In the past, homeowners have relied on inconvenient and temporary winterizing methods such as unsightly weather stripping, bulky extra insulation, and other less attractive techniques to keep the winter cold outside and the wanted warmth inside. These are quick fixes that need to be updated again and again.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, windows are one of the largest sources of heat loss in the winter due to their low insulating ability and high air leakage rates. As a result, windows are typically net energy losers, and can be responsible for losing 25 to 50 percent of the energy used to heat and cool homes.

All structural building materials, with millions of tiny air cells trapped within its cellular structure provide a barrier against heat and cold. An inch of wood is 15 times as efficient an insulator as concrete, 400 times as efficient as steel and 1,770 times as efficient as aluminum. So homes built with wood require far less energy to heat and cool, thus conserving fuel.

One of our customers in Brampton had this to say about their large master bedroom windows,
“Our bedroom faces the street, so we have two problems, street lights and noise. Since our shutters have been installed, when we have the louvers closed, we have noticed a significant reduction to the sounds of traffic outside and total darkness.”

Wood shutters bring value and energy savings to your home all year-round. At the same time they offer UV protection during the summer months helping to keep your home cool from the sun’s rays. By making the initial investment for interior wood shutters you will reduce your heating bill this winter and help keep the cost of cooling your home down during the summer month s. You’ll enjoy their energy efficiency as well as the beauty they add to your windows.

If you are starting with a few neutral colors (i.e. sofas or wall color) and want to explore the use of color, try adding color to a room with colorful pillows or decorative drapery panels. If the drapery panels are decorative, they will not be fully operative drapes and will act as columns of color in the room setting. If the drapes are to be fully operative, you will be introducing a “wall” of color when the drapes are in the closed position. Patterned-fabric in multiple colors is one way to add color rather than working with a strong, solid color. Also you may want to consider adding some color-banding, colorful trim, or an added top-treatment piece to neutral drapes if you are unwilling to commit to a wall of colored drapes. In these examples, there are splashes of color added without overwhelming the room. Colorful vases or pillows can be coordinated with the drapery-colors to finish off the room.

If you are looking for some high-contrast color combinations, you will need to start with one extreme or the other: light-colored walls or dark-colored walls/flooring. One example would be to integrate chic, black-white window treatments with black-white bedding against white walls and flooring. This combination produces a high-contrast effect.

Many people express an interest in using the color red: a rug, draperies, or window treatments. If you are not looking for a high-contrast effect, you will need to make sure the red-colors are balanced. Red-colored drapery panels look best against dark wood floors and/or medium-tone walls, i.e. tan walls. Red draperies against white walls and white floors produce a high-contrast effect which may be a little unsettling for most people. The color red should be used sparingly; it is best used as an accent color for most people’s tastes.

Another way to introduce color is to work with softer hues of color to create a tone-on-tone room. The combination of softer hues that coordinate well together will create a “soothing effect” in the room. Using a silk fabric with a sheen or an unusual texture is a way to add more interest to a softer-hue room.

Even though the use of color in a room can be a little challenging and overwhelming, it can create a mood or provide some excitement in a dead space. Working with a design-professional who has vast experience with different color-combinations can offer wise guidance and help custom-create an exciting room that comes alive.

Heritance shutters has also expanded its specialty shape options to cover all types of openings. Other enhancements include new frame options, a new 4½-inch louver size and taller panels before requiring a divider rail (up to 72” before first divider rail is required).

Made of 100 percent genuine wood, Heritance shutters are available with a traditional front tilt bar or award-winning TruView rear tilt system. All Heritance shutters are Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certified, as well as certified for Children and Schools, and offer significant energy savings by lowering heating and cooling costs. A new Heritance Hardwood Shutters Sampling Kit is also available. Visit www.dealers.hunterdouglas.com.

Hunter Douglas’ Heritance hardwood shutters in Espresso with 2½-inch louver size and framed arched panels.

Modern Style. It is clean and characterized by polished surfaces. Colors are neutral and finishes – smooth and polished. Modern interior decorating is exciting and fresh.

Tuscan style: This is inspired by elements of nature. Some of these wonderful elements include: crumbling stone walls, sun washed hill sides, marble flooring, simple and study furnishings with elegance iron accents. The appeal lies in its simplicity.

Traditional style. It remains at the top of popularity charts in many homes today; Furniture is often arranged on a straight axis and centered within the room. It’s somewhat calm, orderly and predictable. Elegance and history personify this style.

