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Alice
Foreign. Welcome to Dear Alice, a lifestyle approach to interior design.
Cory
Hello, everyone. Welcome to Dear Alice. How are you guys doing?
Sue
Good.
Alice
How are you?
Cory
So good.
Alice
Solid.
Sue
Yeah.
Cory
Good.
Alice
Guys, we just had the funniest pooper.
Sue
I want to make it into a short, so we'll see if that happens.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
Anyway. Okay. I'm doing really well.
Cory
Good.
Alice
So well.
Cory
Spring is strong.
Alice
Spring is sprung. It's almost Easter.
Cory
Almost a whole month into spring. Yeah. Three days till Easter.
Alice
Yeah.
Cory
I'll bet your little kids are so excited.
Sue
So stoked.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
Bouncing off the walls.
Sue
I'm gonna. There's a. Like. Have you heard of the King of Kings? It's a cartoon. Yeah. I'm going to take my cu.
Alice
Totally. It looks beautiful.
Sue
Yeah, it looks so.
Alice
It's about Jesus.
Sue
Yeah.
Cory
I love Jesus.
Sue
Cartoon. Jesus cartoon. So I'm like, man, the kids are going to love this.
Cory
Just in time.
Sue
Yeah.
Cory
This is considered a very high holy day. Easter is. And Lent began in March. Right. And so this is like a bigger deal than Christmas is what I've come to realize as an adult. Those of you that observe Easter. So I think that's cool that there's an animated film, like, finally. I don't know, it hasn't been since.
Alice
Like, Joseph or, like, what was that? Prince of Egypt.
Sue
Prince of Egypt. Yeah.
Alice
Like that genre. But yeah.
Cory
So it's going to be animated.
Sue
Animated.
Cory
It's like, love animation. Who are the voices?
Sue
I don't even know. It's the same studios that do what's. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Cory
Nice.
Alice
Chosen.
Sue
So Angel. Angel. Yeah. So the King of Kings looks. Looks really cool. Yeah. Even Mari was just like, I wanna. Then I'll learn some more. You know what I mean? I don't know, because she's like. Every time I put on the Chosen, she's falling asleep.
Cory
So that's great.
Sue
Yeah. This will be good. It's gonna be good for the whole family.
Cory
Amazing.
Sue
And.
Alice
Yeah. But the kids, they're really here for the. The bunny.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
Let's be honest, like.
Cory
Yeah. Do you guys dye eggs?
Alice
Yeah.
Sue
Not these prices.
Cory
Somebody there was an influencer that was dyeing little potatoes. The little yellow ones.
Sue
Oh. Yeah.
Cory
But. Yeah, totally. I have to say, for like, $8, I think we'll still diet.
Alice
Right? I know.
Cory
Yeah. But I agree. It is kind of a funny. It is a funny phenomenon. Yeah.
Alice
My. My neighbor, he already had 45 chickens. They just bought. Yeah.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
Then he's had that.
Cory
You get eggs for free.
Alice
No, he sells them. I'm just like, buddy, make it. Yeah. And they just bought like 100 more chicks.
Cory
Uhuh.
Alice
Yeah. Like for their family and stuff like that. They're just like. Because they just have all this land so they're just like raising all these chickens. I'm like, what the hell is my land doing for me?
Cory
Cory, you should film a music video with just chickens everywhere.
Alice
Chickens everywhere.
Sue
Do they have roosters?
Cory
Everybody has homesteads.
Alice
Like I, I don't know. I can sleep through. I, I like the nostalgia of hearing a rooster. I don't know. I think it's really cute.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
I'd be sad if they just like offed with them, you know.
Cory
Do you know what? This is gonna feel really adjacent. But it was sort of the same thing where I would have thought that it. The sound would bug me. But Adam and I went to Italy last September and we slept with the doors open on our balcony and we just heard like the ambulances at night and church bells in the morning. And I loved it. Like I really felt like I was waking up in a foreign country because the ambulances over there. Sounds like you're like you're watching Born Ident.
Sue
Yeah.
Cory
You know what I mean?
Sue
It's idyllic. It's not like our.
Cory
Yeah. It's not as emergency feeling. It's a little more sing songy than what we're used to. The tone doesn't feel as high pitched or something.
Alice
We have to change everything.
Cory
Yeah. I don't know.
Alice
Metric.
Sue
Yeah. Just to make it more complicated and annoying.
Cory
Totally. Anyway, I'll bet the chickens is a really sweet sound. And also signs that it's truly spring, which is so fun.
Alice
So much.
Cory
Yeah. Do you guys have a favorite Easter tradition you do with your kids?
Sue
No, I don't.
Cory
You know what?
Alice
It's really fun to make them Easter egg hunts. Like, you know, I need to stuff the little plastic eggs and like spread them all over. We have like one big, big one with our like big family. And like there's just like hundreds on hundreds in this like incredible backyard.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
And it's so much fun. So we. They love doing that. And there's always like a golden egg. They were like an uncle puts a hundred dollars up in a tree somewhere and it's really, really fun. And all the kids are just like scrambling to try and find the money or Monopoly money. You put that in there and then they can go into Uncle Eric and like redeem money. Which is really cute.
Cory
That's cute.
Alice
But something that my, our neighborhood does is like we don't have one big Easter egg hunt with like, our neighborhood, but the. Like, the youth and, like, the teenagers in our ward, we drop all the eggs off, like, filled eggs, and then they all. They distribute it in all of our yards, so. So the parents don't have to.
Cory
Oh, no way.
Alice
We just, like, drop it off. They spread them, and then we have a couple, like, golden eggs that they put in somebody else's or surprise egg that they put in someone else's lawn. And it has, like, my last name, so they know to come to me to get a surprise.
Cory
So it's really fun.
Alice
So you have, like. So my kids are like, I got one. And then we'll know we need to go over to the way's house to go grab the surprise. And, like, so it's just like this fun little Easter surprise, and they do it every year. And so my kids look forward to that. So. And it's not. Doesn't feel overwhelming, too, because, like, everyone's doing it. Everybody's doing it, but there's kids outside and just, like, kind of running back and forth getting the surprise eggs. And it's such a fun tradition in this neighborhood.
