Complicated? You Betcha!

When perusing through your latest edition of Architectural Digest, have you ever thought about what it took to get such a beautifully decorated home? Take a sneak peek behind-the-scenes at an unusually complicated installation we completed last week.


Here are a few details, pictures and a couple video snippets -

• A curved fabric shade!
  
• Two fabric shades over 15' wide and motorized!
• A curved shade to match! (Do you know how hard that one was?)
• All shades line up perfectly with each other - even the one that's curved.
• Two very large cornice boxes. One even starts out straight then curves to follow the wall. And it's all in one piece! (That one was a monster!)

Intricate electrical wiring by one of the installers and he's wearing sunglasses!

Getting the one-piece, curved cornice box into the house was a bear!




After much trepidation, they got the curved cornice box up. I made sure the installers washed their hands before touching this nice white cornice box. Also note the use of gloves to make sure it didn't get any smudge marks.


What you can't see very well is the use of furniture pads on the floor. This is a standard on our installations. It insures the floor doesn't get dirty or damaged. We go above and beyond not to disturb our client's home any more than necessary while we are there. Not everyone provides this.

And here's the completed project. Quiet motors. Smooth running. No hiccups, stops or stalls. The shades end at the right place at the floor.

My customer was so happy with the project, he gave us a video testimonial. He was nervous, but did a great job! Thanks Sam!

Despite this project's complexities, it was installed in one afternoon! There were no fixes, repairs, re-makes or re-do's! All as a result of meticulous attention to detail, careful planning and working with an experienced window treatment specialist. It makes all the difference in the world.

Got Guests? Help Them Feel At Home - Create A Guest Bedroom They'll Never Want to Leave!

It's the holidays. For most that means a flurry of parties, entertaining, food, family and friends. If you've got guests coming, take a look at this video for ideas on helping your guests feel at home and comfortable while staying with you.

Cinderella Shades? Dingy Drapes? Transform them with New Hardware!

Yummy Trims for Your Draperies, Pillows, Bedding & Home Decor

Holiday Decorating - Use What You Have

I thought this was a great alternative to finding and hanging a wreath (found at Country Living). Very easy for those of us with no time to make wreaths, but still want color at the door! Take a look at some other wreaths I found (on Martha Stewart Living).

Keep Your Cool When the Weather Gets Hot!

Often I'm asked by clients if they can have privacy at night, sun control during the day and maximize their view all in one product. Sound impossible? Actually the answer is. . . it's possible! Honeycomb shades are one of the best products on the market for all of those reasons and more. We use them often and continue to get raving client reviews.

• Maximize Your View - Of all the window treatment products on the market today, they have the smallest stacking space in the industry.
• Privacy - Great for bedrooms, offices, skylights, yet still allows the natural light to come in.
• Room Darkening - Great for bedrooms and media rooms.
• Clean Lines - No fuss or fluff, modern styling.
• Can Go Incognito - Hardly noticeable when pulled up. Great for view windows when you want to draw your attention to the view, and not the window treatment.
• Cordless - No strings hanging down.
• Motorized - Great option. Reasonable. Not as expensive as you might think. Improved technology.
  
• Outstanding Insulating Properties - Energy efficient. Keeps you cool in the heat of the summer.
• Rich True Colors that Resist Fading - Great color selections.
• FREE Shipping

For more information or to schedule an in-home appointment to talk about saving money on your energy bills with honeycomb shades, call 949.494.3345.

© 2008 Barbara Deckmeyer

10 Easy Tips For Bedded Bliss!

Many moons ago when I discovered down comforters, I became a big fan right off the bat. One of the first things I discovered is how easy it is to make the bed. Just fluff and smooth and you're done. Secondly, I learned how simple and inexpensive it could be to dramatically change the look of the room by changing the bedding. I change mine out with the seasons and sometimes for no reason other than I'm bored with what I've been using! I like to use varying combinations of duvet covers, throws, shams, beautiful blankets and more. Take a look at the bedding tips and tricks below to help inspire you to make your bed (and your room) beautiful every day.