Contemporary style. Commonly characterized by clean lines and smooth surfaces without intricate details. Today’s contemporary interiors are welcoming and comfortable and not clustered and dark.

Cottage style. It’s basically characterized by painted and/or decorated furniture with graceful lines/textured elements. The color is purely botanical. Furnishings are comfortably made of iron. Cottage is meant to be lived and enjoyed.

Romantic style: This style exudes comfort that appeals to the sense through soft fabrics with floral pattern, filtered light through sheer fabrics and a romantic floral arrangement. Furnishings should be feminine. Fabric should be soft and luxurious.

Casual style. The focus is on comfort, casual rooms have simple details and items are arranged in a manner that avoids a perfect symmetry. Furniture is soft and comfortable with upholstered furniture covered in neutral colors.

English style. They are formal and traditional. It’s characterized by large pieces of artwork, combinations of dark wood antiques, small bathroom and minimum color.

Budget is normally at the top of the list when making plans for home interior decorating. It is easy to look at a picture and want to recreate it in your space. Sometimes the details in home decorating pictures are quite expensive which may introduce obstacles for you. There’s no need to be disheartened however, there are always alternate ideas to help you achieve your ideal space. Resources such as magazines, books, television programs and Internet websites are very helpful with suggestions and ideas for home interior decorating. Using these resources you’re bound to find alternatives to any problems you may have with home interior decorating.

If you are an individual who loves color and authentic home interior decorating, there are several designs to choose from. Primitive home interior decorating is interesting because it concentrates on old and handmade items. This is a wonderful opportunity to display collectables and handed down treasures. This style suggests using accessories and furniture which appear extremely old, worn, stained or antique. If you are a person who likes antiques, primitive interior decorating might be right for you. When choosing a paint color for this design, dark and warm shades are recommended. Deep grey or red brick would work well in this space.

Another home interior decorating design that you may find interesting is whimsical decorating. This design allows you to go wild with your imagination. Using any and all of your favourite colors, you space should be decorated thoroughly with various patterns and colors. This home interior decorating design is all about color. The important detail to remember however is, if you choose bold vibrant colors, stay within that hue of color. If you decide to use pastel colors, stick with colors in the pastel palette.

If you have difficulty moving from the past into modern home interior decorating, traditional design may be for you. This home interior decorating style combines the modern look with the elegant look of the past. Space is important in the traditional design. To help create a spacious atmosphere, neutral colors such as neutral, beige or mushroom is recommended for the walls. To add a punch of color to this traditional design, darker colors such as burgundy, mauve, blues and greens are suggested for the upholstery, fabric, rugs, etc. When choosing accessories for this home interior decorating design, china and crystal objects will compliment this style. You might also like to add some artwork to your space. Paintings with wood frames go great with this traditional theme.

These are just three of the many designs for home interior decorating. There are many and there is one, just for you. Browsing sources about home interior decorating designs will give you a better idea of their characteristics regarding color, furnishings, flooring and accessories. With your individual tastes and interests at the forefront, you ought to be able to find a style that works for you. Home interior decorating can turn your home into an oasis of pure enjoyment. Accept the challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.

Neil’s News

TRENDS FROM EXCITING WINDOWS! DIRECTOR OF DESIGN
Neil Gordon

“SMART FABRICS”

Can fabric be “smart”? It doesn’t seem possible to say that woven fibers have intelligence, but I found one that does. It is part of a collection of fabrics from one of the leaders in the window covering industry – ADO.

Ado has developed a line of fabrics that can actually improve the quality of the air in a room and is also anti-bacterial. On top of that it is fire retardent, machine washable and comes in extra wide widths of 118”.  Sounds too good to be true, but it is.

Let’s start with the attribute of improving the air quality. Ado calls it ActiBreeze. ActiBreeze is the result of more than three years of development. Room-air improvement through furnishing and curtain fabrics is a very young topic. ActiBreeze can improve the room air and free it from health-threatening toxins. It does it through a revolutionary broad-spectrum effect that breaks down room-air toxins, reducing them to water vapor and CO2.

Room air is constantly polluted with toxins such as ammonia. These health-threatening elements escape from furniture, carpeting, other furnishings and the building itself. In the USA, these toxins are known to cause the so-called “Sick Building Syndrome”. ActiBreeze can help prevent this clinical picture by breaking down health-threatening toxins into harmless water vapor and CO2 through a catalytic process. This is especially useful in rooms where people smoke, which can be returned to a normal state much more quickly with ActiBreeze.

