Window Bonnets: 2009

Decorating Tip #3 - Accent Black, It Really Works

Wednesday, December 30, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

It is short and sweet for this one. It may be just a wives tale, but add a bit of black to your room. It does not have to be large; try a lampshade, a candy box on an end table, even a picture frame on the wall. You will be ever so surprised that is just makes everything else pop that little bit more. Try it, yes…. you will like it!

Take a look at the living rooms section, go right to the end and then work up, Mary used this tip in her living room with the cornice décor. Great job.

http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/living_rooms.html

Cheers,
Jan
Window Bonnets
http://www.windowbonnets.com/

Decorating Tip #2 - Color Schemes

Wednesday, December 23, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

Decorating is all about color and that topic can take volumes to cover, but what I want to get across today is Color Schemes. This is the color palette used in a home. These colors help define your personal style. They can be contrasting (pink and red), complementary (red and green), analogous (yellow & green) or monochromatic (various shades of one color, such as light and dark green).

Trying to decide on the right color scheme can be daunting so take a look at your color wheel and just seek out your favorite colors. Complementary and analogous schemes are described below. There are more, of course, but these are the most effective and provide a great place to start. Read on...

Complementary Colors
These color schemes such as red and green, blue and yellow, or purple and orange are colors that appear opposite to each other on the color wheel. Most often they are used in a living or dining room. These color schemes lend themselves to more formal settings and are more visually challenging. A cool color is paired with a warm color, a clear separation but a great effect.

Analogous Colors
Analogous colors appear next to each other on the color wheel, such as yellow and green, blue and
violet, or red and orange. Both colors are either warm or cool. Typically they are soothing colors and evoke a more casual feel. Use them in rooms for rest and relaxation, such as the bedroom, family room, den, home office, spa, or sunporch.

And here's an added tip, once you have a room set, try adding a bit of the ultimate enhancer--Black. Set a black box in the room, picture frame, lampshade or anything else you can think of. It will please and amaze you.

Your cornices can reflect these selections, complementary or analogous, just relax, think about the room as formal or casual, which favorite color "feels" right for the setting and go for it. The best part is with a Window Bonnets cornice you can always take it down and redecorate in literally minutes for just pennies compared to a wood cornice.

Cheers,
Jan
Window Bonnets
http://www.windowbonnets.com/

Decorating Tip #1 - 60-30-10 Rule

Wednesday, December 16, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

Ever look into a room and wonder why it just really seems to look great? Most likely it is because the designer or decorator has used the 60/30/10 rule regarding color. Simply put 60% is the hue, the dominant color unifiying the room, 30% provides the visual interest, and the last 10% provides that "bling", i.e. the room sparkle or that visual kick in the rear that makes your eyes widen and that smile come across your face.

How and why this rule seems to work is anyone's guess. Possibly the dominant color makes you feel grounded, the interest lifts you to say "Okkkk, this works" and that final bit takes you by surprise, makes you smile maybe even exclaim "Wow!" At any rate, how we can translate this for those of us who are not designers, decorators or color experts but just want our homes to look good, feel good and get comments from our guests.

From the folks at hgtv.com, they have the perfect metaphor, try this and see what you think:

"60% of a dominant color
30% of a secondary color
10% of an accent color

When you think about it, this color breakdown is similar to a man's business suit:

60% of the outfit's color is the slacks and jacket
30% of the outfit's color is the shirt
10% of the outfit's color is the tie

Translated to a room setting, it typically means:

60% of the room's color is the walls
30% of the room's color is the upholstery
10% of the room's color is, say, an accent piece or a floral arrangement"

Now if you put our cornices in perspective to this design tip, use the cornice to bring in the uphostery with an accent color. Or use the cornice top and bottom to bring in the walls or flooring and the center of the cornice to add the "bling." If you have concerns, 9 times out of 10 if you go with fabrics and colors that just make you feel good, you will have won the decorating battle and created a great look. Afterall you want to feel good in the room. Use those fun trims like beads and tassels to zing the bling into your cornice and thus the room. The possibilities are endless.

So relax, take a look around the room. Take the couch throw pillow along, a sample of the tile, a paint chip of the walls, even a scrap of the upholstery fabric and head off to the local fabric store and see what will make your perfect cornice decor.

Let me know how it works out....

Cheers
Jan
Window Bonnets
http://www.windowbonnets.com/

Check out our gallery of homes.

What Fabric Should I Use?

Wednesday, December 09, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

What fabric should I use? I get this question quite often. Officially, ANY fabric will do, cottons, silks, jacquards, corduroy, twills, linens, upholstery, drapery, chinelles (not sure of that spelling) you find it, then it can be used. But . . .

