Colourful Art for the Faint of Heart — Vol.1

In this series, we’re going to explore how to incorporate colourful original art into your interiors.  Even if you have very neutral, monochromatic interiors, you can fall in love with artwork that is much more exuberant than your usual palette, and this may leave you wondering how to showcase this piece in your home.  Or perhaps, you have walked away from such a piece in fear, not knowing where you could possibly work it into your space.  There are art collectors who feel that one can put all art together, and that a room should never be decorated around the art, nor should the art match the interiors.  This series is not for them, because they have no fear of putting art they love in any room they wish.  For the rest of you, fear no more — help is on the way!

Blue Flower, by Kathy Poitras, acrylic on canvas, 30” x 30”

Here we have a vibrant floral still life, which at quick glance, is very blue.  However, the first step to finding a home for this piece is to look at all the other colours that are present:  café brown, sunflower yellow, violets ranging from almost grey to deep plum, and many shades of green and blue-green.    Are any of these colours present in your home in any quantity?  Do any of these colours go with the colours that are in your home?  

There are many wall colours that would work as a backdrop for this painting.  Here are a few suggestions from Benjamin Moore: 

• Neutrals:  HC-78 Litchfield Gray, OC-4 Brandy Cream
• Blue/Violet:  CC-830 Stratford Blue, CC-920 Yukon Sky
• Green:  2052-40 Blue Spa,
• Gold:  HC-8 Dorset Gold, HC-12 Concord Ivory

(To view these colours online, go to benjaminmoore.com, select “For your home”, then “Explore colour”, then “Virtual fandeck”.  Or visit your local Benjamin Moore paint retailer.)   Do your walls already resemble one of these colours?  If so, then you may be able to put a painting like this in your room.  But wall colour alone won’t determine whether a painting will come to life in your room.   For real pizzazz, you need to extend one or two colours from the painting into other areas of the room, in order to make a connection between the art and your décor. 

One way to repeat the colours in the art is in your soft furnishings, rugs, and fabrics.  If you already have colourful upholstery, drapery, or a rug that picks up the colours in the painting, then you need do no more.  However, if you love these colours but don’t yet have them in the room, then you can add fabrics that harmonize with the art.  It may be as simple as adding some bold new toss pillows to your existing sofa.

A quick review of fabrics available through Kravet, (kravet.com), brought up several possibilities.  If any of these would work with your existing sofa, or other fabrics in your rooms, then you are well on your way to making this painting work in your home.  I found that the fabrics fell into 3 distinct ‘looks’:  one was French country, one was a whimsical blue and green palette, and the other was a sophisticated urban blend of brown and blue.  The French country look will appeal most to those of you who are comfortable mixing patterns and multiple colours in your rooms.  The whimsical blues and greens are all patterns that could be added to an existing scheme to complement the colours in the painting.  The brown/blue combinations will appeal to those of you who prefer more neutral schemes. 

French Country fabrics:

      

     

      

City Sophisticate fabrics:

     

    

   

  

Whimsical Green & Blue fabrics:

   

    

 

There are many other fabrics that could work – imagine a tropical paradise for your sunroom, or a little girl’s vibrant bedroom.   There is no right or wrong, as long as you are happy every time you see your art in the room that you’ve chosen.  Next time you are tempted to play it safe with your art selections, push yourself to be a little more daring, and go for something you really love, even if it scares you a little.   You won’t regret it.

Artist Credit:  Kathy Poitras, www.yessy.com/4expression/paper.html,  416-519-4345

What’s so special about Custom Draperies?

Many of my clients ask me what makes a custom window treatment special?  To answer that question, let’s consider the steps to a finished treatment.

There are literally thousands of different fabrics, trims, and hardware designs available to choose from.  As an Interior Decorator, I select those samples that I feel will appeal to my clientele.  I work with my clients to determine the perfect fabric choice for their room’s size, colour and design.   We may also want to add trims, like fringe or tassels, to enhance the fabric.  Accurate measurements must be taken in order to turn fabric into a beautiful finished treatment.  Hardware must be selected to hold up the treatment and to complement the design. 

