Susan's Designs » Drapery & Home Decorating

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    Welcome to my showcase of design ideas and inspiration for custom home décor, flattering window treatments and other soft furnishings. I have been blessed by being invited into many beautiful homes and meeting the nicest people. I am among the fortunate few who truly enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding profession. Thank you for looking at my work.

Posted in drapery panels,swags

swags and jabots

For this formal dining room, the window treatment is hung just under the soffit.
Rich, detailed swags and jabots with solid side panels frame the window.

by Susan Dorbeck

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  • tsankoOctober 18, 2010 - 10:07 am

    Wonderful ..thanks a lot for posting a good informitive blog

  • Nola HowardJuly 19, 2012 - 3:14 pm

    Where can I buy these products ?

  • Susan DorbeckJuly 19, 2012 - 4:54 pm

    These swags as well as all the window treatments etc are custom made to fit each individuals needs. If you send me your window measurements I would be happy to give you a quote or provide you with instructions on how to create them yourself. Thanks for your kind words. Susan

Posted in swags

 

swags and jabotsSwags and jabots, always a good choice for a bay window.

by Susan Dorbeck

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  • Britt WheelerMarch 13, 2014 - 9:34 pm

    I like very much the treatment for s bay window pictured above. Can you please provide me with more information? Thank you.

  • Susan DorbeckMarch 14, 2014 - 10:21 pm

    Thank you for your lovely comments. One of my favorite styles for a bay window is swags and jabots. It’s such a timeless, classic style that not only dresses up the window but frames it as well. Since you cannot overlap the swags in the corners of the bay, a short jabot is used to fill in the space. Longer jabots are hung at each end and can be any length typically dividing the window into thirds or quarters or following a window divider or chair rail. Many bay windows have space above the window to the soffit and hanging the swags right up at the ceiling eliminates that space giving the window a much cleaner look. These swags and jabots are hung on boards (often the fabric is stapled to the board) and butterfly or ceiling anchors are used to hang it properly from the ceiling.

  • MarieMarch 15, 2014 - 10:38 am

    I love this but can’t see really good as dark colors. Do you have directions on how to make it?

  • Britt WheelerMarch 19, 2014 - 4:28 pm

    Dear Ms Dorbeck, Thank you so much for your most informative message. I should like to give you a call if I may, since it would seem easier thus to obtain further information. Many thanks, Britt Wheeler

  • Diane LuciaAugust 23, 2016 - 10:18 pm

    I would love to be able to make the swags and jabots in the picture above for my kitchen bay windows. I have picked out the Waverly fabric but I do not know how to measure or properly cut the fabric. do you sell a pattern and directions?

  • DianaMarch 1, 2021 - 11:18 am

    Would I be able to get the pattern?
    Thanks.

  • Markie RogersJuly 3, 2022 - 2:40 pm

    I have the same question as Diana in the coment above. Ihave been tring to figure how much material I should buy all morning since the material I need is quite expensive. My center window is 60 inches wide and the 2 outer windows are 30″ wide with about 4″ between the windows. I wanted the jabots to be around 10″ wide and 50 inches long. Can you help me? BTY the material I am looking at is a stripe if that matters

  • Susan DorbeckJuly 6, 2022 - 9:00 am

    Hi Markie, You will need 45″ – 54″ per swag depending on how long you want them to be and 5″ to 10″ inches more than the finished length of each jabot to allow for seam allowances and board mounting. You might want to self line the jabots as well since the backs of the jabots are visible on the finished treatment, so don’t forget to allow for that.

Posted in valances

inverted box pleats with buttons

There is a lot of detail in this inverted box pleated valance.  The plaid is repeated throughout the pleats, with a contrast button holding each pleat together.  A contrast stripe bands the bottom edge of the valance and serves as piping along the top edge to give it that crisp look.

by Susan Dorbeck

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  • Joyce A. MarinoAugust 18, 2012 - 11:56 am

    looking for red w/ black & white poker dots or some combination w/ those colors

  • Susan DorbeckSeptember 23, 2012 - 11:29 am

    Hi Joyce, If this combination of red with black and white polka dots is not available there are other creative options. You can make the main body of the valance out of black and white dots with red and white dots in the pleats or a combination thereof giving you all the colors and polka dots you are looking for. Thanks for your comments.

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