Sometimes I know the question is really, "What is the best fabric to use?" or "What is the easiest fabric to use?" To that I can absolutely say, any fabric that is a medium weight or a bit on the stiffer side will be easy to tuck, easy to cut, easy to work with in general and hides any imperfections in the styrofoam and the glued seams.

However I am a realist and just as sure as I tell you a medium weight you will find a beautiful scarf-like fabric that you want to use. Well, no problem. Typically with that type of fabric, I would suggest gathering the fabric so you have a bit of a bunch to tuck into the groove or even pleating if you are so inclined, but if that is still not tight enough, my recommendation would be to take a trip to your local hardware store. In my neck of the woods, the Ace hardware stores are on every other corner. At any rate, go there and look for some string/rope that is a bit thicker than the tuck grove. Then cut a piece the length of your cornice and tuck that in for a nice tight fit for your fabric.

Also do not be afraid to use the same fabric for all three contours of your cornice. It looks great! Covering the back is a personal preference. You can use the same fabric as the bottom contour or just use a matching solid color. All you really want to do is cover the white of the styrofoam in case the lower part of the back side of the cornice is visible from the outside.

Hope that helps. If you have any pictures of your creations, I am always open to using them on the website. Why not let all your friends see your home on the web!!

Happy decorating!

Annual Half Yearly Sale

Wednesday, December 02, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

Just last week we started our we started our first Annual Half Yearly Sale! Our normal prices have been discounted 15% and if your order is over $200, you receive free shipping to any where in the Continental US.

Even in this economy we have had solid sales months for the past 12 months and that is saying something indeed. Many people have decided that rather than trying to sell their homes and buy something new, redecorating is a very attractive option. Making your own window cornices can dramatically change your room. Our cornices provide color in a moderate size, so if you have that great lake or moutain view, this cornice will only enhance and not decrease that view.

Use the colors from your room, pickup an accent color, use the fabric from your couch, what ever you choose it will be dymamic with just a little bit of work. Check what some of our users have created at these links:

http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/design_gallery.html, the Design Gallery page
http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/living_rooms.html, the Living Rooms gallery page
http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/family_rooms.html, the Family Rooms gallery page
http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/kitchen___dining.html, the Kitchen/Dining Rooms gallery page
http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/bedrooms.html, the Bedrooms gallery page
http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/bay_windows.html, the Bay windows gallery page

I am sure there is a design there that will spark your creative juices and get you going.

Dave, here in Lake Havasu City, chose to complete his "western" themed home. His family room dining area is show here.

Now that is an inspiration........ now go out, order your cornice and be creative!
Cheers,
Jan

Mounting the Cornice More Than 5" From the Wall

Wednesday, November 25, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

11/25/09The Window Bonnets cornice kit using the standard endcaps will stand out from the wall a full 5". Normally this is sufficient space to allow your verticals to turn all the way around without touching the back of the cornice.

However, in some instances, this may not be enough--perhaps you have verticals and some kind of drapes mounted, or perhaps just the drapes alone require more than the 5". In these cases, we had a great adjustable bracket that actually could slide out in quarter inch increments to a maximum of 7.5". Unfortunately, our vendors prices now prohibit the manufacturing of this type of bracket. So today's message is how to mount your cornice using the standard 5" bracket but achieve a distance from the wall at say 6" or even 7".

The brackets come with two screws and two screw sleeves, these sleeves would be used if you were mounting only into the dry wall and not a wood stud or the metal edge generally found around most windows. Well now those sleeves can also be used to secure what I will call your "extra depth spacer" piece. We recommend that you cut a piece of wood, approximately 2.75" x 2" x .

Mark the wall where you would actually mount the 5" bracket. Place the wood "spacer" piece centered over this mark. Drill two holes approximately .5" from the outer edges and center of the height of the "spacer". Use the screw sleeves in the wall for these holes (if you have not hit a wood stud or the metal rim of the window casing) so the screws holding the spacer will be tight and secure to the wall. Mount the bracket to the "spacer" piece as usual. Your cornice will now sit this additional distance from the wall. Remember to add this extra amount to the endcap so they hit the wall thus closing the cornice box.

This economy has presented many challenges for everyone and this is one way we are trying to keep our product economical yet flexible for all needs.

As always happy decorating and keep those pictures coming in! We love to show your ideas.

How to Measure & Cut Your Fabric Strips

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

The Window Bonnets cornice kit is decorated by cutting three strips of fabric (your choice, any fabric will work) to cover the top, middle, and bottom contours. Match your floors, your walls, your couch, your rooms can only be enhanced by your choices.

