Today we’d like to introduce you to Brenda Baxter.
Brenda, founder, owner and principal designer, started the small company 24 years ago when a friend noticed her designing and sewing pillows, bedding and drapery. After admiring Brenda’s work, the friend suggested that she start her own business. Brenda says this inspiration was exciting yet intimidating, and she decided to pursue the idea. “I felt with my degree in marketing and passion for textiles this might work and allow the opportunity to prioritize time with my growing family,” said Brenda. “After many years of late nights, hard lessons learned, beautiful completed projects and established clientele, Custom Drapery Designs LLC was born.”
Brenda established and grew the business while raising her three children with her husband. She balanced her time managing the company’s needs and her children’s needs, scheduling CDD meetings around other “appointments,” such as lunch with her third grader.
According to Brenda, she and her children spent every day side-by-side and are all very close. Her kids have great memories of making tiny pillows with scraps, constantly stepping over large spreads of fabric on the hardwood floor and especially having sword fights with the cardboard tubes the fabric would come in, she says.
Brenda’s children have grown with her business, and two of them are now college graduates, the youngest just graduating high school. CDD’s staff has also grown and now includes lead designer, Stephanie Freeman who has been in the design field for nearly 17 years, and Office Manager/Social Media Coordinator, Amy Linscheer.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Managing my time was a struggle while raising a young family and building CDD. After putting the kids to bed there were many nights that I spent working until the early hours. Some would say that I am a ‘work-aholic’, yet I felt it was that I treasured spending time with the kids and thankfully was a night owl and enjoyed working on my passion, Custom Drapery Designs, as well. This was an enjoyable road and would not necessarily call this a struggle. I enjoyed every minute!
Please tell us about Custom Drapery Designs.
CDD is a soft-goods design firm which specializes in custom window fashions, upholstery, re-upholstery, as well as Hunter Douglas shades and shutters. We listen to the client’s desires, need, and budget, and design a complete window design which transforms the space. We take careful consideration to the client’s interior design, architectural style, personal style and balance texture and pattern. The window covering feature beautiful couture fabrics, brilliant color, multiple linings for the optimal fullness and structure, accent trims and custom hardware with decorative finishes which complete the statement. We are known for our quality and attention to detail with the design process as well as the finished product. Each window covering features the creative touch to be considered art as well as conversation piece. CDD is known not only for our quality, but for providing an enjoyable design process for the client with every detail behind the scenes through to final installation managed to perfection.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
CDD feels our social media exposure and website design featuring a video which highlights the design process, portfolio and monthly bogs allows our clients to view our company’s personality, quality, attention to detail, creativity, expertise. Our media is considered our ‘store front’ and strive to promote the process as an approachable one.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.customdraperydesigns.net
- Phone: 972-881-5222
- Email: bbaxter@customdraperydesigns.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/customdraperydesigns/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brebaxter/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CDDLLC
- Other: https://www.houzz.com/pro/customdraperydesigns/custom-drapery-designs-llc
Image Credit:
Custom Drapery Designs, LLC
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