Do your home’s window treatments leave much to be desired? Are they merely in use for the function and do little to enhance your home’s personality? Are you tired of the same boring looking draperies that you have since…hmm; perhaps you would rather not remember how long your drapes have been up!

If this is how you view your current window treatments, perhaps it is time for you to update your draperies! After all, while having draperies that are functional is important, that doesn’t mean that they have to be dull and lifeless! Of course, if you have perused the drapery aisle lately or have visited a fabric store, it is likely you were overwhelmed by the vast amount of colors, textures, fabrics and patterns available for drapes. Fortunately, you don’t have to tackle the decorating world alone. There many capable designers who are happy to help you achieve the look you want for your home’s window treatment and custom draperies. So, how do you select the custom drapery studio that is right for you? Here are a few tips to ensure both the experience and the final product(s) are all you want them to be.

1. Talk to the people you know and ask who they have hired to do custom drapery work. Ideally, you will want to get at least 3 recommendations. If your friends cannot recommend anyone, you may want to visit some decorator show houses, model homes or furniture show rooms and find out who designed the window treatment and draperies.

2. Once you have a few names, check their standing with the American Society of Interior Designers as well as with the BBB.

3. Set up appointments with the drapery designers you have selected. When you meet with the designer be sure you have done your homework. It will help if you have already given some thought to what style or personality you want the window treatments to impart. No, you don’t have to have the specifics, but a general idea will help get the process started.

4. Remember that one of the most important elements of working with a designer is communication! Be sure you express your needs and wants clearly. As much as possible, use pictures and scale drawings to illustrate what you would like. In addition, be open-minded and listen to what the designer has to say as well. Remember, you came to them because of their expertise! This doesn’t mean you should forget your ideas and blindly defer to the designer, but as custom drapery designers, they have an intimate knowledge of drapes and window treatments and how they will work to meet your needs.

5. Last, but certainly not least, be sure you have created a custom drapery budget and let the designer know what that budget is. This will help you both when it comes to selecting fabrics, window treatment styles, accent elements and any other related items. In addition, be sure you know ahead of time what activities are billed (phone calls, in-home consultations, shopping time…), how much of a deposit is needed ,and what type of mark- up (or perhaps discount) is available.

Hiring a custom drapery designer to create window treatments for your home does not have to be a frightening experience. With just a little bit of time-both listening and expressing- you can soon have a room that makes you say, “Wow, who knew this place could look that good!” No more will your home’s window treatments be outdated and you will be eager to show off your home’s great new look.

Author Bio: At Custom Drapery Studio Nancy Cohen has been creating custom draperies and window treatments for homeowners, decorators, and interior designers for over 20 years. Convenient to Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point North Carolina. For more information go to www.customdraperystudio.com

Category: Home Management
Keywords: drapery designer, draperies, drapery, custom, curtains, window treatments,