This blog will give you some tips and tricks about measuring and calculating your required fabric strips for the design you have chosen.
You will be using fabric strips to cover each contour of your window cornice.

To determine the length of your fabric strips
Smooth look:
Take the width of your Window plus 27”.
Gathered look:
Take the width of your Window plus 27 and multiply that by 2 to 3 depending on how “full” you want the look to be. NOTE: 3 times the width works best with thin materials. Thick materials work best at 2 times.
Pleated look:
Take the Window plus 20” and multiply by 3. Pleating takes more fabric than the other looks.

To determine the width of your fabric strips
Check the Diagram below for the height cornice you have purchased to determine the width of your strips.

In addition for a ...
Smooth look:
When using a very light-weight fabric you may want to cut it adding 1 1/2” even 2” to the asurement so when you tuck it into the groove it makes for a tighter fit. With heavier fabrics (i.e. upholstery or drapery fabric) the 1” should be wide enough. Sometimes you will need to trim that down just a little also. But do any extra trimming of the strip after you have it tucked into one side of the cornice.
Gathered look:
Add up to 3” to the measurement shown on the applicable cornice diagram depending on how puffy you want the gathers to look.
Pleated look:
Add only 1” to the measurement shown on the applicable cornice diagram.
Fabrics with patterns If you are using fabric with a pattern preventing you from cutting strips the length of your cornice, either “match” the pattern or use a decorative touch to cover it.

Fabric Strip Hints
To match lightweight patterned fabrics use the fusible tape and overlap 1/2”, press to fuse so the seam does not come apart. To match heavier patterned fabrics, take a piece of lightweight material, cut 1 1/2” length and the width of the pattern material. Place this piece on an ironing surface, and cover with the fusible tape. Now trim the patterned fabric edge cleanly and “butt” fit the two pieces together over the lining material. Press carefully to fuse. Once up these seams will be invisible.

Other Bits & Pieces
When decorating your cornice, cover the top and bottom rolls first, the middle second, and the back last if covering that part. Generally speaking it is a bit more difficult to work with very thin fabrics as they do not hold tight in the tuck groove. In the center tuck grooves the double material thickness usually holds both tightly. But where the material seems loose (in the back tuck groove), get some cording at the hardware store that is a bit thicker than the tuck groove. After tucking the fabric, push the cord into the groove to hold it tight.

Cutting the Styrofoam Cornice Board Kit

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

Now that you have purchased your cornice board kits and have determined what window treatments you want, it is time to start the assembly process.

The first step is to get an accurate measurement of the width you need for your project. Measure between the widest two points (either the actual window or the rod length if your cornice board is covering vertical blinds mounted on the wall). Add 1-2 inches on either side to insure that the completed cornice will sit solidly on the wall.

After you have measured twice you are ready to go. First lay out the straight pieces and measure using the measurement you determined in the previous process. Mark the last straight piece to get the exact width you want.

Now let’s start the actual cutting process. Normally you will only need to make one cut per each cornice board you are creating. The next question is what do I use to cut the foam? The following lists the most popular tools to use:

= Hot wire cutter (makes a smooth cut and reseals the foam at the same time, not the most economical tool if you only need one cut. About $20 at JoAnns).

= Any serrated blade knife.

= Hack saw blade.

Let’s cut. Carefully cut the foam using one of the tools above. Once the cut has been made you need to reseal the foam so it glues together correctly. Take the piece with cut end and place a piece of aluminum foil over the end. Use you steam iron and gently tap the foil along the cut (can also use the iron to sooth or level out the foam if your cut was not exactly even). Once this is done pull the foil of the foam and you cut is complete.

Now you are ready to glue the pieces together to create your cornice board kit and you will be ready to decorate.

Come back for future Blogs for addition ideas and tips to create that perfect window décor you have dreamed of. You can also visit http://www.windowbonnets,com/ for further details and watch the instructional video for the entire cornice board assembly process.

Basic Assembly of Your Window Bonnets Cornice Kit

Wednesday, November 04, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

The first step in the assembly of your cornice kit is to measure the window to be covered. Measure the actual window size or if it has trim around it measure the width to the outside of the trim. If the window to be covered has vertical blinds mounted on the wall, measure the width of the actual rod the blinds are mounted on.

Once you have determined the width add one-two inches on either side to be sure you will clear the window/rod and that the end caps will be flush against the wall.

Now you are ready to start the assembly process. First lay out the straight pieces provided in your kit. Mark the last piece so that the total length of the cornice board matches the measurement you have determined in the previous step. Now cut the last piece where you have marked it and cut the piece (cutting and sealing the foam will be covered in a future Blog).

