-termvalueofcustomwindowtreatments.

Anotherpieceofgoodnews:Millennialsarethedrivingforcebehindtheliveglobal,shoplocalmovement.AccordingtoarecentstudybythePewResearchCenter,37%ofMillennialsdistrustbigbusinessand40%preferbuyinglocal,evenwhengoodorservicesweremoreexpensivethanmassmarketal-ternatives.

ArecentarticleinForbesdescribedhowMillennialslookforsensory,sharableshoppingexperiencesandseekoutnicheretailersthatareabletocreateuniquebuyingenvironments.Thosenichebusinessesneedtobeustheindepedentcus-tomwindowtreatmentcreators.

What Are The New Consumers ExpectationsAccordingtoaNielsonsurveyconductedearlierthisyear,andasshownintheInfoBarinMay/Juneissue,therewillbemorefirsttimehomeownersin2013-2018thaneverbefore.Foranindustrylargelydependentonhomepurchasesandrenova-tionsthisisamazingnews.However,unlesswefindawaytoconnectwith thesenew consumers and clearly convey themanybenefitsbothproduct-basedandthedesignintangi-blesofcustomwindowtreatments,thisnewmarketwillslipthroughourfingersmuchasGenXdid.

Considerallthemarketingpositivesalreadymentionedtheyprefertoshoplocal,theyprefersmallbusinesses,theywant


enjoyable, engaging purchasing experiences.What else? Ifyoufollowmarketingnews,youllrecognizethatanotheras-pectofMillennialsisthattheycraveauthenticityandunique-ness,theywantcustomizationandvaluepersonalexpression.Wecandoallofthatforthembutweneedtogetcustomwindowtreatmentsontheirradar.

Where Millennials Look for InformationWerelearningtodealwithclientswhoarenowoftenco-cre-atorswithus,nowweneedtolearntoreachaclientelethatthinksemailistooslowandthatthegroupopinionofstrang-ersismorerelevantthananyexpensiveorbeautifulmarket-ingpieceyoucandevelop.Itsabigshiftforanindustrywheremanyofusstillhaveonlythemostminimalofwebsites.Butsocialmediaandpeer-to-peerreviewsarerapidlygrowingas-pectsofmarketing.

A recent GlobalTrust in Advertising report from Nielsenshowedthat92%ofrespondentssaytheytrustrecommenda-tionsfromfriendsandfamily,viasocialnetworkingcomments,aboveallotherformsofmarketing.Andperhapsmoresignifi-cant,thisisan18%increasesincethepreviousreportin2007.Onlineconsumerreviews,suchasthecommentsonTripAd-visor.com,Yelp.comandothersarethesecondmosttrustedformofinformationregardingabusiness.

Asnewformsofsocialnetworkingexplodeonthescene(Pin-terestanyone?)lookforhowtheycanbeusedinyourmarket-ingefforts.ArecentPricegrabber.comsurveyfoundthat21%ofPinterestuserspurchasedaproductafterseeingitonthecontentsharingsite,and30%ofthosepurchaseswerehomedecoritems.

According to Packaged Facts, an organization that tracksconumer demongraphic patterns for the financial servicescatgeory,43%ofMillennialsbetweenages25-29believetheywillbebetterofffinanciallyinthenext12months.ThatsmorethantwicetherateofBabyBoomersandGenXer'sinthe45+agebracket.AndofthoseMillennialsage22-29withacollegedegree,thepositivefinancialoutlookgoesupto50%expectinganimprovedfinancialsituation.

Sowhileitmayseemliketheseconsumersmaynothavethefinancesnowtopurchasecustomwindowtreatments,thatwillchange.Asanindustryandinourownindividualbusinessesweneedtostartcultivatingarelationshipwiththesepotentialclientsnowbecausenoneofusaregettinganyyounger!V

For those interested in the full report, containing proprietary research into the custom window treatment market conducted by Barrett, combined with additional demographic information such as the examples in this article, email [email protected].

Barrett will also be speaking on this topic at the WFCP live event, October 9, 2012 in Secaucus, NJ. For more information go to wf-vision.com/regionals.

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18 | VISION

SHOW REV

IEW

hen the International Contemporary Fur-nishingsFair(ICFF)firstdebuted23yearsago,itwasindirectresponsetothelackofanyconsolidatedeventthatfocusedoncur-

rent residentialdesigndevelopments.TherewasNeoConforcontractfurnishings,andHighPoint,whichhadsomecontemporary showrooms scatteredamong thehundredsoftraditionalists,buttoreallygetanoverviewforwhatwasnew,itmeantatriptoItaly.AndtoseewhatwasnewfromAmericancompanies?Thatwasnearlyimpossible.

Likeanylong-runningevent,ICFFhashadgoodyearsandbadyears.ForawhiletheshowseemedoverwhelmedbyEuropeancompanies,butintimedomesticbrandsbecamepredominate.Thencamethemodernistrevivalsleekandslickgavewaytoretro-coolasalmosteverystandshowedvariationsontheclassicsfromthe50s,60sandeventuallyeventhe70s.Overthepastthreeyearsthestrangleholdofmodernismseemstohavefadedandinitsplace,atICFF

ICFF and New York Design Week

A New Wave of

and at themany off-site events that nowmake upNewYorkDesignWeek,anewwaveofnostalgiaseemspoisedtotakeover.Craft,withanemphasisonpre-industrialandearlyindustrialformsandtechniques,wasathemeevidentinmanyof thedesignsseenacross thecity.Thiswasnotlimitedtojustfurnituredesignsmanylighting,textileandwallpaperintroductionsreferencethethemesofauthent-icty,hand-workedandartisinal.

Thisincludedseveralcompanieswhobuiltproductsonsite,includingcarvingpiecesof furniture,assembling lighting,sewing, 3D rendering from concept drawings and more.Thereisamergingofcraftandtechnologythathelpsmakesenseofadigitallyprintedquilt,oraknittedslipcoverforaclassicEameschair.Whiletherewasanemphasisoncrafts-manship,thissenseofnostalgiadoesnotmeancontempo-rary tools are neglected. Computers, digital printers, 3Dprintersandmuchmoreareputintoservicetohelpbringcraftedworksintothe21stcentury,andmakethemafford-ableforawiderrangeofpotentialconsumers.

TRENDS ON THE FLOOR: LEFT: The Hellman Chang stand at ICFF was one of several at ICFF that incorporated the actual production and assembly of its products into its presentation.

ABOVE: The Scamp table from Blu Dot comes in three sizes, three finishes and with either a marble or smoked glass top. It manages to exemplify three trends seen at New York design week in one piecethe wire frame, the fact that one of the color choices is copper, and the marble top. Marble turned out to be the surprise material of choice for many new introductions.


