Living near the ocean changes how a home is designed. Windows grow wider and taller to take in the view, sliding doors open whole walls to the patio, and the afternoon sun comes in low and bright across the water. From a harbor-view living room in Dana Point to a beach cottage in Seal Beach, coastal windows are some of the most beautiful in Orange County, and some of the most demanding to dress.
The draperies get most of the attention. The hardware does most of the work. At Capistrano Upholstery and Draperies we supply and install designer drapery hardware for homes in Dana Point, San Clemente, Seal Beach, Newport Beach and Laguna Niguel, and we sew the draperies to fit it. Here is what we consider when a home is close to the water.
Wide openings need the right rod
A wall of sliding glass can run twelve, sixteen or twenty feet. Across that width, a thin rod will bow under the weight of full, lined panels, and a hand-drawn panel will catch on every bracket. For wide openings we usually recommend a traverse rod: the panels ride on hidden carriers and glide the full length with a wand, a cord or a motor. Many traverse rods look like classic decorative poles, finials and all, so the window stays elegant.
Where a decorative rod is the better fit, we choose a larger diameter and plan the brackets so the pole stays straight from end to end.
Finishes suited to sea air
Homes within reach of the ocean breeze are hard on metal. We help you choose finishes that suit the coast and the way you live, and we look at the whole room so the hardware ties in with what is already there:
- Brushed nickel and soft silver feel light and fresh next to white walls and pale linens.
- Matte black frames a view crisply in modern beach homes.
- Weathered and painted wood brings warmth to a cottage and sits easily beside driftwood tones, rattan and natural fibers.
- Antiqued brass and bronze give a traditional coastal home a classic, collected look.
Keep the view
The reason you live near the water is the view, so the panels should never block it when they are open. We mount the rod higher than the window frame and extend it past the glass on both sides, so the draperies stack against the wall and every inch of the view stays clear. It also makes the window look taller and wider. We measure each opening on site and plan the stack for the exact fullness of your panels.
Control the light without losing it
Ocean light is beautiful at noon and blinding at five o'clock. Many coastal homes layer a sheer for daytime softness with a lined drapery for evenings, sometimes with a roller shade underneath for glare and privacy. Double rods and layered traverse systems let each layer open and close on its own. For tall windows and walls of glass, a motorized rod can close the panels at sunset with one button; see our motorized and smart shades.
Five coastal towns, one workroom
We work in homes along the whole coast and the hills behind it:
- Dana Point: harbor-view living rooms with tall glass facing the marina.
- San Clemente: beach cottages and Spanish Colonial homes, where wood and antiqued finishes feel at home.
- Seal Beach: beach houses with wide openings to the patio and the sand.
- Newport Beach: waterfront homes with walls of glass and modern finishes.
- Laguna Niguel: hillside homes with tall windows framing long ocean views.
Measured, made and installed by one team
We measure each window at your home, help you choose the hardware and the fabric together, sew the draperies in our San Juan Capistrano workroom to the exact length the hardware calls for, and install everything ourselves. Read more in our custom draperies and Roman shades, or see all our window treatments.
Visit our workroom at 33041 Calle Aviador, Suite D, San Juan Capistrano, to see hardware finishes next to our fabric library, or book a free consultation and we will bring options to your home. Call us at 949-481-8777.