Sue
Do you do it on Saturday or. Yeah, do it on Sunday.
Alice
Okay. No, Saturday, usually. Yeah, yeah, it'll be Saturday.
Cory
Cute, guys.
Alice
It's really cute. So. Oh, we're still in the Easter egg hunt. Happy Easter.
Cory
However you're celebrating, I hope you guys have a really good one this weekend. Yeah. Well, let's dig in. Our last episode, we talked about window treatments.
Alice
We're answering a couple listener questions, and that's when we realized that there were some things that we just wanted to become really clear on. On what we do that's been successful over the last, like, you know, 20 years we've been doing this. We're like, even though we had a window treatment episode, and I think it was September 16 or 21.
Cory
Right.
Alice
Which has a lot of good information. So if you are in, like, that window treatment land and, like, that's the layer you're at. Go, go take a listen to that. But today, we just want to talk about just some of the things that we really feel strongly about that are just, like, the number one rules for successful window treatments as you're kind of embarking.
Cory
Yep. And those things are going to be the height at which you hang your drapery. They are the width that we love.
Alice
Fullness.
Cory
Yep, the fullness. The panels and the pleats. And then we're going to go into things that we love and things that we hate. And I think, like, Heat. Yeah. I think the hate's important because there's a lot of ways to do this and you just want to be able to make the very best decision with the budget you have and the timeline you have the resources. And so we're just going to say however you choose to do it, just don't do this because it's not going to age well and you're going to hate it. When you put it up, you're going to hate it. Yeah, totally. Okay, well, let's get into it, shall we? Okay, perfect. So let's go with. Actually let's go with pleats first because a lot of the visuals we're going to be sharing, those of you tune in on YouTube or on Spotify, you can see these visuals, which I think will be really important. Yeah, this is a very visual podcast. So first off, the pleats that we like, there are eight styles that I'm going to hold up here. The ones that we hate are the grommet, which is.
Alice
I hate the grommet. I hate the grommet.
Cory
It looks like a shower curtain.
Alice
It really does.
Cory
Uh huh. And it's, it's unbecoming. And the pleats are very red. It almost looks like corrugated metal.
Alice
For curtains, you took a sheet and you just like threw some. Yeah. Metal clasps at the top. I just don't like that.
Sue
That's where the rod goes through a metal like grommet through the. Yeah.
Cory
And I also say this is a really dated idea and was maybe cool in 2003 and we did it, we got on board and it's not been cute since. And I don't know that this is going to come back, but they still.
Alice
Offer them at Target and Walmart and like all those places and that I think that is like the biggest like thing is you're say you were gonna like. There's. It's hard to know where to go to get good window treatments because it is expensive. And so you are gonna like. And if I didn't know what I know, I'd be like, okay, I'm gonna run a Target. I'm gonna see what light curtains they have. They're gonna be like really skimpy on the width and you're gonna end up buying like a lot of them. They're gonna be really limited on the height that you're able to do. So it's never gonna go to that optimal height. And you're going to have like options like the grommet, which are still available in all those places. So we're just telling You. There are other options still available. If that's the budget that you sit in, we're going to hopefully give you some inspiration to know. Just don't do the grommet. Don't do the hot pocket.
Cory
Let's. Let's go to the hot pocket. Okay. Because these options are also available on Amazon.
Alice
We call it the Hot pocket.
Cory
Yeah, it's the. It's the stuffed crust pizza.
Sue
Okay.
Cory
You've got the string cheese going through.
Sue
Oh, man.
Cory
And then you fold the crust over. You know the one.
Alice
They're so hard.
Sue
You had to do if you had to do the grommet or the. Your entire home grommet or hot pocket. What are you doing?
Alice
Hot pocket.
Sue
Hot pocket. Okay.
Cory
Are you serious?
Sue
I think I would do. I think I would do no drapery. No. No draper.
Cory
I. I feel so offended by these. I was just watching a video, guys. I'm gonna go to hell for this. Am I doing. Am I saying this right now?
Sue
No.
Cory
Okay. I just saw an influencer's real, like, I woke up. You know, those, like, spend the day with me type of a thing.
Alice
Yeah.
Cory
And she woke up and she opened a drapery and she had the stuffed cut crust pizza.
Alice
It was hard, huh?
Cory
You can't open that. So she did a. So she did it like, open my drapery. And they went right back down. Because those stuffed crust pizzas, they get.
Sue
Hung up on the rod too.
Alice
Yeah, I guess that's true. The grommet, at least, like, it's a. It's a slick move. Like, it can just, like, slide to the left and stay there.
Cory
If you want to do a Get Ready with me video and you're buying your drapes from. You're buying your drapes from a big box store. You gotta get the grommet because it slides open and it will give you that effect that you want.
Alice
Okay. We diverse, guys.
Cory
Yeah.
Sue
I'm sorry. That I just had to. I had to know that there was.
Alice
Like, a There for a second. Sorry.
Cory
There was this one other piece of content sue sent me last night. It's so funny. And it's. Design a home for your enemy. What would you do? And I was like, I would use gray VCT floors. Like a gray wood flower floors.
Alice
Yeah.
Cory
I would use. And they just went through all of these things that are not working. So if you had to design a home for your enemy, you would use the grommet or the stuffed crust pizza. The rod pocket is what the stuff crust pizza is.
Sue
That's amazing.
Cory
Yeah. And what the rod Pocket is for those of you listening and not able to see. It's just a big casing at the top that you put your rod through, and then you just sort of zhuzh it on like a scrunchie. And that is the top of your drapery. And it looks like sadness.
Sue
It looks like a scrunchie, and you shouldn't do it.
Cory
Yeah. Okay. What else do we. What are the other styles do we want to just really be aware of, or should we just give them our favorites?
Alice
Now, this has a lot of, like, different ones, so, like, I haven't even seen since maybe school.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
So the. The ones that we really are, like, aware of. Okay. The most formal of all formal, like, when you're talking about all the swags and all the things like all the.