Quality custom window treatments are crafted by skilled workrooms.  They are always luxuriously full – never skimpy – and the weighted corners in the hems of side panels, insure an even, continuous hemline.  Lining also plays a major role in custom designed window treatments, and there are different types for different applications.  The most basic function of lining is to protect the drapery fabric, and your furnishings, from the sun.  Some linings are little heavier, for lightweight fabrics like silk, while other linings completely block the sun for sleeping.  It’s also important to consider how a lining will affect the overall draping of the fabric. 

Last but not least, custom window treatments are professionally installed, on the appropriate hardware.  A professional installer knows where and how to mount the hardware to achieve the look intended by the decorator.  He has the right tools for the job, and he follows instructions better than most husbands.

The next time you find yourself looking at a perfectly dressed window, consider all the care that went into it, to really appreciate its beauty.

What makes a good decorating client?

People who have never worked with a decorator, or who have had a bad experience with a decorator, have interesting ideas about how decorators work with their clients.   Many wonder whether they will like working with a decorator.  I’ve written an article on “What makes a good decorator”, and now I’m going to turn the tables and talk about the clients.  After all,   it’s the personal interactions that determine how successful a decorator/client relationship will be.  Based on my observations of my own clients, and how we’ve worked together, here are my insights on what qualities make a good decorating client:

• Trust is a must.   You’ve hired a design consultant for her ability to visualize and create what you can’t.  After all the discussions and sketches and photos and swatches, there will come a point where you simply have to trust that your decorator will make it all come to life the way you pictured it — or even better!  Ask all the questions you want, just as you would of a surgeon or a builder, but ultimately you won’t really know how it’s going to turn out until it’s done.    If you can’t make a decision on faith, then you may not be a good candidate to work with a decorator.
• Talk isn’t cheap — it’s priceless.   Be sure to give your decorator feedback on her selections and ideas.  As they say at the altar, “Speak now or forever hold your peace.”   Decorating a room or a home is a collaborative effort with back and forth discussion.   It’s this discussion that often leads to the best outcomes. 
• Keep an open mind.    You’ve hired someone creative to help you complete a project that you couldn’t — or didn’t want to — do on your own.  Be open to new ideas.   A decorator’s job, in my opinion, is to push you a little bit outside of your comfort zone.  If all they do is agree to all of your ideas, then you don’t need them, do you?  That’s not to say that you can’t ultimately say ‘no’ to an idea, but at least give it a chance.
• Honesty is a virtue — especially when it comes to your budget.  Don’t imply that you are willing to spend more than you are able, just to make the project sound more important.  Likewise,  don’t give a low-ball budget because you are concerned that your decorator will spend whatever you give her.  The reality is, that most people underestimate how much is needed to decorate their homes, due to lack of experience.   It is a constant struggle to work within the budget on most projects.   If you aren’t honest about your budget, you will waste your own time as well as your decorator’s, and you will miss out on solutions that might have been perfect.
• Know thyself.  If you can’t explain what you like and dislike, then it will be very difficult for a decorator to meet your needs.  When you give feedback on a selection, be sure to explain why you like or dislike something, as best you can.  It is not good enough to say “I’ll know it when I see it.”  Your decorator’s job is to narrow the selections to those that best meet your needs, and not to show you every possible choice.    Look at decorating books and magazines, and gather pictures of rooms that you like, even if you can’t explain why you like them.  You have a responsibility to help the decorator understand your likes and dislikes;  it is unrealistic to expect mind-reading from your decorator.  (Although many of us have become quite adept at it!)
• Two’s company, three’s a crowd.  Okay, we can make an exception for your immediate family, but that’s it.  If you hire someone to give you advice on your decorating, you need to stop asking all your friends, neighbours and relatives to offer a second opinion.   If you wanted them to decorate your home, you would have asked them, wouldn’t you?  Many amateur decorators have trouble offering advice based on what you like, and not on their own likes and dislikes.   The same could be said of some of your immediate family; our children don’t always consider our tastes when they offer opinions.  You will only confuse yourself if you start getting input from everyone.   If you are tempted to do this, ask yourself why you are doubting your choices, or the decorator’s choices.   Be sure to make your decorator aware of your underlying concerns, so she can talk through them with you.
• Laughter is the best medicine.  In decorating, as in everything, it helps to have a sense of humour about it all.  When things aren’t going quite the way you expected, try to see the humour.  To paraphrase Tom Hanks in League of Their Own, ‘There’s no crying in decorating!’  If you’re finding yourself getting too stressed, please remember that — thankfully — this isn’t brain surgery.   No one ever died from decorating.