Inadditiontocrafttherewereseveralotherstrongtrendstobeseen:

Wall to Wall WallpaperThegrowthofwallpaperasadesignelementhasbeenseveralyearsinthemaking,butthisMayitseemedlikeeverywhereyouturnedattheJavitscenter(whereICFFisheld)waswall-paper.Theoff-siteeventstoohadplentyofwallpaperrepren-tationresultinginanamazingrangeofstylesandlooks.

Wire is the New Wood Plywoodandwoodveneerswerea strongpartof theneo-modernistmovement,butatthisyear'sevent,wireandtubeswerethelookofthemoment.Couldthisbetheneedtoseesomethinglighterandairierthanallthatwood?Coulditbethefactthatrenderingsoftwareissosecondnaturetomanydesignersthatwireframelooksseemthemostnatural?Isitthatyougetshapeandvolumewithouttheweight?Whateverissuesarebehindthegrowthofthistrend,itwillbeinterestingtoseehowlongitlasts.

TRENDS ON THE FLOOR: ABOVE: Lindsey Adleman and her team assembled custom lighting orders on the show floor.

TOP: The Confetti collection of lighting by Avram Rusu Studio in almost limitless in its variations. Clients can specify brass or stainless steel, a wide range of cystal or other semi-precious stone embellshments, the ad-dition of hand-blown glass discs and many other options.

RIGHT: The Kelly chandelier from Gabriel Scott in available in brass or blackened gold Its made from hundreds of chains in different weights and designs linked into flat panels. The crates below the chandelier showed aspects of the design and assembly process.

20 | VISION

Color all Around While ICFFhasnever been a sea of neutrals, therewere frequently certain color themes that could bespottedtheyellowedgreensofadecadeago,theblue/browncombinationthatstartednearly12yearsago,ormore recently the orange/grey/taupe combinations,whichshiftedslightlyfromorangetomoreacidyellowinthepastfewyears.Thisyearitwasalmostanycolor,almostanywhere.Theonlycleartrendseemedtobeinmetallics,whichwereeitherblackenedoraged,orwarm,withcopperandbrassonmoreforward-lookingdesignsthanstainlessorchrome.

SeethefollowingpagesformoretoppicksfromNewYorkDesignWeek.AndwatchforsomeofourfavoritewallpaperandfabricintroductionsintheSept./Oct.is-sue;therewerejusttoomanygoodthingstofithere!V

COLOR MAKES A DIFFERENCE: The chairs, benchs and table O&G Studio creates are based on the belief that good modern design is a synthesis of memory and invention. Their work references classic American furniture and reinvents it for todays homes.

MODERN KNITWEAR: Sinje Ollen is a fashion knitwear designer who, thanks to some friends with a damaged Saarinen chair, discovered a market for custom slipcov-ers specifically designed for classic modern furnishings. Each is custom made in a palette and texture of the clients choice and designed to slip off easily for cleaning while staying in place with no slipping while in use.

RIBBON WORK: Maki Yamamoto studied fashion design in Tokyo before moving to New York to create custom textiles and soft furnishings. Her collection for Bespoke Global is playful yet sophisticated.


AwArd winning Products!

TUSCANY COLLECTIONLightweight Decorative Metal Cornices

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3d drAPery HArdwAreComing Soon!

[email protected]

22 | VISION


Nice USA Inc.12625 Wetmore Road, Suite 218 San Antonio, TX 78247Toll. +1.877.786.7133 Ph. [email protected]

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CRAFTING FLEXIBILTY OPPOSITE PAGE: Debra Folz showed at both ICFF and and Wanted, one of the largest of the off-site events during New York Design Week. At her ICFF stand the main piece was Score, a shelving unit that can be ordered in one to four sections. Each section comes with a wool felt wrap, offered in a range of colors, that is attached with metal snaps, so that the color combinations can be rearranged and for ease of cleaning. Bottom row photography by Molly Akin.

At Wanted, Folz showed her collection of storage stools, with pleated slipcovers, as well as the X-Table, a series of aluminum mesh pieces with flamestitch needlework.

MODERN TEXTURE ABOVE: Luisa F Gil Fandindo considers herself a surface architect, creating dimensional knitted, woven and embellished fabrics Having worked and studied in Nantes, France; London; Bogata, Columbia; Minneapolis and New York, Fandindo is now based out of Chicago and launching her own company, FandindoThinking Textiles.

24 | VISION

SHOW REV

IEW

tNeoConthisyear,heldJune11June13attheMerchandiseMartinChicago,IL,theoverallcon-sensuswasthatbusinesswaslookingbetterthanit had since 2008.Companieswere investing in

newproductlinesasopposedtoupdatingcurrentbestsellersandtherewereseveralkeythemesthatseemtobedrivingthenewestdesigndevelopments.

Multi-functionalismThelinebetweenofficelifeandhomelifecontinuestoblur,somanufacturerslooktoaddressthesituationwithfurniturethatworkswellinalllocationsfromcorporateworkstationstoof-

NeoCon 2012

Collaboration and

ficeloungestohomestudios.Flexible,modularandcustomiz-ablewerethebuzzwordsformanyofthenewintroductions.

Rainbow BrightsGone,gone,gonearethedaysofofficedrab.ShowroomsallthroughouttheMartshowedvivid,vibrantcolor.Therewasnoparticularcolortheme,suchastheorange/grey,yellow/greycombinationsthatwerethetrendafewyearsback.Norwasboldcolorlimitedtojustcorporateredorblue;insteaddesign-ershappilyusedhuesfromallaroundthecolorwheel.Thereseemstobenolongeranyrealdistinctionbetweenresidentialandcorporatecolorpalettes.


Group PrivacyItmay seem like a contradiction, but just as business, andthereforemanufacturershaveembracedtheideaofopenof-ficeplans,collaborativeworkspacesandflexspaces,theyalsorealizethereisgrowingneedforprivacy.Asmeetingspacesevolve toseemmoreresidential,withcomfortablesofaandloungechairseating,coffee-tableheightsurfacesandmore,these pieces now integratemoreprivacy functions aswell.Chairsandsofaswithtallbacksandsurroundingwings,pullup laptop tables, built-in chargers andmore turn a singlepieceoffurnitureintoamicro-office.

