NEWH - April 2004 - (Page 72)

window treatments 101… by: Dallas Bentley, Marietta Drapery Enormous windows in common areas present infinite design possibilities for window treatments: flowing velvety swags and cascades, spectacular curtains with intricately crafted decorative rods, funky geometric valances or cornices. With such a large canvas, it’s easy to get carried away. Unfortunately, the grandest notions with regard to this facet of hotel design can have their hidden pitfalls. Before you move from the guestroom to the common area, remember that what works for one, doesn’t necessarily work for the other. As the scale of the window treatment grows, so does the need for attention to the proper materials and installation. To neglect these details can transform a designer from a god to a goat in no time. Perhaps some tips, ranging from obvious to obscure, by a drapery manufacturer will help prevent disaster before it’s too late. Tip #1 Don’t Get Railroaded The first tip has to do with fabric selection. An important question to ask is: Does the pattern “run up the bolt?” Most drapery goods are 54” wide, and patterns that are railroaded “across the bolt” are not the best candidates for draperies much taller than a man. The use of a pattern with such a repeat will necessitate horizontal seams to match the pattern as it runs down the drapery. Horizontal seams are unsightly and easy to fray...a big no-no. Go with the appropriate pattern repeat from the start or choose a solid and avoid this problem altogether. Tip #2 Gravity Has a Way of Laughing at the Best-Laid Plans of Designers “That drapery wasn’t touching the ground two months ago, was it?” Elasticity can vary from fabric to fabric, and, the longer the treatment, the greater the weight, the more likely your stationary panels will be rubbing the floors. Choose your fabrics carefully. If the pattern feels heavy as a sample, it will be exponentially heavier on the window, especially if you add a blackout liner. Upholstery weight goods are impressive but heavy by nature. Consider how much clearance you desire between the carpet and the bottom hem. Leaving one-half of an inch to spare is cutting things close. A drapery that stretches from two inches above the floor to one inch over time is less noticeable than one that ends up dragging. This may be a rare instance where too short can be preferable to too long. Does the installation require any extra materials, i.e. decking or stripping, at the top of the treatment that can translate to a need shorten treatment lengths? Some heavy-duty treatments may require wood stripping to the head of the window for added support in their installation. In short, select your goods wisely, consider floor clearance, and always remember installation can add inches where you hadn’t originally planned them. 72 Tip #3 Never Bring a Knife to a Gunfight A common drapery in a guestroom utilizes rod and baton systems suited for its size and usage. When the treatment grows in scale, so will its operative equipment. Typical hardware will be insufficient to operate more massive treatments. Batons will bend when they reach a certain length, making drawing the drapery laborious and treacherous. Carriers on the rods can only support so much weight. If you want operability and don’t want to end up wearing the curtain you’re drawing, you will need to consider motorization or heavier duty hardware. This can come at an additional, and sometimes substantial, cost. In other words, be willing to pay for movement if you want it. Planning to have the right tools for the right job will nip these potential woes in the bud. Tip #4 Honey, We Should’ve Measured This Sofa Before We Tried To Fit It Through the Door. Installation. It’s not a particularly attractive topic but a necessary one to address early. To illustration how important planning is, let’s look at the recently completed J.W. Marriott Grand Lakes in Orlando, Florida. The structure of the hotel was made from something called post-tension concrete. In a nutshell, this is where the builders stretch reinforced metal bars, pour concrete around the bars, and, once the concrete dries, cut the bars at both ends. The result is stability in the walls created from the tension of the bars. Ironically, this stability can create instability if you attempt to screw through the concrete and penetrate the bar. It can upset the entire structure of building when that bar snaps. At the J.W. Marriott, the architect provided for wood stripping in guestroom window frames in the original blueprints. This avoided an unsuspecting drapery installer from creating havoc. For the common areas, a small strip wasn’t strong enough to support treatments to be hung on windows thirty

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEWH - April 2004

NEWH - April 2004
President’s Letter
Calendar of Events
Contents
From the Editor
Hospitality News
In Memory - Thomas R. Durkan, Sr.
Top Hotel Developers - John Q. Hammons
On the Road Again
HD Expo at a Glance
Surviving HD
Did You Know
Exclusive Lifestyle by Design
If It Were Easy
The Best of Time
Talk About Fast Track
What to Expect From the Vacation Ownership Industry
A Look Back in History
The New Direction for Timeshares in Europe
Confronting the Disabilities Myth
Furnishing Today’s Timeshare
Art - The Final Piece of the Puzzle
Showcase Projects
Design Education Today
Designer Profile: Esther Dunbar-Cullum
Oh Canada, Oh Canada
Top Awards
From Across the Pond
Spotlight On...
Tips on Specs
Window Treatments 101
Hot New Products
We Want Your Projects
Bios

NEWH - April 2004