Hopefully, these insights will help you to set the groundwork for a successful decorating partnership on your next project.

Can a decorator help me with a small makeover?

This question seems to keep a lot of potential clients from calling a decorator.   I’m always amazed at how timid people can be about a simple inquiry.  In our office, we welcome calls from everyone.  We’re happy to answer their questions, because it helps them — and us– to determine if we are a good fit.    I’ve lost track of how often we’ve been able to help someone who was convinced that their job was too small.   I know that other decorators and designers have had similar experiences.  Having said that, there are some clues as to how receptive a design professional may be to a smaller job.    And I have some hints on how to approach the initial conversation…

• First of all, you need to determine if your definition of small is the same as theirs.  I once had a client worry on the phone that her job might not be big enough, then it turned out to be worth $30,000 to $40,000.  I believe she had a budget of $50,000 for all the work that was needed, and she was concerned that my estimate would be more than she could afford.   This is not the norm, but it’s a great example of how one person’s assumptions can vary greatly from reality.  More often, callers are worried that we won’t go out for a single window treatment, or to reupholster a few pieces of furniture.  While not every design consultant will say yes to these jobs, many of us look at such jobs as our ‘bread and butter’, and we’re happy to do them.    After all, many great clients started out by trying us on a smaller job.  And if your job really is too small for us, we will let you know. 
• Be observant about how you’ve found the decorator or designer.  How do they reach out to the public?  If they are making themselves available for a group seminar at your church or women’s group, or you’ve met them at a business network, or some other one-on-one, face-to-face venue, then chances are good that they are open to all kinds of jobs.   Someone who only speaks to the public from a stage, at a high-priced event, or on TV, may not be as open to our ‘little’ jobs.
• Ask how the design consultant gets paid.  (Yes, this means you actually have to call their office.)   How much will it cost you to meet with them?  Sometimes the ‘cost of admission’ is so high ($5000 or more) that you can infer how large your job needs to be in order to make it worth your while.    Some designers will actually tell you that they have a minimum requirement, so you are clear on whether or not your job quailifies.    No matter what, you should never be embarrassed to ask this question, and anyone who makes you feel that way doesn’t deserve your business.
• Find out if there is a hierarchy within the design firm.  In a larger firm, you can get a junior designer or decorator for less than the principal designer would charge.    They have access to the same resources and design vision of the principal whose work you admire, but at a reduced cost.  
• Ask about alternate ways to get design help.  In my office, for instance, I have someone who can provide re-styling for much less than it would cost for me to redecorate the same room with new items.  (Re-styling is a redesign of the room using your own furnishings and accessories, with no new purchases.)    For other situations, we offer hourly consultations, with no obligation to purchase furnishings.    Many design firms offer this varied approach.  

Much of the information you need will be on a decorator’s website, so that’s a great place to start.  However, if you really want to be sure, you will ultimately need to make that first call.

What makes a good decorator?

