Details Matter

If you missed this year’s Design & Workroom Competition awards presentation—you missed a pretty special night. First, thanks to Kirsch for sponsoring the evening. Bill Whyte, vice president and general manager, gave a wonderful historical overview of the company’s 110-year history, including the role its curtain rods played “Gone With the Wind”!

Second, thanks to Mary Kiel of Aesthetic Interiors, Arlene Rafoth of Interspace Design, Buddy Bressler of America’s Window Covering Buying Network and Terri Booser of the School of Drapery & Fabrication Arts, for surprising Window Fashion Vision publisher Grace McNamara with an award to honor her 30 years of contributions to the window treatment industry, as well as establishing a scholarship for window fashion education in her name. 

Those two events bookended the evening and in between were more than two dozen fantastic window treatments projects. The upcoming May/June issue will feature the Design competition winners, while July/August will focus on the Workroom competition. No matter how many pages we devote to coverage in the magazine, it’s never enough, so we’ve put together a gallery of some of the incredible detail shots and alternative perspective from the Design winners that just didn’t fit in layout. For complete projects descriptions, you’ll have to wait for the May/June issue.

Pole key tassels were featured in both Elizabeth Gerdes’ Combination Treatment project and the Specialty Window Treatment design by Connie Farely and Debbie Thompson of Bella Home Interiors.

With all the meticulous handwork in Susan Kostelecky’s winning Decorative Hardware and Trim entry, you might be excused for overlooking the modern crystal finials she specified.

The story behind Juanita Sicurella-Strassfield’s winning Top Treatment entry makes the detail on this valance all the more compelling.

Inspired by a footstool, this shaped and edged cornice, set the tone for an amazing Whole Room transformation by Yelena Gerts.

Elements from this headboard and the custom bedding inspired layered cornices in Marya Flurnoy’s Combination Treatment project.

This impressive 19th c. cornice was the starting point for a set of historically-inspired window treatments by Susan Day. And check out the fringe as well!

Chandelier beads may have been a last minute addition to this cornice by Leigh Anderson—but it’s what helped her win yet again this year in the Top Treatment category.