Feb 24, 2015 | Carpet One Floor & Home
By Kim Kiner
Hunter Douglas Vice President of Product Design
The overall ambience of any space sets the tone for how you feel more so than select decorative items. And what directly affects that mood might surprise you: more often than not, it’s the lighting coming through the window.
Whether it’s soft, filtered light or bright sunshine cascading through your shades, the way light enters a room can change everything. With so much at stake at the window, below are a few of the popular design trends we recommend to get the most out of your window dressings.
Consumers today want a "connected home" with Internet-ready products that can be operated with the convenience of mobile devices. Hunter Douglas has a Platinum™ App, for example, which allows users to create personalized scenes from morning light to movie night. You can control all the shades in your home with one click and time a scene with your alarm clock for a refreshing morning. The App is even available with a sunrise/sunset timer feature that uses GPS data to calculate the exact times to a specific location.
Everyone wants to live more responsibly. Products that offer enhanced energy efficiency to keep homes warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer are very popular. Energy-efficient window treatments are a smart way to conserve energy in your home.
Hunter Douglas Duette® Architella® honeycomb shades, for example, can help reduce heat loss through windows by up to 40 percent and solar heat gain by up to 80 percent, And, the way the light filters into the room is beautiful. New Duette Architella Trielle™ honeycomb shades have five insulating air pockets to go the extra mile and can help reduce heat transfer at the window by up to 20 percent more.
By conserving energy at the window, you can rest assured your cooling and heating systems won’t have to work as hard The superior UV protection offered by soft, sheer Silhouette® window shadings is trending with consumers as well.
Window treatments are not just about function: they make a style statement. And the beauty and sophistication that textures add at the window is getting increased recognition. From natural textures to exquisite textile weaves such as linens and raw silks, they create a distinctive look that transforms an ordinary window to extraordinary. New Alustra® Pirouette window shadings, for example, which features soft fabric folds that open and close against a sheer backing, come in a luscious new fabric, Charmeuse, which has the essence of raw silk with a refined texture and subtle sheen.
Whether you’re living in a new space and starting from scratch or wantto update your window décor, these trends will modernize your home and add unique style.
For more information, visit www.hunterdouglas.com