1. Simplify the bedding: Skip the top sheet and use a down comforter with a duvet cover. Give the comforter & the pillows a quick shake and a smooth every morning.

2. Use a spritz of a nice linen spray: It's a treat to slip into a fresh smelling bed.

3. Freshen your pillows: Once a week fluff them in the dryer on a low or no heat setting.

4. Even if you share a bed, make your side: I bet your significant other will soon follow suit.

5. No dual duty pillows: Make sure your decorative pillow shams have inserts that are made-to-fit the sham, then leave them there. Try not to use the same pillow to sleep on at night, then hurriedly try to stuff it into the sham when making the bed in the morning.

6. Time yourself making the bed: I bet it takes under 3 minutes. A blink in time even on a rushed morning.

7. Backtrack to your bedroom: After you've made the bed, go back to your room and take a check of your mood. The sight of your room will give you a little spring in your step.

8. Treat yourself to great linens and have them professionally pressed once in a while: There's something about crisp, freshly ironed sheets that makes the bed feel a bit more luxurious.

9. Consider this longstanding French tradition: To ensure the longevity of your bedding rotate your sheets, with a set in the closet, a set on the bed, and a set in the wash. This ensures that no one set receives more wear than another.

10. Add fresh flowers: Like fresh linens, fresh flowers make a room feel a little more lively, inviting and decorated.

For more information or to schedule an in-home appointment to talk about luxuriating your bedding, call 949.494.3345.

© 2008 Barbara Deckmeyer

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Barbara Deckmeyer, Interior Designer publishes The Shadey Ladies E-zine. If you'd like more health, happiness and beauty in your life, get your FREE tips now at www.TheShadeyLadies.com.

What a Whirlwind We Live In

Recently, I was having a conversation about the latest buzz topic.. 'the economy' and the other buzz topic of late, 'the election'. I've been paying attention to how much I've been affected by the media. Have you noticed their outpouring of fear, doom and gloom into my head and my psyche.

I got to thinking about the last time we experienced this kind of frenzy and it was during Y2K. Do you remember how fearful things were leading up to January 1, 2000? Do you remember the frenzy the media had us whipped into? Oh my goodness, I had friends staking claims in the hills just in case everything collapsed!

Looking back, it seems funny today doesn't it? But at the time, it was very real. I liken today to that time back then as well. No doubt, things are not too great right now and a lot of people have lost a lot of money. It's unfortunate and in no way can we ever feel the depth of what some are going through right now.

For the rest of us, the thing I think about is this. We're going to get through it. Some people will despair. Some will prosper. But most will trudge along and get through it, despite the hits they are taking.

We are a resilient people. I think we don't give ourselves enough credit for the things we go through and how we arrive 'at the other side'. Today's 'crisis' is NOT the end of the world, unless you let it be. If you've spent any substantial amount of adult time on this earth, you've been through some kind of crisis before. And here you are, still alive to tell about it.

So what to do today? Well, I don't know about you, but I've stopped watching the news. I don't listen to it on the radio. And I'm not reading the newspapers right now either. I do still get emails and some exposure to what's going on, via the internet, but I limit that as well.

For me to prosper, not just muddle through, it requires me to have an upbeat, big picture, forward thinking head on my shoulders. And I know myself, I'm not that way when I'm fearful.

So call me an ostrich if you'd like, but my watching the sensationalism behind all that fear, doom and gloom is not going to change one iota, no not one thing. I'm not going to change my position, my finances, stocks, retirement, etc. I'm in for the long haul, and I don't know about you, but I'm going to make it through to the other side of this with flying colors.

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to The Shadey Ladies blog.

This is a new addition to our website. So stay tuned because we'll be adding content as often as possible to provide you with great information and resources.

Check back again soon -

Barbara Deckmeyer
The Shadey Ladies, Inc. - President