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Step 9. WINDOW TREATMENTS

Hello, this is Dana Smithers from Sun On My Back Redesigns,

Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletters. I appreciate your comments and the changes you are making to the way you live in your home. For those of you who are selling I know you are getting the message!

This month we are looking at our Step 9 in our 10 Step No-Fail Formula for Redesigning or Staging your home to create harmony and balance throughout. We have almost completed our 10 Steps and I am sure your home is looking so much better!

If you are just receiving my newsletter for the first time go to my HOME PAGE on the left hand side under  eNewsletter Archives and click on Read TIPS archives here. There you will find previous newsletter TIPS on Step 1. FUNCTION; Step 2. FOCAL POINTS; Step 3. CONVERSATION GROUPINGS; Step 4 CASEGOODS; Step 5 FLOORING; Step 6 & 7 ART & ACCESSORIES; and Step 8 LIGHTING.

Step 9. WINDOW TREATMENTS for Living.

Over the past 5 years our preference for the types of window treatments we like has changed dramatically for living and for selling. In the hundreds of homes I have been in the last few years I have seen the more formal, layered window treatments flying out the door. They have been replaced by less cumbersome treatments.

WINDOW TREATMENTS can be either soft or hard. For soft window treatments think of anything that is made from fabric whether it be as light as a sheer or as heavy as a chenille fabric. Soft window treatments generally add warmth to rooms as well as colour and texture. Hard window treatments consist of a variety of products such as shutters, faux or real wood blinds, woven wood shades, sheer weave blinds, aluminum blinds, duettes, silhouettes, luminettes, vignettes, alouettes, trio, etc. Depending on the style you have in your home or each room (hopefully they are connected) you have an infinite number of options to select from.

Function is always first when selecting your window treatment.
Your Decorating Style is second.

When selecting your window treatments here are some TIPS for you to find the perfect product:

1. Determine the purpose of each window treatment – do you need it for privacy, to block out light, to add warmth or colour in the room, to soften the minimalist look, to lengthen/shorten your wall, etc?
2. What decorating style are you trying to achieve – is your style very traditional and formal or informal, do you love the country look i.e. French, English or American, does modern/contemporary really speak to you or do have 2 favourite decorating styles?
   
   Once you have determined the FUNCTION and your DECORATING STYLE then,
   
   
3. Decide if you want a single window treatment on your windows or multiple, layered window treatments. – This will be largely determined by your style – classic traditional consists of hard and soft window treatments with layers; country is simpler with patterned fabric and colour playing an important role, roman shades working beautifully with this style; modern/contemporary has the cleanest lines using predominantly hard treatments with some decorative paneling for softness. Very little pattern is used with modern and the type of fabric plays a big role in the final look as well.
4. To determine the type of rod– to use consider the other metals or woods you have already in the room. Remember the decorating guideline of ‘three’? Apply it here so that you do not have more than 3 types or metals or woods for your drapery rod. We are still doing pinch pleated drapes but longer pleats and inverted are fashionable for this look. Brushed nickel grommets are great for a beautiful contemporary look. If you like tab tops please remember that these are not for pulling back and forth they work best left stationary.
5. Determine if you want to extend your window or make it smaller. – If you want it to look smaller then do an inside mount or your treatment; if you want to extend the look of the window then measure for your rod to be an outside mount at whatever length you want to achieve.

TIP: To darken your room for sleeping use BLACKOUT LINING with your fabric. The colour of your drapery/curtain is not what makes the room dark. If you are choosing silk (yummy) then interline and line it and it will last longer and maintain its supple look longer.

This is a more formal family room with a layered, elegant country look.

Instead of doing a full fabric window treatment side decorative panels hung on a short rod work very well. 2” faux blinds are drawn up.

Step 9. WINDOW TREATMENTS for Selling

In the past few years my favourite window treatment for selling has been the 2” faux woods in white/off white to match your trim. (As most of you know my favourite trim colour is Benjamin Moore Cloud White CC 40) Hunter Douglas has a new excellent wood blind out called the Chalet Blind. It comes in the white or dark woods but it is actually lighter than the faux woods. While it is more expensive than the faux woods it is only slightly more expensive and it is real wood!

Remember for SELLING, you want all of your window treatments on the outside of your home to look the same. The curb appeal is real and potential buyers want to have a nice first visual when they look at your home. Uniformity is key here!

 

While this is fine for living it is too personal a look and too outdated.

Voila! a room that anyone can visualize themselves in. The 2” faux wood blinds work well here.

SPECIAL: TRAINING HOME offers for REDESIGN & HOME STAGING

SIGN UP FOR 2008 NOW!
$75 Consultation & $150 for our One Day Home Makeover!
Each month we are looking for the 'right' Training Homes that we can teach our students Redesign for living, and Redesign Staging for selling. All of our Training Programs involve some component of hands-on work in real client's home. Check out our website for more details under SERVICES.
To be eligible for our REDESIGN OR STAGING TRAINING HOME you need:

• enough furnishings for us to work with - rearrange, regroup, showcase
• 3 rooms we can make over such as living room, dining room, family room, etc.
• typically you will have 1500+ square feet in your home

A recent client testimonial:

"I called Dana because I felt very confused about all the different styles I had going on. My home didn't seem to flow and yet I have so many things that I love in my home. Well I was so surprised and delighted when I came home at the end of the day - what a beautiful transformation! My home looks so nice and everything flows from room to room now. I am particularly impressed with Dana's eyes to see colour, balance, and details: I am 'in love' with my house again. The items that Dana purchased for me really updated my place and they pull the look together - as the result I saved lots of money! I invited my friends the following weekend to show off my house and they were amazed as well."

Rachel, Your Happy Client!

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5 DAY PROFESSIONAL CRDA REDESIGN & HOME STAGING COURSE

Check out our website for 2008 Dates! We will be in Victoria, Vancouver and Kelowna this year.
SIGN UP BEFORE NOVEMBER 30TH AND SAVE $100.

Receive your DESIGNATION & CERTIFICATION
CRSS Certified Redesign & Staging Specialist
Check out my new video clip that walks you through the course!

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Check out OUR APPEARANCES for 2008.
DVD and Handbook for Home Staging coming in 2008!

Warmest Regards,
Dana J. Smithers

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