Faking the custom touches

Installing at a client's the other day, I was struck by how much custom details really can make a space--even if you have to fake it.

Now, there is nothing groundbreaking here, it's just a pretty room in a traditional style.  But it is a good example of how you can customize retail items to look custom, giving you a more personal and polished end result.

The bedding is all retail--pottery barn duvet and shams and a Martha Stewart bedskirt--but we customized the skirt with pleated grosgrain ribbon trim and will add a euro square in a gorgeous designer fabric.  Those two little details take this bed out of the catalog.

Similarly, the Pottery Barn draperies are silk, but were on sale, and I had my workroom pinch pleat the tops, giving me custom-look lined drapes for a LOT less.  We splurged on custom bamboo blinds (when you buy them from Home Depot or Target they may be the correct width but are never the right length), and cut to order curtain rods--much more substantial and finished looking that a skinny telescoping rod from a big box store.

We're not quite finished, but if you take a look at the before you can see just how far we have come!