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Outdoor Drapes Enhance a Kessler Park Historic District Bungalow; Dallas, Texas
We no longer have to travel to a far destination to experience nature at its finest. Outdoor living has become an extension of our homes and allows our busy life to slow down and ponder the world beyond our back door. For many of us, we are stumped at the idea of an outdoor area that can resemble the same comfort and sophistication of the indoors. But for family, it's been realized that there are no limits to what is possible.
For Chris and his family, building their outdoor oasis to match their historic home began with adding a deck to the backyard. Having the luxury to live in one of the most beautiful historic districts in Dallas, Texas has been a blessing to say the least. Where exactly is this Historic District located? Kessler Park in a residential area named Oak Cliff. It is literally one of the best-kept secrets in Dallas since we have easy access to downtown, a plethora of restaurant choices, tons of great neighbors and all that in the town that was originally to be Dallas!"
The Kessler Park Historic District is an excellent assortment of 1920's-1940's bungalows and large, revival style houses. Although historic bungalows with craftsman details are few and far between, they still offer all the elements of charm and beauty as the other revival style homes. "We are both professionals... We enjoy spending time decorating, renovating, and reading about the history of the house and the neighborhood." This development was built in the 1920's and 1930's by a man named George Kessler, a pioneer city planner and landscape architect back in the late 1800's to early 1900's.
"In 1893 he drew up a plan for the development of the city's park-boulevard system. He designed and landscaped the St. Louis World's Fair grounds in 1904. The same year he redesigned the grounds of Fair Park in Dallas; however his biggest contribution in Dallas, the "famous" Kessler Plan, came five years later. His ideas of community planning became more important with each addition to the subdivision.[1]"
With homes built in the 1920's, the residents of Kessler Park have maintained and respected their homes with the utmost care and consideration, keeping everything intact to the fullest restoration possible. "We enjoy the neighborhood and our 1928 bungalow/craftsman style home - which we've slowly but surely been restoring. The one item it has always lacked was a great outdoors living space so we finally did it - after a long 6 months the deck was done and just in time for the HOT Texas summer!"
Christopher and Brian obviously wanted to keep the integrity of their home, so when they added the back deck, they wanted a way to block out the sun while still allowing a breeze to blow through; installing outdoor drapes seemed to be the best solution. "We wanted to provide shade on the porch since it faces west and the panels just add a wonderful charm and elegance which fit right in line with our home's existing architecture."
These Sunbrella #5404 Natural outdoor drapes were just the touch they needed to complete their outdoor oasis. The amount of drama and ambiance created by outdoor drapes is really a small price to pay for the results you are left with. Sunbrella fabrics are made with solution-dyed acrylic yarns which allow the color to stay true in any amount of rain or direct sunlight. Sunbrella fabrics come with a 5 year warranty against fading, mildewing and staining from normal wear and tear which explains why this family chose to provide their home with the best quality outdoor fabric on the market today.
Christopher had also mentioned, "In fact, the neighbors have commented on them - they absolutely love them and can't wait till we have a party! That's coming soon!"
Having a great outdoor area is a way to reach out to our neighbors and friends. Who knew that outdoor drapes could provide a cozy welcoming environment for all those that we care for?
Article by Anita Winter
Source [1] Kessler's neighbors United, History of the Kessler Park Historic District
Piegari's Restaurant, San Angel Mexico
Outdoor drapes have taken on a whole new meaning when you gaze upon these larger-than-life draperies that one restaurant in the San Angel area of Mexico, named Piegari's, dared to dream. This new chic Italian restaurant was once a lavish mansion; however, with the special request from a prominent architect, now is adorned in these Dupione Papaya #8053 Sunbrella fabrics which adds elegance and sophistication to this entry way.
The beauty of Sunbrella goes beyond the obvious because they are not only gorgeous to look at but they are one of the most durable outdoor fabrics on the market today. With all the exposure to the outdoor elements - wind, rain and sun - these curtains need to be resilient, and go further than any other outdoor fabric material.
Sunbrella fabrics are made from 100 percent solution-dyed acrylic yarns. Solution-dying is a process that adds color to the acrylic fibers while they are still in a liquid state. This allows the color to penetrate through the fibers which helps the fabric not to fade. This keeps the color true and accurate for much longer than those outdoor fabrics of the past; also, Sunbrella's UV-resistant color pigments are fully blended into its high performance fiber which constitutes their excellent reputation from the American Cancer society. Another attribute to these fabrics is being water repellent. This means that during the finishing process, a water-repellent finish is applied to the fabric. You can pour buckets of water on this fabric and the water rolls right off so it dries quicker and if kept clean will resist the growth of mold and mildew.
Notice the size of these drapes; they were sewn in three sections to make a 19' by 4' panel, with each panel weighing 22 lbs. The results are nothing more than magical. That's the beauty of drapes. They have a way of bringing great presence to a space along with a bit of whimsy. The idea of photos like this is to inspire you to think outside the box. Whether you have a pergola, patio, deck or gazebo area, outdoor drapes can add a special touch of drama and sophistication that draws you in and welcomes your friends and loved ones.
Article by Anita Winter