Cory
Gimps and garlands and bishop sleeves, you're.
Alice
Gonna see a goblet. A goblet pleat. And that is this one right here, second from the left on the bottom row.
Cory
Those of you. It looks like.
Sue
It looks like it has a God. And that.
Alice
That is it to me.
Cory
It looks like you put a half of a toilet paper roll in it to keep its form.
Alice
Yeah.
Cory
And I don't like this.
Sue
Yeah.
Cory
Either.
Sue
I'm not a fan of that.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
It's like mega formal. We learned about it, but I've never, ever used it or employed it, like, since I've graduated.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
Or college.
Cory
Yep. Maybe don't do it.
Alice
Yeah. Goblet. Just avoid it. All these other cats, like, don't worry about it. The ones that. Let's just go to the ones that we do like.
Cory
Yep.
Alice
Okay. We love. My favorite. Aunt Jess's favorite is what we call the French pleat. And that's where, like, you actually take three folds and gathers on that curtain. But you pinch it at the top. You don't push it down. You can do. The other one that we do do a lot is a pinch pleat. And that is coming down from the top of that hem for whatever the head or whatever. And you pinch it, like, I don't know, two, three inches down. That's really pretty.
Cory
It gives you kind of a fan at the top.
Alice
A little bit more formal.
Cory
Yes. And then it gives a little bit of a pinched waist a few inches down, and then it goes full again. So you get kind of this silhouette within it. We like it when the pinch attaches to the top of the ring and. And then you just get all the fullness below. No tricks.
Alice
And there's something that feels, again, we call it The French pleat, there's something that feels a little bit more relaxed about it too. And I think we're always adding that, like, layer of just, like, little bits that do feel polished, but then little bits that feel a little bit more paired back. And this is one of the ways that we do that is with just, like, pinching at the top of that pleat and just letting it cascade down from there.
Cory
So. So we had to get the pleat out of the way. So you're just going to ask for a French pleat. They're going to ask you if you want two pleats. We have two fingers. Or if you want three. We mostly do three, but I like both. I like both looks. Yeah. Fullness is a really, really big, important part of drapery, and it's something that we've gotten wrong before. We've gotten it really right.
Alice
Yeah.
Cory
So that's what we want to talk about.
Alice
And we would study images of just, like, what is successful when it comes to a window treatment, Specifically a panel, like, you know, drapes of fabric sitting outside of the windows. And the ones that were, like, so full, that was the stuff that was memorable. You're just like, my gosh, that has got to be, like, five times the width of that window. And sure enough, it was Quick message.
Cory
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Alice
I went to a job with the workroom and he was measuring everything and he's like. And we had this packet of all the things that we wanted, you know, these window treatments to replicate and really do that when you are going to be working with somebody. Because, and, and I will say that we're. You can do window treatments lots of different ways depending on your budget. You know, you can try and do it on your own. But the way that we suggest is if you can find a workroom and just like wait till you have the money to invest room by room, whatever you want to do it that way. Because they will come and measure, they'll make it the way you want it to and you're going to spend the money on it and. But it's going to be there for a really long time. So I'll just say that before we say anything else. But he told me that he's like, so you want panels here? Here? I'm like, yes. He's like, how full do you want them to be? I'm like, and I showed him a picture and he's like oh, you're like a five times girl. Like not, not like the standard, like two, two times the window width to create that fullness. Like I'm, I'm like the ones that are going to be really heavy stacks on each side of that window. So it feels like really luxurious. And my eye believes that that can be drawn across the whole thing. And so, and again a lot of that sits outside of the window on the wall space, you know, that sits, you know, adjacent to the window. So. And that's the most luxurious look that you can.
Cory
That's a really good example of like a five times with.
Alice
She's really, really pretty. This is Linden Art Manor. We did a really healthy stack and again you just want that to sit like so heavy and pretty. So beautiful.
Cory
Also, this is Rachel Parcel primary bedroom. And we've got silk here, silk drape sitting on Gracie wallpaper and a really formal look. You can see we're going to show you so many projects. These are all the exact same pleat, which is that French pleat. You've got three pleats at the top, right next to that ring, and then all the fullness down below. And that silk is just so pretty and full. Like a ball gown.
Alice
Yep. And all these examples too. Notice that they all people are like, where do we. How high should we go? And again, when you're limited by, like, going to a big box storage, you only have like, an 84, 96. You have all these standard heights, which won't give you the optimal height to hang those to make your room look the most spectacular. So when you work with a workroom, you're going to take that as close to the ceiling as you can to then, like, let it just, like, elongate those walls and make it feel so luxurious and tall.
Cory
In. In that note, I just want to hold up this. This was at the end of a project we did. This is tiger oak. This was a parade home probably six years ago. And it was just at the very end of the project, and money was. Budget had kind of run out. And so we said, let's just do catalog. So this is restoration hardware on the draperies, so you can sort of share the pain points of doing catalog. And then this is obviously a workroom, which I think just showing the side by side is just a really marked difference, and that's what you're paying for.
Alice
And a lot of times, like, even on all these stupid YouTube videos that I did for, like, R D for this episode, like, they were just like, yeah, and just like, measure to the top of the window and go up 8 inches. I was just like, where did 8 inches come from? What are these rules that people are throwing out there? It's ridiculous. You're going to go up as high as you can here. You can see that we were limited by the height of the window treatment. Because you can imagine if you buy something from restoration that's in stock, you need to get this thing done. We were limited by that, like, 96 or whatever. So it would sit on the ground, and then you just mount that rod at the top of what you know, where your fabric ends. And so. But you can see, like, how much more beautiful that could have been if we could have stretched it all the way up. And that would have been, like, your ideal scenario. When you are going to go invest in what is window treatments. That is what you want to do.
Sue
That's. That's the problem with, like, going to, you know, a big box store is that. Why do they only sell them in 96, 108, and 120? Because, like, those Are ceiling heights, like, if you want nine feet. Yeah, Like. Yeah. It's. You're either going to buy them too.
Cory
Long and then have them.
Sue
Yeah, they're either going to.
Alice
Yeah, that is what. Like, which is going to do.
