Draping the Holiday Season

As the seasons change and fall rolls along, there seems to be an avalanche of holidays coming our way. Recently, we celebrated Thanksgiving. Many of us are now looking forward to other holidays. Hanukkah, Eid Al-Adha, Kwanzaa, Christmas are just some of the holidays that will bring family and friends together before New Year’s Eve when we bid adieu to the old year and welcome the new. With holidays comes preparation. Lots of time will be spent shopping for table setting and glassware and, most importantly, the ingredients for all the mouth-watering delicacies, among a whole array of dishes.

But, preparation is not just about the food; we are equally obsessed with how our homes will appear to our guests. As much as we’d love to purchase new pieces of furniture to spice up the living or dining rooms, buying new furniture is a luxury we can’t always afford. So what is the alternative? How do we stretch the buck?

Well, we could consider re-painting, or paint touch-ups, and possibly sprucing up furniture by re-upholstering or re-staining. But that’s a lot of work and we have so little time these days.

The easiest, quickest and proven way to transform the look of a room is to add new window treatments.

I can hear you thinking that there is so much to consider when choosing draperies. Allow me to explain: If nothing else, your drapery must complement or accentuate the best features of the room.

It is no surprise that color is a primary consideration. You need not do this alone: your drapery consultant will assist you by providing you with variations of hues and tones that add subtle changes to the room in keeping with the existing furniture, the size of the room and, of course, the color of the paint or the design of the wall paper. So hiring a qualified, experienced drapery consultant is another very important decision. This consultant will save you time, money and make the process enjoyable and pleasant.

The good thing about custom made draperies is the twin benefit of relevance and fit. Your drapery consultant will help you to choose fabric and lining that fit the needs of the room you wish to decorate. Some rooms require sheer, full-length whimsical curtains, while other rooms invite heavy, side stationery panels that complement existing wooden shutters. Still yet, there is the very important issue of privacy: some rooms need drapery to block out light and add romance. And some rooms have very large windows that should really not be blocked, so custom-made panels are the most relevant.

As you convey your needs, a consultant will provide you with design ideas, choices of fabric, hardware, accessories and installation details. You’ll find the entire process to be fun and easy. So, you’ll want to do it all over again – in another room, of course.

So first things first: decide on your budget at the outset, then invite a consultant who will add glamour and style that reflect your personality and lifestyle. Plan ahead and …enjoy the holidays.