Lace Blog

A Primer On Lace Design

2012-01-25T12:49:00.000-08:00

Old House Interiors magazine has just published a piece of mine on how to design with and measure for lace. Although brief, I hope it's informative...

A Designer’s Guide to Lace Curtains

Helpful advice on pattern, choice, care, and hanging.
By Dan Cooper

Cooper’s Pine Cone pattern is at home in rustic, cottage-style, and Arts & Crafts houses.

My days are often spent on the telephone, guiding clients who I know are standing near a window, atop a ladder (or kitchen chair) with a clacking tape measure in hand. As a designer and merchant of period-inspired lace curtains, I can offer them—and you—help in selecting appropriate window treatments. From 20 years of advice:

Which Pattern?

Many people mistakenly assume that lace curtains are Victorian. Not true: Lace was used at the windows long before Queen Victoria ascended the throne, and lace curtains are still common today, especially in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Although machine-made lace wasn’t available until after the mid-19th century, earlier historical patterns (previously hand-woven) are being reproduced today, suitable for Colonial, Federal, and Greek Revival homes. Down the timeline, Arts & Crafts-era, Art Deco, Elizabethan, and Colonial Revival patterns are being made. Because interior styles evolved, you can choose to coordinate the lace pattern with your furnishings rather than the house.

Shades of Lace

Most lace curtains today are finished in white, natural white (a.k.a. ivory), or ecru. White is bleached, like a new cotton T-shirt. Natural white is unbleached; I tell clients that it looks white until you place it side-by-side with bleached white. Ecru is a darker, almost tan color. All of these, as long as they are cotton, easily can be tea-stained or dyed to a darker shade. Consider that some people find ecru too “yellowy” against white-painted woodwork, while others find white too stark against dark trim.

Which Weave?

Most of your choices have been woven on Madras or Nottingham looms. Richly textured Madras lace is made by an appliqué process wherein a 100-percent cotton scrim is woven, and then the loom passes over it and a pattern is affixed. Finally, the panel is sheared, creating a crisp design. Nottingham is a type of machine-woven lace developed in the 1840s; it’s available in several point sizes that determine the fineness or coarseness of the pattern. Nottingham lace is produced in cotton/polyester blends ranging from 95-percent cotton to all polyester.

Shirred lace panels hung below transom windows lend privacy while admitting plenty of light. (Photo: Carolyn Bates)

Length and Width

There’s no exact formula; still, conventions exist that differ according to era. For Federal, Greek Revival, romantic (i.e., early to mid) Victorian, and some Colonial Revival styles, window treatments were “fuller” and more gathered. Typically, the ratio of lace was 1½ to two times the width of the window opening—say, 54″ to 72″ of lace (flat width) for a 36″-wide window. Lace panels often hung well below the windowsill, sometimes even pooling onto the floor.

For bungalows and most Colonial Revival houses, and for the styles of the 20th century—Craftsman, Deco, mid-century modern—window treatments were hung “flatter” with less gathering. The cloth to window ratio is not more than 1½ times; for many patterns, the preference is one to 1¼ times, or 36″ to 45″ of lace for a 36″ window. By now curtains were shorter, stopping at or near the windowsill or apron. I offer custom shortening, as do some other vendors; the panels can be shortened from the top to preserve an ornamental bottom border.

Cleaning and Care

Unless you have some special (dirty or dusty) circumstance, once a year is more than enough. In the interim, you might shake the curtains out or gently vacuum them (using the soft brush attachment). Manufacturers recommend dry-cleaning, although my clients have found that washing their panels in cold water with a mild detergent, by hand or on the machine’s delicate cycle, works well. High-efficiency washers will deliver the clean curtains to you barely damp. Never put cotton lace curtains in the dryer! Simply hang them up, barely damp, back on their rods. Don’t hang lace by clothespins, and don’t drape it over a clothesline, because, as the rope sags, the lace may become distorted. Straighten them while they are hanging by lightly spritzing them with water, then gently tugging and smoothing the fabric by hand. Cotton lace will shrink slightly after washing. (Damp-ironing may mitigate shrinkage.) You can lower the rod or hang the curtain through the header hem instead of the lower rod pocket.

In a Victorian vignette, lace panels hang to the floor, tied back over a fancy roller shade. (Photo: Paul Rocheleau)

Hanging Curtains

The simplest way to hang a lace curtain is with an adjustable spring-tension rod, readily available at hardware stores. To mount the curtains on the face of the woodwork, you can find inside- or outside-mount café rods in a variety of finishes. Sash rods that fit close to the glass are preferred for door and sidelight curtains, where you might want a bottom rod pocket sewn into the curtains.

That's A Wrap!

2011-12-19T12:54:00.000-08:00

We've just placed the last (for the time being) of our rush Christmas and Hanukkah orders on the loading dock. It's been frantic, and our seamstress, Ana, has been truly heroic in finishing the dozens of custom requests we've received in the past weeks. Now it's time for year-end inventory and a week of planning for what promises to be our best year yet.

Not that I can complain about the last year; folks, you've been wonderful, and I am humbled and flattered by your patronage.

The big news is that shortly, we shall be unveiling our newest lace curtain pattern, and I promise you that it will be the most spectacular lace panel to be woven in the past century!

I make this claim with no reticence or qualifiers. No other lace curtain pattern in production comes even close to it; It's of a style that has been ignored by so many for so long, and will be unique in its field. I've shown it to a select few, and I've never seen such a response in my tenure. And there are other surprises that shall accompany it! So watch this space, and be amazed.

Finally, I wish you all the happiest of holidays, and thank you again for making 2011 such a great year for us.

Yours,

Dan Cooper, President
Cooper's Cottage Lace, LLC

Above and Beyond

2011-11-15T15:56:00.000-08:00

This post started out as a promotional piece mentioning that Cooper's Cottage Lace had just sold lace curtains to the set of the television show Pan Am on ABC. But overnight, it turned into an example of how far we're willing to go for a customer in need.

The first order of our new Regency Panels had arrived on the set in Brooklyn, NY, last Monday, as requested. The next day, I happened to be in Manhattan visiting clients and meeting with the photographers of my next book to discuss layout and content. A call came in the afternoon; the set decorators needed more lace, but it had to be on set in Brooklyn by 8:00 am the next day.

Mind you, the lace was in the warehouse in Amherst, MA, 175 miles north of New York City. And it was too late to get it on Fedex. The shoot was scheduled for 9:00 am...panic ensued. So, I trained home, arriving around midnight, set my alarm for 3:30 am, and drove the lace down to Brooklyn, arriving at 7:03 at the gates of Steiner Studios. (I had left an hour to spare, in case traffic got ugly). I turned around, and returned to Amherst at 11am, in time to complete the day's work, content in the knowledge that the show would go on...

Watch for the episode "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" on December 4th; I'm told that's the air date!

