A Great Example of Unusual Custom Work

Throughout our decades in business, we’ve learned a lot about what our clients truly want from their draperies and custom window treatments. One of the most tried-and-true lessons we’ve learned is that no two jobs are exactly the same.

To provide maximum value to our clients, we have become experts at crafting 100%-custom drapery solutions that are unique to the desires of the client. In many cases, we are asked to perform work that is unusual—we rise to these challenges with a ‘get it done beautifully’ attitude!

Here, we take a detailed look at a recent project we completed involving a curved bank of windows located next to an entrance door. The client wanted matching draperies and cornices, both of which needed to be custom-fabricated to suit the space.

The unique challenge we faced involved clearance for the entrance door. It would be difficult to add a cornice board to the door while still allowing it to open and close properly. But, we knew that with a little ingenuity and a lot of hard work, we would develop the perfect solution.

With our requirements in hand, we got started!

Step 1: Dealing with the Door

Thanks to some help from an industry supplier we had used before, we were able to source a Swing Door Arm Kit that was almost perfect for this project. We say ‘almost’ because the included hinges weren’t stable enough to support the load that we would be placing on them.

To resolve the hinge issue, we swapped out the included hinges with stronger, European-style hinges that would handle more weight, allow for better adjustment, and and provide a sleeker finished look.

The door modification may seem simple enough, but there is nothing ‘standard’ about this kind of adaptation.

After we had solved the door clearance problem, we moved on to building and installing the cornice board itself along with the accompanying flat Roman shade.

And here you can see the operation of the door after the cornice and shade were installed:

Step 2: Building the Bowed Cornice

With the door now complete, we turned our attention to the next challenge: building a large, curved cornice board complete with matting and fabric. This required extensive room and a total of three sawhorses to complete!

After the ‘bones’ of the cornice were assembled, we added the matting and fabric, and finally the super-sized cornice was ready to transport to the jobsite.

Step 3: Working with the Windows

Unlike the window on the door we had just finished, the curved bay windows needed shades that stayed in place, with the option to upgrade them to motorized functionality at a later date.

The client went with a deep blue drapery color that worked beautifully with the existing décor, and each run of flat fabric was made to draw up and down in an accordion-style configuration.

It was important that we kept the height of the curved window cornice the same as the door cornice. This helped maintain an even aesthetic consistency throughout the room.

Step 4: Completing with the Curved Cornice

At last, it was time to install the curved cornice we had fabricated in our shop. With the help of two additional workers, we were able to hoist the large, unwieldy cornice into place and secure it safely to the wall.

We are absolutely thrilled with how this turned out. It took a lot of measurement, critical thinking, and collaboration with our team, but we finally completed the project and the client couldn’t be happier.

Are you interested in having us work with you on a unique, unusual, or offbeat project? Get in touch with us!

We can’t wait to hear about the details and your vision for the look and feel of your draperies, window treatments, or other soft furnishings.