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By Faith Prince
The unsung heroes of the design world…Where the magic happens…
THE WORKROOM! But then, you already knew that.
No one knows the extent to which the design industry owes its success to the Workroom. But we do! At Creative Treatments we understand that every piece we sell goes through the talented hands of a workroom. From a motorized rod, to nail heads on a ladies club chair, to the tassels adorning a custom made pillow, these are nothing unfamiliar to those who labor in the workroom.
A professional interior designer envisions a window treatment and takes it to you; a thirty foot bay overlooking a heart-stopping view still needs drapes if only to tame the sun for a few hours a day. You are the one an interior designer turns to in order to fabricate that concept. Designers rely on you because you know what you’re doing and you do it well.
That’s a phrase that was once synonymous with custom work; it signified luxury, top end artisanship, unequaled quality, and truly meant one-of-kind. But made to measure still exists, and it’s because of people like you: people who fabricate fabulous window designs, people who restore and resurrect a well-built piece of furniture that needs tender loving care to be beautiful and functional again. Everything you do is made to measure.
You have a wealth of knowledge about drapery hardware. It’s second nature to you now. When a designer shows you a sketch, your brain kicks in instantly, “I’ll need a hefty rod to carry the weight of that brocade”. You’ve already started the project as you examine the drawing.
When you run workroom, you are being paid for so much more than the actual labor and the end result of what you do. You are also paid for what you know. The years you have been working, your experience and the practical facets of what is in your head- what you have learned is invaluable. It is priceless.
Draperies are a specialty product. The typical homeowner has no idea how much work and thought and even more work goes into creating truly custom window treatments. They would be shocked to learn how many hours of highly skilled and intense labor are expended to bring those panels of silk, brocade, linen, velvet or polyester to frame their windows with such elegance and perfection. Many people think they can duplicate that with products from Home Depot. But would they shop for their daughter’s wedding dress at Wal-Mart? Perish the thought.
At Creative Treatments we know what you need and are more than happy to help you when you are specifying drapery rods, brackets, rings or even motorization. We’ve seen it before. Our job is to cater to your needs. Your custom bent metal rod is available and we can guide you on how to craft a template for it. There is nothing you might require to install your window treatments that we can’t provide for you. We like dealing with professionals because we are professionals.
Finial Company is a must if your clients room requires a whimsical touch or a formal motif that calls for a traditional finish, all hand crafted. Of course they also provide drapery poles, rods and brackets. Not to mention custom steel brackets, tiebacks, swing arms, pole returns and corded traverse systems, which can be motorized.
In addition to Finial Company, we carry drapery hardware to support any window treatment you can imagine. Paris Texas, Gould, Orion and Forest have collections to please the most persnickety client. Magnolia, Select, House Parts, Deco & Deco, Vesta and Menagerie have products for any taste and budget. And the old standby, Kirsch is a name any consumer would recognize.
Whether you are working on a newly constructed house owned by folks with eclectic taste, a home whose owners want classic traditional home décor, or millennials who are eager for a contemporary feel, you will find exactly what you need at Creative Treatments. Just describe what you’re thinking and our team will know where to look. They know the product you need and quite probably can tell you what page to look in the catalog.
Of course upholstery is a horse of another color. We offer workroom supplies and tools you need to bring that mid-century modern chair back from years of neglect. We have nail heads and the hammers to put those nail heads where they belong. You can make it look new with D.A.D.S. furniture legs. D’Kei has a treasure trove of trim to give a fabulous finish to any material, pattern or design. The only limit is your imagination.
There are many other products in our stable of workroom supplies that will fulfill your needs for upholstery.
D.A.D.S. isn’t limited to nail heads, though they have a giant selection. They can custom make nail heads to your specifications. You will marvel at their Decorative Nails in Antique Brass and Pewter, Copper and Oil Rubbed. Hundreds of Buttons are available for bench, cushion or headboard.
Pillow forms come in every size and shape, filled with combination down and down alternative and covered in cotton ticking. They are hypo allergenic and mold resistant. We also have down and feather selections for a rich, luxurious feel.
Designers would be lost without workrooms as partners in their pursuit of giving their clients top end window treatments. The old guard is falling away. Generation to generation shops are a thing of the past and the younger generation wants to go to college, not do what their great-grandparents did when they first came to America. Artisanship has given way to the MBA and corporate climbing. Passing down hard-earned skills to a younger generation has become a victim of its own success. Now it’s more difficult to find young people willing to learn such a specialized set of skills.
Fewer and fewer consumers appreciate the quality of a lovingly restored sofa from 1968. And with Chinese manufacturers copying American designs, people think that the couch they saw at K-mart is the same one that Macy’s is selling for ten times the price. And they don’t understand why the knock-off falls apart in six months. They can’t know that the kiln-dried frame and hand-tied springs from the original at Macy’s will be worth reupholstering when the fabric wears out in fifteen or sixteen years.
So it is important for you, the makers, the fabricators, the workroom maintain the quality that has made you valuable. We need you to persevere so that quality and fine craftsmanship survive. In the end, it must be a labor of love as well. So long as there are designers who have clients who want the best, there will be a demand for what you do. And Creative Treatments will be there to help you acquire the drapery hardware and accessories you need to satisfy those designers with the imaginations to make windows beautiful with your talent and skills and dedication to your art.
And we appreciate what you do because we appreciate quality. When we marvel at what you create, we know this is not off-the-shelf merchandise. Every stitch is the result of a talented human who values beauty.
Thank you for what you do. Thank you for what you are.