Casual Friday All Week LongThisisnotsomethingnew.Infact,itsanongoingoutcomeofmanyoftheotherlarge-andsmall-scaletrendsinoursoci-ety,butavisitortothisyear'sNeoConwouldhavebeenhard

pressedtofindatraditional,formal corporate environ-ment in any showroom.Overall our lifestyles havebecome far more casual(which, unfortunately, isnot the same as relaxed)and our work spaces areadaptingtofit.V

FASHIONABLE FUN: OPPOSITE PAGE, FAR LEFT: The Tulip swivel lounge chair from Haworth is one example of a cocooning look that can work as a private space in a open environment.

OPPOSITE PAGE: The BuzziHub is part of the ever-growing BuzziSpace collection designed for flexible, semi-private meet-ing spaces.

ABOVE: Shetland, also from Haworth, is a minimalist rocking horse for the office. Available in walnut veneer or gloss white, with optional leather saddle and blanket designs, the lightweight but sturdy bench brought a smile to everyone who saw and tested it in the showroom.

BELOW: The State of Mind modular carpet collection from Mohawk takes its cue from the DIY movement, offering a customizable progression of up to 25 colorways and a unique layering of four patterns. This allows design professionals to use color only, pattern only, or a layering of color and pattern together.

Window Fashion VISION presents:

TWO DISTINcTIVe PrOgramS FOr The WINDOW FaShIONS PrOFeSSIONal

Join us in New Jersey October 9 & 10, 2012 crowne Plaza hotel meadowlands, Secaucus

SnapshotoftheCustomWindowTreatmentMarket DesignTrends2013andBeyond WindowFashions:WhereInspirationand

TechniqueMeet-Showcase

ConversationswiththeNewConsumer BusinessSuccessWorkshops DBRxConsultations ColorCertification SupplierShowFloor

Join us in Dallas October 23 & 24, 2012, crowne Plaza Dallas, Downtown

DesignTrends2013andBeyond Embellishments-Showcase TerrificSolutionstoTerribleSituations WindowFashions:WhereInspirationand

TechniqueMeet-Showcase WindowFashionInsiderSecretsGillianWendell,

SusanKosteleckyandDebBarrett IntensiveTraining BusinessSuccessWorkshops iPadfortheDesignPro WorkroomMethods SupplierShowFloor

To see full program details, visitwww.wf-vision.com/regionals

Cutting Edge Topics + Superior Presenters=

SUCCESS for you!

26 | VISION

INCREASED SATURATION: Rich, strong colors were found everywhere at NeoCon. Clockwise from top left: The Roger Thomas collection at Maya Romanoff debuted with two patterns, Tremolo (shown) and Moon Lake. Both are studies in the subtle variations of color, line and texture. In collaboration with Trove, Knoll introduced the Vivid collection, consisting of Swoosh, Sway and Swerve, each pattern bends color in painterly gestures, capturing a range of hues, from orange and persimmon to plum, yellow and aqua. Robert Allen Contract showed Beverly Boulevard in conjunction with Kirk Nix, principal of KNA Design Studio. The collection of 20 fabrics includes Exquisite, a plush cotton velvet, and Sidewinder, a reptile-skin look with metallic accents. The Freehand Collection from Pallas Textiles is an evocation of hand-made techniques in high-tech processing. The five patterns mimic the look of hand-block-ing, crochet, lacework, stamping and cross-stich in a coordinated palette of 13 colors.

28 | VISION

TREN

DS

Jewelry at the WindowWhether its a tape, trim or tassel, passementerie of all types is the accessory that completes almost any custom window de-sign. Turn the page to see trimming detail shots from some of the 2012 Envision Design and Ingenuity Workroom winners. V

TEMARI BY SPINAHandcrafted with silk, satin ribbon and faux suede, the Temari col-lection is offered in black, as shown, or a multi-colored Carnival version. A corresponding tasseled tieback is available as well. spinadesign.co.uk

FILAGREE BY SAMUEL & SONSA modern interpretation of Belgian lacework, Fila-gree is a 2 1/2" wide border that works beautifully on its own or when layered with other trims. Shown in Black, Navy and Pearl, it is also available in Snow, Buff, Putty, Steel and Chartreuse. samuelandsons.com

HAMPTON BY BRIMARModern tapes by Brimar are chic and on trend. These jacquard tapes are fabulous accents with a hip vibe, not to mention perfectly flat and easy to apply. brimar.com

POMPEII BY BELAGIO ENTERPRISESThe new pleated border tapes from the Pompeii col-lection is a stylish alternative to more opulent trims. The collection includes matching cords, braids and tassel and brush fringes with coordinating tiebacks.belagioenterprises.com

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Leading Asian Trade Fair for Roller Shutters, Doors/Gates, Windows and Sun Protection Systems

March 26-28, 2013Shanghai New International Expo Center

Email: [email protected] [email protected]

R+T Asia 2013, Your gateway into the Chinese Sun Protection market!

Over 300 exhibitors from all over the world will be presenting their innovative sun protection technologies and products. Professional visitors out of the industry, real estate agents and architects can look forward to three days of innovation, brand new products and services.

www.rtasia.org

30 | VISION

TREN

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GILLIAN WENDELDuralee trim with Kravet and Greenhouse fabrics. For the complete design, see page 46.

ANNA DAVISRepurposed fabrics and tiebacks. For complete design, see page 50.

DAVID & YELANA DRAVESMichaels Textiles beaded fringe with Fabricut and JF Fabrics. For the complete design see page 55.

NANCI IIAMSHand-stiched smocking with buttons and welt from Rothman Associates. For the complete design see page 44.


TINA FONTANAKravet beaded trim with Michaels fabric. For complete de-sign, see page 42.

DEBBIE KNOXKasmir Fabrics beaded trim and fabric. For complete design, see page 57.

NANCY HOGANKasmir Fabrics tassel tieback and fabrics. For the complete design see page 49.

NANCY SIBRAVAJF Fabrics trim with Vervain and Ado fabrics. For the com-plete design see page 54.

32 | VISION

WORKROOM EDUCA

TION

Circus theme inspires workroom creativity

Welcome to the TopThe Custom Sewing Institutes Sixth Annual Cre-ative Camp event was held March 9-11, 2012 at Camp Allen in Navasota, TX. This years event had a circus theme and each attendee received a kit which included a temporary tattoo, a red clown nose and funny glasses, which many at-tendees promptly put on.

Over the three-day period the classes, all of which counted toward WFCP certification, included: Kenneth D. King: Specialty Details Ann Johnson: Arched Pleated Panel Missy Martin: Workroom Tools & Equipment Lesa Berryhill: Social Marketing for Workrooms Gillian Wendel: Drapery Panel Headings, Pros-perity Knot and Hands-on Headboard

Jimmy Loyd: Photography for Workrooms

This years Creative Camp also honored Cheryl Stricklands contributions to the industry, as it marked the 15 year anniversary of Stricklands first workroom industry conference. In recog-nition of Cheryl Stricklands battle with breast cancer, a portion of the profits of the workroom items and books sold at camp were donated to Comfort Stitches, a charitable organization started by Diane Preston that makes fabric ac-cessories such as Bosom Buddy pillows, tube bags and chemo caps for breast cancer patients while undergoing treatment.

