Sleek and Stylish Modern Roller Shades

For many folks, the words roller shades brings to mind the image of those plain white vinyl shades that hung in Grandma's house years ago. You know the kind... they were boring, yellowed and cracked with age, but seemed to serve their purpose in blocking sunlight years ago.

Modern roller shades have now become more sleek and stylish. Companies like Hunter Douglas have updated this classic shade to include design inspirations, such as attractive fabric choices, light-filtering translucency options, operational upgrades, and decorative accents to hide the necessary hardware.

Our Designer Roller Shades book arrived recently. This sample book is fabulous. We are excited to be able to offer these great shades from Hunter Douglas and have already placed orders for some which will soon be installed in several lovely local residences!



Here are some of the advantages of these shades:

1. This brand has unmatched fabric selection, featuring 3 times as many choices as most of their competitors.
2. With innovative technology and stylish accessories, these roller shades can stand alone or be used as an under-treatment.
3. The fabric choices are all organized by opacity, offering different levels of light control and privacy.
4. Customizable options for the top and bottom of the shades allow the client to make design decisions, such as concealing the fabric roll and lift mechanisms, and whether or not to add a shaped bottom hemline
5. Hunter Douglas even offers a cordless option, making this a great choice for children's rooms!

In addition to a wide array of solid fabric choices, these roller shades also offer several print styles. Here are just two photos of the many styles that are available:

Terrace / Mod Charcoal (left)

and

Metro / Hudson (right)

Call,  (or email), us today to preview the samples in the current book and find out how functional, stylish and affordable roller shades can be in your home!
(847) 446-5730
BernardInt@att.net

Top 10 Reasons to Hire an Interior Designer

When it's time to freshen up your living space with a little home decorating, you may think to yourself, Should I do this myself... or hire an interior designer? Some of you have an excellent sense of style, and yes, there are plenty of projects you can tackle on your own, but today, Bernard Interiors will give you the:

Top 10 Reasons to Hire an Interior Designer!

1. Training:
   Interior Designers are schooled in the best use of color, texture, function, and style. Today's designers usually hold at least a Bachelor's degree in Interior Design.
2. Connections:
   Designers have connections to the most trustworthy, high quality tradesmen in your area.There's no need to shop around!
3. Merchandise:
   Through a design professional, you have the option to purchase goods, like fabric, furniture, rugs, and decor, that are not available for retail purchase in stores.
4. Experience:
   Because their expertise comes from daily activity in the decorating field, interior designers know the value, strength and weaknesses of a wide variety of goods, whether it be window treatments, lighting or flooring. They can advise you which particular products will provide optimal benefits for your personal needs.
5. In-Home Consultation:
   Most interior designers prefer to visit you in your home, so they can incorporate their ideas into your sense of style. They tailor your initial meeting, along with follow up appointments, such as measuring, installing and photographing, to fit your schedule. How easy is that?
6. Samples:
   When meeting with you in your home, designers will bring samples of fabrics, paint, wallpaper, flooring, etc., to make the selection process easy and fun.
7. One-Stop Shopping:
   Often, interiors designers will bundle everything you need into one package deal.
8. Time-Saver:
   Designers save you time and energy by handling almost all of the details on their own. Once you've chosen from the samples that they've brought to you, you can relax, knowing that your designer is doing all the legwork.
9. No Mistakes:
   Mistakes are costly! When you hire a decorating professional, the responsibility of accuracy becomes theirs. We've not yet met an interior designer who would not go to great lengths to ensure their clients' happiness. So fear not! Not only are mistakes less likely when using a professional, the quality of the work is guaranteed... and any mistakes are taken care of, without putting a dent in your budget.
10. Your Home is an Investment:
    Using an interiors designer has always been regarded as a more expensive alternative to do-it-yourself projects. What you receive, however, outweighs the additional expense when you view it as a long-term investment in your home. Designers use the finest quality goods, which will last years beyond most store-bought products. You benefit from not having to worry about costly mistakes, as stated above, and you reap the rewards of having a space that is coordinated, functional and eye-catching.

Can you think of other reasons to recommend interior design professionals? Do you have an experience that you can share? We welcome your comments below!

If you're in the market for an interior designer, we recommend checking with the ASID, (American Society of Interior Designers). You may also contact us for a personal recommendation. We work with many highly qualified designers in the Chicago area and retain relationships with designers in several US locales. Reach us at: (847) 446-5730. Happy Decorating!

What Is A Portiere?

A portiere is simply a curtain, or drapery panel, hung across a doorway. The hardware would work on a swing-arm system, allowing it to move freely alongside the movement of the door.

In other instances, portieres can be used to embellish a doorless entryway into a room, as seen in our photo here. This photo showcases a portiere which was made merely for ornamentation, however, portieres are often installed as a single operational panel, meaning that it may be drawn across the entire breadth of the doorway.

A portiere was a common decorating tool in wealthy British households of the 1800's and this look is often used today by designers and homeowners who still love to decorate in a Victorian style.

Traditionally, a portiere would be constructed using a brass rod, accompanied by a heavy fabric such as velvet or brocade. It's purpose was to regulate heat, so the dense weave helped block any drafting, and retained heat from a fireplace, while the elegant appearance appealed to the Victorian Era's love of luxury.

Photo courtesy of Bernard Interiors.