Who thought of using a barn door in a house? Why do you keep hearing about the Color of the Year? Why do living rooms in New York City influence living rooms in Colorado Springs?

Here in the Mountain West, we tend to think that New York and Los Angeles drive the trends, but actually the single most influential factor in interior design is the economy. The way people perceive their prospects for financial success has a surprisingly large impact on how they prefer their surroundings.

Need proof? During the Great Recession, the most popular colors to paint, upholster or cover windows were varieties of gray. People were feeling gray after absorbing bad news and when the population of a country is feeling fear and despair, they like their surroundings to be calm, cool and not too exciting. After all, who needs anxiety magnified by bright colors?

It sounds a little silly when we write it down, but it’s true. The economic news has been improving and colors are getting more cheerful. But if that’s the case, why do we still see grays? The economy may have a lot to say about interior design, but it’s not the only influence.

In our high-tech times, trends are often started through the media. People see things they like on Facebook, Instagram and others that influence their own design choices. Retailers try to provide what people want and suddenly a widely-shared picture of a celebrity’s home is echoed in homes around the country.

Entertainment media also has widespread effect. People like things they see in movies. The décor used in a popular movie can show up in modern homes. Remember the blockbuster, Titanic? The early 20th century décor from the movie showed up in homes. In a similar vein, decorating shows are watched by people who use their ideas and create trends.

As you can imagine, trends don’t last as long as they used to. The lifespan of a trend, from inception to obsolescence, used to be about ten years. Today it’s five to six years.

You’ll want to keep that in mind as you make your design choices, whatever you think will happen in the financial world. Call us to make the most of your investment and keep your home looking current regardless of the stock market’s direction.

You can just buy window treatments at a big box store, right?

Sure, if you don’t mind paying more in the end.

Look at all the ways a professional saves you money by doing it right the first time.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

If you measure incorrectly—which can happen, especially when dealing with bay or other oddly shaped windows—you are on the hook for the replacement. Our designer, Theresa Guthals, will measure correctly the first time and in the unlikely event of a mistake, we pay for the replacement.

Deadly Pull Cords

Did you know loose pull cords are illegal in the U.S.? They kill an average of 12 children a year and an unknown number of pets.

When you hire Pikes Peak Interiors to design your window coverings, you get an American-made product of the best quality and a lifetime guarantee.

Distant Draperies

Having your drapes made locally saves time and can save money simply because we have a relationship with the people doing the work. Theresa’s vast experience with draperies combined with good communication makes the process run smoothly.

Permanently Closed

How are you going to manage that window that’s out of reach? Theresa knows all about lifting and opening systems, which saves you money in the short and long term. You won’t have to replace that window treatment when the season changes and the sun moves.

Don’t Miss the Federal Rebates!

Modern window coverings can be so energy efficient that you can get a federal rebate for them. Theresa has been working on homes in Colorado Springs for more than 30 years and can advise you on the best way to manage the sun exposure and temperature of your home.

Fading Furniture

You may think curtains are the best window coverings for your bedroom, but maybe we’ve got something better. Do you have a view? Does the sun stream in during the day and bleach the color out of the carpet?

We know which window coverings reduce glare and can often offer options to preserve features you thought would be lost.

Don’t Shut Them In

Shutters are like a big piece of furniture that block a lot of light. They look wonderful in some places, but you don’t want to order them and find out they aren’t the right fit.

Theresa’s experience saves you from this very expensive mistake. She knows how to make sure shutters will enhance the beauty of a room, not obscure it.

Exclusive Preview

Even if you do everything else right, you might find your window coverings don’t look as good as you’d hoped when you ordered them. Theresa can show you how they will look before you invest a cent. She creates a digital mock-up for you to view before it’s too late to make changes.

Avoid these pitfalls by working with Theresa. You’ll get the benefit of her experience as an interior designer—something that won’t happen with a regular window treatment salesman.

Contact us today and make your home beautiful without making mistakes.

You’re probably picturing an interior design consultation something like this …

How We All Imagine our First Interior Design Consultation

The doorbell rings. You answer it and a glamorously dressed lady sweeps past you into your home, followed by a cadre of young men. She barely acknowledges you and starts barking orders to her minions. “Get rid of that awful couch!” and “Bring in the statue of Venus!”

Twenty minutes later, your home is unrecognizable to you, but looks as if it belongs in a fancy architectural magazine. Stunned, you try to sink down into a chair, but they are all too high for a human being.

The diva hands you a bill without speaking a word and is gone.

What Really Happens at an Appointment with Pikes Peak Interiors

It’s a fun fantasy, but interior design doesn’t really work that way, at least with our designer, Theresa Guthals. It happens more like this…

The doorbell rings. You answer it and Theresa cheerfully says hello. You chat and she politely waits for you to invite her in.