A special award was presented at this years camp. Dubbed the Crystal Scissors Inspira-tion award, it was presented to Gillian Wendel,


OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: Circus fun at Creative Camp 2012.

OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM: Attendees working on prosperity notes during one of the sessions led by Wendel.

THIS PAGE, TOP: Gillan Wendel, popular speaker, was given the Crystal Scissors award at this year's camp.

THIS PAGE, LEFT: Marci Pelot working with Cata-nia silk in the Arched Pleated Panels class.

owner of Wendel Works in Pinehurst, TX. Wendel has taught at all six years of Creative Camp events, as well as at Window Fashions Vision events (2010-2012), and has won several awards for design and fabrication. Her classes have always been resoundingly popular for her innovation, design style, ex-acting fabrication instructions and inspiring presentations. (Editors Note: Wendel will be speaking at the WFCP program in Dallas, October 23-24. See page 25 for additional details.)

The three days passed by quickly in a flurry of fun, education and sharing, as at-tendees were able to experiment with with a variety of workroom products from platinum sponsors Catania, Rowley Company and United Supply during the many hands-on classes.

Susan Kostelecky, who through the Custom Sewing Institute has run and man-aged the camps for the past six years, announced that she will be taking a break from producing any more Creative Camps for the near future. She will be presenting, with Wendel, at the WFCP program in Dallas this October. V

Susan KosteleckySKdesignscustom.com CSIsews.com

Comfort StitchesComfortStitches.com

WFCP Live in Dallaswf-vision.com/Dallas

WFCP Live in New Jerseywf-vision.com/NewJersey

CLOSER LOOK

34 | VISION

Workroom pros dish on their favorite (and not so favorite) tools

Whats Makes a Workroom WorkWe asked workroom professionals to answer a few questions about their favorite tools, their dream tool, and much

more. Read on to discover what you might need to make the perfect workroom for you. V

WORKROOM TOOLS

Whats your all-time most valuable tool in the workroom?A calculatorbecause its

all about the math!Jeanne McDermottAt Your Service, Belmont, MA

My workroom table, 60" wide by

10' long padded with lines...if I ever

retire, I may keep the table!Vivian C DibrellChase Custom Creations, Pittsburgh, PA

Toss up between my wonderful KAI scissors

(four pairs!), my Workroom Valets, and my Do-

Fix iron. The scissors need no explanation. I pin

swags, tweak cornices, adjust lengths, all with

the help of my Workroom Valets, and they

are portable enough to take to the install so I

dont have to lay my cornices on the floor. The

DoFix presses wrinkles, attaches tapes, and a

shot of steam can drop a stinkbug at 6 feet!Judy Soccio SoccioRodriguez Design, Monongahela, PA

Whats your secret weapon in the workroom?

Coffee ;-) Seriously, though, its education

because knowing what to do that my

competition cant is an amazing advantage.Therese DavisFabrications Studio, Barrington, IL

My personal workroom notebook where

I diagram and describe how to do specific

treatments, so I don't have to reinvent the

technique every time.Vivian C DibrellChase Custom Creations, Pittsburgh, PA

The excellent lighting I had installed in my workroom when it was builtall work ar-

eas are shadow-free. Although I have task lighting on all my sewing machines, I really

dont need them. This makes my workspace bright and inviting, a place I love to be.Kathy WakemanStylewise, Pittsboro, NC

CALIFORNIA-HOMES_M&O_S12_212x276_GB.indd 1 16/05/12 12:15

36 | VISION

Coulisse Inc.

Miami Design District

30 NE 39th Street

Miami FL 33137

USA

t (786) 431-5539

e [email protected]

i www.coulisse-inspiration.com

i www.coulisse.com

With Coulisse The Fashion Brand of Window Dcor

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM INMIAMI DESIGN DISTRICT

Authorized Dealer

Unique Wholesale Distributors

Contact: Sal Nocera

t 800-824-1277

e [email protected]

Authorized Distributor

Family Distributors

Contact: Danny Buxbaum

t 954-973-9820

e [email protected]

If you could magically create the perfect tool for your workroom, what would it be?

A completely cordless iron.Emily PettitEmily Jane Creations, Roebuck, SC

A device that brings me the right tool when I

need it instead of searching for it under a pile

of fabric or on top of my head!Jeanne McDermottAt Your Service, Belmont, MA

A little mallet that would hit me on

the head each time I forget to include

the additional time(cost) it takes to

hand tack pleats in bulky fabrics, work

around a flaw in the middle of the bolt,

etc.Judy Soccio SoccioRodriguez Design, Monongahela, PA

I would love to have my own per-

sonal machine repair fairy.Therese DavisFabrications Studio, Barrington, IL

A wall dedicated to holding finished board

mounted valances that wouldn't fall down

off peg hooks.Vivian C DibrellChase Custom Creations, Pittsburgh, PA

Whats the one tool you really want to love, but are always disappointed by? Why?

My Rowenta iron, but alas it sputters water, leaks and needs repair frequently. A soon-to-be-made purchase of a DoFix D-50 steam iron with ceiling mounted track system will retire my Rowenta to household ironing tasks.Kathy WakemanStylewise, Pittsboro, NC Blindstich hemmers. I love them because they

are fast but am always disappointed because I

havent found one yet that doesnt drop stitches

or mess up one way or another.Emily PettitEmily Jane Creations, Roebuck, SC

My electric cutter. It cuts fine on straight cuts up the grain, but eats

fabric on the bias and curves. It should be a time/hand saving tool,

but it's just easier to cut my layers manually.Judy Soccio SoccioRodriguez Design, Monongahela, PA

My blind hemmer, because I always

have to adjust it and it still won't sew

silks or sheers.Vivian C DibrellChase Custom Creations, Pittsburgh, PA

My manual rotary cutter

because it gets dull in one

spot too quickly.Jeanne McDermottAt Your Service, Belmont, MA

Coulisse Inc.