Cory
Which is going to involve a workroom again.
Sue
Exactly.
Cory
Right.
Sue
Yeah.
Cory
So you can also see the difference. Difference. So here, to get the width we wanted, we have to use multiple panels, which you can see the rhythm of this is just a little bit messy. And then because they're separate panels. Exactly. Where you can see the rhythm here is perfectly taut. Right.
Alice
And this feels like one continuous piece of fabric versus having seams breaking them up.
Cory
Yeah. And these. These odd ends breaking up and the irregularity in the pleat and just that rhythm is kind of a mess. Here versus here is just perfection. That's what you're going to get with a workroom. You're going to get the perfect height, the width that you want. All your pleats are in a row. The hardware's hung, it's precise, it's steamed, it's. It's just. I don't know. There's no regrets, you know, so it depends on what stage in life that you are too. But I think most people listening in are really wanting to play for keeps, and they're wanting to do a good, perfect installation. They own their home. Or you're working on a project, you're an interior designer and you own. You know, there you have a client that's. That wants a perfect product, you're going to get that with a workroom.
Alice
I think this also just helps to train your eye. When you, like, go into a space and you're like, why is something not right? Maybe it's the bed or maybe it's this, like, to, like, really, like, look at these nuances and be like, they didn't take it to the ceiling, you know, or like, these things they could have done a little bit better, you know, or just, like, just take a note for how you're going to move forward in the future. Yeah, that is what this is for.
Cory
Totally.
Alice
So.
Cory
So, again, height, we want that rod just as close to the ceiling as we can. We obviously need to be able to have those rings operate and have enough room for your drapery workroom to be able to get the rod up there and hang the rings. So they're usually just barely going to be off. Off the ceiling by just an inch or two. And then everything else is going to be able to operate perfectly. You're going to have those ceiling heights feel like, they're extended, perfect pleats, perfect fullness, perfect folds, and perfect lengths on the drape.
Alice
It's like the long pant, you know, with the high waist and the long pants, just, like, legs for days. That's what this gives.
Cory
Also, they'll. They'll usually weight the bottom casing of the drape so that they hang really heavy, and it pulls those pleats perfectly still. And you're just not going to get that with a catalog drape or a big box storage rate those. Those weights really keep everything exactly where you want it.
Alice
Add extra weights when it's sitting by a vent, a floor vent.
Cory
Oh, pro tip.
Alice
Because that's the worst when you have a floor vent just kind of like blowing up. Blowing it up the skirt, and it's just like, it's just all over the place. You're like, so sorry about my drapes, everyone that's walking through my house. It's really embarrassing. So just add extra weight at the bottom of, like, when that happens. So make sure you say that to your fabricator.
Cory
Just one more really beautiful example of the height of the stripe is just right up against that ceiling. Go ahead, Sue.
Alice
One thing I just want to say about all these ones that are. Is, like the ones that are tucked up the closest to the ceiling don't have a finial on the edge of those poles.
Cory
Protect.
Alice
And that's something that we do a lot. Like, again, we're getting back in traditional, so you never know, like, what cool new finials might be coming out that will give a statement. But we don't really do finials.
Cory
Never have.
Alice
And because. And the reason why is because you can't tuck it up so high. But we do the return rod. So it's not just a straight with, like an end cap or anything. We like the ones that come out and then they return back to the wall just so that you can also hide that light gap on the side of the window. You know the one I'm talking about.
Sue
Oh, yeah.
Alice
And so if you can be able to do that, then you can park some of those panels there and then just be able to have it wrap. That's like. That's my favorite kind.
Cory
Yeah, that looks.
Alice
So the return rod that can sit just hug that ceiling is close.
Cory
Because you know what's going to go out of style in this really expensive drape is your finial is going to be too much of one thing or another, and the finish of your rod is going to be the wrong finish after a decade. So let's Talk about the finish of the rod. We've already said don't do the finial. Do no end cap if you are. But if you can return it so you've got that. We're going as high to the ceiling as we can. And then the one finish I feel like you're not going to have regret with for me is polished nickel. Yeah.
Alice
What are you posh neck would be. I mean, I would say unmackered brass, like for. Depending on who you are.
Cory
It depends on the house. Yeah. Yeah.
Alice
But like we just did this one for the one that we've been working on for four years in Odessa.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
And she is just all things goopy and traditional and she has been and always will be. And like we were looking at all the, all the different things. So I'm just saying this. If you are tempted by gold, gold is a really finicky metal. Like Pol Polish nickel is the best just because it's. It gets along with everything. It is friends with everything for time and all eternity. But golds are really, really tricky. And if you have the wrong gold, that's. That's most or flat, and you have a beautiful chandelier, they're going to fight and like, something's going to feel off. Um, but we found this, like, I can't even remember what the company was, but we found rods that were unlacquered brass. And we're just like, well, yeah, shoot. Catherine needs that. That is 100 her. So I guess, I guess timeless to whatever your style is. If you want to throw down and do brass, look for unlacquered. If you want to just like be timeless forever and always, polish nickel is great. I will say, if it doesn't get too thick in its diameter, I don't mind. Like a, A forged iron look too, like, just so it feels again, like it's just always been there. I think not a flat black. I'm talking forged iron. Like where like you. There's a little more. More warmth to it than just a flat back.
Sue
It's like the color of metal. It's like it has.
Alice
Like, you will be able to see that. You'll be able to see that highlight though. Chase that window. So if you want to disappear, like the reflectiveness and just like the simpleness of polished nickel is like, it's amazing. So don't do brush nickel. I don't think like up there, I would do polished.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
Don't do flat black. Do a forged iron. Don't do a brush brass or a satin brass. Do unlacquered if you can afford it. It's really good.
Sue
So, yeah, Jess, we've been getting a ton of questions on who makes your glasses.
Cory
Oh, really?
Sue
Yeah.
Cory
Oh, my God.
Sue
Everyone wants to know you guys.
Cory
I. So I'm at this age now where my near vision is leaving me. You're not quite as old as I am. Yeah, but sue, you're experiencing this 40.
