Buying window treatments is like buying a custom made suit if you’re a man or a custom gown if you’re a woman. I mean, it’s a big deal. Either you can pick a custom tailored suit from Tom Ford or a dress by Marchesa. The question really is, do you want to be nominated for Best Dressed when you know you’ve spent countless hours already getting ready for the big batta boom batta bang?

The same exact applies to custom window dressing! So, while reading this I want you to imagine your home as the celebrity and you’re the stylist. You’ve already spent countless hours styling your home to be beautiful and now it’s time to have your guests come into your  home and nominate your home as “Best Dressed.” Here are a few Q & A’s that us Draperista’s have come up with. Maybe this will apply to you and we hope will help you get a good understanding of the types of questions you might have. When you use us, we take care of it all for you. There is no reason to be worried when hiring us. No question will ever go unanswered.

Q: How do I choose the right window treatment?

A: Isn’t this just a loaded question. Honestly, every window is different and every window sings a different story. Let the window and style of your home speak to you. But, most importantly let your budget speak first. Once you figure out your budget for the project, you will not feel so overwhelmed with what types of window treatments to choose. If you know you only want to spend $400 on one window, then you know, fabric roman shades and drapery are not the right call for you. Everything depends on the window size but if it’s a standard window size 48 X 60, and you are looking to spend $400 your options for that window are mini blinds, wood blinds, roller shades or honeycomb shades. If you’re willing to spend $1,500 or more, then you can look at doing something along the lines of shutters, roman shades and possibly drapery panels. We always tell our customers to come up with some sort of budget before we go through a design plan. We want to make sure our customers aren’t spending more than they want to spend. So, it’s best to be straight forward and have clear communication before spending time in the design process.

Q: How do I choose between a more expensive company or a less expensive company for my window treatments?

A: If you’re going out there searching for bids because you are looking for the cheapest price, odds are you might not get the best quality of service or products. The saying “You get what you pay for” is 100% true when it comes to remodeling or designing your home. Whenever you are doing something custom, it is best not to pick companies because they are “cheap” because most of the time if they are cheap, so is the quality of their products or they’re hiding something you don’t know about. When it comes to window treatments, we want you to pick a company that isn’t there to sell you a blind or a curtain but really there to sell you quality, taste, service and most importantly, design; which is something you can’t get anywhere else. This is why we have been in business for 30+ years. We do not sell on price or sell just to sell. We sell you something you can’t buy somewhere else. Most people who do what we do, will just sell you products. Products that maybe you think you need. The truth is, what you need is a company who is going to take your design suggestions if you have any and come up with either a better solution or something you may not have thought of. This is why you hire an expert! We are the designers and you’re along for the design ride. Let us take the reins.

Q: Should I puddle curtains, and if so how much?

A: To puddle or not to puddle, that is the question! Most of the time, we usually puddle drapery an 1” to 2” depending on the style of the home. However, in modern homes, we rarely ever puddle–we skim the floor…just barely. Some houses call for a puddle and some do not. Here are the ones that do… Traditional homes, Colonial home, Tuscany home, Mediterranean homes, Beach homes. The houses that do not call for any puddle are Ultra modern, Mid Century Modern or Contemporary.

-Bree Jacoby