Window Fashion VISION Magazine: Jan/Feb 2023 | Volume 45 Issue 1

VOLUME 45, ISSUE 1

President/Publisher | Grace McNamara grace@wf-vision.com

Vice President | Ania McNamara-Munzer ania@wf-vision.com

Editor-in-Chief | Jennifer Jensen jennifer@wf-vision.com

Art Director | Eric Taylor eric@wf-vision.com

IWCE Conference Director | Shannon Flaherty shannon@wf-vision.com

Copy Editor | Maude Campbell maude@wf-vision.com

Marketing Coordinator | Indra Khalsa indra@wf-vision.com

Social Media Coordinator | Corina E. Buzdugan corina-elena@mcnamaramarketing.com

Accounting | Kim Rick accounting@wf-vision.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Jessica Harling, Linda Holt, Roger Magalhaes, O’D McKewan, LuAnn Nigara, Kathy Cragg Pace, Oliver Schreiber, Kelli Vitari

SUBSCRIPTION S 651-330-0574 • info@wf-vision.com

ON THE COVER: Photography: The Shade Store Project: Kaleidoscope Project Firehouse Restoration Designer: Rasheeda Gray Gray Space Interiors Jenkintown, Pennsylvania GraySpaceInteriors.com

Window Fashion VISION magazine makes every attempt to credit each person involved in the process of creating a window covering and will not be responsible for crediting any person whose name, company or participation did not surface during the information-gathering process. Crediting disputes between parties other than VISION magazine are solved at the discretion of those involved.

Window Fashion VISION (ISSN 08869669) (USPS 708930) published bi-monthly by AIM Communications LLC, 4707 Hwy 61 N #255, St Paul, MN 55110, Tel 651-3300574. Visit our website at WF-VISION.com. Periodicals postage paid at St Paul, MN. Postmaster: Send address changes to Window Fashion VISION , 4707 Hwy 61 N #255, St Paul, MN 55110. Allow 60 days for address change. Subscription rates: $22/yr. U.S. and possessions; $29/yr. Canada; $90/yr. Foreign (includes airmail postage). Copyright © 2023 by AIM Communications, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission prohibited. Canadian Publications Agreement Number: #40036514. Canadian Return Address: 4707 Hwy 61 N #255, St Paul, MN 55110 JANUARY + FEBRUARY 2023, VOLUME 45, ISSUE 1.

2023 | wf-vision.com

LOOKING BACK AS WE MOVE FORWARD

Ialways feel January is a cleansing time for renewal and a fresh start. Whatever happened last year is in the archives—good or bad, but always a learning experience.

I’m excited to start the new year with this issue focused on wellness. Having had the opportunity to travel to Europe a few times this year, I was able to see how other parts of the world observe wellness and happiness.

As much as I love this country, we are sadly behind many cultures in the appreciation of what makes us truly happy. Maybe it’s not that we don’t appreciate it, but rather we don’t make it a priority.

The last couple of years have at least helped us view our homes as our sanctuaries, as we were forced to stay in them and learn to live and love our environments. Suddenly, we are no longer an afterthought in the realm of home furnishings. Oh yeah, the window treatments? Not in the budget since we had to have the Bose sound system, the Sub-Zero refrigerator and the Roche Bobois sofa.

We have come to the realization that these luxuries are affected by the light in the room, especially the natural light. We want more of it, it makes us feel good and connects us with nature—all things we crave. Window treatments have entered the category of wellness because they control the natural light. They have the power to enhance the environment aesthetically and functionally. We always knew that, but it wasn’t on our customer’s radar.

In this issue, we offer several fresh approaches to selling custom treatments. Emphasize the feel-good factor with the wellness article on page 42. Learn to sell transformations, not products, with Kathy Cragg Pace’s column on page 48, and see a preview of the new products that will be on display at the International Window Coverings Expo on page 34.

I hope we bring you inspiration and information to excel in your business this year.

New Year! Grace McNamara Publisher grace@wf-vision.com

IBy the nature of our industry, we are very visual–we can transform people’s home by helping them control light, atmosphere and environment. When researching a nonprofit to support this year, a friend of mine introduced me to SEE International and I felt it was a great fit for us.

This charity’s score is 100%, earning it a four-star rating by Charity navigator, which makes me comfortable enough to give with confidence.

Since 1975, SEE International has helped 5 million patients in 44 countries regain the gift of sight.

Those of you registering for IWCE will see an option at the end of the form to donate to this worthy cause.

I can’t imagine being without the gift of sight.

To learn more, visit SeeIntl.org/our-story.

Happy

Publisher Grace McNamara at the opulent Le Train Bleu restaurant in Paris.

The updated Pulse 2 App

Smarter phone shade automation

An updated, simpler way to access your favorite Rooms, Shades and Scenes. Quicker Shade control with just One Tap. Smart shade positioning for improved light management and privacy, and quick access to battery status indicators to monitor all your Shades’ health.

Pairs with Pulse 2

A sleek and functional alternative to ordinary window coverings, SheerWeave fabrics effortlessly and elegantly manage the sun’s harsh heat and blinding glare.

COASTAL WITH A TOUCH OF ELEGANCE

When Rasheeda Gray of Gray Space Interiors set out to design this space—a room located in one of four units of a restored firehouse as part of the Kaleidoscope Project—she envisioned someone living there who wanted to “live, work and play in the home.” She then wanted to make each room have its own personality.

The room featured on the cover of this month’s Window Fashion VISION magazine is the home office. “Like many people, you want to work in a place that makes you feel at ease and calm,” Gray said.

In this room specifically, Gray said it all started at the window. The room features

a high ceiling, nearly 11 feet tall, and three huge windows. “I wanted to highlight the architectural designs of the space,” she added. She also wanted to highlight all the natural light that was coming through the windows. “You really want to be able to enjoy the benefits of that sunlight,” she said.

She fell in love with the specific fabric they used for the window treatments. The collection was designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard and the material was palmier, which featured a palm leaf design. The shade of the curtain she chose was sand, which featured ripplefold drapery. “It was light and airy,” she added. They lined

the curtains so the amount of light coming in could change if needed. They also used a track rod to accentuate the height of the windows.

“In this space, I wanted to keep it light and casual with a touch of elegance,” she said.

The room is very long and Gray said they added an accent wall to draw the eye to the back of the room. There’s also a writing desk that features acrylic legs, a rattan mirror and other light and airy elements.

The overall theme of the room is a little coastal, but it’s also contemporary and elegant at the same time, Gray added. V

PHOTO: CREEPWALK MEDIA

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

COULISSE CELEBRATES 30 YEARS IN BUSINESS

To celebrate 30 years of innovation and growth, family-run business Coulisse revealed its future vision to build a brand-new Coulisse Campus in the Netherlands. A hub for inspiration, pioneering, collaborating and staying ahead of the game for employees and partners alike, creative minds, smart technology, digitization and robotics will interconnect seamlessly to deliver the most forward-thinking solutions for the window covering industry worldwide.

The dream of a new Coulisse Campus of 70,000 square meters was unveiled at the new location—the Elsmoat business park in Enter—at an official press event on October 27. The new billboard, revealed by founders Christiaan and Maurice Roetgering, showed an artistic impression of the new complex. Phase one will be the construction of the first building: a 15,000-square-meter warehouse 13 meters high, of which 2,000 square meters will be automated, which is planned for completion in 2023. Phase two will be building fully automated high-bay warehouse of 7,000 square meters, where radio frequency identification will be in use. Plans are also in place to produce hydrogen with solar energy at this new location to reduce the company’s ecological footprint.

Coulisse is celebrating success across the world. Earlier this year, the company opened its new 50,000-square-foot office, showroom and warehouse in Miami after 10 years of growing success on American soil, followed by the opening of its brand-new Sydney office and showroom a few months later.

ROLL-A-SHADE LAUNCHES REY: NEW HOME-INTEGRATION PRODUCT LINE

Roll-A-Shade, manufacturer of window treatments for commercial applications, launched Rey—a home-integration product line. The Rey product line includes exterior and motorized drapery options that makes home automation and integration easier than ever, the company said. Rey shade systems are engineered to be durable and simple to install, with features that include minimal light gaps, increased privacy and zero wire visibility.

“Automation of window coverings has been a welcome evolution in the space over the last decade or so, but it came at the price of clean, minimalistic design due to the bulkiness of the motorheads and the wires attached,” President Steve Williams said. “The Rey product line

eliminates and accentuates the open roll design with total motor concealment, wire management and an easy, stable bracket installation. It ticks all the boxes.”

Rey’s concealed wiring and components enable a hassle-free and secure installation. Its sleek and modern design elevates your home and enhances your personal experience.

Rey brackets are available in large or small and three exclusive bracket colors with custom options. Rey is available in a wide range of thoughtfully curated fabric collections. The fabric selection has options for heat gain minimization, glare reduction and room darkening for privacy. The company offers free online tools to help with the fabric selection process.

VAKO UNVEILS NEW DECORATIVE TRACK RANGE

VAKO introduced a decorative curtain range in nine colors, including champagne and gold with matching gliders, eyelets and motorization pulleys (for every major motor brand in America) to create a customizable look for every interior.

With an eye for detail, the finials and endcaps are designed to flush seamlessly over the round and square tracks to prevent any cutting marks from showing, the company said. The brackets have wall, hidden ceiling and wall-to-wall applications for an effortless install every time.

With the matching accessories for both snap and pocket wave tapes, silent gliders and master carriers, every type of curtain can be produced.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

THE SHADE STORE INTRODUCES NEW LINE FROM SHEILA BRIDGES

New York-based designer Sheila Bridges’ new line for The Shade Store features five new fabric patterns inspired by “the tastemaker’s childhood memories of traveling, gardening and outdoor play,” according to the company. All are available for use on roman shades, drapes, cornices and custom pillows. They are available in 12 different types of material and 45 different colors.

The patterns elegantly bring any space’s story to life, including Bridges’ acclaimed Harlem Toile de Jouy design. This collection blends her signature storytelling style with soft, neutral fabrics that frame views beautifully without weighing down the window. With a luxurious yet light weight and hand—and a playful variety of mixed-scale patterns—these intricate materials offer a modern aesthetic with endless versatility, designed to effortlessly introduce pattern into the home, according to the company.

