Amys' Blog

Restoration Runway 2012: Timeless

Window Works Studio — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:55:36 +0000

Last year, Amy and I were honored to be one of the sponsors for Restoration Runway. This is a fashion show put on by Restoration Place Ministries to raise money for counseling service. This is a non-profit organization providing Christ-centered counseling and support services to women in Greensboro and surrounding areas who are suffering in ways directly related to their femininity. This center is filled with a wonderful group of professional counselors that offer a vital service in our community.

Since the fashion shows theme this year is Timeless, there will be apparel shown from several decades through the 20th century to the current decade.This year, Amy Gilbert is serving on the Fashion Show committee. She is helping to pull together a variety of apparel representing the different eras. Amy will also design and construct some of the apparel you will see in the show.

Angela Thomas will be the Emcee again this year. She did a terrific job last year! The entire event was a huge success and a testament to God’s work at Restoration Place Ministries. If you would like more information about Restoration Place Ministries and the Restoration Runway 2012: Timeless, go to Restoration Place Ministries.

Consider attending the fashion show, donate, and/or becoming a sponsor.

Which design would you choose?

Window Works Studio — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:44:32 +0000

Before

We recently worked with a client in the living room shown above. They wanted a more dramatic treatment than what they had here. We discussed 2 story drapery panels along the outer sides of the windows with fabric going across the tops of the upper windows only. I gave the clients’ three options. They chose one they were happy with and those treatments were sewn in our Jamestown studio. We installed the treatments this summer. They were thrilled!

AFTER

The plan was to install shutters in the upper windows at a later date. They recently called and inquired about how cornices would look over the upper windows. I sent them a rendering showing the look and offered some other ideas. The clients are husband and wife…they have different opinions! We created computer renderings to illustrate the options. Take a look at them and vote for the one you like best! Just vote by commenting below…

Option #1: Shutters

Option #1: Stained Glass

Option #1: Wrought IronOption #1: CornicesLet us know which one you would choose….

Wine & Design Holiday Open House

Window Works Studio — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 21:39:13 +0000

Wine & Design Holiday Open House

Thursday November 10th

6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Window Works Studio

4915 Piedmont Pkwy. Suite 107

Jamestown, NC 27282

We always enjoy the chance to visit with our favorite customers! Please join us for a fun evening of design and gift ideas for the holidays! In addition, we will have samples of Silpada jewelry, beautiful stationary & cards from The Write Occasion and decor ideas from Carpet One by Henry.

A Massage Therapist from Kneaded Energy will be providing relaxing chair massages! We’ll have tasty treats from Simply Scrumptious, in addition to appetizers and of course, wine.

Please drop in for great decorating and gift ideas for the holidays and don’t forget to enter our drawing for door prizes!

Amy Meinecke & Amy Gilbert

336.854.6085

amym@WindowWorksStudio.com

WindowWorksStudio.com

Safe Homes Save Kids

Window Works Studio — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 01:01:44 +0000

We’re having a very special FREE event and you’re invited! Please join us on Saturday October 1st at our studio location as our guest at Safe Homes Save Kids!

Window Works Studio & Sew4u is proud to host “Safe Homes, Save Kids”, a family friendly, fun and educational event about general home and child safety. Families attending will get great advice on keeping children safe in relation to window treatment safety, home safety, internet safety, fire safety, electrical safety and other important information while having a fun & positive experience.

Entertainment, face painting, food, goodie bags, door prizes and more will be available. Event is located in the office park directly behind the Lowe’s Foods on Guilford College Rd. Proceeds will also benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

We hope to see you Saturday for this fun family event!

Amy Meinecke & Amy Gilbert
Window Works Studio, Inc.

Beautiful Custom Applique

Window Works Studio — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 20:28:09 +0000

We are so blessed to have such great clients. One such special woman is Linda O’Briant. Linda found a lovely ready-made duvet cover and a magazine photo of the perfect bed covering. But, no way to get the look she wanted from a ready-made duvet. That’s where we came in!

Inspiration for Linda's Duvet

The photo is of a bed that is smaller than Linda’s bed, so we figured the correct proportions and Amy G. drew out the design onto paper. Each fabric applique was cut out using the paper pattern.

Applique

Turning edges of applique

The design was quite intricate. The curved edges were carefully turned under and sewn to the duvet cover. It is a very time-consuming process, but well worth the results!

Linda's completed Duvet

Linda says….

” I am thrilled beyond my own expectation!!! Thank you both so much!!!“

*Linda O’Briant has been a talented Wardrobe Consultant with Doncaster for the last 25 years. Check out the exceptional clothing collection at www.doncaster.com/lobriant

Exclusive Cordless Roman Shade

Window Works Studio — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 20:50:22 +0000

We are thrilled to have access to an exclusive product that allows us to make custom CORDLESS Roman shades! With the CK Lift system, we can now make your shades from any fabric and there are no exposed cords. This is so important in preventing accidental strangulation with small children and pets. There have been numerous cases over the years where children have died or nearly died when they became entangled in the cords of blinds or shades.

The CK Lift System has been approved by the CPSC and Parents for Safe Window Coverings.