Alice
Hit and like, yeah, I needed my glasses before, but I really, really need them now.
Cory
Yeah, between 40 and 45, that cell phone type gets really tiny. So I was in search for the perfect pair of readers and I tried Look Optic. I have to say I've loved them so much that I've actually began working with them a little bit as an advisor. And my dad's an eye doctor, my brother in law is. I really, really love eyewear and it's been really fun to be back in the game. And I love the readers. I love the fashion frames. It's not a pair of frames that looks like I'm wearing something made for men. You know those readers when you go to Walgreens or, or when you go to the grocery store or somewhere, and they're just like a three pack and they all look like they were made for men. Look Optic actually has really cute frames that are made for women, especially for.
Alice
Again, those ones that look like men's. They look like a giant man on my little head.
Cory
Yes. Suzanne small. Suzanne has a child siiz head. And they actually have minis at Look Optic. The Diane Keaton collection. I gave you all my Diane. Diane Keaton.
Alice
I love the Diane Keaton collection. They fit my, like, head great. They're comfortable. They have the cutest colors. Like some of them are matte. They have the bone ones. I love them so much.
Cory
Yeah, they're cute. And one of, one of my little, like, fast passes, I want to tell everybody is that if you do the progressive lens, it's clear up top. You just get magnification in the bottom where you need it because that's how you're looking in a cell phone or you're reading paper down here or you' on your laptop. You don't need magnification out the top because that's going to make your eyeballs look huge.
Sue
Yeah.
Cory
And then you really look like you're wearing a reader. So we're trying to like keep this low profile. And so I always go with the progressive. My favorite styles, I really love the Laurel. And they have this cool one that's like the muse. It kind of looks like a 70s update. It's cool. They have one with the pink lens too. In fact, my daughter stole that one from me. It's great. Anyway, there's something, they have one called Evita that's kind of a cat eye. Anyway, you guys can discover your own styles. But I will say Look Optic has been such a gateway for me as I've needed to jump into that reader category.
Sue
And they Look Optic is going to give away 50 pairs of readers to the first 50 of our listeners. Yes, that. Text Alice to 21252. So text Alice A L I C E to the number 21252. And then for if you're an existing customer or you want to purchase classes after that, go to lookoptic.com and use the code ALICE15 and you'll get 15 off.
Alice
That's amazing.
Cory
Yeah, go make that happen.
Alice
We're not really doing like a 2 inch rod or anything like that. Like that's just too heavy and too thick.
Cory
Like that's another thing that's gonna go out of style. And you know what else we haven't ever done? Wood rods. Do you remember when wood rods and wood rings were a thing?
Alice
I feel like they always broke or like they always split and did weird things.
Cory
I just haven't seen them in the 2000s. No, in the 19th century we saw that. Yeah, yeah.
Sue
So what diameter?
Alice
Like like one and a half.
Sue
Okay.
Alice
Like one one to one and a half depending on the. And it will also depend on how long or how wide that wind is. If it's really, really big. You might need to go a little bit more like to the one and a half, maybe one and three quarters. And you're gonna have to be really particular, particular when you're working with your window treatment workroom on. Just like if that is one solid rod that it is going again, we've talked about this before. Where those stacks of panels aren't sitting inside the window like that is sitting outside the window depending on how on the actual wall. And then you'll pull them a little bit just peekabooing like you know, maybe six or so inches into the window depending again on how wide it is. But the important thing to know is like when you are getting that rod that you don't. And, and like we know this because we've, we have a project I'm sure like here, there, where we just didn't do it wide enough. And I wish, you know, we went wider. You're going to go well beyond that. Like understand the Width of that stack. Talk to your workroom about how much wider those are going to sit outside the window. And then that's how you equate that. That final length on that rod.
Sue
Yeah. So that's how much you'll need. That's how much longer it'll need to be than your window is.
Alice
Yeah, yeah. Minimum. I feel like minimum. I'm always like, it's about 12 inches, 12, 14 inches, like, at minimum. But obviously in a lot of these, like, we're going 24 inches past that and sometimes to the corner just to make a visual effect. Right?
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
Getting as wide as we can.
Sue
The wider your window is, probably the more you'll need the more this to fit all of the panels.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
Because I want to believe that it could like, without, like. Like, obscuring the window, I want to believe that that could, like, be full and, like, drape the entire thing. Yeah.
Sue
Okay.
Cory
Yeah, that's great.
Alice
Okay.
Cory
Okay. So we've talked about width. We've talked about height. We've talked about panels and pleats. Let's talk about what we love and hate.
Sue
Actually, going back to measurements really quick. How far off of the floor?
Cory
I like it.
Alice
To grazing.
Cory
Yes. I was gonna say kissing. Yeah, same thing.
Alice
That's cute.
Cory
Yeah, I agree. I like it grazing. You don't really want it to be too much of a high water. If anything, you're just gonna maybe hold it off like a quarter of an inch. Yeah. There are puddles.
Alice
Like, if you're dramatic and, like, it's your master bedroom and you're just, like, ridiculous and you want to puddle like you're romantic. I'll go, I'll do it. Like. Yeah, it'll be fun.
Sue
And so how. So if you want to do that, like, what's an average length for it to, like, gather exaggerated?
Alice
Because I'm like, I don't want to feel like you just had the wrong length. And it's only just. It's just looks like an untailed chance, you know, when it starts to just, like, drip too much. Like, I'm going to want to puddle up.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
So. And like, it's not like, you know.
Cory
How in men's suits when you get those tailored, how you want to break in the pant? It's not like that. You don't just want a break in the drape. You want to be intentional if you're going to puddle in those formal rooms. And so I would rely on my workroom to say, what's your best practice?
Alice
Show them a picture.
Cory
Of to puddle. And then they'll have, they'll have examples of well, if you'll go this many inches beyond or this. Oh, you want it like that. Okay, say, oh, we're gonna do this.
Alice
I'm so glad that we're talking about this on the height too because like even when you're thinking about like the length of that either puddling or if it's kissing the floor. I like a tall hem.
Cory
Oh yeah.
Sue
Okay.