If you or someone you know has had a bad experience with a decorator, you may have your own thoughts on this question.  And if you’re searching for a decorator to work with you, you may be wondering how to tell a good decorator from a bad one.   Based on my own observations and experiences over 15 years, these are the qualities I suggest you look for:

• Listening skills — We have two ears, but only one mouth, and we should use them in that proportion.  Is your decorator listening to your ideas?  Is she responding to them in a way that shows that she understands them?  
• Communication skills — Is your decorator ‘speaking your language’, in terms of design ideas?  Is she explaining her ideas in a way that makes sense to you?   Is she willing to take the time to show you drawings or photos, to be sure you have the same vision in your mind as she has in hers?
• Reliability — Does your decorator show up on time for meetings?  Does she do what she promised, in the time frame to which she committed? 
• Responsiveness — Does your decorator return your phone calls and emails on a timely basis?  Has she explained her availability — her ‘business hours’ — so that you know the best time and method to reach her?
• Responsibility — Does your decorator take ownership of problems and challenges related to her services and products?  Does she resolve issues quickly and professionally, with minimal impact to you?  
• Training — Does your decorator keep up-to-date on the latest products and design trends?    Does she know how to measure, how to create a floor plan, and how to specify the myriad products involved in your project?
• Experience — Does your decorator have experience on projects similar to yours?  If she lacks experience, does she have access to a more experienced mentor who can guide her through the unfamiliar parts of the project?
• Professionalism — Does your decorator take pride in her profession by keeping a  portfolio to show her previous work?  Does she join industry associations and local business groups? 
• Endorsements — Does your decorator have references?  Was she recommended by someone you respect?  Has she won awards for her design work or her business acumen?  Has her work been published? 
• Partnerships — Does your decorator have a team of related businesses and trades on whom she can call to complete your project?  Does she do business with reputable vendors and service providers? 
• Productivity — Does your decorator work on a schedule that meets with your needs?  Does she keep the project moving at a pace that you’re comfortable with?  Are you getting value for her billable hours? 
• Creativity — Does your decorator bring new ideas to the table?  Does she absorb your ideas, and add to them to make them even better?  Are her ideas a good fit with your lifestyle, wants and needs?

I’ve purposely put creativity last, to make a point.  While it’s important in any design professional, it is not the only, nor the most important quality, that you should consider.  A very creative person who lacks the other qualities that are important to you, will make you crazy. 

Lastly, I have a comment on ‘design style’ — you’ll notice that it is not on my list of decorator qualities.  Many people rely on their reaction to a design portfolio, to determine whether or not they should work with a particular decorator.  However, a good decorator creates spaces that reflect her clients’ needs, and those clients’ needs may not mesh with your own, so you won’t like those parts of the portfolio.  Does that mean that the decorator can’t help you?   Not necessarily.  Use this criteria with caution, and look instead for the quality of the work, and the transformation from ‘before’ to ‘after’.  If the decorator is a ‘one-look’ decorator, then you may see this in the portfolio, but take the time to discuss this with her.  What if all her previous clients asked for the same look, and she just itching to do something different?  Some of the most creative collaborations come from people stretching to do something completely different.   

Last, but not least, remember this:  Even with websites, blogs, social networking, and portfolios, there’s nothing like an honest and open conversation to find out if you’re really getting a good fit with your decorator, especially if you discuss all of the qualities I’ve listed above.

How to Redecorate a Tired Room

Are you tired of your living room?  Or disgusted with your dining room?  Maybe it’s time to redecorate!  Sprucing up a “tired” room will definitely  give your spirit a lift!  But, where do you start?

The problems with this room were many, before we redecorated it.

Well, as the song says, “Let’s start at the very beginning!”  First, take an inventory of your room – an inventory with a critical eye. This is where the help of a trusted friend or professional can be helpful.   What is the room used for?  How much traffic does it get?  It is a sanctuary or a room which will welcome many guests?  How is the room’s lighting?  Do you like your current furniture arrangement?  Do you like your current furniture?  Do you need to change the wall color or treatment?  Are your window treatments dated?   These questions and many more can go on and on.   Sometimes it’s helpful to take photos of your own rooms, to see them from a different perspective.

Now that you’ve determined what’s wrong with your room, it’s time to create a master plan to address the problems, including a budget – one that will help guide you through all the decorating decisions you’ll be making over the coming months. 