Miami Design District

30 NE 39th Street

Miami FL 33137

USA

t (786) 431-5539

e [email protected]

i www.coulisse-inspiration.com

i www.coulisse.com

With Coulisse The Fashion Brand of Window Dcor

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM INMIAMI DESIGN DISTRICT

Authorized Dealer

Unique Wholesale Distributors

Contact: Sal Nocera

t 800-824-1277

e [email protected]

Authorized Distributor

Family Distributors

Contact: Danny Buxbaum

t 954-973-9820

e [email protected]

38 | VISION

2012

INGEN

UITY WORKROOM COMPE

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WORKROOM NOTES

This triple height room features a floor-to-ceiling fieldstone fire-place and a wall of windows 20 feet wide. The enormous expanse of glass needed a treatment that would complement the fireplace, highlight the dramatic scale of the window wall as well as show-case the center arch.

The key of the planning was to consider the size of the wall and create the design that was proportional to the scale of the window wall, said Polyanskaya. My first step was to create a template of the windows with precise measurements.

She realized that installing a 20 foot wide cornice three stories up would be incredibly difficult, if not impossible, so she worked on a design that would allow her to create three individual pieces that look as if they are a single unit. The center section is 118" x 54", while the two side sections are each 59" x 75". She then determined where the swags would need to be placed in order to disguise where the sections meet.

To make sure there were no surprises during installation, Polyan-skaya created a full-scale duplicate in her workroom, testing the positioning, size and drape of the swags and making adjustments where necessary. The swags were positioned on the center piece and overlapped 4" onto the side pieces. The completed drape of the swag was attached to the side pieces using hook-and-loop tape. The cascades were stapled on the side piece and hidden un-der the swag.

Installation was a two-day affair. On the first day, 24 brackets and seven honeycomb shades were installed. Because of the height of the cornice, two rows of brackets were necessary for an abso-

Were pleased to feature the top entries from the2012IngenuityWorkroomcompetitiononthefollowingpagesasthesetalentedprofessionalssharethedetailsofwhattrulymakesacustomwindowtreatment.

OLGA POLYANSKAYADRAPERY EXPRESSIONS AND BLINDS

WORKROOM OF THE YEAR & FIRST PLACE, INGENIOUS INSTALLATIONS

40 | VISION

lutely secure support system. One row was located at the top of the ceiling, with a sec-ond row positioned 40" down from that.

The second day was all up on the scaffold-inggetting the three sections of the cor-nice in place and mounted securely, and then positioning and dressing the swags and cascades.

DETAILS

CREDITS: Workroom and designer: Olga Polyan-skaya, Drapery Expressions and Blinds, Colorado Springs, CO. Installer: WinSystems, Inc., Colorado Springs, CO. Carpenter: Grigoriy Polyanskiy, Colo-rado Springs, CO. Photography: Amy Kachel, Colo-rado Springs, CO.

SOURCES: Cornice and drapery fabrics: Wesco Fabrics. Swags and cascade fabric and tassel trim: Denver Interior Fabrics. Drapery lining and interlining: Angels Distributing Inc.

2012

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SM

SM

42 | VISION

2012

INGEN

UITY WORKROOM COMPE

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TINA FONTANA FONTANA DESIGNS, LLC

SECOND PLACE, INGENIOUS INSTALLATION

WORKROOM NOTES

For this charming little girls room, the ornate decorative molding set certain installa-tion parameters that shaped the window treatment design. Because Fontana was not al-lowed to drill into the molding, but knew she didnt want the design of of the window treat-ments and canopy to start be-low the molding, she needed to develop a unique design and installation plan.

I wanted to bring your eye up to the center of the window, so I created a stationary, arched Austrian shade, said Fontana. She then repeated that design element in the bed canopy design.

She started with a temple of flexible board that could bend up and over the molding, mounting this on l-brackets installed to the wall be-low the molding. This piece was designed and put into position before any of the treatments were ever sewn, allowing her to measure every aspect of where to mount all the elements, determine exact finished lengths and all other ncessary fabrication and installation details.

These details were marked on the boards used for the Austrian shade and the canopy. The boards were then brought back to the workroom so that all notations were exactly transcribed for final patterns.

To make sure the bed panels would have the volume she wanted, she installed Velcro to the bottom hem of the panel with the other

self-adhesive portion attached to the wall, which allowed her to nice-ly dress out the panels. At the window, a Hunter Douglas Applause shade is tucked under the arched Austrian shade for light control. Beaded trim adds a sparkling detail as it catches the bright sunlight that streams into the room.

DETAILS

CREDITS: Designer, workroom and installer: Tina Fontana, Fontana Designs, LLC, Crofton, MD. Photographer: Pete Albert Photography, Annapolis, MD.

SOURCES: Reversible bedding: Maxwell and Fabricade. Panel trim: Kravet. Bedskirt, lower panel fabric and tiebacks: Trend Fabrics. Up-per panels and sheers: Michaels. Hardware: Houseparts. Linings: United Supply. Undertreatment: Hunter Douglas Applause shades with Lightrise.

2012 INGEN

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ORKROOM CO

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WORKROOM NOTES

The economy continues to be a driving force with my clients, said James. They're not going on the second vacation and some aren't going on any vacation. My clients are nesting and this is a great opportunity for me. Time and time again, I've heard the same thing: We are spending more time in our home, what can you do to help us update our rooms?

This was the case for clients that wanted to create a spa-like feel for their master bedroom. First was a discussion on what this meant for her clients, and soon the words soothing, calm, hotel and clean began to define the space. With that in mind, James began her design concepts and fabric search.

The wood blinds were in good condition and so were left in place, allowing more time and effort to be spent on the stepped cornices, functional drapery panels and the custom bedding. James said her clients told her that they love coming home from work and going to their redesigned bedroom, as it makes them feel as if theyve stepped into a fancy hotel. Theyre so pleased they are now planning updates for their guest room, office and guest bathroom.

MARENA JAMES, ADORN DESIGNS

FIRST PLACE, COMBINATION TREATMENTS

DETAILS

CREDITS: Designer and workroom: Marena James, Adorn Design, Louisville, KY. Installer: Steve Keller, Mt. Washing-ton, KY. Photographer: David Snyder, Chasing Color, Louisville, KY.

SOURCES: Drapery fabric: Lafayette In-terior Fashions. Cornice and bedding fabric: Novel. Soft blackout lining: An-gels Distributing. Duvet insert: Rowley. Pillow inserts: Rowley. Traversing hard-ware: Kirsch. Trim: Lafayette Interior Fashions. Rendering and presentation software: Minutes Matter Studio.

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NANCI IIAMS, NANCI IIAMS DRAPERIES

FIRST PLACE, CURTAINS & DRAPERIES

WORKROOM NOTES

Creating beautiful window treatments that enhance but dont obstruct the view or de-tract from expensive custom millwork is a common issue for todays designers. Iiams client was also concerned that the treatment not be too formal for the space, while Iiams herself noticed the narrow space to work with on the right side of the window frame.

