Windows With Bad Views

Here in the Dallas, Texas area new homes are popping up everywhere. It is truly amazing. However, sometimes it seems as though the home building are piling these large homes one of top of the other. It almost feels like you can reach your arm out and touch your neighbor! We recently helped a client in Plano who had exactly this problem. Her home is stunning, but the distance between her home and her neighbors was less than eight feet. The view from her three large dining room windows were a brick wall along with the neighbors air conditioner unit and meters. This was definitely an issue as no one wants to look at that mess while eating a lovely family dinner. What a sore sight!

Our solution for this bad view is simple. We did not want to cover this windows with blinds or shutters as this was the only light entering this room. We still wanted to keep it light and bright. So instead of putting something heavy, we decided to go with a sheer drapery. It is a dining room, after all, so the drapery is a perfect way to dress up the room and solve the visual issue with the view. The sheer fabric we chose has a delicate pattern for added interest and style. The fabric is from a beautiful line in the Kravet Collection. We used a zip rod from Design Elements so they can pull the draperies open if they want to. This window treatment lets light diffuse into the room while hiding the ugly view and dressing up the room. Style and function! What a beautiful combination. If draperies aren't your thing, there are other window treatment options to explore. 

If draperies aren't your thing, there are other window treatment options to explore. 

In a room with more light, you might consider plantation shutters in the 4.5 inch louver. You can tilt the louvers slight to let plenty of light in while still hiding the unwanted view. Keep in mind, shutters will always take away more light because it is a heavy and solid window treatment, so make sure you have plenty of windows and an airy, large room.

Another option would be to look into Pirouette or Silhouette Window Shadings from Hunter Douglas. These two unique products offer the versatility and control most people love. In fact these are my absolute favorite window treatments to use in homes and ten times out of ten, my clients are thrilled. Silhouette shades with the Signature S vane will transform light. Fabric vanes float between two sheers that create a beautiful and functional look. This innovative design will defuse light and soften the view outdoors. They allow for daytime privacy and offer 88% UV blockage in the tilted position. Pirouette shades with its striking design will dramatically filter light in a way you've never seen before. Unless, of course, you're familiar with the product! These shades will give you a softened view to the outdoors along with giving you the look of a traditional fabric shade. Both of these beautiful window coverings come in a variety of fabrics giving you many textures and colors to choose from. It is easy to find the right fabric for your space.

You might even consider the Duette Architella Honeycomb Shade with the Top Down/Bottom Up design feature. This allows you to lower your shade from the top for maximum privacy as well as blocking unsightly views while offering light control. Duette® Honeycomb Shades are the original cellular shades, specifically engineered to provide beauty and energy efficiency at the window in both cold and warm climates. Their honeycomb construction traps air in distinct pockets, which creates insulation that can help lower your energy consumption and energy bills. Duette shades are available in an expansive range of pleat sizes, fabrics, colors, opacities and textures. Innovative operating system design options such as Top-Down/Bottom-Up and Duette Duolite® make these shades a top choice for any window, skylight or even specialty window shapes like arches, sidelights and circles.

The newest option to haze the ugly view would be to use Vignette Modern Roman Shades with the Duolite option. You can use a sheer fabric to distract, but not cut out light. For two opacities in a single shade, consider the revolutionary Duolite® option. Vignette Duolite combines a light-filtering or sheer front shade with a built-in room-darkening back panel both housed on a single roller to easily achieve the perfect level of light and privacy. My favorite fabric in this collection is called Layla and I can't wait to show you!

All of these beautiful shades come in a variety of lift systems including the PowerView Motorization from Hunter Douglas. Control your shades with the touch of a button or use the PowerView App! The PowerView App unlocks the full potential of PowerView Motorization. Using the App, you can control your shades with a swipe of a finger. Or, create customized Scenes that move the shades to positions you set, and automate those Scenes to operate on their own throughout the day.

Fresh Ideas For Your Home - Complementary Colors

Complementary colors beautifully finish almost any design plan

Use them for harmony and a sense of calm.