Which comes first, the plan or the budget?  That depends on your situation.   You could start with a wish list of items that you’d like to replace or add to your living room, and assign a cost to each of those items.  Be sure to do a little research before determining costs, as your budget should be based on reality and not on wishful thinking.  When you add up your list of items, you will have the beginnings of a budget.  Now you can decide if you want to spend this much or if you need to trim the wish list.  Should you buy new furniture, flooring, draperies, lamps, accessories?  Or can you keep some pieces, buy a few new, and spruce up what you’re keeping.  Set your priorities, and stick with them, to stay on budget. 

Once you’ve established a figure you’re comfortable with, then it’s time to begin making some firm decisions about the four major elements in the room – furniture, window coverings, flooring, and walls, in that order.

AFTER: New hardwood colour + New wall colours + New area rug + New sofas + Better furniture plan + Better lighting = A New Room

Furniture is the workhorse of your room.  It has to be beautiful, durable, and comfortable.  You should think of it as an investment, and purchase classics that you won’t tire of, that are built to stand years of use.   Furniture deserves a large portion of your budget, because you see and feel its quality every time you use the room.   If your budget doesn’t allow for better-quality furniture, wait until you can afford it, rather than settling for cheap furniture that will need to be replaced.

Window Treatments can either take center stage, or be a soft backdrop to your entire design plan.  There is nothing, dollar for dollar, that can do more for a room than a beautifully designed window treatment.  If your windows are like eyes, then blinds are like contact lenses – they change the way you see the world outside, and the way the world outside sees you.  Draperies are like eye makeup.  Do you prefer the look of a little mascara, or do like the all-out glamour of false eyelashes, liner, and eyeshadow?  If you can’t do it all at once, start with good-quality blinds first, then add draperies later.

Flooring options are wide and varied.  Since the floor covers such a large expanse, it contributes greatly to the colouring of the room.  It not only adds its own hue, but it also reflects on the wall and ceiling colours, changing the way they appear.  Think of it as a 5^th wall.  If the existing flooring is in good condition, or it will work with your new room plan, then maybe it doesn’t need to be changed just yet.  However, if the floor coverings are forcing you to work with a colour scheme that you don’t like, then let it go.  It makes no sense to spend money on a room that’s built on something you dislike – you’ll only end up with another room that you’re tired of.

Wall covering selections cover the room’s largest surface, and should be the anchor of the room’s dominant colour.  If you break your room’s colours into proportions of 60% main colour, 30% secondary colour, 10% accent colour, the walls should be part of the 60%.   Paint is the least expensive way to update a room, and shouldn’t be left out for the sake of the budget.  And don’t forget to have the ceilings freshened up – you won’t realize how discoloured they are until your walls are freshly painted, and then it’s too late.

With your master plan as a guide, redecorating a room can be relatively simple, if only you can stick to your plan and priorities.

Doesn’t it cost more to work with a decorator?

There is a perception among some consumers that they will spend more on their home if they work with a decorator, than if they did the work themselves.   Here are some possible reasons why a client might feel that they are spending more with an interior decorator, than they would have on their own:

• Decorators look at the whole project all at once.   Most homeowners, either through time constraints, budget constraints, or lack of knowledge on what to buy or where to buy it, acquire their furnishings over a period of time.  They never stop to add up all of the items that have gone into their rooms over the years.   Remember how your first sofa was a cast-off from your parents, then you added some IKEA tables, then you moved into your first house and upgraded the sofa, but kept the IKEA, then added a kitchen table and chairs, etc.  Did you ever stop to add up all the money that you spent over time?
• Decorators give a budget estimate that  includes every little detail that goes into a finished room, or home.   We include not only the furniture and rugs, but also the window coverings, the correct number of lamps, the art and accessories, the plants, the overhead lighting.  Most homeowners plan their purchase of larger items, but forget about the ‘little things’, and dismiss those as ‘minor’ costs.  However, those minor costs add up and when you see them all at once, it can be a revelation.
• Decorators work with a better quality of merchandise than many homeowners.  That’s not meant as a put-down, it’s just that you don’t know what you don’t know.  If all you see in the stores is low to mid-range quality and price, how could you possibly prepare yourself for the cost of something better?   A good decorator takes pride in her work, and wants to be sure that you are happy with it for years to come.   We source out better quality products that you  may not find in many stores.

