English’s Drapery & Interiors, she is quick to note that around here, “...modern Central Texas homes happen to retain a traditional look.” Bohuslav remarks, “Austin may have its liberal side, but homeowners still surrender to those darker, more traditional tones.” Bohuslav directs her company around the idea that a home’s window treatments must complement the personal lifestyle of its residents, in addition to the rest of the home’s décor. Before making any professional recommendations to clients, she visits them at home to assess their individual taste in fashion, furniture, and artwork. By custom designing her drapes, Bohuslav aligns the character of a house with the personalities living inside it. “Young couples, single professionals, families of three, with or without a dog, all these traits influence the way I fashion different households’ drapes,” she comments from her twenty-five year old studio in north-central Austin. “Colors convey emotions,” she adds, “red, for example, stimulates the appetite.” Through the tones she picks and types of treatments she styles, Bohuslav consistently captures the specific attitude that her clients wish to attain: “Many people have particular ideas about style. These ideas stem from experiences such as travel, education, and diverse stages of life. It is important to design your window treatment to convey your sense of style, sophistication, and success.” Three Types of Window Treatments Window Treatments, undressed! with expert Darlene Bohuslav text & photographs by Robert Friedman 18 YOUR Address | Summer 2006 My grandfather moved to Texas over fifty years ago to launch a drapery company, one that would focus on both commercial and residential window treatments. Relocating was anything but simple at the time, yet the promise of business carries with it the power to lure people anywhere. Customized fabrics, shutters, and blinds were slowly becoming a regular household item, one of both practicality and décor. Homeowners in the 1950’s were eager families wishing to settle down and setup shop. More often than not, as the husband would work long hours outside the home, wives would mother the children and service the home. Times, undoubtedly, have changed. No longer is it rare to stumble across households where the father maintains a more domestic familial role while the mother diligently scrambles away to work. Single mothers and childless couples are equally as ubiquitous. Yet, despite these apparent alterations to the average household family, the desire to furbish the home—to be surrounded by warmth and décor—in a manner that is both functional and aesthetically gratifying is as prevalent and focused today as it has ever been. Ask the Expert: What’s My Style? Darlene Bohuslav has built a career out of helping households appropriately fashion their home. As a licensed interior designer and successful owner of the well-established In thinking about which types of treatments are both fashionable and functional today, Bohuslav suggests three distinct possibilities: fabric roman shades, woven wood shades, or wood shutters. The first design retains the awe of Roman antiquity, but in a manner that continues to make declarative statements in today’s home fashion. Made from such fabrics as regular linen, natural silk fibers, sheer fabrics, or thick upholstery, “Fabric Roman shades are very versatile...They ‘stand on their own’ as a complete window treatment or complement other window fashions,” says Bohuslav. While this particular style can work in any room of your home, the expert believes that their full potential is manifested in placing them around French doors or within an atrium. The appeal of woven wood shades, however, is just as endless. Made from various types of materials, such as grasses, bamboo, and twine, the aesthetic lure of these shades is undoubtedly in their unique textures. Woven wood shades hold the capacity to add simplicity to a casual room or subtle sophistication to a more formal space: “Their texture compliments an informal area such as a family room or breakfast area, yet woven shades combined with silk drapery panels can create a casual elegance,” comments Bohuslav. She advocates this particular type of shade because it has the easy potential of opening up a room to its outdoor surroundings, or shutting them easily out for a more private feel. The mood created by woven wood shades depends on the type of material from which they are made and the manner in which they’re displayed. When cornices, valences, or drapery panels are positioned about them, their presentation is one of distinct class. Nevertheless, when set-up by themselves, woven wood shades can add comfort to even the stateliest of settings. Wood shutters, on the other hand, make a more permanent statement than the prior two types of window treatments. Bohuslav refers to wood shutters as “furniture for the window” and emphasizes their longevity, functionality, and overall value. Often crafted by hand and made from premium lumber, wood shutters are highend products with the ability to complement almost any room. They sit completely inside the framework of the window, an appealing “architectural feature” she notes, “allowing decorative molding around the window to remain unobstructed.” She adds, “Simply tilting the louvers provides visibility,” an operation that adds practicality to a style of window treatment known for its standout quality. Bohuslav remarks how so many people, especially here in Central Texas, choose wood shutters today given the numerous alternative sources from which these shutters can be constructed, other than conventionally lumbered timber. Polywood, composite, and vinyl shutters provide similar effects to their original wooden counterparts. Also, actual wood that has been harvested sustainably (that is, in a manner that does not damage its natural environment) exists in today’s more ecologically conscientious business market, a growing factor for many consumers. Above: Beautifully