Now you are ready to complete the assembly process. Use a full size LOW temperature glue gun (not a mini glue gun or you won’t be able to get enough in time to seal the pieces together) and start gluing the straight pieces together (CAUTION: do not use a hot glue gun or you will melt the foam).

Once the straight piece is glued together re-measure the piece to insure it is the desired length (measure twice).

Now we are ready for the final step. Use you glue gun to attach the two provided end caps…now your cornice board is complete and ready to decorate.

It’s that easy and that fun and you did it yourself.

No wood, no sewing, just be creative.

Jan

http://www.windowbonnets.com/

Gregs' Home of Cornices

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

Hubby and I installed 9 cornices at a home in Lake Havasu City. Amazingly we were able to use the old holes from the draperies we took down. Three in the living room coordinate with the greenery and browns.

The dining room is ultra-suede with a flowered pattern in the center, then cord at the top and beads at the bottom.

The kitchen has two windows, over the sink and the slider door. Both are covered entirely with the flower pattern material used in the dining room (the two rooms face each other). The two kitchen ones have cord at the top and a wooden bead chain at the bottom.

The First master bedroom window is done with a light tan suede-like fabric and a silk embroidered fabric in the center. I found some great multicolored (neutral tones) cord that looks great.

The first guest room was decorated with lighthouses, so we kept that theme in this rooms slider. It is a great complement to the entire decor.

Finally, we come to the added master bedroom. Simple but elegant and stylish.

Do-it-yourself or I can do it for you, that is, if you are local to Lake Havasu, AZ or Anaheim, CA. Get your cornices today and let us feature your home on our website. Let the world know your creative talents.
http://www.windowbonnets.com/
Cheers, Jan & Dave

Making your Cornice Look Taller

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

Our cornice kits come in heights of 9", 12" and 15". However, some times you need or just want your cornice to be 10", 13", or even 18" tall. Well no problem, there are several methods that can be used to accomplish this.

One of customers had a chili peppers theme in their kitchen / dining room area so chose a colorful chili peppers fabric that she used on all three contours of the cornice. She used a 9" cornice but when done it actually measured nearly 10.5" high.

To accomplish this, she gathered the top and bottom contours, however, rather than tucking the fabric down tightly over the cornice form, she left it loose and pulled the "extra" puffiness to the top on the top roll and to the bottom on the bottom roll. In this way the cornice appeared taller than the actual 9" of the form. Take a look.

The Kitchen area

The close up view

Where there is a will, there is a way with our kits. As we always say there is an endless number of window treatment ideas and valance styles that can be accomplished with our cornice kits....

Try one for yourself.... http://www.windowbonnets.com/
Cheers,
Jan

2008 Year-End Contest Winner

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

For the last 2 months of the year, every order gave our customer an entry into our final giveaway contest.... a free 9" cornice kit. We had over 100 entries. On January 1, 2009, all the names were typed up, folded and put into a punch bowl. Since we were at relatives in Hinkley, CA, I had Joe and Marion assist with the drawing. Marion stirred them all up and Joe pulled out the name.

Phylis Stoyanowski of Desert Hot Springs placed an order on 12/18/08. She purchased for multiple windows to start with, some 5 as I recall. When I called to let her know that she had won, I offered to give here an additional free kit, or credit her for one she had already purchased. Phylis opted for the additional kit so she could complete all her bedrooms.

When she has her windows done, I will drop in, get pictures and feature her on the website. Stay tuned...

See our newest designs at:

http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/bedrooms.html

Creating a Window Illusion

Wednesday, October 07, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

Sometimes your window treatment needs to do more. In the window featured above, the customer felt the window was rather small for the width of the wall. Any regular window treatment would make it look even smaller compared to this wide wall.

However, in this case, she decided to do 4 things that greatly "enlarged" the window to the wall, thus balancing the look and creating an effective optical illusion.

Here is what she did:

1. Made the actual cornice, a full 12" wider on each side of the actual window width. Thus this 48" window opening became a 6 foot wide cornice.

2. The use of the heavier fabric on the top and bottom, a burgundy-red velvet, made the overall cornice seem larger and more substantial than the 12" height that it is.

3. The accent feature of a natural leather piece and concho focus the eye to the center increasing the illusion of a great wide window with the cornice being so wide.

4. Finally, she used the back tuck groove to gather a sheer from the outer edge of the cornice to just over the edge of the actual window. The sheer does not move, but it further disguises the actual edge of the window.