The finished design, a pair of tab-top station-ary panels, sounds simple, but it is the mul-tiple layers of details that create the impact, from the carefully pieced plaid bottom edge to the hand-tied tabs.

The layering of detail starts with the main fabric, an iridescent crossweave of kelly green with wine that changes color depend-ing on the angle. The lower quarter of each panel is plaid that brings together the rich golds, browns, greens and berry tones in the room, pieced to the main portion of the panel with a raspberry welt.

In order to keep the plaid pattern on the bot-tom as straight as possible, the panels would need to be finished at a sharp angle to ac-count for the holdback. Several mockups were made to determine that a 17" differ-ence from side to side was needed to align the plaid.

Another set of mockups were needed in order to calculate the necessary fullness for 40" of diamond smocking per panel. It was soon de-termined that no tapes would work and the treatments would need to be hand-smocked. In order to prevent the smocking from col-lapsing in on itself, a cord was sewn into each vein, along with a supporting framework of dowels behind the treatment.

Each point of the smocking was embellished with hand sewn buttonsover 500 of them in raspberry, to bring that color throughout the treatment.

DETAILS

CREDITS: Designer: Amanda Streeper, Nanci Iiams Draperies, Cedar Rapids, IA. Work-room: Nanci Iiams, Nanci Iiams Draperies. Installer: Nate Sunblad, S&S Window Treat-ments, Iowa City, IA. Photographer: Jessica Rilling, Cedar Rapids, IA.

SOURCES: Iridescent drapery fabric: RM CoCo. Plaid drapery fabric: Kasmir. Buttons and welt: Rothman Associates. Drapery har-ware: Carole Fabrics.

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GILLIAN WENDEL, THE WENDEL WORKS

FIRST PLACE, TOP TREATMENTS

WORKROOM NOTES

For a clients first custom bathroom, Wendel wanted to create something special. The project was challenging be-cause the shower enclosure was a very tight fit between the door and some cabinetry and that the overall room was relatively small and narrow.

A curved shower rod was installed, both to give more space to the shower area and add some dimension to the space. A curved va-lance was the perfect answer to disguise the rod, with a classic box pleat design that adds detail without the volume swags or other draped looks would bring to the space.

The inverted box pleat design provided a can-vas for custom fun. The large floral print was alternated on the box areas and accented with a contrast check cut upright in the inserts. By cutting the check on the bias for the shaped banding as well as the top band, the effect gave the valance an additional dimension without adding another fabric.The bobble trim on the top of the shaped band area keeps it away from any stray water, while thebot-tom edge is finished bias micro cording. The stationary panels sport a bias check banding to tie them into the valance and are offset by coordinating twist cord. The treatment was designed to be mounted to the ceiling, both because this helps add height to the room and that there is limited space on either side of the shower enclosure. A flat, shaped board was used which enabled Wendel to install the side draperies directly onto the same board with flexible hook strip. The va-lance was then installed on Velcro that was attached to the front curve of the wood.

DETAILS

CREDITS: Designer and workroom: Gil-lian Wendel, The Wendel Works, Pinhurst, TX. Installer:James Sides, Ribbons and Rods, Conroe, TX. Photographer: Gillian Wendel.

SOURCES: Decorative fabrics: Kravet and Greenhouse Designs. Trim: Duralee. Lin-ing: Angel's Distributing. Shower liner fabric: Rowley Company.


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For this arched window, Draves designed a cornice with a gracefully shaped inside curve. A beautiful damask had already been selected for the drapery panels, but hours of searching for a complementary fabric for the cornice proved fruitless. If the texture was right, the color was off and if the color was right, the pattern com-peted with the damask panels.

Finally, a brown faux silk with a hint of black was selected, but it seemed too flat on the cornice. Thats when Draves came up with the idea to smock the fabric in a basket weave pattern. To keep the clean lines of the cornice, she only used the smocked fabric on the face and finished the returns with the flat fabric. I remem-ber upholstering the underside of the face and thinking to myself beauty is in the details, said Draves. And she included plenty of details in addition to the smock-ing, such as the black tape with gold medallions that draw the eye down to the el-egant tiebacks. Every seamstress has projects that push them to new levels, she added. When you exceed those expectations and you know it, nothing is better.

DETAILS

CREDITS: Designer and workroom: Yelena Draves, Yelenas Designs Inc., Dekalb, IL. Installer: Dave Draves, Yelenas Designs Inc. Photographer: Kurt Moncini, South Elgin, IL.

SOURCES: Drapery fabric: Decoronova. Cornice fabric: Fabricut. Trim, tiebacks and tape: Robert Allen.

YELENA DRAVES, YELENA'S DESIGNS INC.

FIRST PLACE, SPECIALTY WINDOWS

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NANCY HOGAN, GREAT PANES

SECOND PLACE, TOP TREATMENTS

WORKROOM NOTES

The custom cherry wood cabinetry and gleaming black countertops in this spacious eat-in kitchen required equally elegant win-dow treatments. Hogan was inspired by a valance she saw in The Design Directory of Window Treatments by Jackie Von Tobel, one with a slight arch on the lower edge that also featured decorative overlays providing addi-tional detail and dimension.

Once the main fabric was selected, a striking large scaled paisley print, Hogan could begin drafting the patternsone for the center of the windows, one for the outside ends of the valances and one for the inner angles of the bay window area. The intent was to have each window be different while still complement-ing each other.

There were existing shades on the windows that the client kept for light control and priva-cy, which meant that the shortest point of the valances needed to cover these shades. The

valances were designed to mount nine inches above the bay window frame to take advan-tage of the high ceilings in the room and look proportional to the area being treated.

All the pieces were fabricated with blackout lining to preserve the rich black of the fabrics, including the mini-dot print used for the two-inch banding on all the elements. A narrow gimp braid in gold further defines the shape of each piece.

The bay window valance was fabricated in three separate sections due to the size of the window, while the overlays were designed to be attached separately. This turned out to be a true benefit during installation, because the original placement for the inside angle overlays did not look balanced. They were re-moved and placed to line up at the center of the wall space instead, which created a bet-ter, more balanced look.

DETAILS

CREDITS: Designer and workroom: Nancy Hogan, Great Panes, Rochester, NY. Installer: Ralph Gentile, Curtain Call, Rochester, NY. Photographer: Steven Liguori, Liguori Pho-tography, Rochester, NY

SOURCES: Valance paisley: Kasmir, Jessup in black. Valance accent fabric: Kasmir, Neth-erlands in raven. Lining: Angel's Disributing, Belle Notte. Gimp: BTC Trim, The Balmoral Collection #21799.


