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Designers create inspiring window-treatment solutions in a Richmond showhouse.
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Artist’s Studio
Artist and designer Herb Pulliam’s interest in light was apparent in his choice to cover the west- and south-facing windows of the artist’s studio with dramatic, linen draperies by Carolyn Ray, Inc. The linen is a hand-dyed and -woven striae that adds visual interest. Clip-strung onto a metal cable, the drapes are also easily adjustable. “It’s simple to gather more fabric in one area and less in another to let the right amount of light fall on the canvas,” Pulliam says. To further soften the space, he pinned a burlap tent over the metallic-finished ceiling.
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Solarium
According to designer Elizabeth Cabell, a solarium is a place of reflection, connecting indoors and out. With that in mind, she chose not to cover the room’s Palladian windows, but rather to drape the corners between them, focusing attention on the windows themselves. Purple irises blooming just outside in spring inspired the color of the silk taffeta draperies by Highland Court, which are banded with a silk stripe by S. Harris. “Taffeta has reflectivity in its iridescent finish,” Cabell says. “A play on the word ‘reflection’—again, one of the intended uses of the space.”
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Front Parlor
In this elegant space, designer David Ballas reflects the lifestyle of Tara II’s well-traveled owners with objects collected abroad, while also emphasizing the Old World charm of the house. The swagged polyester-blend draperies by Greenhouse Design exemplify Ballas’s philosophy that “you can be traditional and eclectic by using two different fabrics—one on the face and one for the lining.” The panels can be tied back or pulled entirely closed on the rings and rod.
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Breakfast Room
During a trip to Istanbul and Morocco, designer Janet Brown
was inspired by the multi-functional rooms she saw. She transformed a long, narrow space into a breakfast room, combining a cozy banquette with colorful North African Suzani (embroidered) pillows and faux-
finished stucco walls. Sunlight filters in the windows through linen sheers by Schumacher, edged with red linen trim by Pindler and Pindler. The sheers have appliquéd panels that cleverly conceal the drawstring mechanics of the adjustable shades.
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A Lady's Office
Designer Kathy Corbet velieves that "every woman should have a space in the house that's entirely hers." Working with a color scheme of magenta, plum and ultraviolet cooled down by a gentle celery green, Corbet has created a ladies' office that has enough verve to be interesting while still providing a calm workspace. The window treatment is like a ball gown-striped silk by Donghia, richly gathered and tucked under a shirred cornice with a sheer, relaxed polyester shade by Duralee underneath.
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| Finishing Touches |
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| Designers create inspiring window-treatment solutions in a Richmond showhouse. |
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| By Jeanne Blackburn | John Magor |
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January/February 2009
For most designers, window treatments represent the final stage of a room’s design. However, that doesn’t mean they’re not important. Window treatments lend a space character, softness and mood, as well as functionality. Their impact was particularly apparent in the Richmond Symphony Orchestra League’s 2008 Designer House, where 16 Richmond-area designers took on the challenge of redecorating a mansion.
Like its literary namesake, Tara II is rich in Southern history. Built in 1901 by Richmond banker E.L. Bemiss, it was moved to its present location in 1925. The house changed hands several times before it was purchased by local businessman Philip Minor in 1994. After Minor’s death in 2007, his wife opened its doors to the Richmond Symphony for a fundraiser in her husband’s honor. Each designer was given a section of the house to redo; the goal was to respect its historic past while breathing fresh air into the traditional interiors.
These pages offer a sampling of the unique window treatments that helped make each room special.
Jeanne Blackburn is a writer in Montgomery Village, Maryland. Photographer John Magor is based in Stafford, Virginia.
**Interior Design
Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.
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