Lace On Loan

2011-10-19T05:58:00.000-07:00

"I'd like to place an order, but if I don't like them, may I return the lace curtains?"

Of course you may; but in truth, merchants would prefer not to have returns. It means that inventory that could be with other customers is somewhere out in the world, and funds have to be credited.

So, we've pretty much solved this problem with our Loaner Program. If you're "not sure" about which pattern or width will work best for you, simply call or email us here at Cooper's Cottage Lace, and we'll send out previously opened panels or factory seconds of the lace curtains that interest you, and you can try them out in your home for a couple of weeks. All we ask is that you mail them back when you're finished.

We're frequently praised for this service, as it's such an easy way to try our products with no obligation. Please contact us today!

Recreating the Carpet at the North Carolina Capitol

2011-09-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

As mentioned previously, one of my jobs is as a historic floorcovering consultant for museums, state capitols, governor's mansions and private homes. I was contacted by the curatorial staff of the North Carolina State Capitol; the existing carpet in both the House and Senate chambers was in tatters and a trip-hazard, and thus in desperate need of replacement, and so I flew down to Raleigh, inspected the carpets and measured the rooms. It was a massive job, requiring 1,200 lineal yards of goods, and I directed the persons charged with acquiring the carpet to an English mill that specializes in high-grade Axminster carpet. The job was completed recently, and I thought I'd share images of it with you. Thanks to the North Carolina Division of State Historic Sites for the images!

Regency Revived

2011-08-27T12:34:00.000-07:00

Following up on your phenomenal response to our Art Deco lace pattern, Cooper's Cottage Lace has again collaborated with Steve Bauer of Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpapers to bring you another post-1900 pattern for your Dutch Colonial, Tudor Revival, Bungalow or other early 20^th century house. Regency adapts the delicate Neo-Classical motifs of the Adam era to coordinate with the furnishings of the American Colonial Revival from 1910-1940 (although it looks just as beautiful in any Federal, Greek Revival or Victorian home dating from 1790-1900!) The addition of this graceful and elegant lace curtain panel to our line creates the finest collection of Colonial Revival, Old Colony and Neo-Classical lace patterns available today. The Regency panel promises privacy whilst permitting an abundance of light to filter into your home. Available October 1st, it will be sold in our standard widths of 20, 33 and 47 inches, and lengths of 54, 60, 72 and 90".

Selling Well is the Best Revenge

2011-08-04T04:52:00.000-07:00

By nature, business blogs are self-promoting; as proprietors, we use them as tools to publicize our products, and to inform our clients about new items or how to use and care for our goods.

And then sometimes, we just have to congratulate ourselves shamelessly.

I've just been informed that Cooper's Cottage Lace, LLC is the far and away leader in Madras lace curtains for the United States; a fact that makes me incredibly proud of our company. We began with the premise that we would make our mark not as the biggest, but as the best and most interesting source for Scottish cotton lace curtain panels in North America.

I could only dream that we'd do this well, and never in four short years, and certainly not during the bleakest economic period in 80 years.

So thank you all, I am truly honored by your patronage and enthusiasm.

Yours,

Dan

ps: watch this space for our newest pattern, due out very shortly!

At Your Service

2011-07-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

How many times have you been shopping online, found an interesting product, and hit the 'contact' button to ask the sales staff a question about some aspect such as size, delivery, etc?

And how often have you had to wait ages for a response, if you even get one? As a consumer, I am constantly frustrated at the lengthy or non-existent response rate from so many firms. (Are you hearing me, --- Door Company, --- Fabrics and --- Appliances? I went elsewhere, thanks for not returning my email...)

With that frustration in mind, I insisted that Cooper's Cottage Lace have the finest customer service in the lace curtain industry (and we do, just read our testimonials). Just this Monday alone, we received three unsolicited emails thanking us for responding so quickly and informatively.

This post is not intended to be self-congratulatory; it's the way business is supposed to be conducted.

So here's my promise; we will always get back to you as quickly as we can, usually within an hour or two, but always within a day...evenings, weekends and holidays included. If you wish, call 413-549-1063 or toll-free 888-433-7801 whenever you have a question. Chances are, I'll answer it personally in the off-hours.

Yours,
Dan Cooper, President
Cooper's Cottage Lace, LLC
dan@cottagelace.com

Old House Writing

2011-07-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

On any given day, my professional life veers between Cottage Lace, Historic Carpet and writing articles and books. I post my articles and seldom think about them again. Recently, I saw a reference to one of them, a piece on Old House Online's (Old House Interior and Old House Journal's) Facebook page that was promoting my article on Tiling on A Budget. I clicked on the link, and discovered that they had posted a bunch of my pieces; you can see them here.

Washing Up

2011-07-09T05:37:00.000-07:00

On The Care and Cleaning of Madras Lace Curtains...

Many people are under the impression that they need to launder their lace curtains frequently, when in fact the opposite is true. Unless you reside in a very dusty locale, you only need to clean your curtains once or perhaps twice a year. Often, simply shaking or vacuuming any dust off of them is a sufficient interim procedure.

While our mill recommends dry-cleaning Madras lace curtains, we at Cooper’s Cottage Lace have found that washing them either by hand or in cold water with a mild detergent on the delicate cycle works quite well. We have a high-efficiency, front loading washer, and this leaves the curtains barely damp upon finishing the load.

Drying your lace panels is the most important consideration; never put these 100% cotton lace curtains in a tumble dryer! We’ve found that the best method is to simply hang them back up on the rod, while they’re just slightly damp, or hang them over a shower rod. Don’t hang them on a line, as the curved deflection of the sagging line may distort the shape of the lace panel. Once dry, if you find that they are wrinkled, simply touch them up with an iron. Another method is to lightly sprtiz them with water while they are hanging, and to gently tug the wrinkles out; this is what we do at trade shows, rather than iron 20-plus lace curtain samples!

Because they are cotton, Madras lace may shrink slightly after they’ve been washed, but you can often iron them back into shape if they are still damp. You may lose half an inch, but this can be mitigated by lowering the curtain rod or hanging the curtain through the header instead of the lower rod pocket.

Not with a Bang, but a Hammer…

2011-06-15T16:43:00.000-07:00

While I do my best to write about lace curtains in this blog, I also touch upon anything historic, including restoration, interiors and the like. This current short piece may well become a prologue or epilogue for my forthcoming book "Houses & Spouses" which is the consolidated writer's versions of my infamous "Butchy Chronicles". The edited versions have been published in serialized form in Old House Interiors.

I am aware of your presence, even before I’ve opened my eyes. I knew that you’d been staring at me as I slept; no matter how I turned in the bed, or drew the covers on top of me, you were there, waiting, with your insatiable desire for my attentions. Clenching my eyelids shut is of no respite; your scent is everywhere, and I can feel you on my skin and in my hair. Though the dawn is barely filtering into our room, you refuse to let me sleep a moment longer, and you nudge me awake, gently at first, and then with a growing impatience.

