Through millwork and masonry, furnishings and finishes, lighting and leaps of faith, we transform the perception of spaces with intentional choices. In our ‘Why We Did That’ series, we break down the thinking behind some of these choices…

Through millwork and masonry, furnishings and finishes, lighting and leaps of faith, we transform the perception of spaces with intentional choices. In our ‘Why We Did That’ series, we break down the thinking behind some of these choices…

Through millwork and masonry, furnishings and finishes, lighting and leaps of faith, we transform the perception of spaces with intentional choices. In our ‘Why We Did That’ series, we break down the thinking behind some of these choices…

Through millwork and masonry, furnishings and finishes, lighting and leaps of faith, we transform the perception of spaces with intentional choices. In our ‘Why We Did That’ series, we break down the thinking behind some of these choices…

The future may offer few certainties, but there are things about us that I feel are constant. With some notable exceptions, most of us want to build a life of joy and growth where there is always room at the table for just one more friend. Where the home we make for ourselves restores us and inspires the best in our nature.

Though they inspire romance, dining rooms gets very little use. For some people, the dining room represents an old-fashioned ideal, harkening back to an era of fancy dinner parties where aspic jiggled on fine china and women wore pearls.

Every night as we prepare dinner, my husband and I move through the house and pull the drapery. It is a cherished ritual. While we live in a fairly secluded neighborhood, we both find that drawing the panels gives us a sense of coziness. Our stone house has thick walls and tall oak trees, features that we love, but which limit our natural light. Because of this, we do not like for the fabric to cover the glass during the day. Luckily, I am a seasoned designer and know the perfect scale to make the drapery hit all of our requirements. I also know that custom drapery is one of the most impactful changes a person can make in a room.

To help demystify these treatments, here are the factors I keep in mind as I design drapery for my projects.