The 5-day class begins in the Biltmore Guest Cottage, the former home of the market gardener for the Biltmore Estate. This 4-bedroom cottage decorated in early American includes the original furniture from the 1800’s. The brick-walled courtyard of the home was the location for the farmer’s market and still stands today. From the cobblestone driveway to the antique mahogany beds, the Guest Cottage still has the feel of a bygone era.

The Biltmore Guest Cottage

Students take an active role in measuring the windows for the chosen room, discuss design options based on the room setting and owner preferences, photograph the room, and record information on timesaving forms. In the afternoon, students become invited guests of the Biltmore House and take a special tour with emphasis on window treatment design and fabrics.

The second day of the class is conducted at the Custom Home Furnishings School where students learn organizational skills and proper paperwork necessary in to run a profitable window treatment business. Topics include terms and conditions, contracts, creating a unique presentation folder, and how to keep an organized client information binder. Other topics include design concepts, such as how to properly select colors, coordinate fabrics, and design a window treatment.

	Biltmore Guest Cottage Interior

The third day includes final design plans, calculating yardages, and filling out a workorder for our project. Then the fabrication process begins, as the paperwork and fabrics come together to become a new window treatment for the Guest Cottage. Students learn a variety of fabrication methods based on the style of chosen treatments. Each monthly class brings it’s own design challenges and a variety of classic and elegant styles will be selected. A mixture of Biltmore Collection and other historical-based fabrics and trims will be used.

Designers attending this class will get hands-on practice in proper window treatment design along with a priceless behind-the-scenes experience in a real workroom, learning how window treatments are fabricated. Workroom personnel attending the class will learn timesaving tips, industry tricks, and proper fabrication methods and will also experience working with the industry’s newest tools and equipment.

The fabrication of the treatment will be completed on the fourth day, including any board-mounting of valances and proper packaging and/or transportation methods required for the installation.

On the last day students return to the Guest Cottage and oversee the installation. An overview of proper installation tools and techniques will be discussed. Once completed, a review of the week, along with an open discussion, will be the focus for the remainder of the day.

This five-day class is just $995, which includes transportation from the School to the Biltmore Estate, entrance to the Biltmore House, lunch, workbook, and all fabrics and supplies. Only seven classes will be offered in 2004, beginning in January. Space is limited to eight students per class. Please call the Custom Home Furnishings School at 800-222-1415 or 828-686-3185 to register for a class or to learn more about this unique real-life, hands-on learning opportunity that combines yesterday’s charm with today’s techniques.