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The goal for this living room was a window treatment that complemented the high ceiling without overpowering the natural light from a lovely triple window. The design needed to be understated and airy but still provide a sophisticated pop of design and color. Hogan sug-gested a contemporary fabric embroidered in fuchsia, teal, burgundy, camel, tan, olive and gold to serve as gathered stationary panels. I felt the gorgeous fabric did not need a lot of detailed construction, because that would actually detract from its beauty, said Hogan.

A pelmet in rich burgundy was added to help draw the eye upward and complement the color of two niches on the wall opposite the fireplace. Sheer fabric in the self-lined point-to-point swags in the transom windows allows filtered light into the room from above and helps link the treatment across the width of the windows. The short point of the pelmet line up with the long point of the swags and the long point of the pelmet line up with the molding to create a visually unified look. The panels are lined to prevent any shadowing. The pelmet fabric needed to be interfaced to provide enough stability, while micro cording in the same fabric and self lining completed the understated look. A large tassel with twisted cording in the same burgandy, olive and gold tones found in the embroidered fabric adds another layer of detail. The hardware for the swags was custom designed to mount in the 3 1/2" space, while the decorative hardware with dark crystal finials is the finishing touch.

DETAILS

CREDITS: Designer and workroom: Nancy Hogan, Great Panes, Rochester, NY. Installer: Ralph Gentile, Curtain Call, Rochester, NY. Photographer: Steven Liguori, Liguori Photogra-phy, Rochester, NY

SOURCES: Panel fabric: Kasmir, Enchantment in Multi. Pelmet fabric: Kasmir, Big Sur in Wine. Swag fabric: Carole Fabric, Gentle Breeze in Sand. Lining: United Supply. Hardware: Helser Brothers

NANCY HOGAN, GREAT PANES SECOND PLACE, CURTAINS & DRAPERIES (TIE)

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ANNA DAVIS ANNAS CUSTOM DESIGN

SECOND PLACE, CURTAINS & DRAPERIES (TIE)

WORKROOM NOTES

For the foyer in this home Davis employed a bit creative repurposingand then had to do so once more. To start the client want-ed to reuse two pairs of velvet draperies to add some warmth to the long foyer that featured three sets of French doors.

The client asked for a design of bishop sleeve panels with large puddles. To achieve this Davis needed to pull the original draperies apart, re-line them and re-cord the leading edges and the re-turns with a small welt cord. Because the original draperies were not long enough to accomodate the bishop sleeve and the puddle, another of the original draperies needed to be cut in half to add to the new finished length. This 30-inch bottom sec-tion was attached with a cord and used to create much of the puddle on the floor.

The concept was to mount the panels di-rectly to the wall, without visible hardware. Unfortunately, after the install, the look was not what the client envisioned and she asked Davis what could be done.

Davis came up with a new plan that includ-ed the bishop sleeves, but no big puddles, and the client agreed that hardware was necessary. Davis came up with a design of inverted box pleats for the velvet panels with pleated silk panels behind to add to the visual volume between the sets of French doors. She worked closely with Iron Art by Orion to customize the hardware needed for this look.

The back panels were shirred on a sash rod and snapped into place with all brackets stay-ing hidden. Because the clients walls were plaster and the velvet panels were heavy, Da-vis placed eyelets in the crown molding be-hind the silk panels and ran a cord down the wall to the gathered part of the velvet panels. She attached a cord tensioner and used this to adjust the finished height and volume of the bishop sleeve section. The tiebacks, which are for looks only, were placed last and finally both designer and client were satisfied. DETAILS

CREDITS: Designer and workroom: Anna Da-vis, Annas Custom Design, White House, TN. Installer: John Davis, Annas Custom Design.

SOURCES: Silk panels: Ado Fabric, Matisse in Espresso. Silk lining for velvet panels: Gal-axy Fabrics in Sage. Tiebacks furnished by the client.


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For this 132" high arched window treatment, the goal was to accentuate the shape without the requirement of custom-bent hardware. Peterson decided to make a wood mounting board by cutting a rainbow-shaped piece of plywood to which she screwed and glued a 4" bendable board. The treatment was then attached to the bendable board with staples and all the staples were hidden behind pleats with the raw edges concealed behind the plywood.

This gave a very clean look and allowed all for a quick installation. Screws were started in the painted rainbow shaped plywood, and the entire treatment was then attached to the wall at the designated spot and simply screwed straight into the wall by tightening the already started screws the entire treatment was hung in under 15 minutes with the assistance of a few extra hands.

DETAILS

CREDITS: Designers, workroom and installer: Colleen B. Peterson, Sew Stylish, Pueblo, CO. Photography: Jean Boerner. Special thanks to Kurt S. Peterson, Joshua K. Peterson and Bryndee N. Peterson for their assistance during the installation.

SOURCES: Drapery Fabric: Wesco Fabrics, Twizzler in spa. Trim and tassels: Chris-topher Lowel Collection carried at JoAnn Fabrics. Bendable Board: Rowley Company, Plywood: Home Depot.

COLLEEN B. PETERSON, SEW STYLISH

SECOND PLACE, SPECIALTY TREATMENTS

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NANCY A. SIBRAVA, HONQUEST FURNITURE FOR LIVING

SECOND PLACE, COMBINATION TREATMENTS

DESIGN CONCEPT

Compared to the other rooms in this 1920s Lake Shore Drive co-op, the dining room had very little architec-tural interest. The challenge was to add detail and drama while carrying through the gold-leaf accents al-ready featured throughout the home.

To that end Sibrava designed a swag and cascade treatment using gold-leaf hardware featuring a dramatic center medallionthe result is a window treatment with true architec-tural presence. An almond colored dupioni silk with golden lattice scroll-work combined with neutral sheers embellished with a silver-gold stripe was chosen to add subtle patterns to the room and complement the for-mality of the furniture without over-powering it. To complete the design, beading with a delicate silver-gold gimp tape was added to the leading edge of the cascades. These catch the sun and add sparkle, another detail to fill the eyes and add to the richness of the room.

The window faces west with an unobstructed view to the horizon. The hot afternoon sun was of great concern to the clientas it was con-tributing to fading of the furnishings and excessive energy consump-tion. To answer that concern, light-filtering roller shades were mount-ed inside the window frames for light and heat control. The overall effect of the treatment in the room raises the eye, allowing the visitor to appreciate the generous size of the cove moulding and the nine-foot ceiling height.

DETAILS

CREDITS: Designer: Nancy A. Sibrava, Honquest Furniture for Living, Barrington, IL. Workroom: Yalcin Oral, Able Drapery, Chicago, IL. In-staller: Cemal Oral, Oral Installations, Chicago, IL. Photographer: Jo-seph DeNatale, Joseph DeNatale Photography.com, Chicago, IL.