WINDOW COVERING MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION FILES LAWSUIT CHALLENGING NEW CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION RULE

In late November, the Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) filed a lawsuit challenging the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) rule, A Safety Standard for Operating Cords on Custom Windows. The final rule requires operating cords on custom window coverings to meet the same requirements as operating cords on stock window coverings.

For decades, the CPSC worked with the WCMA on the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/WCMA voluntary safety standard, a standard that the CPSC previously acknowledged has been effective in reducing the risk of injury to children. That is what the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) requires: that the CPSC and the industry work together to develop effective voluntary industry standards. The CPSA requires the CPSC to rely on a voluntary standard that adequately reduces the risk of injury rather than promulgate its own rule.

The WCMA first adopted a voluntary standard in 1996 in strict accordance with the internationally respected ANSI. The WCMA has worked with the CPSC, consumer advocacy groups and industry representatives to update the full voluntary standard six times as a result of ongoing industry innovation, technological advances and new product development. The WCMA is finalizing the seventh update to the ANSI/WCMA voluntary safety standard. That update specifically addresses the custom product category and has the same goal as the proposed rule:

to eliminate all free-hanging cords from custom products. The updated voluntary standard is based on an analysis of incident data and the technical expertise of the industry, the WCMA said.

The industry’s voluntary standard has been a success and has significantly decreased incidents and improved product safety. Industry members have always considered compliance with the standard to be mandatory and the CPSC acknowledges that there is substantial compliance with the standard, according to the WCMA.

The CPSC rule has many problems. Due to the six-month effective date, it does not substantively advance child safety because the rule will eliminate the availability of product before the industry can develop new products and would delay consumer transition to available safer products. The CPSC staff briefing acknowledged the industry will need at least two years to develop completely new products.

“The new rule ignores the fact that safety incidents have steadily declined since the voluntary standard has been in effect,” the WCMA said. “CPSC also completely fails to account for the significant cost increase to consumers and the enormous harm that the rule will cause to the billion-dollar commercial market for custom window coverings, despite that there is no data to suggest those products pose a risk.

Flat Roman Shades: Orgami, Parchment

Pinch Pleat Drapery: Harlem Toile De Jouy, Multi-White

Tailored Pleat Drapery: Blossom, White Flat Roman Shades: Archer, Cornsilk Stripe

How the State of the Industry Pertains to Motorized Window Coverings

BY O’D MCKEWAN

My first thought when thinking about the state of the industry and how it pertains to motorized window coverings is: The times they are a-changing. Especially in our industry. With the new child-safety laws taking effect soon, there are going to be a lot of changes that will affect us at every level of our industry. Most manufacturers have been doing a great job of redesigning, inventing and implementing new products or enhancements to allow most window coverings to be compliant with the new and upcoming requirements, such as making cord-free lift options available for almost every type of window covering. As we know, this is a great option for child safety, but it is not always the best option for our clients.

There are many challenges with manually operated cord-free lift systems. The two main ones are the width and height limitations and the client’s ability to reach and operate the systems. These two challenges alone have a huge list of potential issues for the end user. So many, I could write a whole article listing and describing the issues many of us have already contemplated or dealt with, but instead I will stay on target and discuss motorization.

I will still integrate the concept of the new laws as they will definitely alter our sales techniques. Keeping child safety in mind and considering the fact that we must eliminate low-hanging cords, offering motorization may seem like a simple task, but it also comes with multiple challenges. The main one being cost. Nowadays, there are several motorization options out there and the prices can vary greatly. Some window covering manufacturers offer multiple lines of motorization at different price levels. I believe we will see a battle for low-cost motor options as a standard alternative to manually operated window coverings.

Right now, we have rechargeable, battery-powered, plug-in, and hardwired motors and everything from remote controlled to voice controlled, but I believe the simplest and least expensive alternative to the cordless lift option is going to be the motorized wand system. There are many manufacturers that offer a simple rechargeable motor that is operated by a wand attached to the headrail and allows the end user to raise and lower the window covering with the press of a button.

These low-cost motors do not use a remote control, nor are they able to be hooked up to any form of home automation. That is what keeps the price down and makes it an affordable option to cordless lift systems. These systems have been out for a few years now with limited success or popularity, but I believe they will become one of the most popular options once clients are forced to choose between a cordless lift system and a motorized system. This is my entry-level motorization option.

In fact, I noticed at the last International Window Coverings Expo that many manufacturers were prominently displaying their motorized wand options and the new features they have, like Louvolite’s secured metal wand attachment and Coulisse’s flexible wand attachment. As this item gains popularity, I believe we will see a lot of upgrades, including a hardwired application instead of a rechargeable system so that it can be used in commercial applications and in public spaces where the cordless lift will not be a viable option. (Hint, hint manufacturers.)

Speaking of rechargeable options, using either a rechargeable motor or a rechargeable battery pack is one of the most popular options for motorized window coverings now. This is due, in part, to the simplicity of selling and installing them and their price point. As I have mentioned in previous articles, rechargeable motors and batteries are not without their problems, including life span, accessibility and recyclability. However, since rechargeable batteries are the No. 1 sold battery in the world, the constant technology improvements will make these options more viable to a certain extent. Remember, no battery manufacturer wants to make a battery that lasts forever.

When it comes to technology, motorization is a constantly evolving entity. As it pertains to motorized window coverings, most of our technological advances come from other fields and are implemented to be used with our products. This is most evident when it comes to communicating with the motors. We started with “dumb motors” that were wired to a switch that either raised or lowered a shade. Then, we moved on to infrared, which allowed us to use hand-held remotes that had to be pointed at the shade. From there, we moved to manufacturer-specific radio frequency (RF) remotes that gave us much better range and a lot of control options. RF communications also allowed us to communicate with other types of devices such as hubs and gateways that allowed us to control our motors from mobile devices and voice-controlled assistants.

PHOTO: POWERSHADES

This has been the biggest evolution in our industry for the last 10 years. The problem was that everything was brand specific. Every manufacturer had their own remotes and hubs that would only work with their products. Now, I am seeing more manufacturers opening up to more generalized and universal communications, including Hunter Douglas, Coulisse and Somfy. This will minimize the need for brand-specific hubs and allow the end user to be able to control multitudes of electronic devices from a single app or voice assistant.

These universal communications—such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee and Z-Wave—are still radio frequencies, they are just open to anyone that has a compatible device, much like your phone can connect to any Wi-Fi or Bluetooth you have access to. There is even a current push in the electronics industry for a new standard and universal RF communication protocol called Matter. This would allow any Matter device to communicate with any other Matter device no matter what the product is or who the manufacturer is. This would really open up our possibilities in the motorized window covering world.

So, where does this leave us now in our industry? Well, I believe this is going to be a rapidly evolving time for the next 10 years. Technology and the demand for alternative lift options are going to force us as an industry to make a lot of changes—from manufacturing, sales, installations and servicing issues. If you are not staying current and willing to adapt to the upcoming changes, you are probably not going to be happy and fall behind those who are and, with our impending forced recession, you should be willing, eager and able to make the changes to stay ahead of those who are not.

You have taken the time to read this, so take a little more time to prepare yourself for where we are going as an industry. Research the new laws and how they are going to affect your business. Take classes to stay current on constantly changing motorization options. Start selling alternative lifting options so you can learn firsthand how it is going to affect your business before and after the sale. If you would like to learn more or stay current, visit our site at WindowCoveringWorld.com. V

O’D McKewan is the product coach for Window Covering World, an expert on motorization and an industry leader in the field of motorized window coverings. He has extensive hands-on experience with motorized window coverings, including fabrication, installation and selling.

» WindowCoveringWorld.com

Take O’D McKewan’s WFCP Motorization Certification course on Wednesday, April 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. He will also speak during a session on “Virtual Selling: Grow Your Business With Reduced Expense” on Thursday, April 20, at 10:30 a.m. and a session on “Mastering Motorization” on Friday, April 21, at 9 a.m.

PHOTO: ROLLEASE

Rollease Automate Lithium Ion 3.0 Rechargeable Motor

SPEAKER

What Can Installers Expect After New Cord Safety Standards?

BY ROGER MAGALHAES

As you may know, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has proposed significant changes to the operating cords on custom window coverings. The proposed rule would require operating cords on custom window coverings to meet the identical requirements for operating cords on stock window coverings set forth in 2018.

The current American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard requires stock window coverings to have no operating cords (cordless), inaccessible operating cords or operating cords shorter than 8 inches in any position.

The industry has made repeated attempts to work cooperatively with the CPSC on the most recent revision to the ANSI/Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) safety standard. Instead of continuing to work with the industry, last November, the CPSC published its final rule with a 180-day effective date despite the CPSC’s staff recommendation for a one- or two-year effective date.

As we stand, the WCMA has filed a lawsuit against CPSC challenging the new rules. The case is in court at the moment.

Meanwhile, our friends up north have experienced a similar situation in their market; however, differently than in the U.S., the new rules were implemented in Canada in May.

Based on the feedback from fellow Canadian installers, the installation landscape has changed a bit. Here are some of the highlights:

■ Order sizes have decreased because cordless and motorized products are more expensive and not everyone can afford them.

■ Shutters and automated treatments have increased in volume. People still need to cover their windows, so alternative products are on the rise.

■ Installations are faster and quicker. Installers don’t have to deal with holddowns, cord tensioners or the need to adjust cord lengths anymore, so the time necessary to complete installs has decreased considerably.

■ In Canada, there was a deadline for dealers to place orders for corded products and another deadline to have them installed. If those deadlines are missed, dealers and installers could face hefty fines and audits. We expect a similar scenario in the U.S.

■ When it comes to repairs, if the installer is able to restore the current blind or shade to its original condition, it’s fine; however, if a remake is necessary, the manufacturer must produce a replacement using the new standards. This may cause additional aggravation in situations where clients have multiple shades in the same room by creating a different look.

As we say, “necessity is the mother of invention” and our industry will develop better and safer products to comply with the new regulations. My suggestion to all pros out there (including installers) is to look at the brighter side: the potential of new business opportunities and even new technologies coming to the market.

If you are open-minded and willing to embrace the new, the journey will be lighter and more pleasant. The updated standards may even bring prosperity for the ones developing products and services to meet the new demand. Find a niche and run with it. As we say at Trading Up: Never stop learning! V

Roger Magalhaes is the founder of Trading Up Consulting, which provides installation training for window fashion professionals. Magalhaes has more than 15 years of experience as a professional window treatment installer in the Boston area. He is also the installation instructor for the Window Fashion Certified Professional FastTrack program and is the president of Window Coverings Association of America.

