WINDOW TREATMENTS MAY BE THE LAST STEP YOU TAKE TO THE ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOME, AND WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED WITH PROFESSIONAL TIPS TO MAKE THAT STEP LAST AND LAST.
The Last Step To An Energy Efficient Home
What To Wear If You're A Sliding Glass Door
Hunter Douglas Premieres Window Covering Trends For 2018
This Spring invites us to design the beauty of light in our homes, opening the windows to all that is new with Hunter Douglas' latest innovations in window coverings. This Spring and every Spring we attend the Hunter Douglas Premieres showcase and once again our vision for your windows is refreshed with exciting options that will be arriving to our showroom very soon.
Motorization Steals The Show
Hunter Douglas Palm Beach PolySatin Shutters
We will do our best not to use the word "excited" too much in this blog, but we are excited about the advancement of PowerView motorization that now includes operating your Shutters. Think of those hard-to-reach upper-windows and you'll quickly understand why all the excitement!
Hello Google. Hello Alexa.
Have you ever thought I just want to tell Google to close my shades? The time has come! All motorized products are now compatible with Alexa and Google home automation voice commands.
All You Need Is a Soft Touch
With SoftTouch Motorization the power is in the wand control. A newer way to operate shades, yes, it is newer in comparison to standard operation options, but has been with us for a while now. The new news on the SoftTouch is that it is now available on all seven of these Shades:
Designing The Light - Day And Night
DuoLite
The DuoLite feature is now available on Vignette Modern Roman Shades offering two opacity options in one roman shade.
Provenance Woven Woods
We were introduced to nine new styles in the Provenance Woven Wood Shade collection -Nine styles! That gives us 41 new fabric and color choices and new valance options as well. Featuring lighter weaves in a neutral color palette.
Whole House Solutions
We love these coordinates!! Vignette Modern Roman Shades and Luminettes now have coordinating fabrics in the Sheer Linen Design to carry your look vertically or horizontally throughout all of your window types.
Happy Decorating!
We had a lot of fun at this year's Hunter Douglas Premieres and cannot wait to meet with you to show you all the new trends in window coverings. You can't wait either? Contact us for a complimentary consultation with one of our window covering professionals at 805-237-1400, stop by the showroom to see our window covering gallery and take home the new Art Of Window Dressing magazine - free, just ask! You can also visit our Hunter Douglas Website with just a click here.
Great Rooms in The Well-Lived Home
Revisiting our rooms in the Well-Lived Home, today we tackle the Great Room with great emphasis on the word "tackle". Consider this: A Great Room is a space within the home which combines the specific functions of several of the more traditional room spaces - the family room, the living room, the study or den, the dining room and more notably, the kitchen into a singular unified space. We enter the modern home with enthusiasm where the mix of family living is shared, varied, eclectic, transitional and most deserving of a design strategy that brings a comfort of efficiency within the space.
So, you ask . . .
"What is a great design strategy for the Great Room?"
As the Great Room is a compilation of all rooms, so is our answer and we've called in some help from our local decorators and designers. . .
Interior Decorator Diane Curley's approach is to start with the floors. "For open floor plans it's best to go with what I like to call bulletproof floors and the first thing that comes to mind is Tile Planking. My design strategy is floors that flow while at the same time designating each space as its own by turning the planks, and adding interest with floor patterns".
Diane Curley is an Interior Decor Professional with Knight's Carpets and Interiors
Room photo courtesy of Sherwin Williams
". . . because great rooms tend to be more contemporary in style, I love using the dark warmer gray tones". . . What makes a gray warmer? "Subtle brown undertones add a depth of richness and expand the space. As long as there is plenty of natural light flowing into the room, the deeper tones will work. I'm currently working on a project where I've incorporated paintable wall sconces. The Metro Wall Sconce by Justice Design Group is from Lumines Light. They blend into the wall beautifully creating a soft glow."
Click here to visit Eliana's website
"For my busy family our kitchen is the Living Room, kids working on homework at the island while we're getting dinner ready, and finally getting the little ones to their beds gives us some time to relax and enjoy with the lights dimmed. Key lighting systems are essential for open floor plans combining function with decorative fixtures, incorporating practical uses with dimmers, sensors and wireless integration is our strategy for well designed lighting in the great room".
Chelsea Silva is an Interior Decorator/Lighting Specialist with Wesco Electric Inc.
Click here to visit Wesco Electric's website
"I have to say the thing I love most about working in Great Rooms is the mix of fabric patterns that the space calls for. Starting with the smallest detail in the barstools at the island and moving and mixing throughout with a base fabric pattern that carries into each area for the upholstery of the dining chairs to the draperies, and decor pillows. If the space allows, create seating with back-to-back sofas that integrate the living/family room with the kitchen and define the seating areas with area rugs".
Marie Goldsmith is an Interior Decorator with Knight's Carpets and Interiors
Lynn Donovan, Interior Designer Donovan and Donovan Construction, reminds us what Great Room living is all about . . .
"What I love about Great Rooms is the welcoming feeling for family and friends to spend good times together cooking, sharing meals and playing games. . ."
"One important aspect is to address the window coverings. Since the television and other media are usually in that room it is imperative to address the amount of light and glare coming into the room. With new technology and innovation it is possible to provide just the right amount of illumination".
To contact Lynn at Donovan & Donovan Construction give her a call at 239-0848
One of the core elements that are consistent in our great room concept, and my contribution to this blog post, are the countertops and I'm happy to report that we do carry a quality selection of countertops.
Gordon and I are so very thankful for the time and the feedback we received from all of the designers and decorators who participated in making our Great Room GREAT. It's truly enlightening to see all of the different design perspectives through the eyes of our local professionals.
We've included the contact info for all our participating designers along with links for product information. If you need more info on any of the products we've featured or a design strategy give us a call, we're happy to be of service.
Thanks so much for joining us in the Great Room. Stay with us as we go room-by-room in our Well-Lived Home there's a link below to subscribe via e-mail.