The old adage that opposites attract is often true; and especially in selecting the colors for decorating your home. Using opposite colors (also known as complementary colors) adds energy to a room, yet at the same time, makes us feel comfortable and complete.

Complementary colors are the shades that are opposite on a color wheel:

• Red and green

• Orange and blue

• Purple and yellow

Nature is full of complementary colors, such as dramatic red roses on stems with bright green leaves, delicate pansies with their purple and yellow color combination, and bright blue sky and sea positioned near golden sand.

For a more modern take on complementary colors, you can use shades that are not exactly across the color wheel, or you can be a bit creative with the complementary color concept. Think about innovative hues like:

• Sky blue and terra cotta

• Pink grapefruit and acid green

• Burnt orange and sage green

• Soft aqua blue and tomato red

If you feel cautious about adding complementary colors, start small with elements like a painted wall, sofa pillows, throws, flower arrangements or slip covers. Then, as you become more confident, you can ratchet up your color scheme with larger and more permanent items like upholstery fabrics and window fashions.

Balance your interior design plans beautifully by selecting complementary colors.

RD Home

We have exciting news at Read Design, the expansion of Read Design Home (RD Home Collection). New Products are coming in everyday and we are busy in our remodeling mode. Our shop is taking on a new and fun look. Stop in and see us soon!

At Read Design Plano, we are a full service Interior Design studio. It all starts with your window coverings. We have a Hunter Douglas Gallery and can show you Blinds and Shades - including Silhouettes, Pirouettes, and many other styles of Shades. And do not forget Plantation Shutters. An attractive window and the right light can change everything - from your room to your mood. Hunter Douglas has mastered the art of window dressing by engineering innovative functions into stylish, versatile looks for every window in your home. Hunter Douglas is the leader in light control, energy efficiency, operation systems and motorization, which makes your home smarter, your days easier, and every room more beautiful. When you stop in make sure you ask for a free copy of our Art of Window Dressing book.

Now that the windows are taken care you can move on to softening your windows with drapery panels, cornice or valances. With so many fabrics to choose from we are sure that we can find the perfect solution for your home.

​We recently helped a customer in Dallas who needed window treatments and more. First we started with Roller shades from Hunter Douglas. The shades are there for sun control and privacy and when they are up, they completely disappear into the headrail. We also added the PowerView motorization options which give give our customer ease of operation. Next we added drapery panels in a navy pattern that coordinates with the new color scheme of her home. They soften the windows and draw out the view to the back yard.

For the master bedroom our customer wanted to keep her king size bed. It works nicely in this large room with tall ceilings. First from RD Home Collection we used a 9’ x 13’ Rug in a contemporary design that brings together the soft grey, silver, and blue colors. We added a blue velvet throw at the end of the bed, blue linen euro shams and 3 custom pillows. All of the fabrics are from Kravet. To finish the look we hung 2 large art pieces behind the nightstands. What you don’t see are the 4 1/2” louver Shutters from Hunter Douglas and 4 drapery panels. The room looks very inviting and comfortable. 

In her sitting room we selected another piece from RD Home. This is a versatile piece that can be used in a Living Room, Dining Room, or just about anywhere. We also used a large rug to set the tone for the color pattern. We will soon be continuing furnishing this room with chairs and a cocktail table.

Below are some of the new pieces you will find at Read Design Plano and RD Home. We will continue get new pieces weekly. Or if you would like to have one of our Interior Designers help you with floor planning and design, just let us know. We can put together a Interior Design Plan just for you. Because we have a ton of furniture in our showroom, we are able to get you a new piece for your upcoming holiday party! We deliver! Give us a call at your earliest convenience to set up your consultation today!

Vintage Design

With the instantaneous nature of social media, many interior design trends are here today, gone tomorrow. That’s not necessarily the case with re-purposed and distressed design stories, however. Rather than being shiny and new, and therefore destined to a limited shelf life, accenting a room with antiqued-themed accessories and themes often create such a one-of-a-kind aesthetic that it presents a design with staying power.