Of course, you shall have your way; I have yet to shower, and my hands are upon you. Soon, we shall be soaked in sweat. This will continue for hours, well past the point of exhaustion, when I will be sore and unable to continue for another moment. Then, I shall collapse; dripping, sticky and barely able to muster the strength to eat or bathe before I must sleep again.

You have drained me; before we met, my time was my own, and my days were spent in carefree wanderings. Now, you demand my every moment. I give you my all, and yet you insist upon more. Should my eyes wander, you fiercely remind me that I am yours and yours alone. I have no right to protest, for my captivity is of my own volition; I have willingly succumbed to your charms, and spend my waking hours in grateful servitude.

I submit to you without reserve, without resistance, for you reveal your beauty to me in breathtaking flashes, and each glimpse renews my passion for you. I long to see you resplendent in your entirety, but you tease and flirt, allowing me to spy only enough to keep me constantly enchanted and seeking more. Tomorrow morning, our ritual will begin anew; once again, I shall arise, wearily take hammer in hand, and continue to glorify you above all others.

Yet another hat: Historic Carpet Consultation

2011-05-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know that besides owning Cooper's Cottage Lace and writing countless magazine articles, for the past 20 years I've been involved with the field of historic carpets, which includes Wilton, Brussels, Axminster, Ingrain and Venetian weaves. During this time, I've traveled all over North America and worked independently, and with another firm, in assisting museums, state capitols, governor’s mansions and private residences in selecting and specifying the appropriate pattern and quality and then overseen their delivery and installation. My new site, Historic Carpet Consulting and Sourcing, has just gone live, and I'll be posting stories here of the various jobs I'm working on.

Adding to Your Italianate

2011-05-20T04:54:00.000-07:00

As mentioned incessantly, when I'm not purveying the coolest lace curtains in the world at Cooper's Cottage Lace LLC, I write for a bunch of magazines, one of which is Period Homes. They've just published my latest piece for them, a story about some folks in Michigan who added a wing onto their 1860 Italianate by means of an architectural device known as a hyphen. The story is called "Italianate, Hyphenated" and you can see it here.

Feeling the Love From Down Under

2011-05-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

I've been selling historic lace curtains for 21 years now. I learned all of the aspects of the business; not only sales and customer service, but how to select and develop new patterns. I've observed what to do, but more importantly,what not to do. In 2007, I started Cooper's Cottage Lace and it's been going really, really well!

In those two decades, I've shipped almost all of the lace to the United States; I've sent a bit to Canada, some to eastern Europe, the United Kingdom and the Middle East, but that was it.

Until recently, when Australia came a callin'. I've never seen anything like it; we have been receiving fantastic orders from this country, and we've had multiple custom requests for extra large and extra long panels, and orders to provide lace curtains for entire houses! I don't know why it's suddenly happening, but I'm very grateful! It's interesting dealing with the 14 hour time difference (especially when I also have to work with the mill in Scotland) but we've all given up on real-time conversations between the three. It all works out, though, and everyone's been delighted. So thank you, Australia!

How It's Done

2011-04-17T04:36:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you're all familiar with Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpapers; they're the leading name in Victorian and Arts & Crafts wall and ceiling papers (along with Art Deco and Modernist ones as well). They're part of Artistic License a guild of "professional artisans in the San Francisco Bay Area, whose work encompasses architectural restoration, renovation, and newly-interpreted period design."

Recently, Artist License posted a time-lapse video of an installation of an entire room's worth of ornate Bradbury papers (augmented with stenciling). It's fascinating to watch how all the borders and corners are cut and applied, and then see the stenciling performed and ceiling medallion affixed. For anyone who has ever wondered how it's done, this is a great way to observe the process.

The room was designed by my friend and colleague Paul Duchscherer; the noted interior designer and author, you've undoubtedly seen his bungalow books on many a shelf.

You Gotta Move...

2011-04-07T04:23:00.000-07:00

Some may recognize the title of this post as the name of a song on the 1971 Rolling Stones album Sticky Fingers; while not my favorite track, it has some sentimental value, for I learned to play bottleneck slide guitar to it.

But I digress...

Last weekend, we moved all of Cottage Lace's inventory to a new warehouse; we'd grown so much since 2007 that there just wasn't room to organize everything! The new place is much larger and climate controlled, and since we'll be adding some amazing new patterns over the course of 2011, we'll have room for those as well.

As each lace curtain was boxed, labeled and loaded, it made me appreciate how fortunate I've been. We started with six products, and now we have twenty three, with more appearing shortly. The praise and support I've received from all of you has been fantastic, and I'm constantly amazed how you've helped us become the leader in historically-inspired Scottish cotton lace panels, valances and tablecloths.

Oh yes; the other Stones song I learned to play slide to is No Expectations; but I didn't want to use that as the title of my blog, for all of you have helped me far exceed of all of mine.

Thank you!

Dan Cooper, President,
Cooper's Cottage Lace, LLC

Carpetbagged

2011-03-31T21:35:00.000-07:00

Another one of my past pieces for Old House Interiors...

I had been staring at the squiggle for a good half-hour, trying to figure out just What On Earth it represented. The abstract, jigsaw-puzzle shape the size of an outstretched hand had been cut from curly maple and then inlaid into the center of a mahogany banquet table. The piece had belonged to a famous southern senator who had served in the latter part of the 19^th century, and was now prominently displayed in his homestead,

I was in central Georgia on a historic carpet consultation, as I help provide Wilton, Brussels and Axminster carpets to house museums and state capitols. Over the years, my job has taken me across the country many times, and I gleefully carom between Very Important Houses and remote hamlets that barely merited a dot on the map. On today’s journey, the irony of the fact that I was a New Englander bearing Civil War-era carpets whilst traveling from Atlanta to Savannah was not lost on anyone in the room.

Obviously, these folks thought that this was a mighty important squiggle, as it was the focal point of a massive piece of furniture. Was it…a shark? The upper part looked like a dorsal fin, but then, it also had a front leg…

This was hardly my first journey to the South, but typically, I was in cities that while they proudly proclaimed their Southern heritage, didn’t seem all that different from their cousins north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Yes, the populace’s various accents were distinctive, with some more lilting than others, and a few of the restaurant chains were new to me, but the most noticeable customs I encountered were that “tea” was served cold unless otherwise specified, and that it was easy to get a restaurant table on a Wednesday evening, as most everyone else was in church.

Nodding and smiling at my host, I continued to study the squiggle out of the corner of my eye. Maybe it was upside down…was it a Scottie? Why a Scottie? Were they the state dog of Georgia? And it looked like it was vaulting over an invisible fence for some reason…

On a previous call, 75 miles west of here, a client and her contractor were discussing an itinerant tradesman’s work and had referred to him as a “Yankee”; suddenly realizing that I would be included in this geographic Venn diagram, she looked at me and said apologetically, “no offense meant…”

I had replied, “None taken; my grandparents all fled Eastern Europe around 1900; none of us were here in 1861, so it wasn’t our war.”