Cigarette smoke, exhaust, pet odors, adhesives, ammonia and kitchen odors are typical substances that can be broken down on contact with ActiBreeze through its active catalytic process. The toxic substances are transformed into carbon dioxide and water vapor.

Improving interior hygiene is a hot topic. After several years of development, ADO has created an innovative, groundbreaking technology with an anti-bacterial effect ADO calls BioProtect. This technology has created fabrics that are permanently anti-micro bacterial that fulfill the highest hygienic standards. The fabric is remarkably effective right on the surface and will not wash out.

Harmful bacteria remain in fibers in spite of frequent cleaning, multiply quickly by the millions and can cause dangerous skin infections or allergies through simple skin contact. BioProtect helps by destroying germs on contact, before they have a chance to multiply in the fabric. This special protective characteristic makes fabrics with BioProtect ideal not only for households, but especially for hospitals, nursing homes and public buildings. Here, so-called “secondary infections” are common and often lead to difficult secondary illnesses. Curtains with BioProtect decisively reduce this risk.

The anti-bacterial protective function of BioProtect is based on silver ions that are integrated into the fibers during yarn production. These ions destroy germs by attacking their metabolism.

• Endless array of colours in patterned or plain fabrics.
  
• Allows for complete control over the flow of light.
  
• Factory direct so we can pass on savings to our customers.
  
• Quality materials & workmanship.
  

Ideal for any room in the home. The choice of fabric can either turn it into a focal point or blend with surrounding furniture. Used alone, roller blinds suit our contemporary style with clean uncluttered lines.

Dress your room with soft natural light. Preserve your view to the outside with daytime privacy.

Timber Woven Blinds

An exotic collection of woods and bamboos that filter light into your room, to create a calm soothing ambience. A range of woods and bamboos as individual and distinctive as you are.
Romans/Curtains

Romans can be used effectively on any window and can be crafted in any one of a multitude of colours in patterns or plains. Romans also work well with a coordinated curtain.

Curtains

Add another dimension to your window with the use of curtains, side drapes or perhaps a swag. Colours and styles to suit every home.
Add a little imagination and you transform the appearance of any room.

Venetians are available in an exciting array of colours to suit all styles and decors. They allow easy control of light as well as peace of mind for complete privacy when closed.

Available in colours, oiled, lacquered timbers. Add rich warmth of timber to create that special room. Easily adjusted for light filtering or complete privacy.

• Awnings protect your family and home from the effects of the sun’s rays.
  
• Custom made to protect patios, windows and doorways.
  
• Controls adjustable to cater for sun during hot
• Summer and cool Autumn/Winter days.
  
• Fabrics, cool and colourful and UV proof without blocking light.
  
• Use awnings to control solar heat by blocking sun’s rays before they strike the glass.
  

• Window grills custom made to suit.
  
• A variety of colours.
  
• Add value to your home with aesthetic appeal and strength.
  

• Door grills to suit every home.
  
• Fully tempered aluminium, intruder resistant.
  
• Maintenance free.
  

Inspired Interiors by Elle Auvil

originally published May 2006

Greetings! I have missed writing this, and am thrilled to again have enough space to write something of substance. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season, and are looking forward to a beautiful Virginia springtime!

I’m going to talk about something that I have addressed with several new clients: trim and embellishment. I’m not talking about drippy fringing and over the top details, but about the little extras that make custom window treatments and furnishings look just that: custom made. I have added trim to existing window treatments for several people lately, because even though their treatments were well made, they just lacked that certain “wow” factor. Trim is a wonderful way to tie all the colors of a room together. A lovely set of silk panels is set off beautifully by fringe that pulls in the color of the walls, furnishings and panels. The lovely curve of a pretty valance is only enhanced by tassels following those curves. Think of trim as the jewelry for a pretty dress- would you go out for the evening with no jewelry on? It completes the outfit, doesn’t it? I also love to use contrast fabrics on treatments- it delights the eye when two fabrics complement each other beautifully. That said, there is a time and place for simplicity too, when restrained elegance is called for. It simply depends on the room and the mood we are trying to set.

Take a look at your window treatments- are they missing that finished look? We can easily add trim to them. Or, if you’re ready for newly dressed windows, don’t forget the finishing touch that ties everything together- trim!

