A lot has been written about the virtues of recycling common consumer goods made from paper, plastic and glass.  Recycling centers have drop off areas for electronics, paint and textiles. What about the uncommon consumer product- custom window treatments?  Of course one of the distinguishing features of custom window treatments are they are made to fit a specific window or door. Given this feature, how can these be recycled in a new environment? They can and have been successfully.  

There are some requirements to ensure a successful recycling project. Drapery panels make the best transition into new treatments.  Soft valances can work well under certain conditions.   First, the fabric must be in very good condition.  Check for initial sun damage, which can cause fiber to deteriorate and colors to fade.  If initial inspection reveals no obvious damage, have the treatments professionally cleaned.  After cleaning, reexamine.  Lay the panels on a flat surface under bright lighting.    Second, check measurements. Some panels will shrink with drycleaning  During inspection, look for other signs of wear and use such as frayed hems on panels or crease marks on top treatments. .  Assuming your panels and soft valances have passed inspection, measure and note cut widths.

Plan to use new lining.  Even if the decorative fabric has resisted fading, usually, the lining has not. The old lining has done it’s job of protecting the fabric.  A new lining will increase the years of use. 

Be creative.  Just because these were drapery panels or swagged treatments in the past, doesn’t mean they have to continue in that style.  Recently, I took beautiful formal damask panels and remade them into a classy bay window treatment and matching single window valance.  Another client had some ready made swagged rod pocket valances, which found new life as awning valances. 

The most successful projects came from starting with high quality, well-preserved treatments.  Keep this in mind when you are purchasing new treatments.  They are investments.  By starting with high quality products, they can serve you well for decades if you treat them right.  On the flip side, I have seen beautiful silk draperies that literally rotted at the window, as they were poorly placed in full sun. At lease they are biodegradable.  

As the summer months approach with the impending surge in the price of electricity, are you prepared?  Last newsletter, I highlighted the Duette line of Hunter Douglas.  These are the honeycomb shades which were introduced in the mid-eighties to address the last energy crisis.  We were fortunate this winter to have unseasonably warm weather, keeping the cost of heating our homes to a manageable level.  Will we be as lucky this summer, keeping our homes cool? 

In response to consumers demand for larger homes and more natural lighting, homes are being built with more windows and glass doors than ever before. All this natural light creates a wonderful environment, especially in the darker days of winter, but how do we protect our furnishings, our privacy and especially in the summer- our air conditioning bill?

The natural light that makes us feel so good in the winter can still be experienced in the summer, but we need to control it.  All of Hunter Douglas’ blinds and shading offer privacy, while protection against heat gain varies.  “A product’s “Summer Shading Coefficient” (see charts) is a measurement of its ability to shade against heat gain. For example, if a window treatment reduces heat by 80% to 95%, this translates into a summer shading coefficient of .20 to .05. The lower a product’s coefficient, the more effective it is in shading against heat gain and reflecting heat.” (Hunter Douglas Product Reference Guide -2006)  The products with the highest ranking are Heritance wood shutters, Palm Beach vinyl shutters and vertical shades. These are followed in descending order by Alouette/Duette/Applause honeycomb shades, Trio convertible shades, Country Wood and Everwood blinds, Silhouette and Nantucket window shadings and Remembrance window shades.  All products reduce heat gain by better than 50% and as high as 80%. 

Hard window treatments are our first line of defense against the harmful rays and heat of the sun. It is not necessary to forfeit a beautiful view or the feel of natural light in our homes.  It is important to be able to control it and it can be done stylishly.  

  I had an epiphany of sorts, eighteen years ago this week.  As a mother of four, I had been staying home tending to my growing family. My eldest, Michael, was nine at the time and the baby and only daughter, Christine,  was two. My creative outlet took the form of sewing for my family and participating in school and church projects.  My competitive side was being stimulated by my nine year old, who was into Nintendo’s latest video game, Zelda.  

 For the uninitiated, Zelda is the princess in a role playing game, where the central character, Link,  slays monsters and capture the princess.  There are strategies to be executed to succeed.  Michael would be so excited in telling me how he, as Link, had conquered the latest level in the game by slaying different mosters.  He would go into great detail and to be honest, I didn’t have a clue what he was talking about. I decided to learn more about the game, by playing it, so I could better understand his enthusiasm.  I learned, only too well.  I found myself stealing moments at my daughter’s naptime or staying up late when my husband was traveling, so that I could get to the next level in the game. I was obsessed!

It was just after Easter and I found myself raiding the childrens’ Easter baskets, popping chocolates and playing Zelda while my daughter napped, when it hit me.  What the heck was I doing?  I am an intelligent, creative and competitive person.  Certainly, there are better ways to channel my energies. The “Link” in this story was the children’s book I read to my daughter,What My Mommy Does.  It was a sampling of careers explained to the preschool set. I thought, “Christine will grow up thinking, ” All my Mommy does is clean house and play video games!”  I put down the game controller and started my business. I took my passion for fabrics, my knowledge of sewing and my desire to create beautiful things to launch Shades of Shamrock. 

These days, I don’t play video games, but I still find myself trying to keep up with Michael in this technologically charged world.  Thankfully, I found much more productive ways to use technology and will post in more detail in the near future.

The dress was a yellow organza over a yellow taffeta slip.  The organza was gently flocked with white flowers.  The bodice was pin-tuck pleated, vertically, with pearl buttons in a neat center row. A Peter Pan style color completed the bodice. The gathered skirt flared gracefully from the waist. There was a bow of organza tied in the back, to balance the fullness of the skirt.

You can probably tell from my  description, that it wasn’t just the color of the dress that I remember fondly, but the fabric and design details.  My passion for dressmaker details and fabrics carries over into my window treatment designs. Almost forty years later, I recall the details of a dress I loved to wear because it was simple, but beautifully designed. Creating treatments from beautiful fabrics with attention to detail is my first priority.  Making memorable treatments that you’ll enjoy for years is my goal.