How Exciting!
Are you excited to go to work every day? If not, maybe it’s time to consider a career change. It worked for Sarah Youngblood.
Northside Woman reported that after working in corporate banking for 10 years, Youngblood took some time off to raise her family. She always knew she would return to work after her children were grown but the way in which she did was very different from her previous career: Youngblood returned to school at the Art Institute of Atlanta instead of the bank, finding her passion through art and sewing classes. Sewing window treatments for her own home and her friends brought her into business in 1994 as an independent retailer but after attending Exciting Windows! Sales School, Youngblood changed her business model from workroom manufacturing to a retail concept.
Today, Youngblood owns and operates Exciting Windows! by Youngblood Interiors in Alpharetta, Georgia and over the past few months, Youngblood has been involved in the Michael Payne $10,000 Window Makeover by Exciting Windows! This sweepstakes attracted over 11,000 entrants from across the country for a two-room window makeover and Youngblood and fellow designer Ted Jurek were selected to work with Carrollton resident Karen Rollinson on a two room window makeover. “Ted and I were both so honored to be a part of this project and showcase what Exciting Windows! is all about,” said Youngblood. “The treatments we designed and installed enhanced Karen’s already beautiful home.”
http://dailyfranchisenews.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/11/how-exciting.html

Feathering the Nest for Baby!

I was recently honored to help ready a very special nursery for a client. The photos above are from the finished results. These custom draperies were created for my client's daughter as a gift for her and her soon to arrive baby. How special to be a part of the preparations for a significant event in the life of this family!

These draperies are lined with room darkening fabric and are full enough to cover the windows completely to provide darkness for sleeping--either day or night! The draperies open by hand with a wand to pull open or closed. We also put a room darkening Silhouette shading underneath for an extra layer for insulation and even some noise reduction.

The most fun aspect of the construction of the draperies was adding the plaid banding to the leading edge of each panel and the buttons sewn at the base of each pleat. A little whimsy for a little girl scheduled to arrive in time for Halloween.

What fun!

Natural Light and Privacy-you can have both!

It's always tempting to want to leave windows completely uncovered... to "let the sun shine in" as they say. How wonderful would it be if no one could see in once we achieve that dream of pure sunshine pouring through uncovered windows. Alas, what most people end up with is a major compromise that ends up as either too much window or too much covering to even come close to being a great window treatment solution. That's SO unnecessary! Talk to us, your window fashions professional, and you'll find that there are endless ways to accomplish the PERFECT natural light control AND personal privacy requirements of every room, without covering your windows completely.

Panels, Sheers, Shadings, Fabrics and Weaves......

Innovations in product and manufacturing of window décor designs and fabrics leave the sheers grandma had, while still lovely, in the dust. Imagine an open weave material that allows almost unobstructed daytime views to the outside, and 90-plus percent privacy from outside views in! Imagine gorgeous "view-through" fabrics that combine man-made fiber technology with natural fiber beauty that you can simply roll up and roll down or slide side-to-side to accomplish virtually any light and privacy mix you want. Our fall sampling is starting to trickle in and it is like opening a present each time a new box arrives. I can't wait to show these new materials to my clients! We can show you many amazing advancements in light controlling window décor that are exciting, beautiful, and oh so practical. Together we can create the PERFECT custom window treatment solution made just for you!

Unexpected Colors Bring New Life to Any Room!

Remember the last time you bought something to wear that wasn't in your "normal color comfort zone", only to have every single person who saw you wear it say how amazing you looked in it? Wasn't that a fabulous feeling? The same thing can be true, and the results can be just as gratifying, when you add an "Unexpected Color" or two to your rooms. As your window fashions décor expert, I'd love to show you how much fun it can be to "break out of the usual", and bring some excitement to your home with great ways to use new colors!

Fear Not...Color Is Always Your Friend!
Adding some new color to your rooms will have friends guessing what you did to make your room look so new and beautiful... whether all you did was add a splash of color with new fabrics here and there, or something more substantial overall. Your current window fashions take on a renewed life when you add a cornice, decorative valance or jabot in colors that contrast with the existing materials. Add pillows, tassels, table covers and tiebacks that coordinate with the new colors, and you get not only a new look for your windows, but also a room that looks like it had a full makeover!

Dress Your Home to Impress, All Tailored Just for You!
There is just nothing that compares to the look, fit and feel of something custom-tailored only for you, and that is exactly what these décor ideas will be when we complete our work together. Your guests will notice the difference, and you'll be reminded every day how good it is to be at home.

Save Energy by using Custom Window Treatments!

Saving Your Hard-Earned Energy Dollars!

Rising energy costs are affecting everyone's pocketbook. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, sunny windows make air conditioners work two to three times harder. In colder seasons, heat lost through windows can account for 10 to 25% of your heating bill. Liza Bowles, President of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center, stresses the importance of window coverings. "Especially with the larger windows so prevalent today, shades and blinds are necessary to add energy efficiency to a home," said Bowles. "And, during the summer months, keep them fully closed on south and west-facing windows to prevent heat gain."When it comes to energy-efficient window fashions, Hunter Douglas has the answer. In fact, in 1985 the company created the first highly energy-efficient window coverings — soft, durable Duette® honeycomb shades. Since then, the product has spurred an entirely new category of window coverings and the many fabric, color, style and hardware options available in Duette Honeycomb Shades just keeps expanding.