Alice
So again, like every, your window treatment, you know, when they're figuring out the length, they're gonna like take your ideal like height from the ceiling to the kissing of the floor. But then they're gonna build in the header, they're going to build in the hem, they're going to be building in the side seams and all those things. I like a really tall hem.
Cory
Give them. What do you like 10 inches? Yeah, yeah.
Alice
Probably 8 to 10 inches. Sometimes like, you know the ones it can be, they'll hide the like weights in there. But it's more than.
Cory
It's kind of like a big base mold.
Alice
Tough.
Cory
You know how like if you have large base molds, you're in a more traditional home. It's kind of a well built thing. You have thick window casings, you got a nice big passageways. It's one of those kind of subliminal things where it just feels quality to just have a big cup because you have big baseball. Yeah. You're so rich.
Alice
Look at the, look at the cuff on your window treatment.
Cory
Yeah, those little, those little things do though, they, they play a part. Yeah, yeah. In, in it.
Alice
Yeah, yeah. Because other otherwise like if you, if you have again, when you go into a room, you're just like something's not right. Look and see how high that hem is on there because it might just be like a, you know, there's a couple inch double fold or something and you're just like, like oh, if that was just like reached up a little bit further, like that would feel so good.
Cory
It feels so, so substantial.
Alice
Just the way to proportion. Just like the golden mean and just like proportional weights and architecture. It's the same thing as you're dealing with all these different facets of a home. When you have a panel and you have a nice weighted hem, it just feels better and you're like, okay, this is a well built.
Sue
Do you do. Are you thinking like 6, 8 inches.
Alice
Or thinking like 8 to 10?
Sue
Okay.
Alice
Yeah, yeah. Depending on the height of the window too will affect that.
Cory
But yeah, it all scales. Right. The Height of the room, too, right? Yeah. Yeah. So good. Make sure.
Alice
Make sure that they know that. Yeah.
Cory
I love it.
Alice
Yeah.
Cory
So the things we hate would be small hymn. A small.
Alice
Worse. I hate it.
Cory
We don't really love a catalog drape, Right?
Alice
No. Oh, the tap top. I don't like the tap top.
Sue
What's a tap top?
Cory
That was hot when I got married in 1996. Okay, this is gonna dry you. Oh, yeah, I sure did. I got him from Pottery Barn. I was so proud. Oh, yeah, they do have a button on the tab.
Alice
And then. This is where you're wrong.
Cory
I would say it was a little bit more country.
Sue
I do know that. Yeah.
Cory
If you will.
Sue
That's kind of like when everything was a little bit country.
Cory
Do you want to know? It was cute. I'll tell you it was cute. Overalls. Yeah, overalls are cute.
Alice
Again, tap top of the wardrobe.
Cory
It is the tub top of the wardrobe. And yeah, the tap top drape has not made its way back since 1996. The 90s are trending right now. I'm here to say the tap top is not coming back.
Alice
Not in our project.
Cory
Do you want to know what else I didn't think was going to come back? And it is the clip in a different way. What's the clip? The hair clip?
Alice
No. Well, no, there's that, too, but the clip on the window treatment. Oh, the ring with clothes.
Cory
I had those, too, for my cafe curtains. My mom. Soda.
Alice
100.
Cory
And then we use the. The brass rings.
Alice
I had it in the attic.
Cory
100. Yeah. I. We have not seen the clip come back.
Sue
Is that to, like, pull them back? Is that. Is that what you're talking about, that clip?
Alice
Oh, no, but I do. I like that for the tie back.
Cory
Tie backs. We have not seen that. Are you using tiebacks in anything?
Alice
Yeah, Odessa. But she's fancy pants. Like, she's so formal. And so we do have a couple tie backs.
Cory
Shut your mouth.
Alice
But it's like, if you like a tassel, you're gonna like a tie back.
Cory
I do enjoy a tassel. Yeah.
Alice
Yeah. Just let your tassel hang around.
Cory
I cannot wait. That's so fun. Yeah.
Alice
So occasionally, if you're formal, tiebacks are a thing. Yeah. But, yeah, the clippies were not really seen. Yeah, that hasn't made it come back. Yeah, I'm here for the tie back. If you're dramatic, do it.
Sue
Yeah.
Cory
Yeah. I love it.
Alice
Yeah.
Cory
Well, I can't remember what I was gonna say, but don't like the hot Pocket.
Sue
We don't like multiple panels.
Alice
Oh, no.
Cory
Oh, I know what it is. Are you ready? This is not a drapery thing. But it is interior design thing.
Alice
You're designing a house for your enemy. And what?
Cory
I did not. Yeah. I did not think I was going to see this again. In his back. The bun foot. Do you remember on, like, the great big overstuffed chair, how the feet were like little squished orbs?
Sue
Yeah.
Cory
And they called it the bun foot. And it was always wood. It was a stain grade. And, like, my aunt had the bun foot on everything. It was like this cozy floral sofa or a striped chair.
Sue
Exactly. What's in my mind right now.
Cory
Always had the bun foot. Kate. I thought bunfit are never. Never seen them. Not since 1996. Right. Guys, we just made the grand marble sink tray.
Alice
I was about to say, I'm like, I'm into it.
Cory
It has orb feet. It's not the squished bun. It's a full orb. And I love it. And I just don't know how to contend with myself. I don't know if we're gonna see him. Furniture.
Alice
That old CL.
Sue
Has him.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
Kelly Werser was the first person I saw bring it back on one of her frames. And I was just like, get down the bun. And that was probably five years ago. You know, just like, she's back, but she's. She's more. She's bloated.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
And she's like, more artistic.
Cory
So exaggerated.
Alice
So exaggerated.
Cory
On the coffee table. Yeah.
Alice
It's really, really cool. So, yeah, the squishy ones that, like, look like a deflated tire.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
Air has been out. That's out. But I think. Yeah. That cylindrical sphere shape, I think is super dope.
Cory
Guys. I feel like we. You all need to come here and sit around the table and we talk about the things that we love and hate and design and get some kicks. Triangular windows.
Alice
This.