All in all this is a wonderful use of the cornice, fabric and accents to "fix" a design issue that had been a problem. The cornice, fabric, leather and sheers at approximately $165 is significantly cheaper than having a new wider window installed in the room.

Dave the Designer WOW!

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

Well you never know where you are going to find that great designer. I met Dave when I came over to measure his windows for cornice kits. The living room was being painted so I had to go around to the backyard gate. Dave was relaxing in his hammack. He led me in to his guest room and the office. Definitely a southwestern, western home. Adobe stressed paint on the walls, slightly different colors but pleasing combinations on adjacent walls, very interesting.

He is really into the horses, saddles and the west. His horses range from the four legged ones to a four-wheel drive jeep and the big set of horses--his Harley Davidson motorcycle.

He fooled me, he immediately started talking about his fabric, it matched the bedspread, a desert scene with sunset, moutains, desert floor, and saguaro cacti. He was not sure about the office.

But once he decided, he really out did himself. He shows it off with pride, and well he should. The office fabric is black with a herd of horses running. Did he do it the easy way... not this guy. Take a look, over the three contours of the cornice, Dave has matched the horses.

Now that is just absolute perfection! It takes more fabric to do this but as you can see the results are worth it. The 9" high corncie could not support the full image but a 12" cornice was too much for the window.

He is currently working on the ones for their master bedroom and the family/dining room area. I can't wait and we he calls for me to do the pictures, I will get them up for all to see.

Go Dave!

See more pictures of his office and the guest bedroom...

http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/business___office.html

http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/bedrooms.html

Jan

The Burned Home Rebuilt

Wednesday, September 23, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

Their home was burned to the ground. Can you imagine shopping at your local Target store and getting a call as you come out, hearing fire and police sirens off in the distance. The phone, oh yes, get the cell phone, it is your neighbor calling to say your home is on fire, in fact nearly burnt to the ground now! The fencing, the pool decking, hot tub, house, a car in the drive and tragically the two family dogs, are gone. Best news, no human family members at home, hubby, the children, your sister and husband, all safe, because they were NOT at home.

Shirley and family had a modest home, but one they had for more than 20 years! Lots of memories for her grown children and all the family. Now they are gone and the rebuilding begins. It took more than 6 months, but now it stands big and beautiful, new and ready to start filling with more memories. In the original home Shirley had beautiful window cornces made and decorated by hers and her sisters hand, customzied for each room. The new home was going to have them again. She found Window Bonnets and the styrofoam based cornice kits they used the first time. We had them in stock and since I was in Phoenix, I personally delivered her order for six windows to her rental home. I got the tour of the new home and the details of their experience.

Her sister was there to help with the cornice assembly and decoration, the day I delivered the kits, they had just purchased the last of the material. Their cornices are beautiful. I took these pictures during their open house celebration. So many neighbors, friends and strangers helped them in their time of need. This was their way of saying "thank you."

Take a look, the open house was days before they started moving in so there is no furniture, but I think you will easily admire the design, workmanship and beauty.

All the cornices are 15" high. Shirley had the ceilings raisedjust over a foot, so they look great. Catch the close-up. Pleats, I had not seen such great pleats in any so far. I had made one myself, but not near as good-looking as these. The medium weight Jacard fabric is easy to work with, very professional look.

The guest bedroom, first down the hall to the left. This cornice is very similar to the living room, pleats with cords embellishing the center segment. Neutral colors for the greatest design flexibility. The top and bottom fabric is a faux suede. Very elegant, very nice. It will be appropriate for years to come and many different color combinations.

This bedroom is designed for a baby's room, the playful color combo of blue and lavender and the eyelet lace design also gives it that "fun" appeal.

Shirley's master bedroom also sports pleats in the center, with contrasting cords at the top and bottom. Shirley's sister is truly the master of pleating.

Now last but not least is the Kitchen. As with all their cornices, the kitchen one is 15" high, pleats and cords.

Contrast these lovely designs with the others in our Gallery of Homes:

http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/gallery_of_homes.html

Buy one yourself and see how easy it is to create a beautiful window treatment!

Jan Klatt

Black Friday Pricing Til the End of the Year

Wednesday, September 16, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

Window Bonnets is happy to say that we are doing well. Our economical cornice kits seem to have hit a home run this year in increasing internet sales. Although everyone is looking for areas of savings there are still some projects that give great rewards (like home decorating). The Window Bonnets no sew, no wood cornice kits continue to be popular. They add great color and style to your home and the window treatment ideas are endless. All fabrics work on this cornice, and the additional accessories make for unlimited valance styles.

Give your home a pick me up, kind of like a face lift only for your windows! We are offering our Black Friday savings 17% and FREE shipping from now til the end of the year.