Even as a native Bostonian, I’ve never considered myself a Yankee; that was someone whose family had lived there for at least 300 years and could speak without moving their jaw. The only other kind of Yankee was that infamous baseball team from New York, and no sane person would ever confuse Us with Them.

What WAS this thing? Had someone immortalized a Rohrshach test? Was Rohrshach from Georgia? There was something vaguely familiar about the shape, or at least sections of it, but I just wasn’t getting it…

We finished our discussion about reproducing the carpet for the room; it had been a pleasant call, as they usually were. I’m a preservationist at heart, and the chance to visit another old building was always exciting. I was often distracted by the stained glass, fancy mantels and furnishings that were unique to my prospective client’s building and carpet sales became secondary.

I stood to leave, and gathering my samples, clasped my host’s hand. As I stepped from the room, I turned, and as innocently as possible chirped “Oh, by the way, I couldn’t help noticing the unique inlay in your table-top, but for the life of me, I just can’t figure out what it is.”

She grinned and said “Since you’re from up North, I wouldn’t expect you to; it’s a map of the Confederacy.” Walking over to the table, she began to trace it with a perfectly manicured fingertip “See, here’s Texas, and over there is Florida…”

I smiled sheepishly, thanked her, and continued on to Savannah.

Mea Culpa

2011-03-03T06:17:00.001-08:00

As many of you know, I write for a slew of magazines, as Dan Cooper and under a half dozen pen names. My area of expertise is old houses, antiques and architecture, along with historic interiors and floorcoverings. I was just reminded of this piece that was published in Old House Interiors a while back. An architecture firm in Colorado liked it so much, they used it as their annual Holiday Card.

Hard Lessons Learned.

They say that doctors bury their mistakes, while we in the old house field just paint them over. After countless restorations, I have learned the following truths the hard way. Please, do as I say, and not as I have done…

Never wallpaper with someone whom you share a bed. It will bring out the aspects of both of your personalities that the other finds most loathsome. And if you must undertake this task together, agree beforehand that one of you will shut the hell up the entire time. I once sold wallpaper to a married couple who were both police officers and who intended to hang it together; I refused to ship the order until they promised that they would lock all of their firearms, unloaded, in a car trunk.

Assume nothing: That 1870s gas nipple protruding from the ceiling medallion is probably no longer pressurized, but if you’re on top of an 8 foot ladder with a pipe wrench on a Sunday afternoon, you can be damned sure it’s live. And the nearest tube of pipe dope is a good 15 minutes away, if the hardware store hasn’t closed.

Never buy cheap paint, or you will be repeating this to yourself as you apply the fourth coat of white that still isn’t quite covering the old white. Never trust a paint chip; they magically transform into the wrong color while you’re at the paint store. Spend the $10, buy a quart, and apply liberally. You can always box the remainder into a gallon to ensure that you don’t run out.

Beware the wheels of the Shop-Vac, especially at the head of a flight of stairs. I was sucking up joint compound dust from a bedroom that I had just taped and sanded, tugged on the hose, and the entire appliance just rolled on down, popping open at the seventh riser. The ensuing cloud of dust rapidly blanketed the entire first floor as if volcanic activity had occurred in the parlor. Even the once-black cat looked like a powdered-sugar doughnut.

A four-foot level offers a quartet of potentially different interpretations of plumb; and just like a Middle School choir, they’re all a little bit off. Split the difference between the readings, and then average that with how it appears to your naked eye. If it still looks weird, have a beer and try again. Repeat as necessary.

You can’t transport Sheetrock on top of a Jetta. The flapping starts around 10 miles per hour, no matter how many bungee cords you’ve used. It’s also very embarrassing having to retrace your route on foot to pick up all of the snapped-off corners.

Avoid power tools after 9pm. Every horror story starts with “It was late, and I was trying to finish a job…” As of this writing, I still have all ten digits, although I did have an 1880s corner block snag in a table saw, kick back, and slam me square in the sternum…the lights went out for a bit, and I was forced to wear the Scarlet Badge of Shame for weeks. Its impact was so forceful that others could actually discern the molding profile on my skin.

Auction previews are there for a reason. Suddenly noticing that wonderful Aesthetic Movement footstool as you return from the snack bar and thrusting your paddle into the air will win you what looked to be an amazing steal. Too bad you didn’t notice that it was actually the top section of a fern stand onto which someone had stapled a little pillow.

Never leave a hammer or tape measure on top of a step-ladder that is taller than you, i.e. out of sight. Not only will you forget its presence, you will then move the ladder, and said object will immediately plummet, at full velocity, towards something fragile like a set of stacked glass cabinet doors or a stroller-bound infant.

Nailguns are not toys. This advice pertains exclusively to men; human females typically possess the common sense that prevents them from, say, overriding the safety mechanism with a screwdriver and pointing the tool horizontally at the neighbor’s birdfeeder. Not that I would ever do this. Someone must have hit it with a baseball.

Asheville Ex Post Facto

2011-02-21T17:12:00.000-08:00

It was a heck of a show; crowded, enthusiastic-I feel it was the best in the past three years. The interest in our lace was fantastic; I was so busy speaking with potential clients that I never got a chance to eat lunch in three days, and if a wonderful customer of mine hadn't brought me a few candy bars at a critical moment, I would have face-planted from hunger. Aside from the frequent comments about how distinctive and beautiful our lace is, I was also heartened to know that folks appreciated that we addressed both the English and American Arts and Crafts movements. William Morris' Cherwell was a hit and visitors also loved the Bradbury & Bradbury Art Deco panels-indicating that tastes are running further into the 20th century. My next post will be about my friend Bo Sullivan of Arcalus, who joined me in the booth, and displayed a collection of historic trade catalogs, so watch this space!

Arts & Crafts Mecca

2011-02-09T04:30:00.000-08:00

The Arts and Crafts Conference in Asheville,
North Carolina, February 18-20, 2011

Cottage Lace exhibits at roughly half a dozen trade shows a year. Most of them are regional, meaning that their intended audience is from Seattle, Chicago, Minneapolis and perhaps Pasadena, although the latter has become the center for the West Coast faction of the Arts and Crafts Movement.

And then there's Asheville: this show is the grand dame of all of them, and folks travel from around the world to attend the antique show, the lectures and to visit the contemporary crafts-firms, amongst which is your favorite lace company.

This is our third year exhibiting at the 23 year old show, and the event is held at the legendary Grove Park Inn, a magnificent stone edifice with a breathtaking lobby. Most folks try and stay there, and if you're informed that it's sold out, keep checking; rooms often become available as the show nears. The hotel also has an amazing spa, that's certainly worth a visit.