» TradingUpConsulting.com

Take Roger Magalhaes’ WFCP Installation Certification course on Wednesday, April 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also hear him speak during the session “Deliver a Top-Notch Installation Experience” on Friday, April 21, at 9 a.m. and the “Installer’s Toolbox” session at 10:30 a.m.

SPEAKER

Motorization Mindset Shift for the Workroom

BY KELLI VITARI

When it comes to motorization usage in the workroom, most of us fall on one of two sides: we either embrace it and use it at every opportunity or we won’t touch it with a 30-foot pole. For those of us who are less comfortable with the idea of integrating motorization into our regular offerings, let’s delve a little deeper into why now might be the best time to try to change your mindset.

Sandra VanSickle, a leading expert in roman shade fabrication, said, “Some of us may feel out of touch with the hard treatment end of the industry, so it’s natural we may fear some of the elements involved— such as the technology, electrical wiring and assembly—but when learning something new, sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone to best service our clients.”

What Do Today’s Clients Want?

Some clients may be very specific about what they want, but, generally speaking, most prospective clients need us, as industry experts, to educate them on product availability, safety, usage, expectations, cleanability and wear. This, of course, means that we ourselves must be educated on what’s available today, the pros and cons of each and when to use it.

More and more clients are making their way to motorization as it’s become glamorized on social media, more prevalent in advertising and more affordable and widely available. And who wouldn’t want the convenience of coming home from a long day and having the ability to say “Alexa, close the shades” to have immediate privacy?

My generation and younger grew up in the age of instant gratification. Why walk around the house lifting shades one by one with a cord loop when you can hit one button to accomplish the same thing faster? And then there’s the status symbol aspect of motorization: A million-dollar house and the cell shades still have cords? Pfft.

So, what do today’s clients want? Simplicity. Safety. Efficiency. Sleekness. Motorization can accomplish all those things.

Compatibility Between Hard Treatments and Soft

Many of the more mainstream motor companies, such as Somfy or Rollease, are common denominators in product offerings for both hard and soft treatments. What does this mean? Well, it means that your custom-made motorized blackout drapery a client uses in the bedroom at night could be operated with the same remote as the roller screen shades mounted beneath them that are used during the day.

It also means that in many cases (and the list is growing every day), they can be connected to the same smart home automation system, be controlled via voice control or cellphone and be programmed to operate automatically at certain times of the day. Simply put, the products can be integrated together.

Fabricating for Motorization

The two primary products that can be motorized in the workroom are roman shades and draperies.

Roman Shades: Most motor systems suppliers will have kits available for their products to make fabrication and assembly simple. This can be as complete as the entire headrail system, weight bar and other required components or as incomplete as just being provided a motorized tube and left to do some assembly on your own.

Motors do have weight limits as to how much they can lift before you must upgrade to a beefier system. There are also minimum and maximum widths and lengths you will need to consider. That information is all specific to the vendor and their reps should be able to help in identifying the right one for your project.

Much of the time, fabrication is exactly the same as it would be for any other lift system. Some systems come with their own cords, so you have to string it up in a reverse fashion, but other than that, you shouldn’t have to change the way you actually construct your shades. Often, the fear is in the controls and we’ll get to that later.

Drapery: Motorized tracks for drapery can be functional only or both functional and decorative. In either scenario, at present, the motor needs to be specified to one side and it tends to be on the bulky side. That is, it requires a larger span of fabric to cover it than a rod without a motor. Many of these motors now have little loops on them for which we can make additional pleats and the hooks slide right in, disguising the fact that there is a big motor behind them. Like roman shades, the drapery can be made practically the same as it always has been.

Motorization is a good way to bridge the gap between the hard and the soft treatment worlds. At the very least, we should know and understand the availability of the products available to us and which combination of the two is the best for the client.

Overcoming the Fears of Motorization: What You Need to Know

Problem

You

Solution

Know what you need to sell. Is it a single shade, a whole grouping or will it be integrated with other products? Find a vendor that offers what you will need most often and learn their product. Make a sample or two. It’s easier to feel comfortable and confident when you’ve simplified your offerings and know what to tell your clients.

The resources are there for you. Vendors sell headrails in kits and those often come with great instructions. You can also be careful to purchase from someone who can walk you through it. Educational resources are also available. Physical classes are taught on the subject often. Even Facebook has workroom groups dedicated to helping fellow workrooms with troubleshooting and education.

Problem

The technology is overwhelming.

Hardwire, transformer (plug-in), rechargeable, batteries, tube sizes, programming, automation —aah, help!

Often, these things will concern the installer, contractor and homeowner more than you, especially when hardwiring is involved. As a workroom myself, I’d say 95% of my motorized romans are rechargeable (same effort as charging your cellphone, but only once every six months instead of daily). The other 5% are hardwired and never concern me more than knowing which side of the shade the wire needs to be on.

As for programming and automation, these things are good to learn; however, your installer can help. The remotes have great instructions and setting upper and lower limits is usually an easy step-by-step process. Be patient, much like you would be with a computer (an essential part of your everyday life now, I’m sure). Automation can also be learned through classes and videos. Motor manufacturers offer certification courses in understanding their motors, programming and automation. Those classes are usually a day or two and can be done remotely.

Problem

Solution Solution

Don’t stigmatize motors as too expensive. That should be for your client to decide; don’t leave the extra profit on the table. As Rachel Lusk of Sugar & Spice Draperies and Shades in Houston said, “Motorization should be the starting point in the sales process, not the upgrade.” The industry is changing, and while that may force us out of our comfort zone, in the end, we will be delivering a more advanced, more efficient, child-safe product to our clients. Motorization is becoming more affordable, more mainstream and recognized more and more for child safety every day. V

Motorization is too expensive!

Kelli Vitari owns the drapery and upholstery workroom Wild Fern Window Furnishings in Olympia, Washington. She has been in the industry and fabricating for the past 17 years in workrooms around the country. Her educational background is in architectural engineering, interior design and commercial interior design.

» WildFernWindow.com

» IG: @wildfernwindow

» FB: @wildfernwindow

feel like you don’t know enough about motorization to sell it.

GET SANTIFIED

Meet Interior Designer David Santiago

BY JENNIFER JENSEN

Interior designer David Santiago has a passion for what he does and window treatments, in particular. After all, that is where he got his start.

One summer when assisting a contractor with a project at a condominium, he was exposed to a tailored balloon shade window treatment and was instantly intrigued. He knew nothing about window treatments and asked the installer what it was. They started talking and the owner invited Santiago to come tour a new workroom he had just acquired. “It’s a story of my life,” Santiago said. While giving Santiago a tour, the owner told him about a window treatment company that was looking for help in their store. He put Santiago in touch with Nassau’s Window Fashions in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Santiago interviewed and was hired as an entry-level worker in the readymade department. “I learned the whole gamut and was mentored by, what I called them, my designing women,” he said.

At Nassau’s Window Fashions, custom window treatments were on the first floor and ready-mades were on the second. “And I always wanted to be on the first floor,” he said. Thanks to a mentor who saw Santiago’s potential, he eventually made his way to the first floor.

He spent a lot of time coming back to the workroom and learning about pattern cutting, sewing, seams, different styles of valances and window treatments. “As his workroom grew and expanded, my knowledge grew,” he added.

While working as the new design consultant for Nassau’s showroom in Paramus, he met the district manager for Calico Corners, who was checking in on the competition unbeknownst to him. Santiago spoke with her and gave her his business card. Thirty minutes later, she called Santiago to offer him a job as a shop-at-home salesman. “I was David in full bloom,” he recalled of the encounter.

During his early years in the industry, he soaked up every ounce of knowledge he could. “I lived and breathed it—and no one could touch me,” he said. “I could walk in and calculate inch pleats. I could do a lot of calculations on-site by eye at this point.”

A couple of years later, he started working for an interior design firm in New York as a window treatment specialist. “It was always about being able to walk into a space and come up with a design, calculate, sell it, out the door,” Santiago said. “I was always a salesman. In our industry, that’s what we do at the end of the day. You are selling a product. Information is bliss. The more you know at the point of sale, the better it is. The stronger you are.”

This is where Santiago said he really dove into the world of interior design. “Window treatments always got me through the door.” Lots of people can be intimated by window treatments, but Santiago said the trick is

just taking the time to learn about them and not settling for just simple designs. “I always want to go outside the box,” he added.

He said he is proud of his journey and is so appreciative of all the mentors he had along the way. “I took it in like a sponge and it gave me leverage for the journey I was on. The more I learned and the more I acquired, the stronger I was.”

Now, Santiago is the owner of Casa Santi Interior Design LLC. He does full restorations, new constructions, renovations and is moving into commercial and hospitality spaces.

WINDOW

FASHION VISION:

How would you describe your design style?

DAVID SANTIAGO: Everything is Santified. It’s short and to the point. Embrace the unexpected. Embrace the unknown. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I like to have fun with everything I do. Individual style is about layering and color. I’m not a maximalist. I would say my work is more exuberant and full of life and color.

WFV: How do you approach a new client, a new design?

DS: My favorite thing is always working with a couple, whether they are older or younger. And the husband goes, “Whatever she wants.” I say, “Hey, this is your home

PHOTOS: TIM CREE / CREEPWALK MEDIA

and your space as well … don’t you ever utter a word of discontent because you weren’t a part of it. Not on my watch.” We start having a conversation. I look at them. I look at what they’re wearing. I’ll go to their closets. I’ll ask about their lifestyle. What kind of work they do. How they walk into a space. Suddenly, it becomes a way of living and working in a space. And I pride myself on that conversation because really if two people are living in a home, they have to cohabitate and it’s not about, “Oh, whatever you want, honey. I don’t care.” Bull. You do care. Those are the simple applications I apply to my clients.

WFV: How do you deal with difficult clients?

DS: Psychology. At this point in my life, I’m trying to not get emotional. I stay on the facts of the matter and the tasks and avoid all the words and the stuff that get it the way. I try to make it very transparent and easy … It truly is about listening. And the intent of that message is to be able to resolve the project in the most professional way.

WFV: What is the end goal of a design?

DS: Form and function, truly. How is the space going to be utilized? Is it a single woman, bachelor, divorcee, a family with newborns, a family with five kids? Truly it is form and function and lifestyle. Who is this space for and how is it utilized? And then we go from there.