Come in to our website, http://www.windowbonnets.com/, let our Design Gallery and Gallery of Homes inspire new designs for your home.

And on a personal note. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with family, friends, or just relaxing quietly at home.

Dave & Jan Klatt

The House was Burned to the Ground!

Wednesday, September 09, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

This last week, a new customer, Shirley, contacted us that the website was not working for them to purchase their new window bonnets. I tried it myself, and sure enough an error appeared. Well, I solved the error post haste but she asked if I could just take her info and run the sale manually. No problem, glad to assist. She wanted to purchase not 1 or 2 window bonnets kits, but 6 ea. 15" window cornice kits! Even with our sale prices that is a significant purchase. As it turned out I was working only 15 miles from their home so I decided to deliver them personally.

On Wednesday evening, 8/3, I packed my little PT Cruiser with 6 large boxes, and 6 smaller boxes and off I went. I had called before leaving and talked with Shirley's husband that I was on my way, 7PM or so. When I knocked on the door, a woman's voice yelled to come on in. I announced myself and Shirley's husband came round and said, "Oh, honey, I forgot to tell you but Jan is coming by to deliver our Window Bonnets." As I looked around, there were boxes, bags, blankets, etc all about. Just then, Shirley came from around the kitchen counter walked straight up to me and gave me a big hug and "thank you."

Shirley introduced me to her husband, her sister, brother-in-law and I just said hello to a bunch of others in the backyard. The house and patio had all sorts of people. She enlisted their aid and we unloaded my car and added to the already crowded floor space. Shirley and her sister had finished purchasing all the material for her bonnets just that afternoon. She was very excited to get things going.

Then in the mists of all this I was invited to dinner and then to go see the "house." It was just a block or so down the street. You see, Shirley's home had burned down, every inch totally destroyed including the yard fence, the hot tub, pool decking destroyed, all posessions gone, even a car burned in the drive and their 2 dogs died. All they had were the clothes on their backs. It was the largest and most devastating home fire in the city of Chandler. And as a result this very nice couple became surrounded by friends, neighbors and strangers all willing to help. The local TV had a charity drive to help them, the neighborhood school pitched in as well. And here I arrive 18 days before they are to have the OPEN HOUSE for their newly rebuilt home. I am given a warm welcome, a personal tour of the new home and yes, an invite to the open house.

Shirley and hubby had every reason to be angry and depressed by their tremendous losses. Oh insurance covered the rebuild, the hottub, the car, etc. But they were just so happy and grateful that so many people--friends and total strangers had come to their aid and now they want to give back in the form of this open house. They are truly warm, grateful and gracious people.

I will be attending the open house, September 21. I will be getting pictures so everyone can see the house. Shirley said her sister had created such beautiful designs in their old home and she was anxious to get new ones up in their all new home. WOW, what a story!! I will celebrate and bring the pictures home to this blog and also as a feature on our website, http://www.windowbonnets.com/. Keep watch.

The picture at the top is of a 15" window bonnet. Shirley will have 6 of these bonnets, so keep a watch here.

"I Make Design Happen" Pledge

Wednesday, September 02, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

"Every day, innocent rooms fall victim to bad design. Now you can help! Pledge your willingness to make good Design Happen in your home..."

I recently found this on the HGTV.com site. It truly is appropriate and something I try to do for all my customers.

Those who purchase a Window Bonnets cornice kit from the website get our training DVD with many designs and suggestions for decorating their cornice as well as the ability to see many great designs featured in our Design and Homes Gallery. Those who purchase from our local venues in Lake Havasu City AZ, Bullhead City AZ and Orange County CA have the opportunity to view our picture books and talk with me personally on how to create their perfect room coordinating cornice. For a smaller few whom I actually make the cornices for my sole purpose is to enhance their room with a cornice design that not only adds to the atmosphere of the room but also compliments the people who live in that room!

It is all something I truly enjoy. This holiday weekend I have not only been out and about at the local lake but also spent some time creating cornices for a new home here in town. Great way to spend the weekend. The best of both worlds in my mind.

Enjoy everyone! And when your play time is over, take a look at the September special we have going..... 15% discount and FREE shipping. It doesn't get much better than that! www.windowbonnets.com

BBB Online Accredited Business

Wednesday, August 26, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

Well we started the process with BBB to be able to display their BBB Online Accredited Business symbol. It is important for us and our customers to know that we honestly care about their business and our reputation in our local community as well as our online community.

If any customer is unhappy with their sales experience or our product we are committed to making it right in a fair and equitable manner.