So the real question is, do you understand what you are getting from the decorator?    If you are honest with yourself, are you really spending more, or are you just doing it in a larger ‘chunk’ than you would on your own?  Are you ready to pay for better-quality furniture, and to get help to be sure you purchase the right furnishings?    As with any purchase you will make, you should ensure that you know what you are getting for your money.

Can I afford to work with a decorator?

This is such a great question!     As your affluence increases, and your time decreases, you are bound to wonder if you could get help putting your home’s interiors together.  And unless you grew up with an interior decorator on retainer to your family,  it’s difficult to know what to expect from one.   If you agree with the following statements, then you can probably afford to work with an interior decorator:

• I’m ready to purchase better quality furnishings for my home.
• I’m already shopping at up-market stores, like Art Shoppe, Elte, Union Lighting or Ethan Allen.
• I’ve recently done a mid- to high-end renovation of a kitchen or bathroom.
• I’m already paying for landscaping and/or house cleaning services.
• I drive a late-model luxury vehicle.
• I wear the latest fashions and shoes and (gasp!) I don’t always buy them on sale.

Some of my clients would argue that they don’t fit any of the above criteria, and yet they found a way to have an interior decorator involved in their projects.  But we have to start somewhere, and these are all indicators that you’ve moved from ‘need’ to ‘want’ with your disposable income.   You have nothing to lose by making some calls and speaking to decorators about your project, to get some ballpark estimates.

Whether or not you choose to work with an interior decorator is a matter of priorities.   In my 15 years of design practice, I have discovered that the difference between those who hire a decorator, and those who don’t, isn’t their income or the value of their homes.  I have had clients with very modest homes and incomes, who have made my services a priority, and others who have far larger homes and incomes, who have found my services ‘too expensive’ for their priorities.    So, when someone says they can’t ‘afford’ to work with a decorator, often they really mean that they choose not to make it a priority.   What works for you?

Creating a well-designed window treatment

When you’re flipping through the pages of your favorite design magazine or even looking at model homes, what catches your eye first?  Would it surprise you to know that most homeowners find their eyes drawn to creatively designed window treatments? 

Beautiful custom drapery panels add drama to this living room, and bring attention to the ornate mirror.

Why?  Well, it’s likely due in part to the fact that windows form a focal point in any room, and we are drawn to natural light like moths to a flame.  It may also be that many homeowners live with the barest minimum of window coverings, and they are wowed by more creative treatments.  So, how does one achieve a well-designed window treatment in one’s own home? 

One of your first decisions is recognizing the functional requirements of your window coverings.    Some homeowners are adamant about not obstructing a wonderful vista like a golf course, while others have an unsightly view of the neighbour’s brick wall, that they want to mask.  Light control is another function of a window covering.  How much light do you receive, and at what time of day?  Do you need to block it completely, for sleeping or TV viewing, or just filter it softly?   Privacy is the third consideration when selecting a window treatment.  Does the window face a street or other busy public space, where people might be able to look into your room?  Keep in mind that, at night, when it’s dark outside and light inside, it may be possible to see inside your home through uncovered windows.    Privacy treatments also act as extra security, by keeping strangers from looking into your home when you are away.  If you travel regularly, or for long periods, this may be important to you. 

Once you have determined functional needs, it’s time to focus on decorative aspects of your window treatments. Think about whether you want to draw more attention to the windows, or minimize their appearance.  For instance, if there is another focal point in the room, like a fireplace, you might opt for an understated fabric treatment on the windows.  If the window are the focal point, but the view isn’t wonderful, then you may want to make more of a statement with your fabric treatments.   And if there is a wonderful view, then any fabric treatments should enhance the view without overpowering it.

These colourful panels were designed so that the stripes would run horizontally, for a more contemporary vibe.

The style of the window coverings will depend on the style of the room.  Are you casual, contemporary, traditional, formal, minimalist?  Problem solving is another element that affects the ultimate design of the window treatments.  Do you want to make the window look wider or taller?  Is the window off-centre?  Does a 2-storey window need to feel more intimate?  Are you trying to create a ‘window’ where none exists?  All of these problems may be addressed with cleverly designed window treatments.