WFV: What role do window treatments play in the overall design?

DS: They’re the gowns and the suits of the room. I think they are the suit, the hat, the scarf. I think they are one of the final touches of the room that really give you a sense of the design … For me, it’s the layering effect. There’s nothing more beautiful than walking into a space and seeing even a simple ivory linen drape from floor to ceiling just kind of framing the windows and giving it that softness. And swapping out. Sometimes I go as far as seasonal window treatments.

WFV: Any styles or trends you see on the horizon?

DS: Lately, it is motorized and also insulating properties. The cell shades, as I like to call them … those treatments are coming back a lot. And a lot of semiopaque applications. People want a sense of privacy, but to not block out the light. And I do a lot of roman shades. I do flat romans. They are tailored and clean, but you can do a really nice fabric and call it a day. Woven woods. Woven woods add a nice flavor of texture. They’re organic, some of them are sustainable and they also add a global element to the windows. You can go from the Caribbean to Maui to Fiji to Bali and go across the world. Just for a window

treatment. They have a sense of memory for a lot of people.

WFV: What inspires you?

DS: Something as simple as trade magazines and also attending trade shows. I am very active in my industry. I attend a lot of trade shows … Trades shows for me are essential keys to keeping me fresh and seeing what’s new and what’s next. And also following my peers, my colleagues, in all aspects of design … And then I would have to say the theater. Opera always inspires me. (Santiago is a professional opera singer.) There’s always an opera in

my head. When I walk into spaces, I always think of different acts. There’s always something going on in my head. I’m smiling because it’s a fun place to be.

WFV: What’s next for you?

DS: There’s always something new going. Right now, I’m exploring taking my wall covering collection into fabrics and window treatments. I’d like to evolve into my product design. V

» CasaSanti.com

» IG: @somebodygetmesanti

There are 100 shades of white or beige, and I’ve always told my clients, ‘You don’t need me for white or beige; you need me for the champagne and pearls.’

— David Santiago

Ralph Angel

Owner and President of Angel’s Distributing

BY JENNIFER JENSEN

It all started back in 1977, when Ralph Angel and his father, Anthony Angel, began Angel’s Distributing. The two decided to venture into the unknown world of draperies, which seems to have paid off. After 45 years, the company is the last company to offer only drapery lining and nothing else. Which means, “you have to be better than not most but everyone,” Angel said.

Prior to working in the window treatment industry, Angel worked as a division manager for a grocery store. While on the job, he was in a terrible car accident that left him blind. “One second I could see and the other second I couldn’t,” Angel recalled. While he could continue to work at the grocery store as a buyer, for Angel, not being out in the field and sitting behind a desk all day just didn’t suit him. So, he decided to start Angel’s Distributing with his father in his basement. Initially, they had the challenge of getting on people’s radar, getting noticed. Angel said they began calling people, sending out mailers and going to trade shows. People seemed to like the services they provided and the prices they offered. “It was a nice progression and meeting everybody,” he said.

They brought products in through the basement of Angel’s home and tractor trailers filled with product drove up and down the driveway. When the cellars were empty, they loaded them back up. “We progressed a little at a time,” he said. In 1994, they moved out of his home into a 3,000-square-foot space and rented a warehouse. Eventually, in 2005, they bought their first warehouse. Shortly after, his father passed away, but he and his wife, Karen (who serves as owner and chief financial officer) continued. Today, his daughter, Taylor, serves as vice president and his son, Niko, is the director of operations. They have two

warehouses and a total of 10 employees, including family members.

His business philosophy is to have a good product at a good price and service the customer. “It’s the KISS principle. Keep it simple stupid,” he said. “Don’t overcomplicate business.”

The company also offers a cut program so customers don’t have to buy in bulk when it’s not needed. “They appreciate not having to eat lining for Christmas dinner,” he said.

And if a customer requires a product they don’t have, Angel said they will try to find it. “You lend yourself to the individual customer,” he said. “They appreciate our ability to go after things.”

These are the things that have kept them in business for 45 years and why they continue to have repeat customers. And it could be the Tootsie Pops too.

One day, several years ago, after a long workday, Karen unwrapped a Tootsie Pop. Angel said he asked for one as a sugar fix to get him through the day. Karen then got an idea to sneak a few Tootsie Pops into the tubes that hold the fabric for their customers to enjoy. Angel wasn’t on board at first, but Karen did it anyway.

“A week later, I was talking to a customer over the phone, and before hanging up, the customer said, ‘I want to thank you for putting those Tootsie Pops in the fabric tube. You just made a very miserable day turn great and put a smile on everyone’s face in the workroom,’” Angel said.

Today, they spend $12,000 a year on Tootsie Pops.

“We keep the Tootsie Pops because 45 years later, the Tootsie Pops are part of our brand recognition and our customers expect to receive them or boy, do you bet, we get a phone call saying, ‘Hey where are my Tootsie Pops?’” Taylor said. “We have customers whose kids and grandkids rush to their door when they see our bolts of fabric because they know what is inside the tubes … then they leave the fabric on the porch!”

One repeat customer is a woman who lives in the Amish community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. A few years ago, she wanted a sheer fabric that was thin but also stiff. Angel got a mill to create the product for her and got it at a third of the price of the previous place she was purchasing from. Now, she buys from Angel’s two to three times a year. “We made it different for her,” he said. “It’s kind of neat to be able to do that stuff.”

When asked to describe his leadership style, Angel said he leads by example. “Show and tell is the best way to do it,” he added. His daughter, Taylor, described his style as “controlled relaxation.” She said he would never ask someone to do something he wouldn’t do or hasn’t already done.

His employees, who have been at the company for years, have seen this in action. “They’ve seen me work side by side with them,” Angel said. Whether it was wrapping lining, unloading and loading trucks, etc. He’s done it all and wants others to learn from his mistakes.

He also doesn’t walk around yelling and screaming at his employees. “It’s a matter of treating them like you would want to be treated,” he added.

Angel said he learned this way from his father, a man he truly admired. “Walk softly and carry a big stick,” he said.

And this is one of many reasons his employees seem to stick around. One employee has been around since the very

beginning and another has been employed for 16 years.

Recognizing an employee’s efforts both verbally and monetarily goes a long way, Angel said. When it has been a rough week, Angel said they will put a few extra dollars in their employees’ paychecks, they buy lunch for their staff on Fridays and provide a nice rest area and kitchen facilities. “I guess all those things wrapped into a little bundle is what keeps the people around,” he added.

Angel also doesn’t push anyone to work faster. “Fast is not the answer,” he said. “Fast brings destruction and problems and injuries.” Take it slow, take your time and do it right the first time, which will save time and money, he added.

And when there is a problem at work with an employee, Angel pulls that employee aside and talks to them individually. “Get it corrected and move on,” he said.

When asked what truly inspired him, Angel responded, “The want to do well for myself and my wife, my kids and the people who work for me. I feel personally responsible for them and their families.” He considers his small business a microcosm of a family.

He also gets inspired by those in the industry. And those he does business with understand he is a family-run business and he understands most of them are as well. In this instance, his company is also able to offer things bigger companies can’t.

When asked about the future, Angel said, “You always leave the door open for anything new coming aboard.”

The company has taken on many different linings, decorative fabrics and blackouts. They also now offer an all-in-one, which puts the face fabric and blackout all together. “It’s progressing very nicely,” he said.

If someone came to them and wanted them to distribute something for them, Angel said they would listen to the opportunity.

“It’s a fun operation,” Angel said. “We don’t make it a drudge. We try to keep it fresh every day.” V

It’s a matter of treating them like you would want to be treated.

State of the Industry

By JENNIFER JENSEN

Window shades represent the largest product segment for the window covering industry, accounting for an estimated 57.6% of total revenue in 2022, according to a report by IBISWorld, which looked at window coverings. These included Venetian and other window blinds, shades, curtain and drapery rods, and poles and other related fixtures. As energy prices have risen, more consumers have demanded insulating window shades to keep their utility costs down. This segment is forecast to continue to grow as the volume of environmentally conscious consumers increases, the report stated.

“With increasing energy prices an issue worldwide, more homeowners, commercial building owners and architects will be more receptive to the value that solar-control solutions, automation and green materials can provide,” YUMA USA CEO Oliver Liang said. “This shift will be an excellent opportunity to educate the market on the long-term cost savings of investing in intelligent shading solutions.”

Other blinds and shades, including fixtures and accessories, represent the secondlargest segment of revenue, accounting for an estimated 34.5% in 2022. Curtain and drapery rods, poles, rollers and plastic metal clasps make up the majority. As demand continues to increase for curtains, drapes, blinds and shades because of housing sector growth, this segment will continue to expand, according to IBISWorld.

Venetian blinds represent the third-largest segment for this industry, accounting for an estimated 7.9% of total revenue in 2022. Commercial builders are one of the largest purchasers of Venetian blinds. Over the past five years, this segment has grown.

Technological Advances

Major advancements have been made in product design, especially in blind and shade materials. New fabrics exist that improve the ability of shades to trap air and insulate rooms from the heat and cold. Some of these shades, such as Hunter Douglas’ Honeycomb collection, have been eligible for federal tax credits due to their energy-saving qualities.

“Starting in 2023, consumers can save up to $1,200 on eligible Hunter Douglas Duette Honeycomb Shades as part of the federal tax credit that supports the purchasing of energy-efficient products,” Hunter Douglas Energy Efficiency Product Manager Stacy Lambright said. “Window treatments can go a long way toward boosting your home’s energy savings, allowing you to live sustainably in a beautiful, more comfortable space—and now they can put some extra money back in your pocket.”

The introduction of automated blinds has also opened a new class of products for consumers. Some include a 24-hour wall timer that operates roller shade systems automatically or a smartphone link so that blinds can be opened and closed remotely. Other product developments include soundabsorbent window coverings.

— RICK PEASE, INSOLROLL CO-OWNER

“Smart home has been a hot topic for years with numerous smart home devices coming on to the market, but this year is the first time that smart blinds are seen as the must-have to complete a smart home,” Coulisse Founder Maurice Roetgering said. “It’s the only way to make a smart home really smart, especially regarding energy saving, convenience and safety.”

