September - Member of the Month

 There have been so many memorable experiences with WCAA Atlanta that I don’t think I can narrow it down. Having been a member for a very long time, I have seen the chapter go through success and challenges. What I would say overall makes the chapter so memorable is the lasting friendships and support that come out of working together side by side to build our businesses. 

 I think what I am most proud of is that I am still in business after 21 years. And what is so cool is the trajectory my business has taken. I started as a small, home-based workroom. Began working with designers, started teaching at the Custom Home Furnishings Academy, became an owner of the Academy with a partner group, sold, began coaching, started a podcast and authored a book. All these experiences in our industry have allowed me to make a lasting impact on other businesses and their ability to be financially stable and viable. And their success is the best part of all that I have done and continue to do.  

 I would love to be able to sketch and watercolor on the spot – and have it be beautiful. Kind of like the beautiful designs Leslie Fehling creates.  

 I think some of the best advice I have gotten is to consider what I do best and then focus on making that stronger. I don’t have to be or offer all that everyone else wants.  

 On a rainy day one of my most favorite things to do is to sit on my porch on the sofa, wrap up in a light blanket with my two little dogs, Abigail and Khloe, and grab a great book. Reading is my escape and on vacation I am known to read a fiction novel a day. 

 I’ve been in business for 23 years and am now in school at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga finishing my interior design degree. I plan to continue operating my custom workroom but adding interior design services. 

 What I would say to someone considering WCAA is that the knowledge you will gain and the people you will get to know make it so worth it. I have been a member for 2 years, but because of Covid, then shoulder surgery, then school this last year, I have missed a lot of meetings. However, it’s been very nice being able to connect by email or text with other members for advice, technical help, or referrals. Being a one-person workroom can be very isolating at times, but being a member of WCAA has changed that. 

 What I enjoy most about what I do is using my design and fabricating skills to create custom, personalized soft furnishings for my clients and see them get excited about the finished product. I also enjoy the flexibility this career has given me, in that I have been able to work from home and raise my girls and be a part of all of their activities through the years. 

 If I could pick a new skill in an instant, it would definitely be cabinetmaking. I would be building custom cabinets all over my house and studio if I could do it! 

 I would choose a quote instead and my favorite quote is, “ Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” - Pablo Picasso. 

 I get up about 5:30am - drink coffee - drink more coffee - sit in my chair on the computer for a couple of hours reading emails, catching up on bookkeeping, placing fabric, hardware, and supply orders, and doing any homework for school then feed the cat, the horses, the chickens, and all the goats, and then myself head down to my basement studio and work all day on the jobs I have going, unless it’s a school day, in which case I leave at 6:30am for Chattanooga, go to class until 4:30pm; and then head home and get a little sewing or computer work done. 

Alicia, Owner and Creative Director of DRAPES & DECOR has over 20 years of experience working in the interior design and window covering industry. Alicia is certified ICCP (International Color Consulting Professional) and has also earned her professional certification in window coverings from CHF Academy. She is an active member of WCAA and currently a member of the Atlanta Chapter Board.

 Yes! This professional trade association has done more for my business than anything else! From the moment I joined 9 years ago I was warmly welcomed by all the members who enabled me to learn so much from them. I greatly enjoy our monthly meetings as they consistently contribute to my education in the interior design field but there is also a great camaraderie around the group. 

 Variety is my best friend. I sell, design, manage projects, fabricate at times and love jumping from one activity to another. Never a dull moment! But most of all I love when I bring a happy smile to a client’s face when the project is completed. 

 Offer Feng Shui design to our clients. I am currently studying for an international certification and would love to incorporate the new knowledge and principals to our designs and services. 

 GRATEFUL – sometimes we forget this is the most important attitude in life. 

 Europe. I grew up, lived and traveled all over this continent and I always feel right at home there. I love the close proximity of all the countries, rich cultures, fabulous cuisine and chill attitude. Somehow, in all the busyness of life, Europeans always have time for an espresso with a friend at a corner café. 

YES!   We just recently joined ourselves!   We were looking for a network of career &  trade professionals that we could leverage the knowledge and experience of a reliable resource for staying up to date on trends in the industry.  I feel I have found a team of people that I can ask questions and also lend my own experiences.