Because there are so many fabulous window treatment design options available today, it’s wise to start doing your homework early.  Visit model homes, read magazines, and attend decorating seminars.  Start developing your own Window Design Idea File!  If you find all the options overwhelming, consider working with a design professional to help guide you through the process, to make sure that you end up with window treatments that you will be happy with for a long time.

Energy-efficient Window Coverings

Sit by a bare window on a sunny day, and you’ll feel the sun’s warmth.  Sit by that same window on a cold, windy night, and you’ll feel chilled to the bone!  With today’s economic concerns, smart homeowners are continually searching for ways to cut expenses and save on their monthly energy bills.  Not only that, but did you know that window coverings that are directly attached to the window frame may qualify for the Home Renovation Tax Credit? 

Duette cellular shades in this guest room provide insulation, as well as room-darkening and privacy. When raised, they can fit completely behind the drapery valances.

Naturally, the best place to start is to be sure our homes are well insulated.  But all too often, while overall home insulation is a priority, windows seems to be neglected.  No matter what your climate, bare windows are a primary spot for energy escape.  In cold climates, heat naturally moves toward the cold to escape.  And in warmer areas, outdoor heat moves toward the windows of our air conditioned homes.

Since windows make up 20% of a typical homes exterior, and 40% of contemporary home construction, numerous large uncovered windows can break your energy budget.  This is especially true when these windows face a cold northern exposure in the winter or a sun-saturated west wall in summer.

It’s important to know that many window treatment products have actually been assigned an R-Value.  Building materials are assigned R-Values according to each product’s ability to resist heat movement.  The higher the R-Value, the better it insulates your home.  Most windows have an R-value of 0.9 to 3.0, and can be responsible for 40 – 70% of heat or cold transfer for an entire home. 

Using multiple layers at your windows, including blinds (or ‘hard’ treatments) and draperies (or ‘soft’ treatments), can actually increase an R-value by 1 to nearly 5 points!  So let’s look at a few of the more efficient hard window treatment options to help you create cozy room, and cut energy costs at the same time.

Cellular shades are pleated on both sides, to create air pockets between the window and the room, and are one of the most energy-efficient blinds.  Hunter Douglas calls their cellular shades Duette® Honeycomb Shades.  These soft, elegant looking shades actually increase energy values at the window by 25 to 175%, depending upon single, double, or triple thickness in the air-trapping construction.  Available in nearly 300 colors, and a variety of styles, the R-value for Duette’s® can reach as high as 4.8 for the triple honeycomb shade.  They’re durable, easy to clean, mildew resistant, and require little to no maintenance.   

This sunroom addition features Duette honeycomb shades in the overhead windows, and vertical blinds at the sliding doors.

Vertical Blinds are composed of 3” wide strips of fabric or PVC suspended from a metal track hung at the top of the window.  Available in hundreds of colors, textures and embossed patterns, vertical blinds can increase window insulation by 37 to 123% AND block 95-99% of ultraviolet light.  R-Values reach as high as 3.92 for vertical blinds when closed over double glazed glass.

Vignette Shades are roman-style fabric blinds from Hunter Douglas.  These beautiful shades feature the gentle look of a fine drapery, but are made of generously contoured folds of rich fabrics.  They provide a 49% increase in window insulation value and can block 99% of UV light.  They boast an R-value of 2.63 when closed over double-glazed glass, and are available in over a hundred fabric/color options.

Because there are numerous shade options available on the market today, here are three questions you should answer before making your specific product selection:  Do you need special insulation protection, for heat or cold?  How much protection do you need from the sun’s UV rays?  What style of treatment will work best with the rest of your room’s design direction? 

Most importantly, talk to a window coverings expert or interior decorator!  They not only have a vast store of knowledge on which product would work best for your individual situation, but they’ll be able to add that all important decorative element to your overall window treatment design. 

To view all Hunter Douglas products with test results available, see www.hunterdouglas.com for a complete listing.