ADRETTE Custom Window Coverings — Attraction in West Linn

We all ask ourselves why we pay extra for a designer, but an hour of consulting with Marlys Wiegand quickly put that question to rest.  She has exquisite taste, she knows the products inside and out and she is deeply committed to customer service.  My husband and I were very pleased with her work in our home.  She listened to our needs and preferences and guided us to fabrications that are both stylish and practical.  She also gave us an accurate understanding of the time frame to build and install the custom window coverings.  There was a glitch in the construction of one of the dining room shades. She personally supervised the process of making good on that problem, and we were delighted with the result.  Mistakes can happen in a workshop, but the way she supervised the correction and ensured that it received speedy attention, and that she personally oversaw both the installation and the re-installation only underscored my willingness to recommend her to other buyers. I was so pleased that Marlys had recommended construction by Hunter Douglas, a U.S. company that has a fine reputation.  I wouldn’t have wanted to face this issue with an overseas mail order manufacturer.  Marlys surely ranks among the finest window fashion designers.  That’s the short version of my review.  Read on if you want more detail.

The work focused on a Great Room that is comprised of a living room space, kitchen and dining room with walls that are nearly 30 feet high (yes, really).  At the 19-foot level are four living room windows that function as skylights.  For these, we definitely needed remote-controlled power shades.  (Either that, or we’d have to train with Cirque du Soleil!)  We purchased light-filtering 3/4” Applause honeycomb shades with Powerview motorization, rechargeable battery wands and remote control. The shades offer insulation to keep our home cool in the summer and warm in the colder months.  When raised, they almost disappear, which draws the eye to the view and not the mechanism.  Because there is no power source near those windows, once a year, we’ll have to recharge the batteries.  We’ll have a painter do that when he changes the battery in our smoke detector.

In the Dining room, we have giant windows.  We love the views so much that it killed us to have window coverings, but we had to be realistic about possible sun damage.  Marlys was patient as we talked about wanting something we didn’t want to buy.  Again, she guided us to a mechanism that would almost disappear when fully opened - genius.  We purchased 4” Silhouette shades with gauzy Clearview fabric and Ultraglide lift systems. We chose a cheerful neutral color that looks good both inside and outside our home. True to its name, the shades' sheer fabric preserves exterior silhouette views.  It also offers UV protection while maintaining daytime privacy.  The wand used for opening and closing is fine, but the sound of the shades, when they reach the window sill, was louder than I had anticipated.  In fairness, my husband wasn’t bothered by the sound.  If money had been no object, I might have used a motorized system, but honestly, I love them as-is.

Over the kitchen sink is a small west-facing window that you might find in any home.  We chose 2” Everwood blinds with Simplelift and wand tilt. (no ugly dangling cords to get wet or sticky)   These faux-wood blinds do not peel or warp, and they allow for easy cleanup of splashes.

It wasn’t cheap, it took a while, but we are...

After having a big box national drapery and blinds retailer refund our money given their FOUR botched attempts and re-attempts to provide us with pleated draperies for our living and dining areas, we did research to find a boutique small firm that was highly rated. Adrette had excellent reviews on Google, so we called for a consultation. Within 10 minutes of being with Marlys, we were convinced that we could get exactly the draperies we'd wanted through Adrette. Marlys was informative and contrary to how the big box national drapery and blinds retailer managed our 4X botched attempts, Marlys committed that she handles every step of the process. Each step (measurement, fabric and hardware selection, getting detailed specs understood and noted, overseeing fabrication, overseeing installation and QC) was handled by Marlys. She owned the result! And was committed to getting us exactly what we wanted. In contrast, the box retailer had a different person handling each of these steps, and there were a lot of miscommunications and unkept commitments....all FOUR TIMES. Marlys delivered EXACTLY what we wanted, which was floor to ceiling (10 foot) draperies for over 70 feet of floor to ceiling windows. Marlys committed that both the inner sheer and outer drapes would have symmetric floor to ceiling pleats. And this is exactly what was delivered. Not a simple install! There was no part of the process that we can be critical of. Marlys delivered exactly what my wife Nance had envisioned in a perfect drapery for our living/dining areas, and Marlys managed the process from start to...

I highly, highly recommend Adrette Window Coverings. Over the years, Marlys has taken my windows - some with awkward shapes, and in awkward spaces - and turned them into works of art. Her drapes and valances have softened and beautified my interior spaces. She is a joy with whom to work: responsive, friendly, highly competent, providing a range of options, and offering her trained eye's insights and recommendations. The work itself - for me, kitchen valances, four-ply drapes for the bedroom (light in color, but which serve to totally darken the room at night), drapes and valances for the living room, and drapes for the dining room - has been flawless. She provided a range of price options, but even if you happen to go with a premium price, as I did for some of my window treatments, you will find it to be of excellent value and be happy you did. I have received many compliments on her window coverings. Her work has transformed and added considerable warmth to my home, for which I...