The Decorating Begins!

Our nursery makeover begins with this basic room.  First time parents Brittany and Mike Williams had done little with this room since moving into the home. When we asked Brittany to describe the room she said one word; "blah".  It's time to get to work!

 

We begin with an initial consultation with Brittany and JoAnne Lenart-Weary.  The starting point is color.  JoAnne is a pro at helping clients narrow down color choices, she created the patent pending color system "Color with No Regrets".  With this system JoAnne proves that you can eliminate over 75% of the paint deck in three minutes with a unique and easy color test.  It was great fun to see JoAnne in action!

In a few minutes a color palette was selected and while chatting about color and decor Brittany shared her vision for the nursery.  She wanted a room that was warm, nurturing and fun and that would grow with the baby.

During this appointment we measured the crib, dressing table and window for soft furnishings and the room was measured so that a furniture plan could be created.

A few weeks later JoAnne visited Rowley Company to share her selections for paint colors, fabrics and wall art.  The selections made us all smile.  Especially the Zoo-Wallogy wall graphics available online at Fun Decor for Kids. This is the "fun" that Brittany and Mike were hoping for.  These vinyl graphics are easy to apply and do not harm the wall surface.  They can be removed and placed in different arrangements to keep the room interesting and ever-changing. 

 

For the paint colors Sherwin Williams "Vital Yellow" #SW6393 was chosen for the walls.  This will provide a soft yet warm background for the lively wall art and "Resolute Blue" #SW6507  was chosen for the ceiling to give the baby boy and his animal friends a cheerful blue sky above. 

Three solid fabrics were chosen from Greenhouse Fabrics to create a color blocked drapery for the window. Greenhouse Fabrics #A2440 Cabbage, #A2427 Cranberry, #A433 Indigo

 

 In our next blog post we will share more photos to show the room being painted and other fabric selections for cushions and more.

Bringing Home Baby; a Nursery Makeover

Back by popular demand, Rowley Company is presenting another room-makeover webinar!  We have partnered with interior decorator JoAnne Lenart-Weary to create a very special room from start-to-finish.  JoAnne is the founder of One Day Decorating and The Decorating and Staging Academy and an enthusiastic and accomplished decorating veteran. 

JoAnne, Laurie Medford and Susan Woodcock will turn a spare bedroom into a fun and functional nursery for new parents expecting their first baby.  And it’s a boy!

We will be presenting two webinars; one with a design focus and one showing the fabrication steps for all the soft furnishings. You will see the entire decorating process, from choosing paint colors, creating room layout, selecting furnishings and art to creating window treatments and crib bedding that will grow with baby.

Mother-to-be Brittany Williams and JoAnne Lenart-Weary discuss paint colors.

This spare bedroom will be transformed from "blah" to "ahh" with talent, creativity and practical solutions for parents expecting their first baby.

We will be blogging about the project and sharing updates of the progress. Stay tuned!

Registration is open.  Click the links below to attend the live, online semainrs.

Bringing Home Baby; a Nursery Makeover Part I: Design and Decorating

Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at 2:00 pm Eastern Standard Time

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/454657250

Bringing Home Baby; a Nursery Makeover Part II: Workroom Techniques

Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 11:00 am Eastern Standard Time
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/732551234

It's All About the Details

Window treatment designs will turn into one-of-a-kind creations with the addition of custom touches.  
From pattern placement to hand pleated ruffles and other embellishments: it's all about the details.

Seam together fabric and lining, matching patterns.  Cut valance to shape and place face up on lining which is face down on the work table.
Detail: Pattern matching and pattern placement.

Sew bias banding to the bottom edge and press neatly with an iron.  Turn banding to the reverse side and fold under, hiding the seam.  Finish the banding by sewing or using an adhesive product.
Detail: Beautiful finished edge and mixing stripes and prints.

The ends of the valance are gathered or small pleats can be used.  A horn is created in the "up" portion of the scallop shape along the bottom of the valance.   The valance is ready to mount to the board.
Detail: The fabric design is highlighted in the style.

Box pleated ruffle is stapled to the front of the mounting board.
Detail: Hand pleated ruffles add texture and interest along the top of the valance.

A welt cord detail is added.
Detail: Repeating the stripe fabric and creating a beautiful join between the valance and ruffle.

The valance is placed face down and stapled with tack strip.  When it flips over, the welt cord and ruffle will be above.  Detail: Using an upholstery technique to create a beautiful finish.

Rosettes are made from leftover pleated ruffle and stapled at the top of each horn.
Detail: Rosettes add drama!

A piece of shade lift cord is stapled in the center, and a button embellishment is threaded onto the cord.
Detail: Buttons add a couture touch.

Tie the cord tight to hold the button in place.  Detail: Custom painted buttons from Finestra Decorative Hardware.

The proportions are perfect for this tall window with a transom.
Detail: A scale drawing was created to ensure good proportions.

Creating a Pleated Drapery Heading

The draperies for our upcoming webinar are ready to be pleated.

They are going to look fabulous and make a bold statement with the graphic print fabric from Greenhouse Fabrics and modern black gloss square pole from Finestra Decorative Hardware.

(To see more details about the draperies and this project, see our previous blog entries).

 To sew in pleats, an industrial sewing machine is used.  This machine will easily sew through the multiple layers of fabric, buckram and blackout lining. The pleats are marked and stitched from the top to the bottom of the buckram heading (4").  There are two "right ways" to sew the pleats.  From the bottom-up or from the top-down.  We are showing both methods here.

Sewing from the bottom up: Start 4" down from the top edge, back-stitch and continue up towards the top, back-stitching at the end.  To prevent an uneven top edge, purposely start with the top slightly uneven, the fabric will push forward as you sew.  How much uneven?  This depends on the layers, fabric and sewing machine being used.  One practice pleat will give you the proper step-back for all the rest.

Sewing from the top down:  Start about 3/4" below the top with the needle seated in the down position.  Back up and continue sewing from the top to the bottom of the buckram, back-stitching at the bottom.  Starting below the top prevents the fabric from shifting out of position.

The pleats have been hand-tacked into the French Pleat style.

Heavy Duty pins (#DPHD)are added using the Pinsetter tool (#PS10/D) from Rowley Company.

The drapery pins are set 3/4" down from the top edge to fit onto the carriers of our traversing track.

Ready to install!

If you would like to see the final room design join us for Glam for the Fam: A Dining Room Makeover 
on Tuesday, August 23rd at 11:00 am Eastern Standard Time. 
Click here to register.

Joann Wieberdink shared this recent kitchen project of combination cornices and soft shades.  Joann, owner of Couture Creations in Kellyville, OK created these unique window treatments for Denise Designs.  They feature banded accent cornices for panels and relaxed Romans. 

This project was a challenge for Joann, who shared this story with us...

 "I took the sketch of the designs to Vision 2011.  Laurie (Medford) is the one who helped me with the construction of the small center cornice pieces in the long relaxed roman shades.  She told me to use FirmaFlex and to just attach it to the mount board.  

I had no idea how to do those center pieces and had spent most of one sleepless night agonizing over it. When she said, "just screw it into the mount board" it was like a light went off in my head.  IT COULDN'T BE THAT EASY!!!  But it was.  

All the cornice pieces on the long  treatment are FirmFlex.  I love that stuff and so does my husband who cut it for me.  THANKS! LAURIE AND ROWLEY!" 

We think the end results are fabulous!  Thanks Joann for sharing your project with us.