Cory
Okay.
Alice
So when you were doing window treatments and say you inherited some bad architecture or you weren't looking at the plans and something just, like, went past your head. Right. And you go to do the window treatments, you're realizing that that funky triangular window that the architect. Architect was, like, really adamant about you having the perfect light of that east facing window. Now you're stuck with that. How the hell are you going to dress it? You can't. You can't dress it.
Cory
It jokes on you.
Alice
Jokes on you.
Cory
You got punked. You got punk.
Alice
So I will say, if you were working on plans and your architect is bullying you into Some weird ass window like, that's not sitting right and square for your window treatments. That's really hard to dress. That's really hard to correct.
Cory
I feel that way about the Palladian window too.
Sue
Yeah, I think that's worse, in my opinion.
Alice
I was kitchen. We're like, what do we hate? The Palladian window?
Cory
The Palladium window also, you guys, I, I don't know what happened to me in my house, why I didn't see the shag ball, which was this window stacked on top of my other set of windows in my primary bedroom. And I don't want to talk too much about it because I, I just, it's embarrassing. But there is a square window that sits in line with, with the grid of windows and you can't drape it because it's just up there by itself. In, in a pitch is a square window, and then below that is a big, huge set of windows. So the big, huge set of windows is draped, but there's this shag ball sitting on top of this other one. And the blackouts are always closed on it. And it just, it's just so bad and embarrassing.
Sue
Like, you, when you look at it, you get that like cringe feeling.
Cory
I just try not, I try to not even make eye contact with it. I'm so embarrassed that I didn't think to call it on my architect. And I swear to you, if I ever look at plans now, I always want to pay forward. Like, how are we going to drape this? What does this look like for morning sun coming in, you're going to want that blacked out. So the blackout's always closed because you can't reach it. Or the batteries are going to die in that thing, or it's just got to be permanently closed. And why have a window at all? Just make that the wall. Exactly, yeah. So, guys, if you're working on plans for clients, consider how you're going to cover those windows for them. How you're going to drape them, or are they permanently going to be open? And do you like that shape because you're pretty locked in?
Sue
I, I consider that in your own.
Cory
I have regret in two rooms in my home that I did not think about the window coverings when I did this. And I get a little bit mad at myself every time. Okay, here we go. We've got a project that we love, but they, it's a remodel and so they did not replace the windows in it. And what they had in the primary bedroom is this. We need to show a couple angles of this room. So we've got a massive arch top window that sits on top of another set of windows.
Alice
And the reason why, okay, this, people always like, how do I dress this? Because, like, you're not going to find. Be able to like draw a rod over that arch window. It's going to be really weird. So the way you correct this is you find the like the highest common line that you can take drapery panels to drop. Right. And so we just went to the top of these windows, but hopefully to. But again, like, why have the window in the first place if you can avoid it? Right? Like just make it square and make it in line with your other windows because it's gonna. You're gonna be put in this situation which ended up being beautiful. But like, how do you cover that for when you're sleeping? And like, you're gonna have to have something there and you're gonna have a weird. Like even from Lutron or 100 Dog Glass. There are things for arch windows, but they're not cute.
Cory
No, they look like a fan.
Alice
It's going to be permanent. It's gonna be your Palladian fan.
Cory
Oh my gosh.
Alice
At the top of your window. I'm like such a bumsky after spending all that money. So just like square up your windows.
Cory
Get new windows in that remodel. Just do it. Because that is the one thing that is going to continue to date that project is the shape of those windows. So be on the look for that in your floor plans, in your remodels. Those things are just impossible to correct and, and to cover and to get light.
Alice
Yeah, this is in that same home. This is our Highland Manor project on the website. But they also on this, in their great room, they had an arched window too. And so people, you know, if this is you, you're like, how high do I go with that drapery again? Just go as high as you possibly can. Like, this is. These were really, really full height drapes.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
So it's a lot of fabric.
Cory
You can see this window from the entry and it makes you go, oh my gosh, it's this. Yeah, because you see it in the distance and the draper goes up too.
Alice
Strong music back there. Yeah, it's so beautiful.
Cory
And we got this really beautiful open weave black linen so that you can get light coming through it. And then we had the artist, this artist hand paint botanicals, botanicals on this and the light can still come through and it's this really beautiful dramatic framing view moment. Because she has a stunning view out the back window. But you can see the top of that window is an arch. And so we just squared everything up with the rod and just. Just did not pay attention to that.
Sue
If it was square.
Cory
Yeah. And that's. That's one way to repent for that. Another really pretty norm, like example, just single story. This is the closet of Rachel Parcel. And this is such a fun peekaboo looking in there. These windows are all arch top, and we just did straight rods across and draped them like normal. And those shapes living underneath look really lovely and very intentional.
Alice
And they're beautiful from the outside. So a lot of times you're like, the architect is really pay attention to the exterior elevations and it might make sense and, like, where you can, like, square it off and you have enough ceiling height to be able to correct that and, like, feel the window treatment on the interior. Awesome. It's just so hard when you get into ceiling pitches and barrels and things where there's no real solution except for to cut a window in half at that point. And so anyway, so just look out for that because this was such a beautiful, beautiful shape to go after.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
And I think you had the height to remedy.
Cory
I also think we did a good job in that upholstered door that leads into it by doing arched shapes to pay homage to that window shape. So we didn't just not ignore it. Yeah, we didn't ignore it. We were like, yeah, we embrace this. We're using these circular shapes and forms. And then you've got those ball gown pink silk drapes, which so cute. Are just so stunning for I think.
Alice
A closet to photographers that know how to get transition shots like that. That's really good.
Cory
Yeah.
Alice
High five.
Cory
Yeah, totally. I think those are the hard windows that we brought today to show. To show these guys. I think they get the idea that we're going to try and square things up and kind of repent for some of those sins with just running drapes down the side. And sometimes it all squares up in your eye. But be on the lookout for those in your projects. I think there's. There's a really great way to just fix that and make the home seamless. Dated. Yep.