Check our site out in the coming days for the BBB Online logo, www.windowbonnets.com

Your satisfaction is our committment.

The Yellow Furry Cornice

Wednesday, August 19, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

One of my latest jobs for a cornice, the customer knew exactly what she wanted in her material and decor. This is generally very unusual. She not only had her material all picked out but also some cording and beads to finish the decoration. WOW I was impressed. What was more impressive is that she was using this over an extra wide slider at the back of her living room area. She had always wanted a chaise lounge that was yellow and the cornice was to match the entire living room colors.

This meant the cornice was to have blue ultra-suede on the top and bottom and a vivid yellow center then the blue cording and the crystal beads. Somehow as I looked at all the pieces I did not see the vision she had. But then... the customer is always right. She had the smarts to know that for her ultra wide slider it would need a 15" high cornice, to balance, so I took on the project.

Making these long cornices, I generally make 100" or so, tuck the fabric and leave the remainder to finish at the customers home. It is pretty hard to transport a 176" cornice in the back of a standard pickup truck. So I had to do one glueing to join the two pieces, then tuck the fabric in the rest of the 76" and then put the cording and beads on.

Everything got off to a good start, but somewhere just before finishing the tucking, one of my supports

dropped and the cornice broke at the join I had just made. Naturally it made a horrible sound and the customer came running from her office. She helped me put things right, but now I nearly had to start over. I always say, there are no mistakes with this stuff, everything can be fixed. So I did just that and quickly continued. Thankfully, she went back to her office and let me be embarassed all alone!

The good news here is that once we got it up, it looked fantastic. The yellow was actually a bit of a furry fabric with an "S" design in it, combine that all with the cords and beads, WOW it was great!

The total effect in the room!

Make Your Own Cornice Training Video

Wednesday, August 12, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

Welcome to the World of Window Bonnets, Do-It-Yourself Cornice Kits @ Yahoo! Video

We finally got the DVD converted for the web. It shows you in clear detail the ease of assemble, the art of "Tucknology" that is used in decorating--that's what makes it a NO SEW cornice, and how simple it is to hang.

The DVD is included with every sale so you can watch it on your big screen TV as well. I always get questions about doing the corners. You will not miss any detail of this technique. A variety of decorating techniques are included as well. Your conice can be as individual as you are.

We have worked hard to make this kit the best and easiest on the market. The professional-looking results will amaze and please you and your friends. And your investment is doubly safe, when you decide in a couple of years to change the rooms decor, just pop the cornice off the brackets, pull the "tucked" material from the grooves, cut new strips and "tuck" a totally new look into place. How wonderful is that!!!!!

Enjoy the watch, then go take a window measurement, place an order and just try that first window, you will come back for more. Click this link to place your order:

http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/buy_cornice_boards.html

Cheers,

Jan

Window Bonnets Business Pledge

Wednesday, August 05, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

Family owned business since 2003, Dave & Jan Klatt, 100’s of customers served. We started with our own home, have made many for our customers, so we really know how to use and create with our product. Since we have this experience we also know all the tricks and can advise you in any area concerning the assembly, decoration and hanging of your cornices.

We provide a quality do-it-yourself Window Cornice Kit to create your dream windows or we can make them for you. Just give us your ideas and we can work through the project together for perfect results. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Easy to assemble, technical help available either through our FREE instructional video, e-mail or a simple phone call. To show you how easy it is we have had no returns or reported complaints to date. Order today and start to transform your dream windows into reality.

To see the possibilities check these pages: http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/gallery_of_homes.html

Now image your pictures here! Share your decorating talents with your friends and relatives! Put your living room: http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/living_rooms.html

family room: http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/family_rooms.html

kitchen/dining: http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/kitchen___dining.html

bedroom: http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/bedrooms.html

bay window: http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/bay_windows.html

home office: http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/business___office.html or whatever on the web!

Looking forward to talking with you.

Sincerely,

Dave & Jan.

Tools You Will Need

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

We talk alot about the fact that the Window Bonnets cornice is No Sew. In other words, it does not require a sewing machine for you to prepare the fabric for application to the cornice board. However, you might be asking "What tools does it take? It must take some tools."

You are right, there are a couple of tools that are needed, but primarily for the hanging of the cornice. Let's take them in order.

1. A full-size LOW temperature glue gun. A full-size one is needed to be able to put enough glue along the edge and center before it begins to seriously set. The 9" high cornice can be made using the smaller craft size guns. But always use a LOW temperature gun or the glue will quickly melt the styrofoam material. I do sell these on my site as a convenience. I generally also include 3-5 10" sticks depending on how many cornices are purchased.