By Deb Barrett

The days are shorter, the nights longer — it’s time to stop looking through that bare, black hole of a window and get it ready for the upcoming winter and holiday season!

Raise Your Room Temperature!
As the temperature drops outside, adding color, texture and window treatments will dramatically change a room from cool to warm and cozy. Adding panels and a top treatment can be just the thing to warm up a room (lined treatments act as an insulator). It’s a perfect time to change out your existing window treatments with wood blinds or cellular shades — their insulating properties will keep rooms warmer all winter long (and cooler next summer!)

Soft Treatment Trends for the Winter Season

• French flip panels
• Unusual pleated headings on panels — inverted, goblets, cartridges, ruching
• Color-blocked columns of fabric
• Classic swags and cascades with dressmaker details

Holiday Decorating “Buzzwords”
You’ll be hearing a lot about these holiday decorating trends as the season approaches!

• Warmth
  You’ll be seeing a lot of the warm side of the color spectrum — sumptuous reds, oranges, pinks, honeys and yellows. Create distinctive color schemes for the holidays with one or more of these colors. Pinks and reds are perfect for a nostalgic or Rococo-themed holiday.
• Retro/Pop
  Op-art patterns, strong contrasts, graphic looks — the attitude that “The Future is Now!” Don’t discount the classic looks as produced by the great couture houses — Chanel (tweeds and boucles), Pucci, Courréges, Mary Quant. Think back to the 50’s and the flocked tree with pops of brilliant color for your inspiration. Retro/Pop looks work in traditional settings as a wonderful contrast that creates variety, making a room or window come to life.
• Shock
  The colors aren’t new — clear, bright hues — but the interest is in the combination and schemes. Can’t find the right fabric for your holiday window decorating scheme? Create your own! Alternate panels in “shocking” combinations like fuchsia and berry, or coffee bean and citrine, on multiple windows.
• Applied
  Layer design techniques and methods in the room and on the window. Layered, feminine, girly looks are window treatments hottest new trends!

It All Adds Up to Pretty Decorating!
Take a lesson from the fashion runway and consider tweeds, plaids and stripes mixed and matched in panels and top treatments.

Buy some of the fabulous new brooches and pin them on tab top panels or use as holdbacks — buy several and attach them all the way down the edge of stationary panels for a sparkling effect.

Add some of the wonderful, wired ribbons (found in the holiday decorating aisle) down the leading edge of your drape. Soften the edge with a ruffle in a fabulous silk or velvet. Just gather and finish the edge, then attach with double stick Velcro (so you can change it out at the end of the season).

Accessorize! Accessorize! Accessorize!
As you’d accessorize your outfit with shoes, bags and scarves, don’t forget to add accessories to your room — they’re a key ingredient to its design success.

• Complement your window treatments with pillows, runners, ottomans. Velvet throws with corded edges and tasseled corners in rich, dramatic colors are the perfect accessory for holiday. Think purple, berry, merlot, red.
• Dress up your existing draperies with swagged cording in an accent color or in one of the new metallics — silver, gold and copper — for holiday pizzazz. Change out your drapery rods in the same metals to reflect the romantic glow of candlelight at your dining table. A new pair of finials can change your room’s whole perspective — simply and easily.
• When you’re in the trim department, purchase an extra tassel or two for door knobs, to tie on a chair back, or wrap around a vase or candelabra. Remember to repeat an accent color or pattern at least three times for impact, and vary scale and size.
• Entertaining during the holidays? Buy some extra yardage when doing your windows and make 20″ napkins for those special occasions.

A Simple Idea
Still have a bare window — and no time to treat it? Shop for some wonderful handcrafted Christmas ornaments and sumptuous drapery rods and brackets. Hang the ornaments from the rod with fish line in front of the glass. Choose ornaments that sparkle and reflect light both day and night!

My motto is “The More The Better” during the holiday season — using any or all of these ideas will make your home .. and windows — a holiday to remember.

Until next time! Deb

Deb Barrett, owner of Window Dressings, Kaneville, IL, is an award-winning window fashions designer, professional speaker and author. She has built a reputation for cutting edge couture treatments, winning the Window Fashions National Design Competition five times, including its Award of Excellence. With more than 30 years experience in the window treatment field, Deb shares her talents through speaking, media tours and writing. Her work frequently appears in popular decorating magazines including Windows and Walls and Decorating Ideas, and she is the author of Tools of the Trade and Soft Furnishings Sketchbook.