How Urban Steel and Glass Became a Cozy Refuge

Jan 23

Many years ago, Joyce bought a condo in downtown Portland while living in a smaller university town where her husband worked. Joyce stayed in the condo regularly to be closer to friends and her work. Now that they are both retired, they use the space to escape on occasion and enjoy the culture a larger city has to offer.

During a recent remodel, Joyce decided she wanted new draperies for the large windows in her living room. The condo has a gorgeous view of the Portland skyline, and she needed window treatments to soften the glare during the day and warm up the cold, dark glass at night, something that would still let her enjoy the sparkling city lights.

I’ve worked with Joyce before on her other home, so I already had a sense for her style. We got together for an in-home consultation, and I brought along fabric samples to show her. She fell in love with the sheer fabric and pleating style of one of our Designer Drapery Panels. The wide gray horizontal stripe turned out to be the perfect pattern and color for the living room, and it had just the right opacity.

This being a ceiling-to-floor installation, we had a minimal margin for error. All the exterior walls of this building are curved, so drapery hardware posed a challenge. We selected a curved, ceiling-mounted custom curtain track, which works flawlessly (even though we had to splice it to fit it in the elevator!).

Joyce and her friends all agree that the sheers turned out beautifully. When pulled open, they frame the city view and soften the living room when drawn closed. They make her space feel homey, like the place of refuge it is.