Manufacturers are taking advantage of new production machinery and design models that enable operators to assemble products more quickly. Technologically advanced equipment for production includes electrical cutting and sanding machines and electrical belts that move goods through different stages of production automatically. Some operators have implemented company-wide computer systems that let a proposed order be taken to production in a matter of seconds. Manufacturers are also expanding their digital footprint. Some operators have developed internet sites to include online ordering and tracking tools.

Those who are willing to pivot will thrive in 2023.

Child-safety changes will be the biggest challenge for all of us.

Looking Ahead

The industry is expected to grow over the five years to 2027 as downstream demand continues to grow, but negative trends may persist.

IBISWorld sees the increase in the number of people over 65 years old serving as an aid to the industry. Remodeling activity and furnishing purchases will provide an additional demand for industry products. Because of these trends, revenue is forecast to grow, increasing an annualized 0.5% to $2.5 billion over the five years to 2027.

Industry manufacturers will have to adjust to changing regulations after the approval of a new window covering safety standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) that will require most window covering products sold within the United States to be cordless or have inaccessible or short cords. Adjusting to these new standards is expected to raise operating costs for industry operators, hindering improvements in profit.

“Child-safety changes will be the biggest challenge for all of us,” Insolroll Co-owner Rick Pease said. “Product innovation and educating consumers will be the key mission for everyone.” However, he said he’s optimistic that the industry will respond and adapt. “Manufacturers and dealers who embrace these changes will thrive in 2023,” he added.

Outlook for 2023

Rollease Acmeda CEO Derick Marsh expects industry growth to be moderate or even fall in 2023 due to a host of items. “This coming year is setting up for more uncertainty than we’ve had in over a decade,” Marsh said. “The macro

events—from inflation to a slowing economy to a hot war in Ukraine and an increasingly cold one with China and some industry-specific events (the uncertainties related to the Consumer Product Safety Commission rule and Window Covering Manufacturers Association/ANSI standards and the changing landscape from recent acquisitions)—all conspire to make it very difficult to plan investments in people and infrastructure, budget the top and bottom line for the coming year and have confidence in a product and inventory plan.” However, he does see some positive, secular trends emerging and “some in the industry will find a way to grow and thrive by exploiting those trends.”

Phifer Chief Marketing Officer Mark Edwards echoed some of these sentiments. “With so much economic uncertainty and a slowdown in the housing market, we expect both the residential and commercial markets to have a slow start to the year. We have enjoyed growth in 2022 and are forecasting growth at a slower pace to return later in 2023.”

Industry experts all agreed the new regulations will affect the industry in a big way and the trend of smart homes and motorization will continue.

“Overall, the industry is getting ‘smarter’ every day,” Forest Drapery Hardware President Steve Wright said. “With this in mind, and considering new regulations governing corded window treatments looming, Forest expects the most significant trend in 2023 to be motorized hardware being specified for a design that would have previously been corded. Forest is poised to support this trend with its lineup of Shuttle motors for drapery, redesigned roller and roman motors, plus easy-to-integrate control options.”

Vako U.S. Managing Director Travis Storch agreed that these new regulations are an opportunity for manufacturers, however, it “will increase the fabrication and end-consumer learning curve and overall customer service requirements and workload.”

Vako and Alpha Tubular Motors Global Corp. see smart glass coming in a big way. “I think a big space for possible disruption would be to look at is glass windows, automated as well as electric glass changing colors and themes,” said CEO and Founder of Alpha Tubular Motors Global Corp. David Fezer.

There’s also going to be a demand for cordless spring mechanisms, motors and crank-rod applications for systems. “Motorization will be a focal point for consumers,” Storch said.

E-commerce will also soon become vital to a business, which some have embraced. “Consumer demand for more ‘phygital’ (combination of physical and digital) retail experiences will come along with that,” Storch said. “Blockchain [a distributed database that maintains a continuously growing list of ordered records, called blocks] is the key to that and the tech will find its way into our industry in 2023.”

Another Hot Topic: Sustainability

“Consumers look for products that will help them live well—so they can be at ease, in comfort and style,” said Laura Turnbull, vice president of product management for Hunter Douglas. “We predict that consumers will continue to prioritize window coverings that will help them live a more convenient, sustainable and beautiful lifestyle.”

Liang said the industry needs to educate consumers and stakeholders about sustainable, energy-saving options and proving the return on investment as well as the overall benefits. “Too often, green and high-performance materials or automation is seen as just too expensive,” he added. V

PHOTO: VIRACON

Consumers look for products that will help them live well—so they can be at ease, in comfort and style. We predict that consumers will continue to prioritize window coverings that will help them live a more convenient, sustainable and beautiful lifestyle.

— LAURA TURNBULL, HUNTER DOUGLAS VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

2 Shows Alert Industry to Upcoming Trends

High Point Market and the Interwoven Show are great indicators of the themes, trends and colors that will be prevalent in the industry this year.

BY JENNIFER JENSEN

High Point Market

High Point Market, a semiannual furniture design show located in downtown High Point, North Carolina, draws more than 75,000 interior designers, architects and home furnishing buyers each season. The themes featured at the fall market included entwine, midnight and modernity. “From dark and moody to light and pastel with neutrals in between, the fall 2022 TrendWatch showcases the range of product available from International Market Center’s (IMC) High Point exhibitors,” said Dorothy Belshaw, IMC executive vice president and chief customer and marketing officer.

Midnight showcased deep and moody hues of moonlit blues and blacks, deep reds and earthy neutrals; burnished metals such as brass and gold; stone accents; and forms inspired by organic shapes. Midnight is sophisticated and lasting, but modish too—think lo-fi vibes meet blockbuster sci-fi throwbacks.

Jill Ballew, designer and CEO of High Country Drapery Design, said midnight was characterized by a very sedated, moody perspective. “Dark walls and/or flooring along with earthy neutrals were included in this trend,” she said. “The finishes were more copper/gold foundation.”

Entwine was an homage to casual comfort, quiet moments and favorite spaces. Woven natural materials, biophilic design concepts and comforting textiles came together.

Modernity focused on pastels. Soft or saturated and spanning a range from pink and purples to blues and greens, these pastels were luminous, iridescent and energetic.

Ballew also saw a repeat of channeled upholstery. “In previous years, we have seen the channeling in a vertical fashion,” she said. “This year, it was horizontal and not large in scale.”

A popular color among showrooms was green.

The Highland House featured lots of couture details, greens along with stripes and block prints.

“They also used contrast welt with lots of color,” Ballew said. “There were large-scale patterns in this showroom too.”

PHOTOS: JILL BALLEW

Interwoven Fall Show

The International Textile Alliance hosts and produces Interwoven, which is dedicated to bringing together all segments of the textile industry. The show offers the most comprehensive fabric, leather and trim presentations. Fabric introductions showcased grounding neutrals, sky blues, botanical greens, all complemented by bold designs. Additionally, many showrooms told a sustainability story to address growing consumer preferences for eco-friendly products.

Regal Fabrics introduced many new patterns, including a collection that featured a group of cotton prints made in Mexico. These three print patterns all have beautiful color lines and pass more than 80,000 double rubs.

Crypton Fabrics debuted its Wabi Sabi collection, which featured PFAS-free coatings that eliminate fluorine. They are GREENGUARD Gold certified for sustainability. Wabi Sabi is a nod to the storied tradition of blue and white porcelain and the ancient concept of juxtaposing the beautiful with the beautifully imperfect.

STI Fabrics brought two new collections full of different boucles. The six fabrics in the Global Transitions collection by Glen Read Design takes inspiration from the earthy colors and designs in African mud cloths, aboriginal sand paintings and Navajo blankets of the early 19th century. Also by Glen Road Design, the Color Brigade collection features five fabrics and takes inspiration from the playful quality of primary colors and frenetic energy of midcentury modern design found in 1960s and ’70s fabrics.

Valdese Weavers had four new color stories, including rhapsody in blue, grass roots, gold standard and the good earth. The company emphasized performance and sustainability as it introduced Sustain Performance Fabrics Cloud Yarn. The new yarn is durable, has a low carbon footprint and is cleanable using soap/water or a diluted bleach solution. V

KRISTEN MOONJIAN

Director of Home Interiors and Lifestyle at Fashion Snoops

Kristen Moonjian has been with Fashion Snoops, a global trend forecasting agency, for seven years and is the director of home interiors and lifestyle. Window Fashion VISION asked her what trends she expects to see in 2023.

Window Fashion VISION: What trends are you seeing for home decor?

Kristen Moonjian: One of the most prevalent trends we’ve been tracking for home interiors and decor is the return of tradition. People are looking to root themselves in the nostalgic comforts and treasured ways of the past. In reaction to the prolonged state of turbulence brought on by the uncertainty of political and economic conditions, consumers are grasping on to objects and spaces that provide them with feelings of stability. We are embracing rich and diverse cultural heritage, charming tradition and sentimental nostalgia as we decorate our homes.

In recent years, there has been an emphasis on perfectly curated spaces. The beauty of this newfound appreciation for heritage is that the consumer gets to decide what a curated space means to them. It’s very personalized to the individual. It’s no longer about what will appear as picture-perfect and much more about authenticity and the feelings that these pieces provoke. We are blending the old with the new, resulting in an eclectic collection of family heirlooms, souvenirs from past travels and newly beloved pieces.

WFV: Do you expect these trends to continue?

KM: This design aesthetic is here to stay. Due to its authentic spirit, it’s going to continue to evolve season after season into something that’s even more personalized and eclectic.

WFV: What trends do you see specifically with window treatments?

KM: Minimalism is trending downward for window treatments, making room for maximalist options. Window treatments are becoming a focal design feature within a space again and consumers are embracing patterns, textures and bright colors. The heritage aesthetic has carried over into this area of design, bringing forth heritage motifs and heirloom fabrications. There is a return of floral chintz that was popularized in the 1980s and ’90s.

This bold expression of pattern spans from curtains and wallcoverings all the way to flooring and furnishings. Linen and cotton

blends are ideal for these pattern-rich options. We are seeing an uptick of sheer fabrics, playing with the natural light that enters the space. The more neutral window treatment options are dressed up with rich textures, tassels and trims. Roman shades will continue as one of the most popular window treatments, thanks to both their functionality and streamlined shape. As we move into spring 2023, we can expect to see roman shades adorned with custom prints and colors.

WFV: How important are window treatments in the overall design of a room?