Asheville, NC itself is a great college town, there are many lovely restaurants, including my favorite, The Laughing Seed. There are also good clubs for dancing or listening to music as well. For those of us who live in the North, the temperature seems balmy, even though it's the dead of winter. All in all, it's the perfect break for those of you passionate about the Arts and Crafts Movement, and it's always worth the trip.

Lace Around The World

2011-02-03T05:13:00.000-08:00

Potential customers often ask if we can ship our lace curtains to foreign countries, to which we respond "gladly!" We have many customers in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia, as well as Eastern Europe. We'll also ship to the Middle East and Asia. Typically, we'll use Global Priority Mail; it takes less than two weeks and is very affordable. Using this method also saves the recipient processing fees that may be assessed by other shipping methods. We can and will use these other carriers if desired. For more information please email us at info@cottagelace.com or ring 413-549-1063

Hangin' Out

2011-01-18T04:35:00.000-08:00

"How do I determine the correct width and length for my curtains?"

I spend a lot of time with our customers who are asking just this question. They're on speaker phone, standing on a step ladder, and I can hear the tape-measure clattering in the background.There's no exact formula for determining the appropriate measurement of length and width is when buying lace curtains, but one can usually divide their selection into one of two eras: the 19th century or the 20th century.

In the 19th century (Federal, Greek Revival, Early-Mid Victorian and some Colonial Revival), window treatments were "fuller" with more gathering. Typically, the ratio of lace was 1½ to 2 times the width of the window opening. Lace curtain patterns of ours that work best with this amount of fullness are the Grecian Panel, The Eastlake Panel, Cherwell and even the Hunter Rose lace curtain in some instances. 19th century lace panels often hung well below the window sill, sometimes even pooling onto the floor, but usually they terminated near or on the baseboard.

20th century (Mission, Craftsman, Arts & Crafts, Colonial Revival, Bungalow, Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern) window treatments were hung much "flatter" with less gathering; the lace ratio in this instance was no more that 1½ times, and preferably 1 to 1¼ times lace to glass. Our panels that look best in this treatment are Hunter Rose, Glen's Edge, Gingko Leaf, Pine Cone, Prairie Sumac, Art Deco, Old Colony and Good Hare Day. The preferred length for this era is just touching the window sill, which lends a much crisper, modern appearance to the window treatment. Our seamstress will custom shorten any curtains (from the top, so as not to cut into the decorative border) for only $7.50/panel. She will keep the rod pocket and header, or just the rod pocket, if you wish. Please specify which you would prefer.

If you are undecided which pattern and its respective length and width look best in your home, please request a loaner or two, and we'll send them out straight away.

The simplest and cheapest way to hang your lace curtains is with a spring-compression rod, available at most hardware stores. Choose a white one, and it will visually disappear when tucked inside the lace. If you're looking for something fancier, especially if you want to mount the curtains on the face of the woodwork, we suggest Rejuvenation, who makes a great set of inside and outside mount café rods in a variety of finishes.

We're #1!

2011-01-10T05:20:00.000-08:00

"True Grit" topped the US Box Office this week, undoubtedly due in part to the cameo appearance of Cooper's Cottage Lace's Eastlake and Grecian panels. Featured in many scenes set in the Monarch Boarding house, these panels impart a matchless historic influence on the lush interiors.

With Gratitude

2010-12-20T20:29:00.000-08:00

Yep, 'tis the season when the presidents of companies inundate the unwilling with their tedious traditional end-of-year letter that sums up the past 365 days.

I'll try to make mine short and sweet.

2010 was a vast improvement over the challenges of 2009. Cooper's Cottage Lace added great new patterns, appeared in what will be one of the leading films of the holiday season (True Grit, if you've missed my incessant plugging) and surpassed our competition to become the preeminent resource for historically-inspired lace curtains.

Not bad for a lil' ole start-up that crept onto the scene in early 2007.

But most importantly, we've built up a fanatical clientele that continually writes to inform us how much they love our product and amazing customer service. Folks, I'm humbled and flattered by your approval. I had no idea we would be this popular. Of the hundreds of comments we've received , the one that comes to mind was from a woman in the Mid-west who said: "I've been looking online forever; everyone else's lace is so boring!"

So, in closing (cue sigh of relief from readers), Thank You, to all of you for making this such a great year! May the next be even better, and a safe and peaceful holiday season to all.

Yours warmly,

Dan Cooper, President
Cooper's Cottage Lace, LLC

Rod Pockets and Headers

2010-12-16T11:09:00.000-08:00

One of the most frequent questions we receive is "how are your curtains finished at the top?"

When our lace panels leave the mill, they are cut from the top to the appropriate length and finished with a rod pocket and header combination. The pocket is about 1 1/2" high, while the header above it is about 1 1/8". You can use either for a curtain rod, as it allows some adjustment. We will custom-cut a curtain to length for you for only $7.50 a panel, and when we do this, we will give you a choice of replicating the original rod pocket/header combination, just a rod pocket, or a simple hem that you can use to attach clip-rings. We can also add a rod pocket at the bottom for door panels, and this is a frequent request as well. Please call or email if you have any questions about measuring or what size is best for your door or window!

Morris & Us.

2010-11-19T00:12:00.000-08:00

The obvious question is: why hasn’t someone made a lace curtain inspired by the works of William Morris until now? I’m supremely proud to announce the introduction of Cherwell, an 1887 design from the archives of William Morris’ Morris & Company to Cooper’s Cottage Lace’s collection. For the first time, a true, English Arts and Crafts Lace Curtain designed for Aesthetic Movement interiors is available! And for the first time, we are offering a matching Arts and Crafts lace tablecloth as well! Cherwell gives you the opportunity to bring the timeless genius of William Morris into your home in an exquisite manner, whether it’s furnished in the Late Victorian, Craftsman or a Contemporary style. This stunning all-over pattern features chrysanthemums, thistles and other flora along with the graceful leaves that make the work of Morris and Company so distinctive.

Cherwell doesn’t hint vaguely at English Arts and Crafts like some other company’s patterns; it boldly proclaims its origins! Our Scottish designer, Sherry, spent hours converting the colors of the original wallpaper pattern into different shades by varying the stitches on the loom. In fact, this is our most intricate pattern yet. Cherwell will be available on the first of the year as lace curtain panels in three widths: 20”, 33” and 47” and lengths from 54” to 90”. There will also be tablecloths that are 68” wide by 84” and 108” long. Like all of our other lace panels, Cherwell is 100% cotton and finished in Natural White, also known as Ivory. Please email me or call 413-549-1063 with any questions, and watch our website for a special introductory offer!

Patience, please!

2010-11-05T15:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, you've all been waiting breathlessly to see our newest lace pattern. I promise you, it will be worth it! We are photographing it now, and it will available for viewing by next weekend. And another tidbit; there will be matching tablecloths; a first for Arts and Crafts lace!

