I love summer in Rochester and the profusion of natural colorful options available to brighten my home.

One specific way I take advantage of the season's offerings is to provide a welcoming experience the moment guests park in the driveway.  They are greeted by a sanctuary of color, waterfalls, and birds in a natural soothing setting.

Another tenet I live by is to bring the indoors outside as a great way to entertain guests and to provide a place for clients to relax. It feels especially wonderful to soak up the outdoors after a long Rochester winter.

Happy mid-summer to you all and I hope to see you soon to leave you feeling beautiful inside and out.

Today I want to talk about what window treatments can add to a room.

We have gotten so used to the “Pottery Barn” look keeping everything very white, simple and clean looking that we have missed out on what the right fabric and style treatment can add, not just to your window, but to the entire room.

Instead of it being something we think about last, in reality it should be the starting point. Choosing a fabric that appeals to you can start the process of pulling paint selections, bedding, furniture, flooring and the overall style of a room.

I recently remodeled my living room and, in doing so, I found a beautiful silk fabric in a solid gold color. [I always shop at Décor Fabric and Designs at 900 Panorama Trail] 

I have a very large room with three banks of windows. I decided to create panels on one bank of windows in the solid gold fabric and on the other two I chose a coordinating fabric in a print stripe that pulled in the gold silk, cream color paint on the walls and the grey furniture I have in there.

What a difference it made in softening the walls and quieting the sound. "Warmth” would be the word I choose…exactly what I needed in this very large space.

Think of it like this: your windows are pictures or artwork already on your wall; your window treatments act as the framework to set the style of the room.

Lighting and space are two key factors in choosing a color that will create the perfect backdrop. Whether it’s soft or bold, color can be the “cause” of how we feel when we enter a room.

Will the color you choose create a feeling of warmth in a bedroom, inspire you in a home office, or create a canvas to make your artwork pop?

The spaces we live in—home—should reflect and speak to who we are.

​What I do best is to help guide you in choosing the color and designs that reflect YOUR personal style.

Visit the gallery page for more design ideas. And I'd love to hear your thoughts about how you make your home a more inviting place.