The New Year is the perfect time to start fresh – reviving the spirit and, perhaps, reinvigorating your home. So, take a chance on an opportunity to indulge yourself.
Become a Facebook Friend of Sunshine Drapery & Interior Design, and win a chance to receive $1500 toward a Sunshine Drapery & Interior Design room makeover. Simply click the Facebook link on the left for your chance to win.
If you are already a Sunshine “Friend,” then you will be automatically included in the drawing on February 15, 2010. We will announce the winner here on our news page and on Facebook. For more details, check with a Sunshine Designer.
Now the only problem is deciding which room. Good Luck!
Topping the morning’s headlines is a recall on Roman and Roll-up Shades in homes where children are present. The strings for these shades can cause strangulation or near strangulation in small children.
Since the emergence of this danger to children came out a few years ago, Sunshine Drapery & Interior Design has placed priority focus on ensuring that cords are secured out of the reach of children and to select vendors that have moved to break-away blind systems. If you have small children in the home, please be cautious about the type of window treatments you use, and do not use horizontal blinds in a child’s room. There are a number of alternative options that provide the same function and available at a range of prices.
If, however, you installed your shades yourself or notice that there are loose cords on Roman or Roll-up Shades previously installed in your home, here are some tips from the Window Covering Safety Council:
To help prevent child strangulation in window coverings, CPSC and the WCSC urge parents and caregivers to follow these guidelines:
- Examine all shades and blinds in the home. Make sure there are no accessible cords on the front, side or back of the product. CPSC and the WCSC recommend the use of cordless window coverings in all homes where children live or visit.
- Do not place cribs, beds or furniture close to the windows, because children can climb on them and gain access to the cords.
- Make loose cords inaccessible.
- If the window shade has looped bead chains or nylon cords, install tension devices to keep the cord taut.
To receive a free repair kit, visit www.windowcoverings.org or by call (800) 506-4636 anytime.
For more information, call Sunshine Drapery today at 314.569.2980.
This week, the prestigious Pantone company announced the 2010 Color of the Year: Turquoise. Specifically, Turquoise hue 15-5519.
For those of you not familiar with Pantone, it’s an industry standard for printers and designers worldwide so that colors consistently match. Think how many variations of turquoise or blue or red exist in the world. Reviewing paint chips, it’s easy to notice how one turquoise is a little too blue or another a little too green for your home decor. Well, designers are about precision, and Pantone has been answering the call for more than 50 years.
Recently, however, Pantone has been heading more mainstream and into the public sector with social media and fun IPhone applications – myPantone – or astrological color matches. In short, Pantone’s influence stretches the globe.
However, Pantone’s 2010 color of the Year selection is more than a bell-weather for fashion and graphics; it’s likely an indication of the global mood. This is how the Pantone Web site describes Turquoise 15-5519 – “Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise inspires thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a comforting escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing.”
Now that’s a feeling easy to like and a color that matches well with today’s popular neutral – Grey (see the post below). Here’s to hoping Pantone has the pulse on 2010!
Read more about Turquoise 15-5519.
Advice from Sunshine Designer:
Elaine Potashnick
“What is the new color?” is a frequent question. Topping the list is the latest new neutral – grey. Proffering a spectrum of hues from gunmetal to steely white, shades of grey have been creeping into decors in recent years with the additions of stainless steel and silver accents. Not surprising, this diluted shade of black carries a classic feel, especially when warmed with bursts of color. Adaptable, grey marries well with modern, classic or contemporary homes.
Even better, practical and versatile, gray works with numerous other classic neutrals, such as stone, white, black or jet, making them more of a focal color than accent. In addition, it pairs well with more robust colors such as orange, red, peacock blue, kelly green or caramel.
Add textured or tone-on-tone accents that include the grey neutral in a print of stripes, plaids, florals or embroidery. Feel free to mix-and-match these colors to fit with your personal style.
Call 314.569.2980 for your complimentary in-home consultation with a Sunshine Designer. Appointments are available days, evenings and weekends.
Read more about grey as the new neutral:
House Hunting Article
Style Estate Blog
Nothing is worse than not knowing the proper name for things when talking to a professional. So, we thought it might be helpful to review the types of windows. Some you might know; others might be familiar, though you never knew the technical term. Now, you’ll be the pro!
Palladian Window: (pictured top left) a group of three windows that feature an arch over the center window
Casement Window: (pictured top center) a window that is vertically hinged and swings outward
Jalousie Window: (pictured top right) composed of horizontal slats of glass that open louver-like with a crank
Fixed Window: a window that does not open
Double-Hung Window: (most common window) features two sashes that move up and down with only half the window able to be open at one time
Sliding Window or Glass Door: the windows have tracks at the top and bottom and slide vertically
Picture window: a large fixed window flanked by two casement or double hung windows
Bay Window: a picture window composed of three parts set at an angle to create an alcove or “bay”
Bow Window: a picture window, similar to a bay, that is curved and adds about four feet of extra space for a room
Clerestory Window: a strip of small, horizontal panes set high on a wall, near the ceiling
Elliptical or Arched Window: often placed above Double-Hung windows or a door for added light and style
Oval or Cameo Window and Circle Window: often fixed windows and named after their shape, these are usually in stairwells and small spaces to add light
Triangular and Trapezoidal Windows: usually paired with a large, fixed window to create a combination called a Cathedral Window