KM: Window treatments not only influence the inside of the home but the outside as well, making them a key design element. Functionality, of course, comes as a priority, but they do so much more than provide privacy and filter sunlight. From a design perspective, they frame the windows, making a room feel more inviting.

WFV: Will the shift toward wellness and sustainability continue?

KM: The shift toward wellness and sustainability will definitely continue. Wellness and sustainability are both key drivers for many of the interior design trends we are seeing emerge, season after season. The two are actually very closely linked. If we are taking care of our environment, we are taking care of ourselves too.

Sustainability goes hand-in-hand with the newfound heritage conversation. With heirloom pieces and vintage finds trending in popularity, the secondhand furniture market has taken off. The resale industry is booming and is expected to reach even greater heights in the coming years. There has been an overwhelming interest in antiquing, thrifting and furniture resale, reducing the amount of waste clogging our landfills. Many companies are introducing initiatives that make it easier to buy and sell secondhand furniture and we can expect to see more pop up in the coming years.

WFV: Any designers or companies who are on the cutting edge of new trends and designs?

KM: Speaking specifically to the trends discussed above, there are a few designers and brands to highlight that are pioneering this movement. Sean Anderson is a true visual storyteller, creating personalized spaces that are unique to his clients. His spaces are moody and soulful, perfectly balancing the modern with the antique. Buchanan Studio has been on my radar after their recent foray into the product category with the launch of their Studio Armchair. They are bringing the overly romantic, maximalist aesthetics of the ’80s and ’90s into a modern light. V

SEAN ANDERSON DESIGN /

PHOTO: HARIS KENJAR

PHOTO: BUCHANAN STUDIO

VIVA MAGENTA

A nuanced crimson red tone that presents a balance between warm and cool, PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta is also a hybrid color, one that comfortably straddles the physical and virtual, evocative of a multidimensional world, Pantone said. The company described the color as a “carmine red that does not boldly dominate but instead takes a ‘fist in a velvet glove’ approach.”

This is a vibrant, bold hue that is quite different from neutrals like Behr’s Blank Canvas, a warmer take on a traditional white, and Sherwin Williams’ dusty blushbeige Redent Point—their colors for 2023.

“As virtual worlds become a more prominent part of our daily lives, we look to draw inspiration from nature and what is real,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

“PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta descends from the red family and is inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the most precious dyes belonging to the natural dye family as well as one of the strongest and brightest the world has known. Rooted

in the primordial, PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta reconnects us to original matter. Invoking the forces of nature, it galvanizes our spirit, helping us to build our inner strength.”

Pantone worked with technology partner Huge to engage in a design experiment that explores the relationship—the tensions—between new technology and human creativity. Working with the artificial intelligence generative tool Midjourney, the team created the visual manifestation of PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta by

incorporating the messages and ideas embodied by the color to curate an immersive world that examines the connections between nature and technology.

Building on this experiment, Pantone and Huge collaborated with ARTECHOUSE— the leader in innovative, technologydriven experiential art—which, through its creative studio, designed a custom immersive experience that allows the public to explore “the Magentaverse” firsthand. This Pantone x ARTECHOUSE exhibition, which is built on a fouryear partnership between the two companies, is an artistic exploration of the Magentaverse, featuring immersive rooms with textures and interactions that plunge attendees into an array of visual, auditory and tactile experiences.

When the Pantone Color Institute chooses a color, it looks at what’s happening in the zeitgeist at a macro level. “It's not going to represent a singular trend that you can only find in the U.S. or only find in Asia,” said Vice President Laurie Pressman. “It’s global.”

The color reflects what’s taking place in the global culture at that moment in time and what they see for the upcoming year, she added. V

Kaleidoscope Project Restores Old Firehouse for Second Showhouse

The Kaleidoscope Project debuted its second showhouse project late last year, which was the full transformation of the 1906 Tyler Street Firehouse in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The goal of this project is to showcase the diverse talent within the design industry. It partners with designers of color from across the country who make over the interior of the showhouse.

“With each new showhouse the Kaleidoscope Project creates, we help to empower the larger BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and people of color] design community while providing a multichannel platform to showcase their beautiful designs,” said Amy Lynn Schwartzbard, founder of The Kaleidoscope Project.

The Kaleidoscope Project combines design and opportunity with art, style, culture, sustainability and restoration to engage the interests of a wide range of community groups, consumers and industry manufacturers, Schwartzbard said.

To continue its mission of celebrating diversity in design, The Kaleidoscope Project also has a focus on sustainability. The four participating design firms reimagined the old firehouse into a four-unit residence.

The kitchen designed by Everick Brown Design utilizes roller shades, double roller shades and flat roman shades.

Each unit features unique designs that reinvigorate the building while still maintaining its historic integrity.

The showhouse brought together four designer and design teams, including Everick and Lisa Walker Brown, Everick Brown Design; Denise Gordon, Tanya Lewis and Marilyn Lavergne, Austin Gray Design Group; Virginia Toledo, Toledo Geller; and Rasheeda Gray, Gray Space Interiors.

The Shade Store was the exclusive window treatment partner to The Kaleidoscope

Project. The Shade Store collaborated with participating designers to bring handcrafted custom window treatments into each of their spaces in the 2022 showhouse.

The Shade Store worked directly with each designer to execute their concepts across a variety of spaces with unparalleled attention to detail and premium custommade window treatments. The reimagined firehouse includes roman shades, roller shades, woven wood shades and drapery in materials from The Shade Store’s instock collection of 1,300-plus styles, as well as designer-supplied customer’s own material fabrics.

“We’re excited to be working with this extremely talented group of designers,” said Ian Gibbs, co-founder and chief creative officer of The Shade Store. “Each designer brought such a unique perspective to the project and it has been amazing to see—and help execute—what they have come up with for the window treatments. We are proud to be a part of an endeavor that showcases this talent and has such a positive impact on the community.”

On the first floor, Everick and Lisa Brown of Everick Brown Design designed one of

This living room is designed by Everick Brown Design, which features double roller shades, flat roman shades and pinch-pleat drapery.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE SHADE STORE

the first-floor units. The Browns designed a carefree space that can be dressed up or down depending on its intended usage. “The window treatments are informed by the theme of bringing the outdoors in to create a fresh feeling inspired by nature,” the Browns said. “They help evoke an organic feeling of the outdoors through a variety of layers, textures and colors, with colors like blue representing peace and black as the possibility of infinity.”

The other first-floor unit was designed by Denise Gordon, Tanya Lewis and Marilyn Lavergne from the Austin Gray Design Group.

“The window treatments were the game starter for our design, especially our desire to accentuate the more than 10-foothigh ceilings and to channel our creative muse’s passion for art,” said Gordon, Lewis and LaVergne. Inspired by the historical significance of The Berkshires to the African-American cultural experience in Pittsfield, these designers utilized window treatments to bring their color story to life along with elements of whimsy, ethereal and calm.

Virginia Toledo, Toledo Geller, designed one of the second-floor units. Toledo drew inspiration from the array of colors found within the original brick of the building, as well as the element of smoke and its lightness coupled with the frenetic energy left in the space by the firemen. “The window treatments supported all of the components of my vision,” Toledo said. “In some rooms, they brought the perfect shade of terra-cotta found in the historic brick. The fabrics on all of the drapery selections support the masculine aesthetic that was the underlying note in all of the material selections.”

Rasheeda Gray of Gray Space Interiors designed the other second-floor unit. Inspired by the post-pandemic desire for bright colors and bold designs, Gray said she selected window treatments to give each room in her project its own personality. “I always use window treatments to help lead my design or to really emphasize a space,” Gray said. Having blended fun patterns with functional design, her selections include eye-catching patterns from both Martyn Lawrence Bullard and the Novogratz collection that add contrast against sophisticated wallpaper.

The project for 2023 is the Aiden Hotel Project. The Kaleidoscope Project is working with High Point U, under the advisory of Gary Inman, to have five interior design students create a room in the hotel. In total, there will be 20 designers committed to this hotel project, where designers and industry professionals will enjoy using these spaces for years to come.

V

» Everick Brown Design

EverickBrown.com

IG: @everickbrowndesign

» Austin Gray Design Group

AustinGrayDesignGroup.com

IG: @austingraydesigngroup

» Rasheeda Gray GraySpaceInteriors.com

IG: @grayspaceinteriordesign

» Virginia Toledo ToledoGeller.com

IG: @toledogeller

Virginia Toledo's living room features flat roman shades, ripplefold drapery and Tribeca track drapery hardware.

Gray Space Interiors chose roller shades and tailored pleat drapery for its main bedroom.

The window treatments in the kitchen designed by Austin Gray Design Group feature roller shades and a custom cornice.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

The International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE) returns to the popular destination of Charlotte, North Carolina, April 19-21.

Thousands of window covering and interior design professionals will gather in the Queen City for three days of learning, networking and new product introductions. The only expo and conference of its kind in North America highlights the best of what’s happening at the window.

The COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the importance of how window treatments affect the home environment. Attendees will see all the latest innovations on the exhibit floor, April 20-21. (The Exhibit Hall will be open on these days only.)

Conference attendees can begin their experience on April 19 with an entire-day lineup of cutting-edge design, business and fabrication seminars. IWCE will offer the largest selection of seminars available at any design event in the world—more than

45 sessions over three days—a great way to learn for beginners and for experienced professionals to finetune their businesses.

In addition to seminars and exhibits, networking opportunities abound, including the grand opening reception, exhibitor events, award ceremonies presented by the WCMA for Production Innovations, the VISION Design & Workroom announcements and much more. See the next few pages for program schedules, a sneak peek at new product presentations and more.

SNEAK PEAK

Angel's Distributing

NEW PRODUCT

Angel's Distributing, a distributor of drapery lining fabrics, will display its most popular linings, interlinings, blackouts and sheers, as well as its FR decorative blackouts, including the Cambridge, Oasis, Majestic and Plush Blackout styles. The company will unveil its plush velvet blackout. This soft velvety textured, 100% polyester FR blackout is available in 54-inch and 110-inch widths. Plush velvet helps in the moderation of room temperature, diffuses sound and assists in the protection of furniture and floors from damage caused by sunrays.

