Today we’d like to introduce you to Gillian Wendel.
Hi Gillian, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always loved creating and designing and from a young age enjoyed all of the crafting and drawing. I have a BFA from TCU and worked as a graphic designer for several years. When we decided to start a family my husband bought me a simple Kenmore sewing machine as I wanted to make cute clothes for my young daughter. A neighbor helped walk me through a pattern for a pair of overalls and I was hooked. I loved all of the details you could add to the basic pattern to make it your own-pleating, rouching, lace and buttons. That was in 1990 and for several years I sewed clothes and then decided to try my hand at home decorating. I discovered how much I liked working on a larger scale and transferred my love of details to valances, pillows and panels. We moved to Connecticut and I found myself sewing for my new home. A designer at church asked if I would make some pagoda cornices for a client of hers and I found myself saying yes. She was happy with my work and I realized I liked the challenges and satisfaction of making custom pieces for people. A wonderful encounter at a basketball game with a fellow parent resulted in information about a custom drapery school in North Carolina. My husband encouraged me to sign up and off I went for a week to learn about the profession of drapery making. It was a life changing week that resulted in me coming home and purchasing industrial machines for the launch of The Wendel Works. It has been a fabulous 25 years of growing my business from a few tentative treatments in the early days to the two-story multi-dimensional treatments of today.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been a fabulous road, but definitely not smooth. In the early years it was learning the basics of running a business alongside raising a family. As I was gaining new clients I had to learn how to sew when the kids were in school and around errands and meals. That meant a lot of late night sewing or snatches of time here and there to keep up with my work. And as the learning curve was pretty steep early on, I was much slower in my production and delivery times. As the years have gone on I’ve gotten faster, learned better methods, and the kids have grown and moved out. I still struggle with over-commitment and every year say, I’m going to manage my time and my deadlines better. But the flip side to being overwhelmed is that there is still business coming in and that is the blessing I need to remember! One other challenge that has been constant throughout is that this is a custom business, every window and client have their own unique desires and therefore it’s rarely a cookie cutter solution. So constantly designing and sewing something new to fit different spaces takes being able to adapt my craft, and sometimes engineer new solutions, to fit a space. And sometimes those jobs are the most rewarding!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a retail custom window fabrication studio which means I design and manufacture original window treatments, bedding and soft upholstery for retail customers. I also provide hard treatments like shutters, blinds and shades. It’s a soup to nuts business as I handle the process from design to installation and all decisions in between. I enjoy the design process the most, I think, as it’s a fun challenge to design something unique for each customer. With custom you are getting something exclusive to your home and personal style and I enjoy bringing that to life. After the project has been designed and all fabrics, trim and hardware decisions have been made then, I start the process of fabricating the job. I make most of the treatments I design and have very high expectations of the quality of my work so I think customers like the quality they see and the individualized attention to detail that I can provide. I don’t advertise and depend on my customers to pass my name along if they’re pleased. I think I’m most happy with the thought that I’m still in business after 25 years and that I’ve had national awards and recognition along the way. Several photos of my work were recently featured in the book Designer Window Fashions by Charles Randall. That was a highlight for me as I remember looking to his first book for inspiration when I was just starting out.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I live on the north edge of Houston and love the kindness and generosity I see in people every day. It’s a very welcoming place, full of activities and lush foliage. The weather here means we can be outside most of the year enjoying our families. Houston keeps growing, spreading out into the suburbs and beyond and with this has come more congestion and travel time. It’s harder to get to friends that are in other parts of Houston as it now takes longer and a bit more courage on the freeways to navigate all the traffic. On the flip side of the growth is that with all of the new homes is the ever present demand for window coverings. Having spent part of my business career in Connecticut, I enjoy the Houston customer as they can be less traditional and more open to unique solutions.
Contact Info:
- Website: thewendelworks.com
- Instagram: @thewendelworksdesignanddrapery
- Facebook: The Wendel Works Design and Drapery
Image Credits
Gillian Wendel
Brandy Stoesz