SOURCES: Swag and cascade fabric: Vervain, Espalier in almond. Contrast lining for swags and cascade: Trend, 01697-T in straw. Sheer fabric: Ado, 3332-1/46. Roller shades: Lafayette Window Fashions, Genesis Seto 6000. Beaded trim: JF Fabrics, Daisy 13J4721. Drapery hardware: The Finial Company.


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DESIGN CONCEPT

The need to create a balance between three separate types of windows in this kitchenpatio doors, corner unit and a window above the sink (not shown)while respecting the combination of styles in furniture, cabinetry and architec-ture was a lesson in continuity without repeti-tion. This was accomplished by using the same fabrics and hardware throughout, while creating variations on the design theme appropriate for each window.

The nine-foot patio door off the sitting area is treated with damask panels ac-cented with scalloped cuffs in a crushed bronze fabric. This detail draws attention to the elegant reeded pole and carved finials. Beaded trim in warm amber and gold at the cuffs complements the fabrics and the the tiebacks.

For the dining area all the same elements are repeated, now in the form of a modified Kings-ton valance, the relaxed draping helps frame and soften the large bank of windows. The de-liberate visual break in the hardware at the cen-ter of the window further emphasizes the gentle flow of the valance.

Above the kitchen window another version of the Kingston valance is used, this one hung from bronzed rosettes that coordinate with the hard-ware used on the other two treatments. The result is a unique ensemble where each design works independently as well as supporting all the other elements in the room.

DETAILS

CREDITS: Designer: David and Yelena Draves, Yelenas Designs, Inc., Dekalb, IL. Workroom: Yelena Draves. Installer: David Draves. Photog-rapher: Kurt Moncini, South Elgin IL.

SOURCES: Swag fabric: Fabricut. Accent fab-ric: JF Fabrics. Drapery hardware: JF Fabrics. Beaded fringe: Michaels Textiles. Beaded tas-sels: Ado. Tiebacks: EuropaTex.

DAVID & YELENA DRAVES , YELENAS DESIGNS INC.

SECOND PLACE, DECORATIVE HARDWARE & TRIMS

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KAREN LEE , TOTAL WINDOW TREATMENTS

SECOND PLACE, SPECIALTY WINDOWS

DESIGN CONCEPT

Inspired by the rich tones used on the upholstered pieces in the room, the arched cornices deliberately add to the curve of the windows, lengthening them and drawing attention to the canvas mural applied to the cove ceiling.

Dupioni silks in green, blue, merlot, and gold were accented with a narrow tape trim in gold, with a single tassel with a rosette in the center of each jabot. Lee crafted templates of each window and did a trial run fitting before starting on the upholstery and finish work, resulting in a trouble-free installation.

DETAILSCREDITS: Designer and installer: Karen Lee, Total Window Treat-ments, Elmhurst, IL. Workroom: Linda Miller, Total Window Treat-ments.

SOURCES: Fabrics (all except merlot silk): Silk Loom. Merlot silk: Duralee. Trim and tassels: Fabricut.


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The design challenge for this kitchen/dining area and adjoin-ing window seat was to treat both spaces with the main fabric, but to make sure each still maintained a distinctive look. For the win-dow seat Knox designed Roman shades with a bottom hem that followed the line of the fabric pat-tern. Beaded trim was applied at the bottom edge to accent deli-cated shaped edge.

For the larger expanse of window in the kitchen/dining area, Knox designed a swag valance with a five-inch band of rust faux silk, finished with a welted edge for the the bottom hem. Wrought iron brackets, chosen for their sub-stantial size (4.5" x 9") worked with the chandelier and other hardware already in place in the kitchen. The 30" long swag valance was scaled to add enough impact to the large windows without being overpowering.

Finally, for a windowed door in the kitchen, Knox de-signed a throw swag, held with smaller versions of the brackets, that played off the look of valance.

DETAILSCREDITS: Designer and workroom: Debbie Knox, Fabric Accents Design, Dublin, OH. Installer: Mark Ulry, Mark Ulry Installs, Westerville, OH. Photography: Debbie Knox.

SOURCES: Damask fabric: Kasmir Fabrics. Banding and contrast fabric: RM Coco. Roman shade beaded trim: Kasmir Fabrics. Cushion and pillow fabrics: Kasmir, Carole and RM Coco. Pillow trims: Dkei and Carole. Iron hardware: Helsler Brothers.

DEBBIE KNOX, FABRIC ACCENTS DESIGN

SECOND PLACE, TOP TREATMENTS

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DETAILSCREDITS: Designer: Katherine E. Wozniak and Melissa LeVan, Katherine Elizabeth Designs, North Barrington, IL. Work-room and installer: Lee Frew, Lee Frew Custom Drapery Stu-dio, Arlington Heights, IL. Pho-tographer: Norman Sizemore, Norman Sizemore Photography, Chicago, IL.

SOURCES: Fabrics: GP&J Baker and Fabricut.

DESIGN CONCEPT

For a clients dream home on Lake Geneva, the generously sized mas-ter suite included a wide range of window shapes and sizes. Wozniaks goal was to add an understated soft-ness to the windows and furnishings without obstructing the stunning lake views, all while addressing the

multiple ceiling heights and other installation challenges. Because of all the variations, the same treatment would not work on all windows. Instead Wozniak created consistency by using a con-temporary print that includes soft greens, blues and a warm gold,

gentler versions of the colors to be found right outside the windows. This print is used as the top treatment the different window treatment styles, always accented with a band of gold. For the drapery panels or lower portion of the treatment, she chose a soft blue.The multiple levels and layers of window treatments enhance the architectural ele-ments and entice the eye to move around the space.

Mounting the panels at the top of the peaked bead board ceiling in the sitting area draws the eye up and around the space, while near the bed, ruched cornices above narrow jabots lend softness to basic windows. The arched window is given volume at the top with a large fabric knot while the subtle blue panels softly frame the stunning view.

KATHERINE E. WOZNIAK, KATHERINE ELIZABETH DESIGNS

SECOND PLACE (TIE), WHOLE ROOM INTEGRATION


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KATHERINE WOLFE, CUSTOM BY KATHERINE

SECOND PLACE (TIE), WHOLE ROOM INTEGRATION

DESIGN CONCEPT

For a dining room and living room makeover, Wolfe was di-rected by her client to create an evironment that was time-less, elegant and traditional. Both rooms were to be treated as one using a palette of blue, gold and off white.

WFV July/August 2012

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Transcript of WFV July/August 2012