Arch Window Shades

Seeking a sense of peace in home decor? Give stone a chance

It was in the ancient city of Bath, England, and particularly while relaxing in a stone-walled soaking pool in 2006, that Elizabeth Pinky Edens became enchanted with the strength and serenity that can be drawn from stone.

"Before I left England, I loved stone so much," she says. "There's this incredible feeling of peace stone gives you."

So, while still in the most British of isles, she decided that upon her return to Perrysburg, Ohio, she would transform an ordinary first-floor bedroom in her two-level, 47-year-old ranch home into a space conducive to contemplation and prayer. And she knew precisely what the chapel's focal point would be: a 14-inch-by-25-inch marble slab inset with 120 Tiffany tiles that form a golden Celtic cross.

"I love how cold stone is," particularly when it's juxtaposed with the warmth of objects that embody spirituality, says Edens. "You only really perceive light in terms of darkness and you perceive warmth in terms of coldness."

Indeed, this 12-foot-by-16-foot area of calm is a refuge for her fast-working mind.

"Years ago, a friend of mine told me she created a serene space in a closet; she called it her prayer closet. I wanted a space that was dedicated to serenity. Our lives are so cluttered aren't they, with stuff and all the details of life, and I wanted something set apart." She refers to Psalm 46: 9-11: "I think it's important to have spaces and times when we can 'be still and know that I am God.' "

She reads here, and naps, and prays.

"A friend was over recently and asked to go in the chapel for a few minutes. That's the sweetness of it."

Entry is through a black wrought-iron gate she designed and had made locally. Just beyond is a standing sanctuary lamp, and then you face a wall of stone with a pair of weatherworn statues at each side, two arched windows and, in the very center, the marvelous Tiffany piece, below which is an arched gas fireplace.

The windows offer a view of her 12-foot-by-12-foot biblical garden outside; it's planted with flowers mentioned in the good book and surrounded by a knee-high wrought-iron fence.

In the corners, large wall pedestals framed in travertine (a limestone) bear cement likenesses of St. Francis of Assisi and an angel. Facing the stone wall is a prie-dieu, its thick kneeling cushion covered with a fabric reproduced from an old English pattern. Behind the kneeling bench is an arched stone alcove, 85 inches tall and 30 inches deep, tucked into what had been a closet that held her late mother-in-law's clothing. An antique art-glass lamp shaped like an inverted pear hangs above the cove's snug seat for two that's overlaid with decorative pillows. Here, Edens cozies up with a book or enjoys conversations with daughter Genevieve Wilson when she visits from her home in England.

Custom Arched Window Treatments for a Stylish Home

The challenge of a special window is to dress it well without overpowering its unique look and shape.  Arched windows present their own set of challenges for decorating, but arched window treatments can make the most of your window's elegant lines and extra light.  When considering various arched window treatments, think about which aspect of the arch is most important to you.  Is it the dramatic shape, the extra light, or the privacy you would like to preserve?  Do you want to create a dramatic bedroom, or an airy, light kitchen or living room?  Whatever look or feel you're going for, you can find arched window treatments to accent and complement the room. One common arched window treatment is the pleated fabric, half-round, arch shade.   These shades are usually stationary and permit diffused light while still affording privacy, keeping heat gain down, and protecting furniture from harsh, direct UV light.  Some pleated half-round shades come in peel-and-stick models that can be affixed without screws, nails or brackets and can be cut to the exact size of your arch.  There is a wide variety of fixed, cellular fabric arch shades to complement upholstery, bed coverings or existing cellular shades.  As long as the height of the arch is exactly half its width, you will have no problem finding a wide variety of pleated or cellular shades ready to hang.  If you want a seriously stylish treatment, consider new motorized, pleated arch shades that fold open from the center and retract into the horizontal bar at the bottom of the arch. For a more rustic or richer feel, you could also try a fixed wooden treatment.  One such treatment involves slats fixed at a forty-five degree angle to diffuse light and limit the amount of heat that enters your home. These wooden slats could be selected to match a favored piece of furniture, a dining set, cabinets or even hardwood floors.  Wooden blackout arch treatments are another option for more privacy and offer the opportunity to create a dramatic design piece above your window.

Window Treatments

Sunset ideas for great window treatments

The Design Directory of Window Treatments

Window treatments, by the editors of Sunset Books

Window Treatments Idea Book