Back in Massachusetts, and a Teaser

2010-10-19T04:44:00.000-07:00

The Pasadena Craftsman Show was great for Cottage Lace; they moved us into the Pasadena Convention Center, which gave all of the vendors an equal opportunity to meet attendees, and the show's organizers doubled the number of vendors. This show is now the West Coast Arts and Crafts Show, and has truly risen in prominence. I met a lot of great folks, and spent time with my favorite colleagues.

And now, The Teaser. I displayed our newest pattern at the show as plain fabric, straight off of the Scottish looms. The response was fantastic; possibly the best I've ever received for a pattern introduction. Here's a hint: It's English Arts & Crafts, executed by the finest designer of the time, and its rendering into lace is a first for this person, as far as I can tell. Watch this space for an announcement!

Go West

2010-10-11T04:37:00.001-07:00

For those of you in the Greater Los Angeles area, this weekend marks the 19th Annual Pasadena Heritage Craftsman Weekend. Cooper's Cottage Lace will be at the exhibition, which will be held in the Pasadena Convention Center on Oct. 16 and 17.

If all goes well, we will be exhibiting a sneak preview of our newest lace pattern, which I assure you will be one of our most impressive.
Exhibitors at the show will include favorites from the contemporary Arts and Crafts Movement, including our artisans: Dard Hunter, Yoshiko Yamamoto, Laura Wilder and Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpaper. Pasadena itself is an amazing place, a must-see destination for Arts and Crafts aficionados. Please stop by; we'll be in the very center of the hall!

True Grit, Part 2

2010-10-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

As I posted a while back, my favorite directors, The Coen Brothers, are remaking the film True Grit. The 2010 version stars Matt Damon, Jeff Bridges and Josh Brolin. The film has been eagerly awaited, not only for its cast and script, but for the stunning images of Cooper's Cottage Lace as well! Look for over 80 of our Eastlake and Grecian panels, which were designed by Steve Bauer of Bradbury & Bradbury Wallpapers. Incidentally, we'll be exhibiting near Bradbury at the Pasadena Heritage Weekend Show on Oct 15-17, but I'll post more on that next week!

Here, direct from Youtube, is a clip showing the set and our curtains in situ:

Eastlake at The Osborne

2010-09-28T15:12:00.000-07:00

We were extremely flattered when recently, a client and dear friend selected our Eastlake Panel, designed by Steve Bauer of Bradbury & Bradbury Wallpapers, to be installed in his Aesthetic Movement apartment at The Osborne in Manhattan. After an intense search, he felt that this pattern was the only one robust enough to accompany his stellar collection of 19th century furnishings.

For those of you unfamiliar with the structure, The Osborne is a fantastic brownstone apartment building situated on the northwest corner of 7th Avenue and West 57th street in Manhattan. Built between 1883 and 1885, in the American Renaissance style, its lobby is renowned as one of New York City's architectural gems. Located diagonally across from Carnegie Hall, it is a favorite of those enchanted with the city's Victorian past.

It's Showtime(s)!

2010-09-17T06:52:00.000-07:00

Autumn marks the beginning of the Contemporary Arts & Crafts Movement's U.S. Tour, and next weekend, September 25th and 26th, Cooper's Cottage Lace will be exhibiting at both the Seattle Bungalow Fair and the Twin Cities Arts and Crafts Show.

And just how can a micro-business like us do such a thing? We're partnering with Archive Edition Textiles. My dear friend Paul Freeman will man a double booth in Seattle with both of our wares, and I will do the same in Minneapolis. Please stop by and take advantage of Cottage Lace's special show promotion!

Next step on the tour: Pasadena Heritage Weekend October 16th and 17th!

Side by Sidelight

2010-09-08T13:20:00.000-07:00

Often overlooked when selecting window treatments, sidelights are those narrow, vertical windows located on one or both sides of an entry door. They allow light in, and permit the occupants to see just who is knocking at 8am on a Saturday.

But sometimes, we don't want those folks looking in and seeing us standing there in our bathrobes.

Hence, Cottage Lace has directed a great amount of attention to creating sidelights in just about every pattern we offer. Depicted here is our Grecian Panel sidelight, designed by Steve Bauer of Bradbury & Bradbury wallpapers. It's a Neo-Grec pattern that works in all Classically-styled houses, from Georgian and Federal, to Greek Revival, Second Empire and of course, Colonial Revival homes.

Our seamstress will gladly custom cut them to whichever length works best for your home.

Perfect Placement

2010-09-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

This photograph is from a client's vacation home on Cape Cod; they've selected our Old Colony pattern for their 1890s retreat and it's one of the most delightful placements I've seen. This delicately undulating Colonial Revival lace curtain pattern compliments the informality of the house and conveys a sense of relaxation, all the while adhering to a nostalgia for the past.

True Grit

2010-03-18T04:39:00.000-07:00

The Coen Brothers are remaking the film True Grit; you may recall the original version from 1969 that starred John Wayne, Glen Campbell and Kim Darby. It was Wayne's last film and he won an Oscar for his role. The 2010 version, which stars Matt Damon, Jeff Bridges and Josh Brolin is currently filming in Texas, but for me, the biggest star will be Cooper's Cottage Lace; the set decorators bought a whole mess of our Eastlake and Grecian panels for the boarding house set. As a huge Coen Brothers fan, and an aficionado of historic interiors, I'm very excited...

The release date is next Christmas.

See you at the movies!

Are You Going to Asheville?

2010-01-20T12:43:00.000-08:00

The Arts and Crafts Conference in Asheville,
North Carolina, February 19-21, 2010

Cottage Lace exhibits at roughly half a dozen trade shows a year. Most of them are regional, meaning that their intended audience is from Seattle, Chicago, Minneapolis and perhaps Pasadena, although the latter does draw folks from all over.

And then there's Asheville: this show is the grand dame of all of them, and folks travel from around the world to attend the antique show, the lectures and to visit the contemporary craftsfirms, amongst which is your favorite lace company.

This is our second year exhibiting at the 22 year old show, although I've attended in years past when I was working for another company. For that firm, and my own, I found that having a presence was invaluable; everyone is there...it's like your entire address book is waiting in the bar for you. There's wheeler-dealers, scholars and enthusiastic homeowners all mingling for three days.

The event is held at the legendary Grove Park Inn, a magnificent stone edifice with a breathtaking lobby. Most folks try and stay there, and if you're informed that it's sold out, keep checking; rooms often become available as the show nears. The hotel also has an amazing spa, where I've often wound up meeting clients and verbally closing a deal.

Asheville, NC itself is a great college town, there are many lovely restaurants, including my favorite, The Laughing Seed. There are also good clubs for dancing or listening to music as well. For those of us who live in the North, the temperature seems balmy, even though it's the dead of winter. All in all, it's the perfect break for those of you passionate about the Arts and Crafts Movement, and it's always worth the trip.

