With the Pamlico River cutting a wide swath through Beaufort County, there is no shortage of waterfront homes, and the views that go with them. But making, and not breaking, a view takes a special design skill.

At Watson in Homes, owner Gayle Watson, her son and upholsterer Jeremy Watson, daughter-in-law Susan Sizemore Watson and production assistant Margaret Powell have seen their share of views up and down the Pamlico, and all the way out to Ocracoke. They’ve also seen what the wrong fabrics and hardware can do to diminish a fantastic view.

“For house on the river, we try to frame the view, rather than obscure it or take away from it,” Gayle Watson said.

Currently, that means more tailored styles for window dressings, simple designs and clean lines that are just a shade or two beyond neutral: a pale gray-blue, another gray with a hint of green; subtle passementerie (trimmings or edgings) that give a visual boost without being flamboyant.

“It just gives a little bit of interest without overwhelming the room,” Susan Sizemore Watson said. “For a bedroom, you want a calm space, a soothing space. You don’t want it to be busy, busy, busy. … And with a view, you really don’t want to close them up.”

It’s not just the window dressing fabrics that matter: the hardware surrounding a window with a view is just as important. For wide fixed-frame or casement windows, a simple valance of a high quality linen will frame a view and can hide more visually intrusive blinds. For more traditional windows or even French doors leading onto a porch or deck, matching hardware to the frame and/or trim around the window or door gives it a more architectural feel and look.

“It doesn’t jump out at you — it just blends in,” Susan Sizemore Watson said. “Your eye is still drawn to the view out the windows.”

While styles have gotten simpler, fabrics for windows and furniture also have gone a more neutral direction.

“Lots of fabrics lately are monochromatic. There’s a lot of resurfacing of old prints and old patterns, but in new colors,” Susan Sizemore Watson said.

“It’s the same stuff that I worked with 30 years ago — then it would have been jewel tones, now it’s in neutrals,” Gayle Watson said. “Gray is the new beige.”

On the river, however, there are a few more trends gaining popularity, and these based on practicality.

“Slipcovers are hot,” Gayle Watson said, explaining that Sunbrella’s new fabrics are bright, beachy and gaining a lot of ground both inside and outside.

“Used to be Sunbrella only had marine canvas, stripes and solids,” Susan Sizemore Watson said. “Now, it’s like design prints in every shade and style imaginable.”

Homeowners are now using the previously outdoor fabrics on indoor furniture and outdoor furniture is getting a more sophisticated, living room-like look.

“It’s durable, long-lasting stuff that doesn’t fade,” Gayle Watson said. “You can wash with regular soap and water and it’s dog-resistant.”

“They look so good and they’re beachy and fun, but they’re not just shells or anchors or primary colors.”

With warmer weather finally arrived in eastern North Carolina, Watson in Homes is busy with those looking to give a new look or feel to a river house. Whether it’s a comfy porch chair turned to the river or a new window dressing inside, fabric’s always a consideration, but it’s really all about the view.