“People are drawn to vintage looks because of their uncommon uniqueness,” remarks Kim Pheiffer of KP Designs, based in Columbus, Ohio. The firm is home to 14 designers and currently is working on more than 50 projects ranging from window treatments to full kitchen and bathroom makeovers.

“Often times a vintage design approach incorporates a nautical or farmhouse feel. Even in a brand new home, clients can bring that vintage look to a room, for lived-in feel with striking architectural details. In that sense, you can take what would otherwise be a ‘cookie-cutter’ home and give it a truly custom look and feel.”

On a broad scale, KP Designs has installed shiplap over drywall and reclaimed barn wood, which can be painted or stained. “It adds tremendous depth and dimension to a room,” Pheiffer explains, adding that their firm has also achieved the same effect using brick facing on walls. “It’s unexpected casual, for a relaxed treatment that really stands out.”

On a smaller scale, hints of the nautical and aquatic looks can, likewise, achieve the same carefree feel. “It’s not about full-fledged anchors or starfish everywhere, but just a few seafaring touches in soothing greys and blues,” she says. “One color we’ve been loving is called seasalt—it’s almost a green-blue with just a hint of grey.” Additional elements that pull the look together are rope textures and colored glasses, such as lamps that incorporate touches of muted blues and greens.

Other accessories Pheiffer and her team seek out are those that traditionally have served one function in days gone by, but that can be repurposed as an eyecatching embellishment. For example, KP Designs has made beautiful use of unconventional mirrors that are more artwork than looking glasses. On another project, the firm purchased corbels in Paris that were originally used at a train station and used them to flank a doorway opening. 

Asked why vintage and subtle nautical themes have remained so popular over the years, and Pheiffer offers a simple explanation: “I think it’s retail stores that drive it, but in the end it allows people to take something they may have admired during vacationing or travels and bring a bit of that feeling and memory home with them.”

Blog by Uttermost

Fresh Ideas For Your Home - Geometric Shapes

Geometric shapes can add movement and energy to your rooms. Think outside the box for a refreshing change of decor.

When most of us purchase home elements, we tend to focus on square and rectangular shapes and surfaces. Yet consider some of the most ancient decorating styles used by the Greeks, Romans and other cultures; they include lots more than just squares and rectangles! Try thinking out of the box for more interest and excitement in your decorating style.

Triangles, hexagons, trapezoids, parallelograms. Who even remembers what some of these shapes are? Maybe now’s the time for a refresher course in high school geometry to spice up your home décor. And don’t forget to add diamonds, chevrons, zig zags and stars to the equation.

Add geometric shapes and patterns to your décor with these home elements:

• Table tops and table bases
• Tile and wood flooring
• Rugs and carpeting
• Wallcoverings and draperies
• Upholstery fabric
• Bed and table linens
• Throw pillows
• Dishware
• Mirrors
• Inlays on wood furniture
• Light fixtures
• Painted wall stencils
• And even the architectural elements of your home, such as door panels, window panes and brickwork patterns.

Beware of too much geometry; a little goes a long way at perking up a room. Too much can become chaotic. Geometric patterns can look modern, retro or thoroughly traditional, depending on their style, color and design. And they can range from the superwix subtle to ultra bold in look.

Add geometric shapes to your interior design plan. It’s an angle that works!

Providing Services to all of these areas: Dallas, North Dallas, Plano, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Addison, Coppell, Southlake, Denton, Keller, Roanoke, Benbrook,  Westlake, Fort Worth, Lewisville, Grapevine, Trophy Club, The Colony, Frisco, Prosper, Celina, Savannah, Aubrey, McKinney, Allen, St. Paul, Wylie, Sachse, Rockwall, Rowlett, Lucas, Parker, Melissa, Anna, Fairview, Heath, Garland, Richardson, Irving, Las Colinas, University Park, Highland Park, Kessler Park, Euless, North Richland Hills, Colleyville, Flower Mound, Corinth, Arlington, Little Elm, Hurst, Saginaw, Haltom City, Bedford, Watauga, Haslet and many more!