A Lace By Any Other Name...

2010-01-12T06:29:00.000-08:00

...is still a Madras Lace Curtain.

Not to belabor, but to educate, that's my goal. As a writer and a lecturer, my mission has always been to share as much information as possible with the public, so that they make informed decisions and we then can all preserve history together. Got a question about historic houses, interiors or antiques? Just write.

So, with that in mind, here goes: Cooper's Cottage Lace, LLC, known to many, and doing business as Cottage Lace, sells Madras Lace Curtains. They are woven in Scotland, on the outskirts of Glasgow, by really wonderful folks. They've been working diligently to keep the industry alive in the United Kingdom, and they're doing a great job. They help with the technical, production and shipping aspects of my business with breathtakingly fast speed, and they are a joy to work with. They've been helping me with a new line that should appear sometime this year (it's a secret, it's really cool, and I promise that you'll be the first to know).

The Mill has been in business for over 100 years, and they call our curtains and panels Madras Lace (or, sometimes Lace Madras, when they feel like it).

In addition, there's a very well-known company in downtown Boston, MA, who started importing reproduction lace curtains, well before other companies, and they call their curtains Madras Lace. In fact, another company that sells lace curtains refers to this particular weave as "Madras Lace" on their website.

I started this entry by paraphrasing Shakespeare, and I'll close by quoting him directly, from The Merchant of Venice, Act I, Scene III: "The devil can cite scripture for his purpose".

Thoughts on 2009 and Madras Lace Curtains

2009-12-31T09:58:00.000-08:00

It's been a heck of a year for all of us; but as we close out the books on 2009 and prepare for 2010, I took some time to think back on the challenges we faced as a business, and in truth, I'm really gratified.

What am I most grateful for? All of you; our customers, artisans, showroom owners and supporters!

One of the drawbacks of being an Internet business is that you seldom get to meet your clientele, and so I traveled around the country and I got to speak with so many of you in person at shows, museums and even while installing our curtains when I could! I was humbled by your enthusiasm for our products and just how broadly and deeply the awareness of our line has become! Who would have thought that just over two years ago, when we emerged as a tiny newbie in the crowded lace curtain field, our star would shine so brightly, and so quickly? Our products have evidently caused a ripple across the industry, and I'm truly flattered by this, as it is only further affirmation of our concept of Artful Lace.

We introduced a line of lace curtains designed by Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpapers and your response has been fantastic! As of tomorrow, we'll be taking orders for our newest lace pattern: Oak & Acorn by C. F. A. Voysey and David E. Berman. The introduction of this latest pattern is especially rewarding; we have be displaying its prototype at trade shows since May of 2009, and we finally came up with the perfect border, thanks to David at Trustworth Studios.

So again, thanks to all of you for making the most of a challenging year. Drive safely, have a great time, and know that you all deserve my warmest affection.

Yours,

Dan Cooper, President
Cooper's Cottage Lace, LLC

Voysey Oak & Acorn Lace

2009-12-17T07:25:00.000-08:00

About Our Newest Lace Pattern
by C. F.A. Voysey and David E. Berman

First off, a little history about C. F. A. Voysey: he was an English architect and designer of the second generation of the British Arts & Crafts Movement. Voysey followed on the heels of William Morris and Charles Locke Eastlake, and was a contemporary of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Think of these gents and their peers as Great Britain's answer to France's Art Nouveau and Germany's Jugendstil.

Secondly, let me introduce David E. Berman of Trustworth Studios. David is a Voysey fanatic: he has taught himself woodworking, metalsmithing, finishing and any other skill that might allow him to reproduce Voysey's designs. He started with furniture and lighting, but now he focuses on creating Voysey's wallpaper and fabrics.

David has been a dear friend of mine since the early 1990s when I worked in the eastern part of the state and had a long commute. I would stay over at his place twice a week, and we shared many a dinner and occasionally went on historic interior design calls together. Our exploits are the fodder for my second book, which hopefully will be published in the coming year or so.

Back to the lace: Cooper's Cottage Lace has always sought to approach the finest contemporary Arts and Crafts Movement artisans and ask them to design our Artful Lace curtains. David obliged with one of his favorites, The Oak and Acorn. It's a wallpaper design, and you can see Voysey's watercolor for it here:

(David would be delighted to print this for you in any color and scale, as that is Trustworth's speciality.) We decided that using a symmetrical mirror image would look nicer for a lace panel, so David flipped it, and this is the resulting image:

He then added a pin-stripe border, and I had it woven in Scotland in 100% cotton Madras Weave. We're both delighted with the way it turned out, and I'm so happy to be able to add it to our line of Arts and Crafts Lace Curtains.

Madras vs. Nottingham

2009-12-02T18:59:00.000-08:00

A Tale of Two Laces

Almost all of the lace curtains that are currently available are fabricated in one of two different weaves: Madras or Nottingham. Most of the patterns that you see are Nottingham: it's less expensive to produce and there are several companies with Nottingham looms. A pattern is created by a number of different stitches that allow a variety of shadings. The lace is "flat", meaning that there is no outside or inside, and the panels are reversible.

Madras lace, on the other hand, is made by only one mill in Scotland, and it is a far more painstaking process. First, a layer of scrim is produced; imagine a very soft, fine piece of cheesecloth that is woven and then put back on the loom. Then, the pattern of choice is applied on top of the scrim and then the excess is sheared off. While there are only 2 or 3 "shadings", the detail is much crisper and delicate. There's also a fair amount of waste, and the looms are much slower. Madras lace also has a "fuzzy" side, which typically looks best facing into the room.

Here's the difference between the two:

I borrowed a friend's Nottingham curtain with an Arts and Crafts "Square Rose" motif and photographed it:

And below is a section of our Hunter Rose in Madras. Note that both roses are roughly the same size:

If you can blow up the shots, you can see their textural differences quite dramatically. This blog is not a judgement between the two weaves; both are great, but it's always nice to understand the difference.

Deco The Halls Next Weekend!

2009-11-28T11:17:00.000-08:00

The San Francisco Art Deco and Modernism Show.

(Arts & Crafts, too!)

"Over one hundred fifty dealers from across the country selling furniture, accessories, art, pottery, glass, books, jewelry, vintage clothing and collectibles from 1900 to 1980, including Arts & Crafts Mission, Monterey, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Streamline Modern, Vintage Western, Mid-Century Modern and exceptional design to 1980."

If you will be in the Bay Area next weekend, please visit the Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpapers booth. Aside from displaying their amazing collection of wall and ceiling papers, they will be showing some of our lace panels, including the Art Deco, Hunter Rose and Prairie Sumac Panels.