Bond Home

The Bond Home platform, from technology company Olibra LLC, will showcase the new Sidekick for Shades, Bond Bridge and Bond Bridge Pro. Sidekick for Shades’ completely wireless, batterypowered keypad is the industry’s only universal remote capable of operating window shades and awnings that utilize Rollease, Somfy, Dooya, Nice and AMP motors, the company said. Sidekick’s five-channel buttons can be programmed for individual or batch control. No bridge or cabling is required: The keypad mounts flush on the wall or electrical control box. Sidekick for Shades can be integrated with the Bond Bridge Pro R to Wi-Fi device control hub. With this, Sidekick’s range expands to 3,500 square feet and the Bond Home App and home automation system can now depict the shade’s status.

CoolVu Glass & Surface Solutions

NEW PRODUCT

CoolVu Glass & Surface Solutions provides innovative window films, printed graphics and architectural surface finishes for residential, retail and commercial customers. CoolVu Glass & Surface Solutions will showcase its new product, CV Transitional Window Film—the only product on the market that leads the charge in fully adaptive architectural window films, blocking harmful UV rays, solar heat and glare while enhancing daytime privacy.

Calendar Enterprises

Calendar Enterprises Co. Ltd., under GoDear Design, designs and manufactures adjustable sliding panel track blinds, free stop cordless (zebra) roller shades and decorative fabrics. Its fabrics are made of natural woven fabrics of paper and jute, but are sturdy and firm. The four-rail track system of vertical blinds is easy to operate, which can expand from 45.8 to 86 inches to fit most types of the window. The length of each panel fabric is cuttable and can be replaced easily.

From new products to new exhibitors, here’s a sneak peak of what you can expect to see live on the show floor.

Eisenkolb USA

NEW PRODUCT

Eisenkolb USA, a manufacturer and distributor of automated drapery workroom equipment, will showcase the PPS-2300 fully automated pleating machine and new fan-folder. It can be used for pinch-pleat and ripplefold draperies.

Finturf NEW EXHIBITOR

Finturf, a multi-lender financing and payment solution, provides a turnkey solution for offering a payover-time option to customers. Customers can get all the tools needed right out of the box with one sign-up, portal and application with a multi-lender network. Users can send financing requests to a customizable waterfall of lenders that serve all credit types, which provides a streamlined financing process. The solution also provides full performance reporting, with a dashboard with approval rates, fees and lender funding approvals. Customers will be given a responsive merchant relationship team, which provides hassle-free onboarding, one-on-one training and ongoing support.

GENES Industry

GENES Industry Inc., a manufacturer, innovator and distributor of window covering components, also provides roll-forming capabilities, which includes 2-inch horizontal high-profile headrails, low-profile headrails, square tilt rods and hex tilt rods. The company also stamps metal clips for both vertical and horizontal tracks. At IWCE, they will showcase cordless horizontal, vertical and the comfort-touch roller shade.

Forest Drapery Hardware

NEW PRODUCT

Forest Drapery Hardware USA provides high-quality track systems, decorative wood and metal rods, roller shades and the latest in motorization. The company has two new collections: the Tavira Outdoor Collection and the Pure Collection. The Tavira Outdoor Collection is a new outdoor product. The Pure Collection is an original design for those looking for a fresh, contemporary option in a hand-drawn or motorized rod.

Jim Fine Wooden Products

Jim Fine Wooden Products is a professional shutter components manufacturer that produces high-quality wood shutter components and uses polyurethane/water base primer and basswood. They have their own sawmills and forestry and harvest the best basswood. All the processes are controlled by the company, including drying, finger joint and laminating, etc. The company said all components have stability and are trouble-free.

Horizons Window Fashions

NEW PRODUCT

Horizons Window Fashions will showcase Motorized Averté and Soft options. Motorized Averté is the new and improved motorization system that can be integrated with Horizons Averté Natural Folds into a smart home. Horizons said each handmade window treatment is finished with impeccable craftsmanship, which means they can be fabricated with or without edge banding. Horizons will launch New Soft SKUs and will refresh the program before IWCE. The company will be offering new Soft fabric options.

Insolroll

NEW PRODUCT

Insolroll manufactures solar, decorative and oasis patio roller shades. Insolroll will be introducing new manual and motorized operator options at IWCE. It’s bringing more child-safe manual operators with larger sizes to market, as well as adding new rechargeable motors and expanded hardware choices to their product lines. The company said it’s expanding its selection of blackout and light-filtering fabric pairings. Its curated collection of paired fabrics offers total light management and design flow in any home or business. With the addition of newly designed manual operators, Insolroll’s enhanced offerings have more cordless options than ever before.

Louvolite

Louvolite, a manufacturer and supplier of innovative, high-quality window shade fabrics and components, will launch a new range of fabrics for its new roman shades. A unique feature of this new product is the clear polyester bands at the back of the fabric that work with horizontal battens to raise and lower the shades. This system replaces the need for vertical cords that would normally be used at the rear of the fabric and present a possible child-safety hazard. Louvolite will also feature its Grip Fit, which makes installing roller shades extremely easy. It’s a unique roller shade fitting system that requires no drill holes or screws.

Phifer NEW PRODUCT

Phifer Inc., a leader in the insect screen, solar-control fabrics, drawn wire, engineered products and designed fabrics industries, will feature Phifer SheerWeave interior shading fabrics and SunTex, Super Solar Screening+, SunScreen and Solar Insect Screening exterior sun-control products. Phifer will introduce a 1% openness option to complement its popular SheerWeave Style 4000/4100/4400 line of sustainable solar roller shade fabrics. Available in 63-inch, 98-inch and 120-inch widths, Style 4001 incorporates exclusive green DOW ECOLIBRIUM technology, a renewable alternative to traditional plasticizers that lowers greenhouse gas emissions as much as 40% versus existing PVC compounds. Style 4001 is infused with Microban antimicrobial protection, which works continuously to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew that can cause stains, odors and product deterioration.

Rose Lace & Braid

Rose Lace & Braid, a manufacturer, importer and wholesale distributor of various trimmings, fabrics and embellishments, will feature embroidery tapes, faux linen fabric and tassel fringes at IWCE. Its embroidery tapes feature materials such as suede, silk, velvet and linen.

Orion Ornamental

Orion Ornamental, a custom manufacturer of drapery hardware, will showcase decorative drapery hardware in iron with painted and metal painted finishes, decorative traversing systems, acrylic drapery hardware and new designs and finishes in iron. This will include the Clear Vue Collection of acrylic drapery hardware.

RM Coco

RM Coco provides fabric, trims, hardware, and furnishings and has a full-service workroom. It will showcase fabrics, trimmings, hardware and custom digital printed fabrics. The company will feature ColorWorks by RM Coco. Customers can create their own exclusive prints and patterns on an exquisite selection of luxurious base fabrics. Choose from silk, sateen, viscose, linen, linen blends and cotton. Design something unique, choose artwork from RM Coco or have them design something. The design studio can help create a oneof-a-kind drapery.

Novita NEW EXHIBITOR

Novita provides high-quality home furnishings and will showcase decorative pillow inserts for both indoor and outdoor luxurious sleep pillow and duvet inserts in both quality down/feather and down alternative. The company said it has two interesting items: made of three Chamber Down/Feather, three Chamber Down Alternative Silkolne and Extra Plump Decorative Pillow Insert, which has an outer shell that is made with 100% heavy-weight soft cotton down-proof twill. Also, its new extra plump decorative pillow, which has been created to provide a full, firm and robust appearance for years to come.

Senbesta NEW PRODUCT

Senbesta, a supplier of performance interior shade fabrics and high-efficiency fabrication systems, will feature new natural textures and alluring color palettes with its roller shade fabric collection of blackout, light-filtering and zebra shade fabrics accompanied by cutting-edge fabrication systems. Demo equipment will be set up to preview Ultratab’s latest advanced technology. With new designs dedicated to the hospitality sector, Senbesta will be expanding their interior roller shade collection with new textured, light-filtering patterns. Developed in new color palettes that pair well with their collection of blackout fabrics, these materials add depth and dimension while offering a unique balance of natural light in any setting. The new patterns will feature specifications such as sanitized, GREENGUARD Gold and flame retardant.

Solatech

Solatech provides cloud-based and standalone retail and fabrication systems. Its product engine service can make even the most complicated products easy to quote, order and send to production. The company’s systems are fully customized and its team works closely on onboarding new clients with live training and a level of ongoing support that is unmatched.

SUNfree Motors

NEW EXHIBITOR

SUNfree Motors belongs to LIYANG Group, the world’s largest window blinds and motor factory. The company focuses on the research, development and manufacturing of indoor smart blinds and shades and other indoor sun-shading products, as well as various smart control systems. It provides products from the entire structure of the tent system to cutting-edge motorization. It comes with a lithium battery. All motors pass through the smart hub and can be connected with Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Samsung’s smart systems, etc. They also can be powered by two dry batteries or six AA batteries that can be used for two years.

Somfy NEW PRODUCT

Somfy will introduce a new ecosystem featuring the next generation of interior motors with industry-compatible technology along with new controls, hubs, apps and interfaces. It will showcase Somfy U, an online learning platform, and the Help Me App by Somfy that is available for iOS and Android devices. The next-generation motor ranges will be available with an industry-compatible technology in 2023. Its range of products complements and combines with each other to create customizable and scalable solutions that can be used with other brands and home equipment players.

Strictly Shutters

NEW PRODUCT

Strictly Shutters, a distributor of quality shutter components featuring SAFE (Shutters Assembled Fast and Easy), are built without expensive machinery, just a chop saw and screw gun, can be built in a van, in stock or by container and its new basswood and poplar line without gesso primer. The company will also feature new basswood and poplar non-gesso and SAFE shutters PVC, track and wheels, a full line of hardware. SAFE shutters are new and the first of their kind in the shutter market. Basswood and poplar non-gesso is new for Strictly Shutters and comes direct from the manufacturer.

ZMC

ZMC will feature the Safety Chain Shroud 3.25-inch Square Smart Cassette. Its patentpending safety chain shroud covers the chains and prevents younger children from using it as a loop. It works with existing chains and tensioners, so there’s no need to switch over to a new system. The plastic is clear and UV protected, which will work with any color decor. It can be used for both commercial and residential applications, with an option to have a front fabric insert. It’s available in five colors: white, bronze, alabaster, anodized and black. The benefits of using a cassette system include fast and easy snap-on installation, as the cassette is preassembled and tested off-site. Its square smart cassette system also offers a reverse roll option and light-blocking feature.