2. A hand drill, battery operated, or plug-in with a 1/8" drill bit. Very important, you do not have to find the stud in the wall. If the drill bit hits only drywall, no problem, just use the screw sleeve that is provided with the kit to tightly secure the screw in the wall. If you hit the metal rim around the window you will not need to use the screw sleeve.

3. Standard phillips-head screw driver. Now this one might not be needed if your drill is strong enough to turn the screw tightly. If not, you may need to use a bit of "hand" power to do the finally tightening.

4. Hammer, generally used to get the screw sleeve installed, but you might also want to use it with a punch/scribe to make a small indent in the wall marking the position for the drill.

5. A couple of items not pictured which are pretty common sense; a tape measure and a level. The tape measure to mark the position on the wall for each bracket and the level to well, check the level. Having said that, I have on more than one occasion had the brackets perfectly level across the window, put the cornice up and immediately saw that it was slanted. This is generally an optical illusion because of the mark of the ceiling line above, or items near the top of the window. Don't worry, for most instances, you can just bend the bracket up or down a bit and fix the look. Only once at a customer's home did we have to actually move the bracket. Just do it, the slant will drive you crazy!

6. Oops, I most forgot the scissors you will need to cut your fabric.

The Window Bonnets cornice kit includes the "magic" tuck tool. And indeed it is magic. When you see your finished cornice, no one will ever believe you just "tucked" the material into the grooves.

Several of my customers, even on their first cornice, have made a 9' cornice start to finish and hung in about 4 hours! You could never accomplish this with a wood cornice. Take a look at our complete how to section for more details. If you are a visual person, like me, I also include a complete video (DVD format) training guide with each purchase. You can stop the action as needed and really get it right.

http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/making_your_valance.html.

What is a Window Bonnets Cornice Kit?

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 | By Owner, Window Bonnets

In order to make a cornice, you have to start with EITHER a bunch of wood, wood working tools, soft foam, staple gun, scissors, stud-finder (you know the ones hidden in your walls!), and fabric. --OR-- a Window Bonnets cornice kit, scissors, low temperature glue gun, small drill (for that 1 screw per bracket) and, of course, the fabric.

Our kits make a full return cornice box over your window opening. Three simple steps and you are done. 1. Assemble, 2. Decorate, 3. Hang. Let me elaborate.

1. Assemble--take the low temperature, full-size glue gun, squirt glue on the flat edge of one straight piece, go all around the edge and swizzle a bit in the fat center part, then rub the two pieces together and hold so the front side of the two pieces you are joining are even across the front. Continue to do this until the full straight of the cornice is built. If you need to cut the final piece, take serated knife, electric knife or small hacksaw. To seal the cut (so the popies do not get all over the house) place a piece of aluminum foil over the edge and iron it with a moderate heat iron. When you pull the foil off it is completely sealed like new. If your cut is not straight use this trick to "straighten" the edge! Lastly glue the end caps on straight and you are done with step 1.

2. Decorate-- Now you are going to cut three strips from the fabric you have selected for the top, middle and bottom contours of the cornice. They can be all the same material, see some samples at http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/living_rooms.html, or use different fabric for the top/bottom and middle contours. This is your creative choice. Hint--the inexpensive material looks just at good as the expensive stuff! The instructions in the kit 9", 12" or 15" kit tells you how wide to cut the strips for each contour and as to the length, add 25" to the straight measurement so you have enough to go over and around the endcaps. Now the really simple part.... just tuck the fabric strip into the grooves cut in the cornice form! It is very easy and fun. If your cornice will be seen from the back, feel free to cover the back using the grooves at the top and bottom contours. Once done you are ready to hang.

3. Hang-- The brackets are all included in the kit with screws and screw sleeves. Two brackets come with each 48" kit and each extension of 32" includes another bracket. You only need to mount a bracket every 3'-4'. You do not need to find the stud in the wall. Using a small 1/8" drill bit, put a hole in the wall at the appropriate height. If you only hit drywall hammer in the screw sleeve and screw in the bracket. Although our video shows using two screws per bracket, it is really only necessary to use one. Once the brackets are up and level, hold the cornice up and position the bracket at the top tuck groove and push it onto the bracket.

You are done! Step back and I guarantee, a "WOW" will be next. I have made many of these cornices for people but I have talked with many of my first time "cornice makers" and they report that it takes approximately 4 hours to complete a 9 foot cornice! That's not much time compared to making a wood cornice. For more pictorial instruction, see this page on our site: http://www.windowbonnets.com/html/window_treatments_instruction.html.

No excuses now, measure those windows and get a kit. Try it, you will want to do more! Happy creating!!