They will be featuring a special sale promotion on our lace curtains, good for one week only!
Admission and Hours:
Saturday, Dec. 5th 10 am - 6 pm and Sunday Dec. 6th 11 am - 5 pm

General Admission: $10 and Deco Society members and Seniors: $8
(Admission receipt credit towards single purchase of $100 or more.)

Directions to The Concourse Exhibition Center:

From the north: 101 South across The Golden Gate Bridge. Take Lombard Street, turn right onto Van Ness Avenue. Make a left onto Grove Street to Hyde Street, which becomes 8th when it crosses Market Street. Continue down 8th Street to Brannan.

From the east Bay: Take the Bay Bridge. Exit at 9th Street/Civic Center, go left onto 8th Street. Continue two blocks to Brannan. From the South Peninsula: Take 101 North to 7th Street Exit. Go straight onto Bryant Street, turn right onto 6th Street. Turn right on Brannan and continue to 8th Street.

Artful Lace

2009-11-25T08:24:00.000-08:00

There's a handful or two of companies out there selling lace curtains to people with old houses or historically inspired interiors. You can find them on Google, just as you probably found my site: Cottage Lace. For the most part, they are decent folks with lovely merchandise, and truly, if you prefer one of their patterns over ours, that's fine. As an old house restorer for 20 years, I know the joy of finding just the right thing to complete a project, and I wish that for everyone.

When I started Cooper's Cottage Lace, LLC in September of 2007, I had already been selling lace curtains for the previous 16 years. As I looked around, I noticed that all of the patterns were roughly from the same era (1870-1910) and that there were a lot of similarities. I wanted to do something different, something Artful. Instead of copying the past exactly, I wanted to reinterpret lace curtain design into something historically inspired, but altogether original, in the spirit of the Arts and Crafts Movement designers.

So, I contacted my artisan friends and asked them to design lace for me. They all rose to the challenge admirably, and the line has expanded from 6 patterns to 11, with some very special patterns to be introduced in the New Year. My friends really deserve the credit for our success, for they have created these wonderful patterns that in practice, make your house more beautiful, but in theory, continue the tradition of the Artisan-Designer. You can now decorate your home with the same passion that inspired William Morris and continued through the Roycrofters and onwards: craftsmanship, and respect for the past, while embracing the future.

So, with credit being due to those who truly deserve it, here's a huge "Thank You!" from me to the artisans that have made Cottage Lace such a success:

My Book: New Classic American Houses

2009-11-19T14:26:00.000-08:00

File this under shameless self-promotion:

My book is finally out; those of you who know me well are probably aware that I've been working on this for over a year. It's about the architecture of three Boston architects who are currently practicing. They are Albert, Righter and Tittmann, and when I was first shown their portfolio by the folks at the Vendome Press in New York, I said "It looks like McKim, Mead & White had stayed in business for another century!" The first review came out, from Resident Architect, and it is very favorable. You'd think my mother had written it.

You can buy my book pretty much everywhere...Amazon, Borders, Barnes and Noble, etc. If you'd like to meet me, I'll be at the Boston Borders Books on School Street at 1pm on Tuesday, Dec. 8th for a brief signing.

I also owe a shout out to Mo at the William Morris Fan Club Blog, for years ago, she gave me a copy of "The Houses of McKim, Mead and White" which was a huge inspiration for me, not only in how I approach design within my own home and when working for others, but without it, I couldn't have been able to write this book.

Aside from blowing my own horn, I'd like to mention what fascinated me about these gents is their ability to embrace the past, and yet reinterpret it without resorting to rote copying. They are part of the evolution of Classical and Shingle Style architecture, and this willful participation in the progression of past to future is also the concept behind the lace curtain patterns of my company, Cooper's Cottage Lace, LLC. I call it "Artful Lace" and I'll go into this in my next blog.

Tea Dyeing Lace

2009-11-14T04:57:00.000-08:00

All of the cotton lace curtains that you see were a light brownish color when they were first woven; they're called gray goods or loomstate, and then these raw panels or yardage are taken to the finishers, where they are dyed to a specific color.

When Cooper's Cottage Lace started back in 2007, we decided to select one color for our lace that would be the most compatible with everyone's interior, and selected Natural White (also known in the trade as Ivory), as it was a pleasing white shade that was not too stark and was also potentially more stable than lace that had been bleached. Whan clients ask "What color is Natural White?" I tell them that it looks like white, until you put it next to pure white. It's not as brown as ecru, nor is it very "yellowy", either.

Natural white looks great with white woodwork but has enough of a tint to please folks who usually want a little bit of "character" to their curtains.

But, some of you out there want a lot of character, and so, herewith, are the instructions on how to tea-dye your lace. Tea-dyeing is a time honored method of darkening lace curtains to make them look antique, and is often used on film sets.

The following is from "The Crazy Quilt Handbook" by Judith Montano and C&T Publishing

"To make the tea solution, boil a gallon of water with four tea bags in it for 15 minutes. Strain the solution and return it to simmer. Wet the lace in plain water, then put it into simmering tea. When the lace has simmered for 15 minutes, take it out and put it in a setting solution of 1/2 cup white vinegar in one gallon of water. Let it set for 15 minutes, then rinse it thoroughly and press."

If you're considering trying this process, please call or email us, and we'll send you some cuttings to experiment with at no charge. You can also use fabric dyes, such as RIT or other types available from crafts stores. This can give you virtually any color imaginable, and is quite striking. I've seen our Old Colony in black, and it's beautiful.

Lace Curtains for the Classical Interior

2009-10-31T08:35:00.000-07:00

I've been selling historic lace curtains for roughly 19 years now, and one of the most common requests I've received is for lace panels and sheers that are appropriate for homes built before 1860. Here's the dilemma; machine-made lace curtains weren't yet available in the 18th and early 19th centuries. My clients who owned Georgian, Federal and Greek Revival Houses (along with some Second Empire and Italianates) had to make do with later Victorian lace curtains, but they felt that they were compromising their interior design.

Realizing this, and wishing to expand Cooper's Cottage Lace's line of lace curtain panels beyond the 1880-1920 range, I approached Steve Bauer of Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpapers to design several lace panels for me, including one based on the hugely popular Neo-Grec Roomset. Steve presented me with a design that we've called the Grecian Panel and Grecian Sidelight, and they've been a huge success.

The Grecian Sidelights, which are 20" wide, have fulfilled a need for all of those early houses that have narrow sidelight windows where the homeowners wanted privacy but also desired that daylight illuminate their hallways. The Grecian Panels themselves are grand, yet intricate lace curtains that accentuate that huge Empire Sofa you've just purchased like no other lace curtain panel available.

We've woven these 100% cotton panels, in lengths up to 90" long, although we can custom-weave any length, upon request. Our seamstress will also shorten them to whatever length you'd like. As mentioned, the sidelights are 20" wide, while the Grecian Panels are 47" wide. You can find out more about the Grecian Panels and our many other patterns at: http://www.cottagelace.com/