Wendell Colson, Hunter Douglas Vice President of Product Development, first developed the concept for Duette Honeycomb Shades during the energy crisis of the late 70s as a young architect and inventor in Massachusetts renovating big, drafty Victorians. "One night as I was shivering in bed, a double curtain came together in a regular folding pattern, capturing air between those folds in a honeycomb-like configuration," said Colson. "I saw this vertically, but I thought if we put it together horizontally you would have a highly energy-efficient treatment because air would literally be trapped in the honeycomb cells." Today, Duette Honeycomb Shades are even available in triple layers of honeycombs. These Duette triple honeycomb shades are the most energy-efficient honeycomb product on the market today.


We are a Priority Showcase Dealer for Hunter Douglas Dealer and carry their complete line of window fashions. If you'd like more information about saving energy in an attractive custom window treatment, let us know. We''ll arrange an in home appointment.

The Heat is on! Energy Efficiency can be beautiful.

Energy Efficiency-going green and saving on your energy bills.....

Let's first consider some arresting numbers: 40% of the heat that escapes from your home leaves through the windows. And 50% of the solar heat that enters a room comes in through—you guessed it—the windows. Obviously, energy efficient treatments can translate into considerable utility bill savings, especially if your windows are on a cold north exposure in the winter or a sun-saturated west wall in the summer. The most energy efficient treatments feature a honeycomb construction, commonly called a cellular shade. The cells actually trap the hot or cold air, decreasing the intensity of the temperature as it enters the room. A honeycomb shade with a triple cell construction will increase the energy efficiency of a single pane of glass by five times and more than double the energy efficiency of a double-glazed window. The degree to which a cellular shade or window treatment will meet your energy efficiency needs will depend on the fabrics and product features you choose and whether your window coverings remain open, closed, raised or lowered at the peak times of heat and sunlight.
We recently installed a room of cellular shades on a southern exposure. When the shades were lowered the room's remperature was cooled a noticable amount with in a few minutes.

The fabrics for cellular shades and other energy efficient window treatments have been improved and romanced a great deal and now offer many attractive, fashionable alternatives. We can present the best choices for you at a personalized shop at home appointment--you can make your selection in the room you intend to use the shades. We are experts in window treatments of all kinds and will guide you throught the process to make sure that you get the look, the price, and the performance you are seeking.

Soft Beauty Plus Hard Light Control Equals Window Covering Perfection!

How often have you looked at new horizontal or vertical window treatments (maybe even ones you already own yourself...) and thought that maybe they looked too hard, or a bit more angular on their own than you'd like? Fear not. The answer is much easier than you think.
You want the convenience, light control and excellent privacy that hard window fashions afford, but something about all those parallel and perpendicular lines can detract from the formality of your comfortable room and beautiful décor. Add "soft" draperies to "hard" blinds or shades, or vice versa, and you'll have beautiful and utilitarian window décor perfection!
Combining "soft" fabric swags, jabots or padded, fabric covered cornices to the industry's most flexible "hard" window fashions can be like having your cake and eating it too!
Soft treatments "over" hard ones, like cellular shades and popular horizontal or vertical blinds, can complement each other while augmenting the more formal décor of rooms that may require it. Consider combining soft and hard treatments in Living, Dining and Bed Rooms, and really anyplace light control and a touch of elegance make sense. Your windows AND your home will benefit from the marriage of hard and soft window treatments. Softer edges and the best in light control will be the happy result!

Two Story Draperies

Two Story Draperies: A Tall Tale (not really!)


This client called us to help her with this great room, which at the time, was builder beige and featured 2" wood blinds in the windows. Not her favorite room by any means, and yet was the focal point guests saw when they entered her home. She wanted to make a statement and and warmth and character to the room.

Using digital photography and a sketchbook, we designed this treatment with lots of input from both my client and her husband. We arrived at this classic design that accomplished their request to draw attention to this wonderful fireplace and the beautiful tall lines of this two story room.

For the draperies, we selected a paisley fabric of brick red, brown, and sage green and trimmed it with a wide band of persimmon red velvet down the leading edge. The drapery hardware, in a rich bronze finish, follows the arches of the tall windows and the level line of the side window on the left. Each panel is tied back with matching velvet roping we made.

As part of our consultative services, we assisted with the selection of the new wall color, an earthy tobacco shade, that offsets the cream trim and the artwork above the fireplace. Now everyone entering this room can appreciate the architectural details and the grand scale of these windows!

Create a show-stopping focal point in your two story room. We can help you visualize the possibilities and bring them to reality using our unique approach with photography, and sketching. You will see your drapery design before it is created. We offer all of this and the convenience of in home consultations.