detailed two-inch wooden blinds add elegance to any home. Three Classic Approaches •Contemporary approaches frequently use vertical blinds that are streamlined and simple. •Traditional décor varies between the use of drapery, valance, or cornice styles, ranging from swags, cascades, and complex draperies, to opulent brocades and tapestries, presenting a mood of historical elegance. •Eclectic styles can be tropical or from the 60’s, making a room light and fun. Darlene Bohuslav is the owner of English’s Drapery & Interiors in Austin and can be reached at (512) 459-6982. YOUR Address | Summer 2006 19 Left: As proven in this bathroom, a valance can add ambience to any room. Central Texas Window Treatments Above: The contrast between wrought iron and fine fabrics often finds its way into Central Texas home decor. Left: Handmade woven wood shades are fashionably complimented by additional window treatments. Right: Customized designs gives these fabric Roman shades contemporary appeal. 20 YOUR Address | Summer 2006 When I asked Bohuslav how the Central Texas region distinguishes itself in the world of fashionable window treatments, she had much to say: “The Hill Country has been a definite influence in interior design; leather cornice boards with decorative nail heads and casual linen casement draperies with iron hardware are examples of window dressings.” In Texas, the unmistakable popularity of leather should come as no surprise—this is home to cattle country! Plus, such emblems as the famous lone star of Texas or prized shape of the Texas Longhorn continue to permeate every corner of decorative apparel. What you won’t find hanging in most people’s homes today are aluminum blinds, “balloon” shades, or brass curtain rods. More fashionable approaches and materials have replaced these outdated window treatments. According to Bohuslav, several fabrics that have recently flooded the interior design marketplace are faux silk, suede, and leather. As the original materials become widespread, the demand for less expensive and, at times, more durable alternatives spreads too. Made completely from polyester, faux silk comes unusually close to having both the look and feel of its actual silk counterpart. Bohuslav notes how “polyester will not deteriorate with sun damage as silk will over a period of time.” Additionally unique to Central Texas homes are high ceilings, which in turn set the stage for windows positioned high above one another on a single wall. While these large, spacious rooms may create a grand and powerful effect, approaching the treatments of these high windows is far from straightforward. Bohuslav suggests that “taking stationary drapery panels up to the top of the highest windows has a very dramatic effect.” In terms of functionality, opening and closing these high window treatments requires motorization—“it’s a must!” she concludes. Otherwise, these out-ofreach windows become more of a hindrance than the awe-inspiring feature they can be. DIY? Be Careful. In an age defined by Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects and the popular media that supports them, professionals in the field seem less threatened than they do sympathetic to its effects. Bohuslav respects the fact that homeowners have become more in tune with their immediate living environment as a result of HGTV, for example. In her expert opinion, the unfortunate aspect to the current wave of DIY culture is that people, in an attempt to fix-up their homes and make them more aesthetically pleasing, overlook basic factors to interior decorating: “Simply throwing six yards of fabric over some tie backs does not provide window fashion that adds value to your home.” Bohuslav also comments on the value of practicality. Most DIY programs undermine the potential usefulness of window treatments, instead focusing wholly on their meager appearance, “Functionality of the window covering is not always considered—it is a very important aspect of making the best decision.” In addition to limiting their usefulness, DIY programs tend to work within a confined budget, narrowing a world of high quality materials and approaches. Bohuslav admits that fashioning windows can be a major expense but believes that the investment in high quality and impressively designed treatments will ultimately endure the wares of time and “truly add to the overall value of your home.” The rewards of hiring a professional decorator to dress your windows quickly display themselves. Customizing window treatments to correspond with the rest of the room, other adjoining rooms, and, most of all, the people living in them, is no easy task. DIY projects risk the unfavorable possibility of not intertwining a home’s countless components, which ultimately provide its distinctive character and warmth. Residents who decorate their homes without any professional assistance are many times forced to revisit their original ideas and redesign areas. Such courageous acts often prove naïve, as well as costly. Bohuslav firmly supports the notion that “a few hours of advice from a professional is money well spent. Window treatments are a long-term investment in your daily comfort and the overall value of your property.” If budget is a factor, she suggests pinpointing your priorities and then proceeding in stages, so you will still benefit from quality décor that lasts. How will you dress your new home’s windows? What types of treatment will complement your living room, dining room, or kitchen? How elegant or relaxed do you want each room to be? These questions are necessary to determine the personality of your house. How can the perfect feel of your old home translate into the new walls and windows that now surround you? Decorating your new home’s interior is a daunting task, but with some professional assistance it can be what it should: a rich reflection of you and your family’s presence here in Central Texas. YOUR Address | Summer 2006 21
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