I love being a part of the team.  There is something very satisfying about being the one that gets to install and then beautifully present what has taken months to plan, design, order & fabricate.

Hardware, Design & Fabrication -- because there's a lot of over-engineered, expensive but difficult to install hardware that isn't worth its price or hassle.  Take it from an installer.., I would design for installation that would result in both beauty and function.

"Well, we're not curing cancer, it's just window treatments"  (for the days that don't go exactly the way you expect.)

A couple of years ago we won a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland to participate in The Vaults celebration (headquarters for the world's Single Malt Whiskey Society) to sightsee and sample real scotch for a week.  It was absolutely beautiful; the city and its people were amazing and we were treated like royalty.  I can't wait to go back!

Interior Design, Window Treatments, Curtains, Color Coordination Specialist, Staging, Senior Relocation Design Specialist.  

Courses taught at Kennesaw State University: 

CPE Interior Decorating 101 

CPE Advanced Interior Decorating

Staging Classes

Destination Decorating and Staging

Getting Into Staging and Redesign Business Course

Sewing Lessons

The wonderful opportunity to be a speaker at the WCAA Atlanta seminar and a speaker multiple times at our local chapter meetings.  It was a great honor to head up the Chapter's ANTI-OUCH POUCH charitable endeavor project.  I really enjoyed seeing how proud the Atlanta Chapter members were as they donated their time to make the ANTI-OUCH POUCHES for cancer patients.    

I get to make a difference in my client's lives.  I enjoy the different people and personalities I meet.  I am able to be creative and dream of a project for my clients and then verbally and visually introduce my plan or design to my client.  I will then find fabrics or items necessary to implement the design or vision.  The grand finale to the whoe project is to see the window treatment or design project fabricated/completed right in front of me and my client.  I love seeing the happiness and satisfaction my client feels as they see their dreams come true.  

I was awarded the ADULT EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR award from the State of Georgia Adult Education Association and Kennesaw State University.  

Take more classes about how to improve in my body language skills.  

"It doesn't hurt to try" 

I would love to visit Italy.  I would love to see the beauty of the landscape that God created and see the amazing architecture of the buildings.  

DRESSY WINDOWS is a professional drapery workroom offering Custom Drapes, Decor Pillows, Fabric Shades, Blinds, Shutters, Bedding and Upholstery.  

I would share all the positive benefits I've reaped from being a member of the WCAA from the National level to the local chapter.  But foremost.., I would share the commitment and invested interest the WCAA has in its members, so they truly never feel alone as they learn and grow their business.  

Although I try to stay close to the helm :) 

I enjoy the aesthetic challenges my clients offer me when it comes to updates or re-purposing their space.  I'm thrilled they trust my input and decor ideas.  

I am a music enthusiast and would like to go back to playing the piano.., especially because my middle grandson is taking piano lessons now.  His older brother is a stage performing drummer, so we're close to having an ensemble.  

I'm very fond of Maya Angelou- American Poet's quote: 

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

After retiring..., I decided to create a social BRIDGE CLUB of my BFFs (Best Friends Forever) and potentials.  I named the club DIAMONDS IN THE RUFF and it consists of 9 members whom I refer to as DIAMONDS.   What's somewhat odd is none of them knew how to play bridge so I taught them the game and we've been going strong for 11 years.  And even during the pandemic we play online together and with players all over the world.  We're looking forward to when we can resume our once a month, third Saturday social gathering of laughs, jokes and playing bridge.  

Drapes, Valance, Roman Shades, Blinds, Woven Shades, Shutters, Upholstery, Headboards, Ottomans.  

I joined the WCAA in 2008 and honestly couldn't imagine still being in business without this wonderful organization, WCAA!

2010- WCAA Atlanta Chapter and the "Extreme Home Makeover" TV Show,   An absolute fun week working with chapter members to build out room decor for a highly rated TV show.  

• 2010 IWCE Vision Award Winner
• Upholstery is a new skill I would like to learn
• If I had to wear a T-Shirt with one phrase for a year, I would choose, "Not Today Satan".
• Favorite place visited is New Zealand... surrounded by water everywhere you look and so peaceful!
• Grew up on a Chicken Farm... I have a 32 year old son and a 14 year old daughter.  I like to say I have "2 only children".