Fresh Ideas For Your Home - Your Bed Design

Your bed is the design anchor of your bedroom.

Select a headboard or bed frame that adds beauty and commands attention. In the bedroom, it’s all about the bed. Make it the centerpiece of your boudoir and the first thing people notice when they walk in.

Beds can be made from so many materials, including wood, upholstery, brass, bronze, iron or leather – or a combination of these materials, such as a wood headboard frame with an upholstered insert or a wooden canopy bed with softly draped fabric. Some headboards even include built-in shelves above the bed or built-in nightstands at each side.

Beds come in so many shapes and sizes. They should be the right scale for the room, with larger rooms requiring taller or more substantial beds to add drama. In general, a headboard with sharp square corners will look more tailored and modern, while a cut-out or rounded shape will look more feminine and soft. The bed should also complement the other furniture and fabrics in a room. For more interest, add tufting or nailheads to upholstered headboards and think about painting the wall behind the bed in a dramatic accent color.

If you don’t have a headboard, your bedroom may look like something is missing. However,  you can fill out the space above your bed with artwork, shelves, a hanging tapestry or a Japanese fan – or display lots of pillows standing upright on the bed.

Make your bed the star of your bedroom by focusing on the design of the bed frame or headboard in your decorating plans. Then your next decorating project can include all the other beautiful elements in a bedroom, including linens, furniture, rugs and window fashions!

Providing Interior Design ideas to all of these areas: Dallas, North Dallas, Plano, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Addison, Coppell, Southlake, Denton, Keller, Roanoke, Benbrook,  Westlake, Fort Worth, Lewisville, Grapevine, Trophy Club, The Colony, Frisco, Prosper, Celina, Savannah, Aubrey, McKinney, Allen, St. Paul, Wylie, Sachse, Rockwall, Rowlett, Lucas, Parker, Melissa, Anna, Fairview, Heath, Garland, Richardson, Irving, Las Colinas, University Park, Highland Park, Kessler Park, Euless, North Richland Hills, Colleyville, Flower Mound, Corinth, Arlington, Little Elm, Hurst, Saginaw, Haltom City, Bedford, Watauga, Haslet and many more!

Call 817.416.7164 for Read Design Southlake

Call 972.608.4999 for Read Design Plano

We Are The Masters In Motorization!

We are trained and certified motorization specialists.

Hunter Douglas PowerView Motorization NOW AVAILABLE AT READ DESIGN!!!!!

The next generation of technology available from Hunter Douglas
as, PowerView Motorization enables intelligent operation of the most popular Hunter Douglas window treatments. Through its wireless technology, homeowners can adjust window treatments to control natural light throughout the home with the simple press of a button or tap on a mobile device, or through automated operation. PowerView Motorization merges seamlessly with a connected lifestyle, and provides a level of ease and convenience that is the crowning touch for Hunter Douglas window treatments.

New Technology
-New wireless technology for increased radio frequency range, reliability and two-way communication.

New PowerView App with the Remote Connect Feature makes operating your shades a breeze!

