When a customer Wants Something You’ve Never Done Before
The Oak Cornice-
About a year and a half ago I installed some draperies and roller shades in a retired couples dining room. It wasn’t the ideal room. Or windows. Or layout and any attempt I made to have them update or change from the previous style was not accepted. If you don’t know I have a custom window treatment business. I design, sell, install custom drapes, blinds, shades, shutters, etc. I go to the home with the samples, help select, measure, call with a quote, and come back to install.
It's an old house - farmhouse- but not the cool old 4 square house you think of, just like a workers house on the same property. This couple had been in the home for 40+ years, raised their family, and now making it a bit nicer for retirement. The small dining room has 2 windows side by side- but with a 11” gap in between. They had previously had 2 pairs of ‘drapes’ one for each window but they met together in the middle. Over the top was a rickety looking wooden cornice when we took it down. I think it was held together with a penny nail, dust, and painted to the walls. Of course the standard roller shade that goes BOING when you look at it wrong in each window. I’m sure those treatments were installed when they first moved in and never changed (or cleaned…).
So when I first went for the consultation I measured and looked at samples with them like any other sale and was going through the options.
Shades on each a big valance over both.
Just Shades
One Large drape with decorative rod
One Large drape with valance
2 Drapes side by side with shades underneath and a valance. Or decorative rod.
I spent TIME on this lady and she didn’t want anything different – possibly not even new… but they had called me, I didn’t call them! We finally settled on a fabric and a roller shade and 2 drapes side by side. The plain drapery rods meet together in the middle of that awkward 11” gap between the windows… No valance over the top, budget was of concern. Installed in the trim because the old house was plaster and my hubby wasn’t sure that the wall could handle it. But everything worked the way it should so I was fine.
She was tickled, he didn’t think it looked finished. I told them to call me if they decided for sure about what to do over the top. I had offered to make something like that rickety old valance- but you know nicer and prettier and big enough to actually cover it properly.
Fast forward to October they got new windows and we did draperies in the bedrooms- with decorative rods this time so it looked finished. But he brought up me making the wood valance I had offered to make- hoping I wouldn’t have to- I threw out a price, $300, and he said ok… ugh.
Picked up 2 10’ by 8” by 1” oak boards. Mitered the corners on the face added the returns. Returns are the part that goes from the front to the wall. Screwed on the top. Filled the mitered corner gaps with wood filler. Sanded with 120 grit and 220 grit to clean up the wood filler and make it smooth. Selected a stain color - Early American. ( I always like Early American) 2 coats of stain on the inside -1- to confirm the color 2- if I didn’t it would show as raw wood and be the only thing you saw… 2 coats of stain on the top and front. 3 coats of Satin Poly - I used the spray can and kept the coats light.
The procrastinator in me had the mitered corners done in the first week or 2 of the order and the rest happened in the 4-5 days after the drapes shipped from the workroom… it's always a wonder how I ever finish a project without a deadline of sorts.
At the install the bedroom drapes went in well- sized nicely. Decorative rods were lovely with simple finials. We added roller shades under the master bedroom shades for added light blockage and privacy. The oak cornice install went well. We had to take the drapes and rods down to install the brackets to the trim. The oak cornice went first, then the drapery rods, then the drapes- it was tight working quarters in the cornice but we got it. Then it was lunch!
Would I do it again? Would I make a custom wooden valance for a job when a workroom makes a lovely fabric valance? I don’t know. The workroom is the business that sews and makes the drapes, roman shades, board mounted valances, cushions- & so much more, I work with a couple different workrooms usually depending whose fabric we select. More than 18 years in this business and this was the first time I had to do such a thing… Maybe, but I would do more homework before pricing it out. I think I did ok this time but should have done better when I consider the time.
Next time I would charge more, this was almost 10 feet wide, it probably should have been $500. I would get help from my hubby or son sooner in the building process- especially if it's that big again!