As you walk through the living room into the kitchen, she admires your home and calls your attention to attractive details. You spend some time chatting about that favorite coffee table that you inherited from your grandmother and you mention you were thinking of getting it refinished. Theresa gives you the name of the best furniture refinisher in town.

You sit down at the kitchen table and Theresa begins asking you questions. What do you want to accomplish during the appointment? What do you like and what would you like to change about your home? What is your budget and timeline?

At the end of 45 minutes, you get up to get a glass of water. You’ve been doing most of the talking and it’s made you thirsty.

As you’re going to the refrigerator, Theresa lays out some different options for your project. You tell her which ones you like best and she runs out to the car to get some samples of fabric or colors. 

After you’ve asked some questions about the products and she has explained why she only offers the best available, she asks what you would like to do next. You agree on a plan and you are one step closer to your dream home.

Pikes Peak Interiors wants to help you personalize your home and arrange it your way, not ours. Call us at 719-238-6044 and make an appointment. We promise not to bring minions.

Does it make sense to buy cheap window treatments from a big box store?

If you answered, “yes”, you probably did so for one of these reasons:

You don’t care how it looks or whether it lasts.

You’re worried you’re going to spend a lot of money only to find you hate how it looks in your house.

You don’t have children or pets to be concerned about.

If you don’t care how it looks or whether it lasts, we probably can’t help you. Pikes Peak Interiors is committed to selling beautiful, high-quality products.

On the other hand, if your concern is one of the last two, please read on.

Why We Only Sell Hunter Douglas Window Treatments

Reason #1: Hunter Douglas Products are Completely Customizable

It’s hard to tell how something is going to look in your home when you’re looking at it in a display or a catalog. No wonder you’re concerned!

When you work with us to buy a Hunter Douglas window covering, we don’t start by looking at the catalog. We start by looking at the room. Pikes Peak Interiors’ designer Theresa Guthals comes to your home and advises you on how to meet your needs for that room. She’ll talk with you about how you want the room to look and how you want the covering to function. Only then do you start looking at the products.

We love that Hunter Douglas offers so many options. Since you and Theresa have talked about the best fit for your needs, you have a good idea what you want and more often than not you can select exactly what you want.

Reason #2: Hunter Douglas has the Most Innovative Products

Did you know that blinds and shades are not supposed to be manufactured with loose cords? Those awful cords strangle about 12 children and an unknown number of pets every year in avoidable accidents.

Hunter Douglas started making new lifting systems long before the loose cords became illegal. They have all kinds of options.

• Motorized systems that use a remote or a computer
• Cordless rising systems that you just push up or down
• Retractable cords that pull themselves out of the way when not in use

Not only do they install innovative lifting systems, but they have inventive fabrics too. They offer fabrics that filter and reflect light in a variety of ways, as well as products that are so energy efficient that they qualify for federal tax rebates!

Reason #3: Hunter Douglas Products Come with a Lifetime Guarantee

Hunter Douglas products are meant to last a lifetime. That works for us since we think style is about the person who owns the home, not the latest fashion in New York. These products are guaranteed to last as long as you want them.

Theresa, our designer, has put Hunter Douglas products in hundreds of Colorado Springs homes. We think you’ll love them too!

It’s mid-November and the sun is still shining here in Colorado Springs. At this writing, the temperature is a balmy 72 degrees and we are all looking at the almanac in confusion.

Who knew we would still have so much heat and light so late in the year?

Nobody really knows what the weather will bring of course, but we do have a pretty good idea of the extremes of our mountain climate. The sun is strong, the light intense and the temperatures swing high and low. You may also have noticed that it’s dry. Even fish use more water when they’re in Colorado.

Does all that affect your home? You bet it does. Here are five reasons why you need a professional interior designer for your home in the Springs.

• Strong sunlight fades your home furnishings. We know how to block that UV light and preserve the colors inside without blocking your beautiful view of Pikes Peak on the outside.

• The strong sunlight creates heat through the windows and makes your home hot & uncomfortable. It happens all year round here, but we know how to block that heat.

• Paint colors can look completely different in sun or shadow. We know what colors and textures work best in our bright sunlight.

• Everyone hates having workers in the house, but we know which installers will show up on time, do the job right and return your home to the peaceful, private space it is meant to be.

• The bright light and heat can render a room unusable if you have dramatic floor to ceiling windows, but we know who can make the largest custom draperies. After all, those draperies are made by hand and a 20 foot shop can’t make a 30 foot drape.

And now the clouds are rolling in. Will we have a dramatic snowstorm? It’s hard to say, but whatever the weather, you’ll enjoy watching it if you’re inside your beautiful home.

Contact us today and let us customize your home for you and for the climate!