New Controls
-All new, artfully designed PowerView Pebble Remote combines fashion with function for precise control of Hunter Douglas window treatments.
-The Pebble Palette is available in seven on-trend colors to personalize and harmonize with any home decor. Black Matte, Citron, Clear Frost, Cobalt, Pewter Frost, Poppy and White.
-The PowerView surface Remote fits to any wall for visually pleasing, wall-mounted control. Available in three matte finish colors to complement any wall color. Black Matt, Nickel Matte and White Matte.
-Add a PowerView Pebble Scene Controller or PowerView Surface Scene Controller to immediately access a personalized list of Scenes (this requires PowerView Hub for operation).
-The new PowerView App features a personalized user experience and simple setup designed to fit your lifestyle. Available for Apple iOS and Android mobile devices.
New Functions
-Create personalized shade settings called Scenes within one room, multiple rooms, or throughout your whole home for just the right ambiance.
-Set your window treatments in motion at any time – from any place – with the RemoteConnect feature.
-Seamless home automation integration can be achieved through a single unit, the PowerView Hub.
Product Benefits
-Transform light and set the mood in your home with the press of a button or tap of a mobile device.
-Schedule the operation of your window treatments to optimize your homes energy efficiency.
-PowerView Motorization contrubutes to a safer environment for young children and pets.
-PowerView Motorization is the perfect solution for both newly constructed and existing homes.
-Battery and plug-in options are available.
-PowerView Pebble Remote re-invents remote control by creating an ergonomic fit, implementing more intuitive push button control and adding “Favorite” position functionality.

Providing motorized Hunter Douglas Shades to the following areas:Dallas, North Dallas, Plano, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Addison, Coppell, Southlake, Denton, Keller, Roanoke, Benbrook,  Westlake, Fort Worth, Lewisville, Grapevine, Trophy Club, The Colony, Frisco, Prosper, Celina, Savannah, Aubrey, McKinney, Allen, St. Paul, Wylie, Sachse, Rockwall, Rowlett, Lucas, Parker, Melissa, Anna, Fairview, Heath, Garland, Richardson, Irving, Las Colinas, University Park, Highland Park, Kessler Park, Euless, North Richland Hills, Colleyville, Flower Mound, Corinth, Arlington, Little Elm, Hurst, Saginaw, Haltom City, Bedford, Watauga, Haslet and many more!

Call 817.416.7164 for Read Design Southlake

Call 972.608.4999 for Read Design Plano

Fresh Ideas For Your Home - Purple

You can choose from so many shades of this beautiful color.

Purple includes a wide range of colors. From the lightest, soft lilac to bold and bright violet – and everything in between. The color names for various shades of purple speak to its range – including amethyst, eggplant, blackberry, lavender, orchid, periwinkle, cabernet and plum.

Purple is suprisingly flexible.

• Purple goes well with many decorating styles from the most traditional to the most contemporary.

• Purple teams beautifully with many neutrals, including cream, light gray, white, eggshell, brown and black.

• Accents that work well include blue, aqua, ocher, teal, spring green and yellow.

• You can even add just a touch of purple to a neutral paint color, so the finishing result seems like beige or cream or light gray, yet has an extra pizazz!

Purple can add a quirky or whimsical touch, and we all know that traditionally it’s a rich and royal color that can add sophistication and luxury to your home décor. Depending on the shade of purple you select, you can create a variety of feelings from soft and soothing to vibrant and magical.

If you’re nervous about adding such a passionate color to your home, think small. Throw pillows, a small upholstered chair, table linens, flowers, plants, paint on a small accent wall, or wallpaper in a powder room or guest bedroom.

Be bold and add your favorite shade of purple to your home décor. It will add passion to your home.

Decorating with purple can add passion to your home - and maybe to your life!

Providing Interior Design Ideas to all of these areas: Dallas, North Dallas, Plano, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Addison, Coppell, Southlake, Denton, Keller, Roanoke, Benbrook,  Westlake, Fort Worth, Lewisville, Grapevine, Trophy Club, The Colony, Frisco, Prosper, Celina, Savannah, Aubrey, McKinney, Allen, St. Paul, Wylie, Sachse, Rockwall, Rowlett, Lucas, Parker, Melissa, Anna, Fairview, Heath, Garland, Richardson, Irving, Las Colinas, University Park, Highland Park, Kessler Park, Euless, North Richland Hills, Colleyville, Flower Mound, Corinth, Arlington, Little Elm, Hurst, Saginaw, Haltom City, Bedford, Watauga, Haslet and many more!

Call 817.416.7164 for Read Design Southlake

Call 972.608.4999 for Read Design Plano