If our clients have sentimental upholstered goods, antique goods or family heirloom pieces we will do our best to work them in to our design, or reinvent them so that they may have an extended life. By working in pieces like this it gives the space a sense of history and often times personalizes it even further to have more meaning for our clients.

We will explore this further over the next couple of months on our blog by mixing old items into new spaces and also showing you how you can reinvent pieces that you thought were destined for the dumpster to give them an updated look, and in most cases make a space look better than it ever would have been otherwise.

To kick things off we will take a look at this bold, colorful kitchen I created for one of my long time clients. She already had this vintage table and chair set and it was already painted lemon yellow, but the chairs had old upholstery on them. The set rightfully became the inspiration for this entire kitchen makeover and the bright yellow, pink and green color scheme. By adding a zebra print fabric to the seat upholstery we updated the chairs and added some edge to the whole set.

Be sure to sign up for our blog at winedinedesignblog.com to get updates for this upcoming series straight into your inbox. We will also share some of the best recipes and Texas wines we have tried lately. After all, life is better with good food, good wine and great design!

It's a rare occasion that we start working with a client that already has good quality draperies in their space, but when we do (and they will work with the new design) there is absolutely no reason to get rid of them. Such was the case with one of our Spanish Oaks clients. She wanted a relaxing yet glamorous look in her master bedroom, and she actually already had some beautiful brown drapery panels (which had admittedly seen better days).



It was easy to tell they were supposed to be traversing (moveable) panels, but they were installed on rings, which we never recommend. Not many people know that drapery treatments on rings are not supposed to be moved. The act of pulling the panels back and forth will distort the pleats and stretch the fabric (this is why the bottom is so flaired out in the above photo). Instead we had our seamstress convert them to be true traversing panels that could connect to a rod that was made specifically to handle moving drapery, all with the pull of a single cord. We used a special double rod for these so that we could also add additional sheer traversing panels underneath that she could operate separately, giving her more light control options and varying levels of privacy.

After taking down the drapery panels, we had them professionally cleaned and steamed by Austin Specialty Cleaners, a local company that specializes in cleaning higher-end drapery and upholstery. Then we had them reinstalled with the new sheer panels and much more appropriate (and larger) rod, and the transformation was complete!



Contact Draped today at 512.900.2588 or info@drapedaustin.com to schedule your initial consultation and start designing your perfect drapery today!

If you've been involved with our firm for any length of time, you'll probably know that both Robin and Renee love to change up their hair, usually by adding some fun colors in interesting ways. When you're making a big change with your hair (these photos are a couple of Robin's and Renee's recent transformations), it can be quite scary and so it's important to have a skilled hair stylist that you can trust. Our go-to miracle worker is always Lindsay Allison at The Wild Hare on South Congress.

From Lindsay's website: "If you're in need of a day of indulgence, my business, Hair By Lindsay, can help. My beauty and hair salon is proud to provide the residents of Austin, TX, with a wide variety of beauty treatments, including:

• Hair coloring
• Hair straightening
• Hair extensions
• Wedding hair

Whether you want to update your everyday look or need a style for a special occasion, I'll have you covered. You can get the perfect blowout at my salon or switch up your style using my image consultant services. I always strive to provide excellent customer care, which is why I offer convenient appointment scheduling, a friendly atmosphere, and precise attention to detail. When you walk out of my salon, I want you to feel like a million bucks.

When you need to treat yourself, my locally owned and operated beauty and hair salon is here to cater to your needs. Hair By Lindsay is proud to serve the Austin area, and I work hard to provide each client with a high-quality experience."

We strongly recommend Lindsay for anything hair-related (she even did Renee's wedding hair!) and are so thankful to have her in our lives. Give her a call at 512-308-6997, or send her an appointment request here to set up your appointment today!