Alice
One thing I was just going to say, and maybe we mentioned this before, is with those large stacks of generous stacks of window treatments flanking the windows. Right. These panels. Often what we're doing, like, in majority of projects is we are using Hunter Douglas or Lutron or a shade company to, like, actually, if you need privacy in that room, Say it's your primary bedroom and you want blackouts or something. You will use a shade company like that that'll like tuck up into, you know, the top portion of that window box. Those will drop when you sleep, but you don't really touch even that. Like if you have the fullness to cover, you can make them functional. And even on stationary ones I'm like build it so that it could be functional but most of the time you're going to leave that stacked beautifully and not touch it because again, to the idea of having a futz with it and like make those folds like pull in and out again. Every single day you're going to be like, I hate five times windows. That's the worst. But that you're going to drop your shades for privacy and light filtering and you're just going to leave that stack looking beautiful.
Cory
So yeah, guys, I hope this answers some of the questions you might have if you are in that drapery layer. Hopefully we, hopefully we answered questions for you and we'll help you avoid some serious pain points. I was going to tell you we have a free design service that's the home furnishing design service and they can help you with drapery in those projects that you can work with with a workroom if you want. But we do have a company that does a sort of semi custom drape for you. You can work on the any width, any, any fullness you want. They have beautiful hardware and they can walk you through that process and tons and tons of fabrics or lots of great fabrics available. So you can always use the home furnishing design project if you're working on furnishings for a room. And make sure and mention that you want their help with the drapery because they know how to measure for those and they can get you the hardware and everything else that you need. Corey, how do they find the home furnishing design service?
Sue
So you go to alicelanehome.com and on under the design services tab you're gonna click on Home furnishing design and then that'll take you to a form. You fill out that form and one of our designers will contact you.
Cory
Yep, that's great. And I also want to give a shout out. Our very best sale is on right now in April. We've got like another week or so left of it. It's a site wide sale. It's the best prices of the year. So make sure and take advantage of that. Get yourself something nice. And yeah, we're excited for you to get to live with some of this stuff. And if you want to see what we're working on, alsanehome.com is our website and you can shop all of the products that we're creating and bringing to the market. Guys, thanks so much for tuning in and we're going to catch you next time. Hey, thanks for listening. If you like our show, please leave a five star rating.
Podcast Summary: Dear Alice | Interior Design – "Drapery 101: Our Guide To Your Best Choice | Part 2"
Release Date: April 17, 2025
Host/Authors: Jessica Bennett and Suzanne Hall (Alice Lane)
In the second installment of their "Drapery 101" series, Alice Lane dives deep into the intricacies of selecting and installing window treatments. Building upon their previous discussion about window treatments from September, Jessica Bennett (Cory) and Suzanne Hall (Sue) aim to clarify essential rules and share their extensive experience spanning over two decades in the interior design industry.
Maximizing Ceiling Height:
Alice emphasizes the importance of hanging drapery rods as close to the ceiling as possible. "You're going to take that as close to the ceiling as you can to then, like, let it just elongate those walls and make it feel so luxurious and tall" ([21:09] Alice).
Avoiding Common Mistakes:
Using standard heights from big-box stores often results in suboptimal lengths. Alice shares an example where restoration hardware draperies were limited by stock sizes, preventing them from achieving the desired lofty appearance. "It's never gonna go to that optimal height. ... we're just telling you there are other options still available" ([08:09] Alice).
Achieving Desired Fullness:
Cory explains the significance of drapery fullness, which typically ranges from two to five times the width of the window. "They were like, my gosh, that has got to be, like, five times the width of that window" ([17:04] Alice).
Avoiding Catalog Limitations:
Alice recounts a project where budget constraints led them to use catalog draperies, resulting in uneven pleats and a messy appearance. In contrast, workroom-made draperies offered precise measurements and seamless pleating. "The rhythm here is perfectly taut. ... That's what you're paying for" ([18:49] Cory).
Preferred Pleat Styles:
Disliked Pleat Styles:
Preferred Hardware Finishes:
Disliked Hardware Finishes:
Design Challenges:
Arched and Palladian windows pose significant challenges for drapery installation due to their unconventional shapes. "How the hell are you going to dress it? You can't drape it" ([37:50] Alice).
Solutions:
Alice recommends extending draperies as close to the ceiling as possible and using generous fabric to accommodate the arch. In one project, they embraced the arch by incorporating circular shapes and forms in the upholstery to harmonize with the window's design. "We squared everything up with the rod and just did not pay attention to that" ([42:11] Cory).
Regret and Lessons Learned:
Cory shares personal regrets about neglecting window coverings for uniquely shaped windows, emphasizing the importance of considering drapery needs during the planning phase of a project. "There's so much more to measure for ... It's impossible to correct and, and to cover" ([38:15] Alice & 39:22 Sue).
Project Highlights:
Practical Advice:
Ensuring Long-Term Satisfaction:
Alice and Cory stress the importance of investing in quality draperies through professional workrooms to avoid common pitfalls associated with off-the-shelf solutions. "We're always adding that, like, layer of just, like, little bits that do feel polished" ([13:27] Alice).
Design Services:
Listeners are encouraged to utilize Alice Lane's home furnishing design services for personalized assistance with drapery projects. "Go to alicelanehome.com and under the design services tab you're gonna click on Home furnishing design" ([46:32] Sue).
Final Thoughts:
By adhering to the outlined rules and drawing from their extensive experience, listeners can achieve elegant, functional, and timeless window treatments that enhance the beauty and sophistication of their living spaces.
Alice Lane ([05:53]): "We're going to say however you choose to do it, just don't do this because it's not going to age well and you're going to hate it."
Cory ([12:53]): "It gives you kind of a fan at the top and then you get all the fullness below."
Alice Lane ([18:10]): "When you work with a workroom, you're going to get the perfect height, the width that you want. All your pleats are in a row. The hardware's hung, it's precise."
Cory ([24:11]): "Polish nickel is the best just because it's friends with everything for time and all eternity."
Alice Lane ([37:50]): "How the hell are you going to dress it? You can't drape it."
Note: Timestamps correspond to the podcast transcript and are included for reference to specific discussions and quotes.