Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Our ADR Bauhaus Modern Cornice with hand applied French Silver Leaf finish!
Elegant, clean, simple, efficient traverse with cord or better selling zip track.

We are selling many more with our zip track inside and full open draw for multiple open draws or full left or right draw.
The largest we have made so far is 40'  FOOT LONG OPEN DRAW!
Of course any custom length is possible.
Shipped motor freight over 8'6" long.

Made of lightweight but strong aluminum with a perforated angle iron full back so you always hit a stud. It's so much fun to always hit that stud...

This cornice, if painted is available in custom bends for a bay window or corner window.
Double rod available also.

The French Silver Leaf Finish adds additional texture to the finish and a subtle shine.

best!
Whitney

Wednesday, October 3, 2012


Whitney & the Welders, 1994
It’s fun to manufacture in the USA! Is it easy? No. It is hard work, humbling, often humorous and defiantly worth it.
Over twenty years ago I founded The Antique Drapery Rod Company with a passion to bring the quality of museum collections and authentic antique hardware into our homes. (And utilize my crazy obsession for architectural antiques.) Using old world craftsmanship, hand forging, hand casting and hand painting is an eco responsible process for the health of our employees, our customers and the planet. This business model propelled our little company to the forefront of the window hardware industry and we have been innovators ever since.
Our Environmentally Responsible Product Designs
In 1991 our very first labels had our environmental statement on our 100% recycled paper and many clients thought it irrelevant. Now some of them are our biggest promoters.
Our development of many unique trademarks and patents includes: our patented “Quick Cornice” (1996), easily shaped eco-industrial cardboard folded into a cornice, our patented “Traverse Ring Sets” (2000), our patented Food Paint (2004) is “the healthiest paint you can buy”™, made from up to 96% food ingredients, instead of a gallon of petrochemicals.

Our work in bio based resins began with research in the late 90’s and our first half container of corn cellulose plastic shipped in from Germany in 2001. Our signature “cast wood” curtain rings are made from bio based resin instead of wasting 60% of the wood when routed. They are also stronger, with no knots or cracks.

Our bio-based “art resin” is custom designed for our hand casting. Ask yourself: Does hardware (or any household product) need to be made from a petrochemical plastic that will never biodegrade, only photodegrade into smaller pieces that wind up toxic matter in our waters and food sources?

Our natural bamboo drapery rods are made from one of the world’s fasted growing renewable resources. Our wood rods are produced in the beautiful American Northwest in a manner that saves our forests and biodiversity for our children’s children.
Made in the U.S.A.
As a product designer from generations of engineers, I am fascinated with how things are made, where every small part comes from and whose hands made them. I have visited over 50 countries, and visited production facilities in over 40 countries. In the past we have done business with India, Turkey, Egypt, Thailand, Italy, Peru, Mexico, Canada and more. The majority of our products have always been made In the U.S.A.

In the end, it is about WHO makes the product, how and why, that defines its intrinsic lasting quality. It is NOT about a cheap material or price, nor cheap labor or lack of environmental standards, nor lack of decent working conditions, which may include the right to religion and family time. Please remember you change the world with your dollar, with what you choose to buy and where it is made. Please look for the label and buy “Made in the USA”.

We stand in support of the cost of doing business in America and support the Environmental Protection Agency particularly when they keep industries like chrome casting from leaving toxic heavy metals leaking into our water sources for generations to come. (ADR does not make any chrome products, only recycled aluminum). We support OSHA and safe working conditions for American employees. These are our families.

We do not aim to be the fastest drapery rods in the west, but we are the most authentic: in our design sources, our environmental integrity and our employees’ commitment to quality.

We hope you enjoy our products. Please visit our website and see a film of our ADR manufacturing family. Also Facebook “like” your favorite products and tell us what else you might want us to make for you?

And yes, I can weld when needed.

Please know that each and every one of us at ADR appreciates your business!

Whitney Walker
CEO, Antique Drapery Rod Co. Inc
P.S., In 2011 we launched our new, 40 fabulous hand finishes, exclusive to the trade line. Please visit www.gracehardware.net.

where does the wood in that rod come from??

Yes, the company that makes rods asks you: "do you really know where your wood rod comes from?"

 NO, I have not been drinking and this is not a viagra ad.

Have you seen where wood from China comes from? Have you seen the clear cut forests of madagascar and South America and even the United States?

The destruction of uncontroled deforestation is horrific. Destruction of plants, animals, insects, biodiversity.


Would you much rather being involved with wood grown in a sustanable, eco system that supports bio diversity? A system that cleans the air and provides a home for birds, bees and all the microorganisms that build a healthy planet.


Welcome to our world!
This is an AMERICAN SUSTAINABLE FOREST!
This is where my wood comes from.
This is happiness and home for animals, birds, bees.
This is the product that I choose to put in our customers homes.
It costs more, a lot more..... but you're worth it.

Whitney

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