Texas Iron and Interiors

Logo Items Are Big in Texas

Jennifer — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:12:19 +0000

We were asked to make a large boot rack/scraper/jack the week before Christmas – and it had to be delivered by Christmas Eve! We rose to the challenge and designed this huge 48″W x 15″D x 45″H all-in-one unit for a large ranch in So. TX. The buyer sent us a few photos he found online of a combination boot jack and scraper, and a boot jack and rack to hang boots upside down on. They were flimsy China-made products, but they provided the basis for the unit we designed that would have all of these useful features. Best of all, with Texas ranch owners being very proud of their brand, we had a large replica of the brand plasma cut and used it as the backing for the boot rack. It was stunning and truly a showpiece as it sits on the front porch of the ranch. Finished in our Rustic Black finish, this piece will stand up to weather and the heaviest of heavy-handed ranch visitors. All told, we cranked this project out in a record 5 days and shipped it to Houston for receipt on Christmas Eve as requested. Job well done, don’t you think?!

Happy New Year!

Jennifer — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 15:36:30 +0000

I can’t believe it’s 2010 already! Sounds so futuristic, doesn’t it? New Years resolutions are not my way of thinking but I do set goals for myself at the turn of each year. Once we celebrate in the new year, I wake up refreshed, renewed and re-energized. In all aspects of my life I take stock of where I am and where I want to be. Business ownership has taken over much of my thought time so my goals are mainly aimed at Texas Iron and Interiors. We had another great year, in fact reaching my lofty goal set last year. This year as I awoke New Years morning feeling refreshed and renewed once again, I set my goals for 2010. We are blessed to rent a wonderful building in a great location because it’s big enough to grow with us as we grow. In order to reach our new years goals, we have decided to expand our showroom, which will offer the space we need to display our ironworks and our ancillary capabilities such as blinds and shutters, window treatments and bedding. We will now have the ability to make large tables and other furniture, accessories for inside and outside the home. I hope you’ll drop in to see our expansion sometime in ‘10! I’ll be posting photos as we finish each display. Stay tuned, and may 2010 be a year of good health and happiness for you and yours!

“Verdigris” Finish

Jennifer — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:10:23 +0000

I love the way this finish turned out! It is light and has depth, which accomplishes the aged copper look. Perfect!

“Verdigris” Finish

Jennifer — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:15:49 +0000

Working on a new finish for us called Verdigris. It’s a green-ish, worn copper look that I am applying to a rod, brackets, finials and rings for a drapery install tomorrow. This finish is required because the client has a very contemporary home with sink bowls in the master bath that have a green glass hue. The drapery will be a green sheer fabric hung on a large window over over a free-standing tub. All bathroom hardware is a sleek chrome, but there are hints of antique green in a large painting – thus the antique green sheers. this antique green will warm up the chrome, stone and glass and will soften the hard edges. Our finish will be applied to steel base coated with a light bronze, over which we will mix pewter and copper with the verdigris to transform it into a worn copper look. I’ll supply pictures later!

Christmas on Mercer St Today!

Jennifer — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:20:10 +0000

Come visit us on Mercer Street as we celebrate Christmas with a holiday shopping event. Mercer Street is closed to traffic allowing arts and crafts vendors and Mercer Street merchants to set up along the street for a street fair that is hometown hill country. Hours are 10am – 6pm Saturday Deceber 5th only. Come enjoy shopping in true wintry weather that is setting the holiday mood perfectly!

Texas Iron and Interiors is decked out for Christmas

Drapery Wands are Magic!

Jennifer — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:51:24 +0000

Little tools can make a big difference sometimes. Today I have an appointment to install some drapery wands on some draperies I installed last week. We installed drapery panels in two rooms, all on square rods with grommets in the drapery panels. My client and I agreed that all but the non-functioning panels should get drapery wands to minimize the handling of the fabric when drawing open and closed. As it turns out one week into suing her new draperies, she decided she wants to draw the one window because – heck, now she can! So off I go today to install two more wands. These little wizards can really improve the functionality of drapery panels and at the same time save the fabric from excess wear. I think wands are a MUST with grommet draperies because grommets tend to get a bit sticky on the rod. By applying push/pull action from the top of the panel, drapery wands help drapery panels on grommets or rings travel smoothly. Try it and let me know what you think!

Holiday Rush Hits Home

Jennifer — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:43:59 +0000

Typically this is our busy season. Clients want their homes to sparkle for the holidays so with our plethera of capabilities, this place gets humming around October 1st and we don’t come up for air until December 15th. It’s a fun time to work for folks because they are excited about getting their project or gift made and it’s a time of year when lots of friends and family will see the outcome of a new home improvement installation. What needs to take on more sparkle in your home or business? A new iron project, new window treatments, a freshened up guest room – call me to discuss! There’s still time!

Art Niche Grilles Have Impact

Jennifer — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:43:18 +0000

We just installed a beautiful grille at a commercial location yesterday. We custom designed it in 1/2″ solid square bar, artistically forged into random scrolls and curves to hold a back-lit logo plate. This beautiful grille is the impact right at the front doors of a popular dentist office in our home town. We painted the grilled in matte black with a copper faux finish that matches their Cantera doors. What a stunning impact for all customers – I am so pleased we could do this for them! When any home or commercial building has art niches built in, consider an iron grille to feature as an art piece as a niche is meant for. It looks beautiful indoors or out and can be back lit or down lighted with a hallogen spot.

Welcome to the first day of my blog!

Jennifer — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:01:03 +0000

Welcome to the first blog post by Texas Iron and Interiors! We make such a wide range of wrought iron products with so many uses in and around the home or business that I thought it necessary to get my ideas out there and share them with everyone. The main point I want to get across on my first blog is that all our products are hand crafted right here in our Dripping Springs, Texas shop. We don’t buy in bulk from foreign countries because we want to maintain a Made in the USA brand! Go Texan!

Are you a designer, builder, home staging expert, do-it-yourself homeeowner? Check back often for info about decorating with wrought iron furniture, drapery hardware and accessories, and bookmark this site to ask about problem rooms, windows and to get new tips on updating a tired look. I hope you will find my blog an informative and helpful resource to conmsult when you need a little hand.

Let’s get started by talking about one of the easiest – yet most difficult area to decorate – the wall over the mantel. Some of us have a huge rectangular strip extending from the mantel upward to 20 feet. Some have a traditionally smaller area framed by molding. Others have all brick or rockwork adorning their mantel. It’s such a focal point that you can relaly undo yourself trying to find the perfect thing to complement the space. If you are overwhelmed by all the choices in framed artwork, or you just don’t have the perfect family portrait, I suggest a large wrought iron plaque hung by a couple of our Near Wall Tapestry Brackets. You can either do one large piece custom designed for the style of your home or hang a series as pictured below. The products in my photos are available on our website www.ironandinteriors.com or call me to help design a custom piece for your mantel wall. Iron looks great in any style home!

I love this grouping over a mantel hung from our Near Wall Tapestry Brackets