Welcome to Exciting Windows!

Any window opening that is not square or rectangular is reffered to as a specialty shape. These windows are usually used as an architectural detail in home construction and add to the beauty of the home. The windows themselves are beautiful and are usually quite expensive. When the homeowner decides that some sort of covering is needed, preserving the beauty of the opening is normally a priority added to the need for privacy, light control, UV or glare protection.

In this series we will tackle each of the common shapes of windows and the appropriate choices for that particular shape. For more information see our gallery of specialty shaped windows.

I held a large sample panel in white in the window, and asked the clients to step outside and take a look; they were horrified! Installing any shade or shutter that showed white to the exterior would ruin the affect they worked so hard to create in building this home. So we began to look at the window treatments as not just a functional necessity, but an addition to the overall appearance of the home that needed to work in harmony with the rest of the construction materials.

Shutters were still desired for their inherent beauty and function. We reviewed the readily available materials, but decided that any other wood grain would contrast too much with the grain of the Fir. The answer was to match not just the color of the surrounding trim and moldings, but to match the wood as well.

The result was astounding. It appeared that the shutters were made in the same mill as the moldings, and had been installed by the same finish carpenter.

When selecting all window treatments, but especially plantation shutters, be sure to think out of the box. Consider the appearance from within and from outside. Make sure you are working with a designer or shutter specialist that truly knows the product and is able to offer more than just the usual fare. To our knowledge this was the first time Fir was used as a shutter material for a home in New England. After seeing the beauty of this home, I am sure it will not be the last.

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Architects and home designers seem to be continuing their best efforts to bring the outdoors inside through the use of larger windows, often designed in unusual shapes. These larger windows may require extra framing to accommodate the weight of the treatment chosen for that window. This framing could include blocking up to several feet away from the window in order to support decorative drapery rods. If a steel header is used above the window, wood blocking should be added to at least a 1 ½” thickness over the face of the header to support a range of treatment options.

As you can see, considerations about window treatments can be just as complicated and important during the design phase of a home as decisions about kitchen layout or plumbing fixtures. Take the time to seek out a qualified window treatment expert to help you early in the pre-construction phase of your new home. You may find this to be some of the most valuable time you spend.

Ed Hopkins is the Principal of Exciting Windows! by Verticals Etc. He and his staff have been trained and certified by over twelve different manufacturers of quality window treatments. See the possibilities for window treatments today by visiting the largest showroom in New Hampshire at 122 Lafayette Road in North Hampton, or online at www.excitingwindows.net. Ed can be reached at 603-964-7282.

The desire to motorize window treatments is one of the most important details to plan during the construction phase. An experienced and certified window treatment dealer will be able to assist the home buyer in making the appropriate product choices, while also providing the electrician with wiring schematics that will ensure the desired outcome. Wiring a home after construction often makes the option of motorized window treatments highly cost-prohibitive.

As the expense of heating and cooling our homes continues to escalate, the wise consumer will seek out a window treatment professional for advice about products that will provide the greatest level of performance and deliver the desired decorative effect. Here in New Hampshire, we are primarily concerned with maintaining warmth in the home during the winter months. Most window treatments will provide some insulation value, but superior products can actually triple the “R” value of the window being covered.

Although not traditionally considered by home buyers, architects or builders, the planning and budgeting for window treatments prior to the building phase is fast becoming one of the most important trends in residential construction today. There are many practical reasons for this shift, not the least of which is ensuring there is a sufficient budget for the home buyer to choose window treatments that adequately complement a dream home.

Available choices in treatments today are much more varied than ever before. The home buyer must choose from selections that include traditional draperies, simple blinds or shades, increasingly popular plantation shutters, or window film that reduces glare, fading and heat gain. Along with these options, the savvy homeowner is likely to ask that these treatments be motorized and possibly interact with a home automation system.

The last post in this series on maintaining privacy and view for ocean and lake front homes.

The window covering industry has developed a number of products in the last few years to address this need. Principally Hunter Douglas has developed what has become a whole new category of treatments called soft shadings.

These treatments are for the most part a combination of a blind and one or more sheer fabric layers. The best known is probably the horizontal soft blind called Silhouette. available in louver sizes from 2″-4″, the view through the sheer fabric is great, and privacy is assured by tilting the veins at night. The vertical pairing to the Silhouette is the Luminette. This beautiful treatment combines a fabric vertical blind with a crisp sheer outer facing. Open or closed this treatment is always beautiful.

The newest entry in this category is a product called Pirouette by Hunter Douglas again. This roman shade look alike is attractive as a shade, but continue to pull the cord and the roman ‘pleats’ gather together to uncover a sheer layer that provides day time privacy and UV/Glare control.

Continuing our discussion of privacy control for beach and water front homes we have our next option;

2. Louvered treatments, both horizontal and vertical blinds are very functional for water front homes. This category includes the common mini and vertical blind as well as the very traditional wood venetian blind. The most popular option in this category today is the plantation shutter. Shutters are ‘furniture for your windows’ . they are beautiful by themselves and are incredibly functional. The larger louver preserves the view, and a flick of the wrist ensures privacy. All Horizontal blinds and shutters should have the louvers tilt horizontal or up at all times to protect from UV damage.

Maintaining privacy for beach front homes is always a challenge. Any window treatment that can be seen through during the day, will allow those outside to see into the home at night. The solution for these situations is to choose a product that can easily close or tilt for privacy. There are a number of options to choose form today.

1. Traditional draperies with sheer under drapes. The sheer drape provides UV and glare protection during the day, and some level of view through. The over drape can be closed in the evening for privacy

We will explore other option in the coming days.

As we discussed earlier, protecting the furnishings of a home from the harmful effects of UV radiation, while preserving the view out of the windows is a challenge. Some of the more common answers include; sheer draperies, solar screen shades, shading systems such as Silhouettes or grass cloth shades. All of these options handle the task of blocking UV to some extent. But all also inhibit the view through the window.

Thre are two options to consider that block the UV to a very high level, without diminishing the view. The first is Plantation Shutters. Shutters with 3 1/2″ or 4 1/2″ louvers allow an almost uninterrupted view while bouncing the harmful rays of the sun back outside. It is important to note that the louvers should be tilted horizontally, to slightly up. If the louver is tilted down, the suns rays are invited into the home.

The second option that can be used alone, or with any other window treatment, is window film. The newer window films from 3M are called Prestige films. These are non-metallic films made of ceramic materials. They are non reflective, and have a minor change to the quality of light within the room.

As our business services most of the ocean and lake front communities from Camden Maine to Winnipesaukee to Cape Cod, we are often asked what is the best products to choose when the home is on the Ocean or lake front. In the next few posts I will share some of our experiences in dealing with the unique challenges of water front window treatments.

In this first post, I would like to layout some of these unique challenges.

• Obviously the primary challenge is preserving the view. That view is the reason these clients live where they do. Choosing a treatment that will obstruct that view, just doesn’t work.
• UV protection is often the second challenge we must deal with. Most often, whatever product is chosen for waterfront windows, the treatment is raised or drawn to the side during the day to preserve the view, allowing the harmful rays of the sun to do damage to home furnishings.
• Heat and glare go hand-in-hand with UV protection, offering the same challenges
• Privacy is a continual challenge as well. If a product is chosen that can be seen through during the day, than people outside of the home can see in during the evening hours if the lights are on in the home.
• Finally, security and weatherproofing are often considerations in the design process. Water front homes are often second homes and therefore empty much of the year. The higher winds that are common in these areas are also a problem as they blow against the large window walls and picture windows that these homes commonly have.