New Styles, Energy Efiiciency and Green Design Window Treatments

Would you believe that your window treatments can be stylish, contemporary, green and energy efficient? Well now it is possible to have it all for your home. Hunter Douglas has created the best of all worlds for your windows.
Natural Elements is their new collection of horizontal blinds that combine modern metal alloys with the warmth of real wood accents. Textured and shimmery finish slats give maximum view. Rich wood valances and keystones create a fashion statement. Materials used in these blinds are 95% recycled making them a green product. That is a winning combination of style and earth friendly materials.
Solar Energy Sensors for Hunter Douglas shades automatically raise or lower window shade treatments according to the changing sunlight to provide energy cost savings. They couldn’t be simpler to install- just stick them to the window where the shades are installed. Watch them go to work adjusting the shades to keep out the heat. Many of their shade products have a high R-value- an indicator of a product’s resistance to air flow passing through it from outside. A high R-value can stop much of the hot air from entering your home. Even the efficiency of low e-glass windows can be doubled with certain energy efficient shades. And the Federal Tax Credit applies to some of these products to boot. How can you lose? You just have to see them! Call me to arrange your personal energy saving design consultation and see all of the stylish, green and efficient products.

COLOR CONNECTION- PINK

Pink has claimed the title of hot new color for 2011. It is the color of optimism and has the power to lift our spirits and push aside our worries and gloomy thoughts. Everyone could all use a dose of it to help feel better about life with all its ups and downs. We are seeing the whole spectrum pinks being used for fabrics, paints and accessories. There is a passion and a depth to pink. It is flattering for all skin tones, making people look good and feel good.
If you are still not convinced to take the plunge into pink as your main color, I have some ideas for adding it in small doses. Try a pink candle, pink clothes hangers for the closet or thumbtacks in pink. Write your notes with a pink pen. Change the knobs on your bedroom cabinets to a fresh shade of pink.
The whole point here is to just give it a try. Check out the huge variety of pinks available in a paint deck. There is bound to be one that is just right for you.
One more thing, last year’s turquoise is still a strong color in home décor and will work with pink. So go shopping and have no fear of coordinating the two colors.
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Decorator's Dream Fabric

I am so in love with Kasmir's Grand Soiree fabric. Many years ago we had a similar fabric for window treatments that was the same as this beautiful medium weight satin weave with a soft luster finish-similar to peau de soie. Then they discontinued it!! Now it is back and better than ever with a fresh color palette and wonderful drapability for soft folds. The words "peau de soie" translate into "skin of silk". The photo shows it in a color called "slipper" but you really need to see it and hold it in your hand to get it!

My Window Treatment In the Spotlight

This week one of my window treatments was selected to be in the Ava Living Designer Spotlight. I would love for you to check it out on Ava website and I invite you to browse the site.
This photo is an example of one of the ways I can create a design for your unusual window shapes!

Window Cord Safety Month

I am jumping ahead a little bit with my last post on window cord safety but the topic is so important that I needed to get the word out.
Graber, a major window blind manufacturer is also offering a $25.00 rebate for every blind you purchase with the safety upgrades. That is a good deal for you and a great safety bonus for your loved ones. Let me know if I can help you.

Children and Window Cord Safety

Parents and parents-to-be have a million things on their minds when it comes to raising their children. But every parent needs to be aware of child safety, and this begins in the home.
Children’s rooms are the best place to start. According to child-safety experts, the typical focal points for decorating a child’s room – windows, cribs and bedding – also hold the greatest potential danger to a child’s safety.
To make sure your child’s room is a safe one, consider the following:
Window Areas: Never place a crib, playpen, bed or any type of low-standing furniture near a window. In exploring their surroundings, young children can accidentally fall through an open window or window screen, or become tragically entangled in a nearby window cord. Whenever possible, place cribs and furniture on a non-windowed wall.
The Window Covering Safety Council recommends you make the right choice and only use cordless window products in young children’s bedrooms and play areas. Owners and renters should replace all window coverings in the home made before 2001 with today’s safer products.
However, if you wish to keep your older window coverings (i.e., purchased before 2001), visit our ‘How To Retrofit’ at www.windowcoverings.org/safety_design_tips.html section for instructions on how to retrofit these products'

Product Innovations:
When it comes to choosing window treatments most consumers consider color, style, and even privacy. If young children are around the home, then cord control should be another important factor in selecting your window treatments.
Although today’s window fashions come with built-in cord-safety features, the Window Covering Safety Council believes cordless window coverings are the best choice for use in children’s bedrooms and any area of the home where children spend time playing.
In fact, cordless designs are rapidly gaining favor with consumers and decorators because of their “clean” look and streamlined design. Most traditionally corded window fashions are available in “cordless” styles through the use of spring-loaded mechanisms, battery- or motor-operated lift controls, or simple wand pulls. When combined with the scores of new fashion looks in today’s window coverings, consumers can pick from a wide choice of high-style cordless designs.

My brochure cover

When I needed to come up with a cover for my brochure, I chose a picture of one of my treatments that is beautiful and unique. It is a window style that many of my clients struggle with to decorate. Hope it gives you an idea for your own high style windows!