“I am so very inspired by new ideas, creativity and imaginative thinking,” says Susan Schurz of Tavern Hill workroom in Amelia, Va. “I love to brainstorm!” (Photo by Cynthia Newmark)

Artisan Vision
The Beauty of High-End Window Fashion

Photos by John Magor

Owning a workroom comes naturally to Susan Schurz of Tavern Hill, a professional custom drapery workroom in Amelia, Va. Her mother, Irene, who was widowed young with five children, started working in a drapery workroom when Susan was just 5 years old and soon afterward set up a home workroom. Schurz grew up helping mom make draperies.

“The skills I learned from our home workroom allowed me to work in other workrooms during college where I studied textile crafts such as weaving and felt making,” says Schurz. “After college I opened my own workroom. I love owning a business that allows me to be creative and to work with creative people. I love fabrics! Every day I get to work with some of the most beautiful textiles in our industry.”

Schurz is also an instructor for the Custom Home Furnishings Academy in Charlotte, N.C., where she teaches Window Treatment 104, High End Fabrication Methods. Who better then to ask about the details of high-end window fashion:

What is it about high-end window fashion that you love?
“I love the combination of design, craftsmanship and materials that are ultimately used to enhance interiors and at the same time are most often functional. Functional art has always interested me, such as the textiles and pottery from ancient cultures. In the ancient Peruvian culture, for example, textiles were more valuable than silver or gold, and fabrics were even considered sacred.

“When I visit museums I am awed by the embellishment and design on everyday items such as Greek pottery, Navajo blankets and even simple, yet extraordinary Egyptian linen fabrics. There was a dedication to making everyday objects beautiful and even spiritually meaningful for the artist that created them.”

In this clean and simple master bedroom, designer Kathy Corbet used a pale, sandy color on the wall and accented the room with a gray-blue. “The triple windows called out for a seating area framed with drapes,” she said. “Only partial privacy was needed in the bedroom; the soft shades are in Pollack’s ‘Heavenly’ sheer in a pale blue color called ‘cloud’ and are lined with an ivory poly sheer. The drapes are Osborne & Little linen, with Brimar’s ‘Tuxedo’ hardware in stainless steel with a crystal ball fi nial. The chairs are a custom design from J. Redmond using Robert Allen’s ‘Endless’ as the base with cushions in a stunning cut velvet from Osborne & Little.” Designer: Kathy Corbet, Kathy Corbet Interiors, Richmond, Va. Workroom: Susan Schurz, Tavern Hill, Amelia, Va. Installer: Jimmy Stevens, Designer Installations, Richmond, Va.

How do you define high end?
“As a level of interior design where quality, craftsmanship, service and exclusivity are valued. High-end design sets trends that will influence the marketplace at all levels. This will vary by region and personal taste, but the high-end styles that are most successful will eventually become more affordable and available to all. What is popular now in interior design started as a high-end market trend such as granite countertops, motorized window treatments and decorating outdoor spaces.”

What high-end materials do you love?
“I adore custom printed fabrics and custom dyed fringe for their uniqueness. Silk is one of my favorite materials for panels because of the way it reflects light. The basket weave silk from Plumridge Inc. is a beautiful textured material that is easy to sew and table in the workroom.

“One of my new favorite fabrics is wool because it is so beautiful, durable and is a renewable resource. The weight can vary from a soft gabardine or crepe to a heavy woven texture. I recently worked with wool felt from Ralph Lauren which didn’t fray and could be cut and shaped without a seamed edge.

“I also appreciate basic foundation materials such as premium lining and interlinings which give the finished window fashions a luxurious finish. By adding a simple layer of heavy flannel or bump interlining between the face fabric and lining material, the overall window treatment is greatly improved, not just in the way it looks but in energy efficiency as well.”

Caramel, chocolate and a latte on the side make up this family room, with two layers of warm caramel-colored Bohemian pleat drapes softening the sunlight as it pours through the windows. The horizontal stripe sheer is Summer Squall from Donghia; the outer layer is Ghent from Pollack. The 3” wood rod with iron accents by S & L Drapery Hardware balances out the scale of the window. The Duralee sectional has been upholstered in chocolate brown chenille from Duralee’s contract line. A frothy shag carpet finishes the look. Designer: Kathy Corbet, Kathy Corbet Interiors, Richmond, Va. Workroom: Susan Schurz, Tavern Hill, Amelia, Va. Installer: Jimmy Stevens, Designer Installations, Richmond, Va.

Tell us about high-end fabrication:
“A high-end product takes more time to fabricate because there is extra care and attention given to the overall finished product. This can include a

combination of sewing skills and considerations such as careful pattern placement, fullness,

crafting mock-ups and more. I would like to clarify that the term ‘high-end’ does not specify the fabrication techniques. There are many different methods that achieve the same goal. …

“Proportions are also an important ingredient of high-end design and fabrication. Much like hem lengths in skirts and dresses, window treatments also exhibit subtle changes in proportions which will influence trends in design. The lengths of swags and top treatments are much shorter now than 20 years ago but not as short as they were 50 years ago. Fullness is also influenced by high-end design and the trend toward styles with less fullness such as grommet and tab top panels or flat shades and shaped pelmets will soon be imitated in all levels of interior design.”

What inspires you?
“I am so very inspired by new ideas, creativity and imaginative thinking. I love to brainstorm! Personally, I continue to be inspired by my mother who provided her children with a model of strength, faith, hard work, independence, creativity and a love for beautiful things.”

CLOSER LOOK

Cynthia Newmark Photography
www.newmarkphoto.com

John Magor Photography
www.johnmagor.com

Kathy Corbet Interiors
www.kathycorbetinteriors.com

Tavern Hill
www.tavernhill.net

Plumridge Inc.
www.plumridge.com