Ruched Headings

Ruched headings are often used in formal living or dining rooms.  When made from silk fabric ruched panels create a dramatic, ball-gown drapery design like the beautiful examples shown below.

Leatherwood Design Company

 Riehl Design Inc.

But ruched headings can also be used for valances, shades or shower curtains.

 The shower curtain below features a ruched heading. 

A large ruffle is sewn into the top of the shower curtain.

A tacking gun is used to create the ruching.

Making Color-Blocked Draperies

The nursery makeover continues with a window treatment and decorator JoAnne Lenart-Weary has a great idea!  "Let's treat the window and closet door opening as one". 

The next task is choosing a window treatment style.  This is a boy's room so ruffles and frills are not part of the plan.  The parents also requested that the room be designed so that it would grow-up with their new son and not be too baby-looking for a toddler or first grader. JoAnne and Susan Woodcock, who will be fabricating the window treatment discussed the options.  The decision was made to use three solid color fabrics to create a functional drapery.  Several top treatment ideas were considered such as a cornice or a box pleated valance, but in the end the best option was to use decorative hardware to keep the corner from feeling too crowded.

A grommet drapery heading was chosen because the smaller stack-back will fit into the tight corner between the door and window.  The three fabrics were sewn together for each panel; green, red and blue in equal sections (when cutting add for hems, headings and seams).   In the photo below one of the color-blocked panels is being measured before adding the lining.

 

After the drapery panels are lined and hems and finished the #15 plastic, snap-together grommets from Rowley Company are set into the heading.

 

The draperies will be installed on Aria decorative hardware with a black finish.



You may have noticed that we are using a lot of black as an accent in this room.  Black might not seem like a "baby" color but the use of black in this room helps to balance out the 4 foot by 6 foot chalkboard dominating one wall.  The father-to-be, Mike Williams is a school teacher so he loved this idea!  The chalk board was painted on the wall with special chalk board paint and framed with wood upholstered in the stripe fabric used elsewhere in the room.

Stay tuned for more updates as the nursery continues to be decorated, and join us on April 17 and 19 for two live, webinar presentations showing decorating and fabrication details.  Click here to register: Bringing Home Baby

Behind the scenes...

Redecorating a room takes more than sketches, paint, fabric and hanging art.  A lot of work goes on behind the scenes and while the project may look-a-mess for a period of time, the magic happens and the room comes together.  

In our previous posts, you will see that Sarah Gleason,our designer for this project, chose a beautiful black and white print for the windows.  She consulted the workroom professionals here at Rowley Company about drapery and hardware choices.  Two of the options considered were ripplefold panels with a short, upholstered cornice to hide the track or pleated drapery on a wood pole rod rod with rings.  

The final choice: A square routed pole rod with traversing track and decorative Acanthus Leaf finials.  (To see a video of routed poles, click here) 

Instead of a contemporary Ripplefold heading, a pleated drapery will be used to blend with the traditional elements of the home.  The drapery pleats will sweep across the rod below the wood fascia.  Blackout lining will be used to keep the white background of the fabric from having an orange or yellow tint on sunny days.

After the hardware order was placed with Finestra Decorative Hardware, the talented painting and finishing team got to work on a black, high-gloss finish.

Acanthus Leaf finials #1099 hanging on the drying rack. 

Our projects 2" Square Pole is drying with other custom painted poles.

And while we wait for the paint to dry on the hardware, Sarah and her team are busy painting the walls, ceiling and trim.  Sarah will be recycling some pieces that were already in the home, like this mirror which is getting a fresh coat of paint.

This mirror will be updated with new paint.

For over the dining table, a black crystal chandelier was selected.  Sarah shares why she chose this style of fixture... "the shape of the chandelier is very traditional, like a classic crystal chandelier but in black, it looks super chic". 

Some assembly required!

Sarah is busy working on an abstract painting to use on the wall opposite the window and will be painting the existing mirror over the fireplace while Laurie Medford and Susan Woodcock are crafting the window treatment and slipcovers.

The final reveal of this room make-over, including how-to details of the drapery and slipcover fabrication and installation will take place with a live webinar on August 23rd at 11:00 am EST.  Join Laurie, Susan and Sarah for a fun and informative presentation, including door prizes!  

Click here to register:Glam for the Fam: A Dining Room Makeover