Window Treatment - A grand time in history

The inspiration for this window treatment was drawn from the magnificent artwork, the elegant finishes, and Napoleon campaign-style details featured in this living room. The breathtaking life-size oil portrait on the fireplace wall was the first point of inspiration. We wanted to capture the beauty of her gown as a mirror image in the silk drapery we chose. The criss cross rectangle of the glass doors on the break front is duplicated on the face of the cornice. The romantic curves of the woman's gown are then formed on the cornice to follow the window and gracefully balance the bottom of the cornice's hard lines. The velvet on the padded cornice is reminiscent of cornices the clients father made in her childhood home, a detail we successfully integrated into our design. The warm silver finish of the cabinetry is repeated in the finishes of the rosettes and decorative traversing rod for the sheers. The last detail is the crystal tie backs, which reflect the shimmer of glass doors and sparkle in the stone on the fireplace wall.

The palladian window was a great challenge. It was not in scale with the bank of windows below. We had to create a cornice that followed the lines of the palladian and yet looked in scale on the wall. The cornice was also the center point for all the artwork that flanked both sides. It had to complement, not take away from the paintings.

The success of this project was due to close communication between the workroom and the installation team. We installed the sheers' drapery rod first before we determined length of sheers, drapery, and return sizes for all three. This client's living room is now truly a reflection of romance, grace, and a grand time in history.

Debbie Kindelin

Home Fashions Manager / Design Coordinator
Westmont Paint Store