Entering this master bed room suite evokes the feeling that you’re escaping from the outside world. That was our goal when designing these Flat Roman shades and drapery panels.

The color palette in the room consists of soft grays and silver tones with crisp white trim. To keep the Flat Roman shades consistent with the white molding I chose a white fabric with a blackout lining. The blackout lining keeps the light out and makes the fabric stiff, which helps control the folds when operating the shade. Using blackout lining sometimes a dot of light shines through the face of the shade where the operating rings are sewn. Dabbing the area where the rings are sewn with white out is a trick I use to eliminate light from shinning through.

    It has been ten years and my clients are ready for a new look. At their Florida home they have a picturesque back yard with palm trees, orchids and other tropical plants surrounding the pool. This is a glorious view which greatly enhances the inside of their home.

    The objective was to keep the top treatments and the drapery light and airy with a simple design. The cornices have three layers. The first layer is the widest part. Starting with the smallest at 77” wide x 12” long, the middle at 96” wide x 12” long, and the largest at 145” wide x 12” long. They are upholstered with a RM Coco fabric; pattern: Tillis, color: Sand. This fabric has a small box weave texture with a little luster for shine. At each end of the three cornices I designed them to curve down to soften the straight, linier style. The rectangular boxed cornices are 20” wide x 24” long. These five cornices lay on top of the larger cornices. The outside returns are 4 ½ “deep and the inside returns are 1 1/2 “deep. I designed them to fit over the larger cornices like a glove so that from any angle of the room you did not see space gaps. These five cornices are upholstered with a RM Coco fabric; pattern: Gill, color: Sand. This fabric also has a very small box weave adding a subtle texture to the design. For the third layer in this design concept are the Faux Iron Grills, known as Tableaux from Amore’. I chose this pattern for its simplicity of a Transitional style. The finish is aged gold which coordinates with the artistic chandelier and other pattern elements in the kitchen and family room. The Tableaux is attached to the face of the 20” x 24” cornices, giving the design concept depth and bold detail.

      The sheer drapery panels are 18” wide x 144” long with 4 ½” returns. The sheer fabric is also from RM Coco, pattern: Jovi, color: Ecru and is 118” wide. I chose this fabric because the pattern of the small squares accentuated the patterns upholstered on the cornices. The sheer fabric was also perfect because I could rail road the fabric to accommodate the length of 144” long without horizontal seams in the drapery panels. I designed the sheers with an inverted pleat. Attaching them to the inside of the cornices, the face of the sheer panels fit snug and make a flat, sharply folded pleat at the top of the panel. The length of the sheers are 144”. I have learned from experience that extra long drapery panels have a tendency to flair out and become wider as they flow down to the floor. I used several layers of fabric covered sausage bead weights at 3.4 oz to ensure the sheer drapery would hang taught and straight.

      These embellished cornices and sheer draperies compliment my clients’ open and airy home from the inside to the outside. Crisp and clean lines best describe this Transitional Top Treatment design.

Before Photos (click to enlarge)

Sketches (click to enlarge)

Trade Mart Interiors, Staten Island, NY
Designer: Ellee Nolan Asaro