DESIGN NAME: De-escalating shades
PRIMARY FUNCTION: This is a window treatment item representing a cross between a traditional Roman material/net blind or shade and some form of window pendant.
INSPIRATION: I was mainly motivated by my own natural, instinctive desire to create and to create something as much aesthetically pleasing to the eye as practical for light and spatial purposes.
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This fixed hanging decorative item showing taut piped colourful taffeta and net panels is a stylish, aesthetic, practical and mood setting alternative to net curtains/blinds. It protects in part from sunlight and dust, preserves minimum privacy and gently filters light, to create an instant elegance, neatness, warm glow and relaxed atmosphere. It hides a lengthy wall above a window, occupies minimum space, increases wall space, leaves space below for placing objects or window inscriptions.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: This item is effective in its fixed position over large areas of glass/a plain window where light gently penetrates. Options include attaching it to a window frame ; integrating decorative pieces into the piping elements ; applying shapes to the net panels or different coloured ribbon to panel borders ; using different material or coloured net ; using it as a central piece with curtains. It could be a partial room divider suspended from a ceiling or a decorative element on a wall/furniture.
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: Development of the design started in July 2010 in Metz, France and finished in September 2010 in Metz, France.
FITS BEST INTO CATEGORY: Fine Arts and Art Installation Design
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PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: A first machine sewn panel shows a rod pocket head and a pocketed piped hemmed strip with handsewn on beads. Follow-up net panels have handsewn ribbon on machine sewn border hems and a piped strip/final piped leaf with material leaves on twisted wire. Net is machine sewn into a fold or handsewn into the back of previous piped strips. Taffeta leaves (machine sewn, pinked, reversed, veined) and handsewn beaded net flowers are sewn onto each other manually. Piping ends have taped on taffeta.
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: The design H=2500mm illustrates an initial taffeta panel W=1100mm, H=580mm including a pocketed strip W=1100, H=100mm with pipe Diam=30mm ; a second net panel W=1100mm, H=480mm with ribboned borders W=10mm, H=380mm and piped strip at the base ; two following similar net panels W=850mm, 590mm, H=480mm. All panels show leaves W=115mm H=210mm and flowers Diam=50mm at the border bases ; a final net-leaf panel W=330mm, H=480mm and 20mm long leaves on wire. *Panel sizes change according to needs.
TAGS: eye-catching, aesthetically pleasing to the eye, practical, colourful, hanging window decoration/pendant/mobile, liberates space, filters light nicely, easy to use, easy installation, easy to disassemble, original, refined.
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: Little marketing research was done for this item, since it was created from a purely personal point of view initially and not developed in marketing mix terms (4 P's) to correspond to a target market's needs. Since its creation, it has been presented to a restricted public, appreciated and endorsed for its aesthetic and practical aspects, and not just as an isolated article, but as a central piece of window dressing, surrounded by other curtains.
CHALLENGE: This item challenges cultures adhering to basic or no window dressing and is welcomed by those wanting light, aesthetics, little on their windows, no pulling of cords/curtains. Difficulties like material loss, maintenance of net rigidity and panel irregularity were overcome by adding 5 to 10mm when sewing seams ; stretching, pinning and tacking well, before machine sewing net and taffeta together with appropriate tension and thread ; constantly measuring and ensuring tightly fitting pipes.
ADDED DATE: 2010-10-21 14:39:08
TEAM MEMBERS (1) : Not applicable
IMAGE CREDITS: Lesley Bloomfield Faedi, 2010.
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