We recently installed Relaxed roman shades for one of our clients. She and her husband were thrilled with the results and the ease of use. As you can see below, the only difference with the cordless shades are the knobs. Since the relaxed style dips in the center, we put small knobs on each side at the bottom. If it were a flat shade, we could put one knob in the center. You simply push the shade up and down using the knobs. No cords to pull. No exposed cords on the back! When you get the shade to the height you desire, simply let go and the shade stays in place!

Can you see how the shade is attached to the window? The tracks the shade glides on are not obvious at all. It’s quite a versatile and remarkable system!

Any style shade can be made with this system. They can be made for french doors as well. We can even design them to lower from the top, as well as raise from the bottom on the same shade!

At this time, the CK Lift system is on available to members of the professional organization, Workroom Association of America (WAOA). So, as WAOA members in good standing, Window Works Studio, Inc. can offer this phenomenal product. Give us a call to schedule an in-home consultation or visit us at our studio for a demonstration.

Finalists for Business Excellence Awards

Window Works Studio — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:10:35 +0000

The Amy’s have worked with ActionCOACH for 3 years at varying levels. We have learned so much from the coaches at ActionCOACH North Carolina….especially from our very own business coach, Wayne Rutherford.

We work so well in our business with our talents for sewing and design, but understanding how to run a successful business requires another set of skills. ActionCOACH has given us that education.

We are so honored to be nominated for a Business Excellence Award (Entrepreneur of the Year). We are now finalists! The winners are to be announced at the Business Excellence Forum on August 20, 2011. We can’t wait!!

Business Excellence Awards Press Release

A Different Kind of Dress

Window Works Studio — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:42:17 +0000

Chair to be covered

This week we created a different kind of dress. We made six, lace up slipcovers for a set of dining room chairs. Our sister company, Sew4u has laced up many brides over the years. It’s neat to be lacing up a chair. The slipcover has gathered sections over each front leg, flaring out like a skirt. The backs were laced up with matching grosgrain ribbon. Slipcovers are a great way to get extra mileage out of your furniture and totally change the feel of a room. Sew4u can take care of your wardrobe needs. Window Works Studio, Inc. can help is dressing your home. Check out the Sew4U gallery at Sew4U.biz and the Window Works Gallery at WindowWorksStudio.com.

Let the ribbon tying begin

Beautiful!

Variety is the Name of the Game

Window Works Studio — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:02:49 +0000

Our specialty at Window Works Studio is designing and fabricating custom window treatments. Our work is never boring and always requires creativity. Not just the obvious creativity required to make a window treatment look great, but the creativity required to design and fabricate a window treatment that meets many requirements. It has to look great, fit into the client’s color scheme, compliment the existing decor and meet specific requirements from the homeowner. Then, creativity is often required in figuring out how to fabricate the treatment and design it so that it can be installed efficiently and safely. Whew! There are so many things to consider!

Sewing on yards and yards of trim!

Last week we were sewing in our customer’s home. We have a designer client, Jeannie Sparrow, in Greensboro. Her client has a beautiful home on the lake. We worked with Jeannie to design a treatment that would not distract from the fabulous view. The decision was made to ‘keep it simple’ and forgo any trim. But, after installing the treatment and living with it for awhile, the client decided to add trim. Because of the size and scope of this window treatment, we felt it best to hand sew the trim onto the treatment while it remained hanging in the client’s home. So, we hauled our ladders and supplies to her house and sewed away! 3 hours later…Voila! The client and designer were thrilled, as were we!

Without Trim

With Trim

Pretty in Pink

Window Works Studio — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 03:17:39 +0000

We installed a beautiful pink window treatment for a lovely young couple today. They are expecting their first child, a girl, in a week! We were asked to create a window treatment for the large arched window in the nursery. The molding curved up to the ceiling and left no wall space directly above the center of the window. The room received very strong sunlight. The couple loved the idea of having light in the room, but without window coverings, the light was too harsh. This couple had some other window treatment specialists take a look at the window and propose a solution for the window to be aesthetically pleasing, block light when needed and not overpower the room. They were told the treatment would have to be drilled into the ceiling because the window molding intersected the ceiling. They were not pleased with the options they were given.

Before

We proposed a treatment that would keep some semblance of the arch shape of the window. We worked with the client to design a treatment that met their criteria and did not require drilling into the ceiling. Most importantly, the safety of their child was incorporated in the design. No one else had discussed this with the couple. We wanted a treatment that eliminated cords in the nursery.

Our design was a cornice that curved along the bottom edge to mimic the shape of the window, as well as to allow as much light in the room as possible and prevent the cornice from feeling too top-heavy. We made an inner layer of sheers from a beautiful poly cotton blend that had a subtle stripe weave. We recommended this style as it’s a sweet delicate pattern. These aren’t your grandma’s polyester sheers!

After

The outer draperies were made from an adorable pink and white fabric picked out by our client. These panels were blackout lined to completely block the sunlight when desired. Most importantly, we removed the cords from the traverse rods and used batons to aid in opening/closing the panels. No chance for their precious child to get caught and strangled in drapery cords.