2023 SPEAKER LINEUP

SARA LYNN BRENNAN

Sara Lynn Brennan is an award-winning entrepreneur, CEO and principal interior designer at Sara Lynn Brennan Interiors, the first and only full-service interior design firm in Waxhaw, North Carolina, who specializes in her signature aesthetic: romantic transitional design. Brennan’s design work has been published in HGTV Magazine, Traditional Home, Window Fashion VISION and Cottages & Bungalows She has been named one of the Top 40 Under 40 in the design industry.

DONNA CASH

Donna Cash owns an award-winning soft furnishings design and fabrication studio that focuses on inspiring, encouraging and training for the home decor industry. Her business, Designs by Donna, opened in 1989 and is in Flowery Branch, Georgia. She uses her passion and abilities to bring joy and beauty into the lives of others through exquisite design, teaching and sharing. In her teaching role, her goal is to build the student’s confidence so they can build their skills and grow their business.

CYNTHIA CLARK

For more than 25 years, Cynthia Clark has been providing personalized service for small and large homes, urban condos, lake houses, ski houses and boutique offices in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. Clark worked for one of Boston’s top design firms, Bierly-Drake Associates. Clark earned an associate of applied science degree in interior design and regularly attends educational seminars and trade shows. She is Window Coverings Association of America (WCAA) certified. Along with being featured in a national publication, local newspapers and magazines, Clark was the 2017 winner of Small Home Design for New Hampshire Home magazine.

JANIE COX

Janie Cox is the managing director of A-Class Drapery Educational Institute LLC and A-Class Draperies and Interiors Ltd., the founder of the first offshore chapter of the WCAA in Trinidad and Tobago in 2017, the holder of the certified workroom professional and the certified window treatment consultant from the WCAA. She’s the only Dewey certified color instructor in the Caribbean. Cox is also the premier training provider and instructor in window treatments in the Caribbean for the past 24 years. She authored the “The Right Time to Switch Jobs” article published in Draperies and Window Coverings magazine.

WILL HANKE

Will Hanke has two passions: supporting U.S. veterans and helping window treatment and awning businesses tell their story online—providing them with increased exposure, more customers and higher revenues. For more than 25 years, he has helped mom-and-pops, startups and multimillion-dollar companies with their digital marketing strategies. Hanke hosts monthly online training events and has spoken at conferences across the U.S. on a wide variety of topics from analytics to lead generation through his company, Window Treatment Marketing Pros. He teaches and helps these business owners learn more about SEO and make better decisions with their marketing dollars. He also has a private Facebook group called Window Treatment & Awning Marketing Secrets. Hanke is an avid business and marketing blogger and has published several industry books, including Triple Your Window Treatment and Awning Leads

JESSICA HARLING

With unwavering conviction, Jessica Harling can break down complex decisions to simplify an action plan. Her dynamic problem-solving can confront potential obstacles proactively and energize any team, making others feel valued to achieve their ambitious company goals.

ROGER MAGALHAES

Roger Magalhaes holds numerous certifications from various leading product lines and proptrietary installation techniques. He’s a national speaker, a regular columnist for Window Fashion VISION magazine and the instructor for WFCP Fast Track Installation Program. He has been a member of the WCAA since 2006 and is currently the president of the national board.

MADELEINE MACRAE

Madeleine MacRae is CEO, founder and chief innovator for Homepro Toolbox, a digital resource center focused on leveraging rock-solid sales, marketing and business education to drive the growth of companies throughout every segment of the home services and improvement industries. She is a former corporate executive and a three-time founder. She has more than 15 years of experience leading, consulting and growing businesses of all sizes from family-run to fortune 500. She’s taught more than 25,000 people and inspires leaders to hit the next stage of their growth, whether it’s going from $5,000 to $45,000 months, hitting their first million in sales or even growing to $5 million, $10 million, even $30-plus million dollars of revenue a year.

O’D MCKEWAN

O’D McKewan is the product coach for Window Covering World. He is a master of motorization and a leader in the motorized window covering field. He has almost 20 years of handson experience with motorized window coverings, including fabrication, installation and selling. His classes are highly sought after, and the attendees really appreciate his ability to take complex information and make it easy to understand. He works with clients worldwide and has been involved with motorization of yachts, RVs, custom homes and high-rises, government facilities and corporate commercial buildings.

Industry experts set the stage for success with robust seminars lineup.

TRACEE MURPHY

Tracee Murphy specializes in designing spaces that reflect “your style of living,” making sure that each project is unique and reflective of the homeowner or business occupying the space. Murphy has a passion for classic styling with a relaxed and sophisticated feeling. Her projects include luxury, residential new construction, multifamily clubhouses and executive corporate offices. Murphy has earned degrees in both interior design and psychology, making her particularly adept at understanding her client’s needs, managing multiple perspectives on a project and creating interiors that have the most positive impact on mood and function. As a licensed interior designer in Florida, she regularly attends continuing education and stays abreast of the codes and requirements to maintain healthy and safe interiors.

LUANN NIGARA

LuAnn Nigara is a celebrated media personality, keynote speaker and seasoned entrepreneur. Recognized as the “go-to” keynote speaker for leaders and entrepreneurs to launch their life and get out of their own way, she always delivers a dynamic presentation. In her third business launch, LuAnn Nigara Inc., she provides business resources for entrepreneurs through live events and LuAnn University. Nigara has published three books, is a sought-after columnist and has captured international attention for her weekly podcast “A Well-Designed Business” and “Window Treatments for Profit.”

VINCE NIGARA

Vince Nigara has been an entrepreneur and business developer since 1978. He is currently the managing partner of Exciting Windows!. This, combined with his prior experience as vice president of franchise sales

for two prominent industry companies, as well as 40 years as the managing partner of Window Works, helps him bring unparalleled expertise in operations, systems and finance to everything he does. A former college baseball coach, his passion for teaching has translated into creating an accessible platform for imparting his extensive business acumen to community members of any level.

KATHY CRAGG PACE

Kathy Cragg Pace is an entrepreneur and elevated design sales specialist who has managed, mentored and trained more than 1,000 in-home designers and home improvement sales professionals with actions that lead to success. These pros now enjoy relaxed, productive collaboration with clients who are excited to buy from them. She specializes in design sales growth for individuals and teams, empowering them to provide an irresistible selling experience. Throughout her decades-long career, she has led her own award-winning design franchise, real estate and custom homebuilding companies, a network of large and small independent window covering business owners, and a nationwide retail team of in-home design professionals. She is currently director of sales for 3 Blind Mice USA, located in California.

LINDA TULLY

Linda Tully started Custom Coverings drapery workroom in 2000. She is a former IWCE speaker and has won many awards, including IWCE’s Workroom of the Year in 2011 and 2019 and first place in window treatments at Decorating Den’s annual Dream Room contest. Many of her award-winning rooms have been published in books and magazines. Tully is accomplished at designing, selling and fabricating all styles of window treatments. She has lived and worked in the interior design industry in nine states in the U.S., giving her valuable knowledge about regional styles and architecture.

SANDRA VANSICKLE

Sandra VanSickle, a dedicated leader in the industry, strives to educate, inspire and promote others in the window coverings industry. With her 30-plus years of knowledge and workroom experience, she is committed to passing along what she has learned through online and hands-on classes, articles, as well as speaking engagements for those seeking professional training in the custom window treatment segment of the industry. Located in Apex, North Carolina, she is the proud owner of Sew What’s New LLC, a wholesale custom window treatment workroom and training center. She is also the director of IWCE Workroom Central.

VITA VYGOVSKA

Vita Vygovska is the awardwinning author, speaker, business coach and window treatment specialist. Her company, Vitalia Inc. Window Treatments & Awnings, is a comprehensive fabrication, measurement, installation and project management service. It is a one-stopshop, expert go-to resource, wrapped in tech-driven detailed and meticulous style, exclusively to the trade.

MICHELE WILLIAMS

Michele Williams is a serial entrepreneur and speaker on a mission to close the financial literacy gap for small businesses. Through her two companies, Scarlet Thread Consulting, a client-facing coaching program, and Metrique Solutions, a robust financial software platform, she supports entrepreneurs to understand their numbers confidently. Williams is a champion for creative entrepreneurs, serving as a change agent to facilitate building scalable and profitable businesses. Her empowering work has been applauded by the Business of Home, My Doma Studios and the American Society of Interior Designers. V

On Thursday, April 20, at 3:30 p.m., there will be a special panel discussion in the center of the showroom floor. If your work table could talk, what secrets would it spill? New this year at Workroom Central will be a lively, interactive panel discussion with pillars of the industry Ann Johnson, Carlette Cormier, Cathy Tucker and Sandra VanSickle. With a combined 125-plus years of workroom experience, these veteran workroom owners will come together to present “Workroom Table Talk,” a conversation about all things workroom related. For those new to the industry or ones who have been at a workroom for years, this

discussion will give definitive tips and steps those in the industry can take back to their business and implement right away. Learn from the experiences of those who have gone before. No one needs to re-create the wheel. Join this panel for an hourlong session, moderated by Elizabeth Gerdes, in Workroom Central in the center of the showroom floor.

All panelists are teaching in Workroom Central during the show. The Workroom Central presenter lineup is listed on the IWCE website.

DON’T MISS THE WORKROOM PANEL DISCUSSION AT WORKROOM CENTRAL

SEMINARS

45+ Seminars, 50% NEW Classes and Topics to Grow Your Business and Skillset

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19

9:00 am–5:00 pm Motorization

WFCP Motorization Certification

O’D McKewan 1WEC 9:00 am–5:00 pm Installation

WFCP Installation Certification

Roger Magalhaes 2WEC 9:00 am–12:00 pm... Business/Management .................. Management Excellence: How to Get People to Do What You Want and Need Them to Do (and What to Do If They Don’t)

Madeleine MacRae 3WESS

9:00 am–10:15 am Business/Finance

Selecting & Selling Soft Window Treatments................................................................................Janie Cox .................................................. 6WE

Create Financial Goals Like a CFO Michele Williams 4WE 9:00 am–10:15 am Marketing/SEO How Marketing Automation Helps Increase Sales & Boost Revenue Will Hanke 5WE 9:00 am–10:15 am ...... Design/Workroom.................................

10:30 am–11:45 am Business Building Sustainable Processes That Lead to Profits

Jessica Harling 7WE 10:30 am–11:45 am Business/Communication Best Practices Between Designers & Workrooms

Vita Vygovska 8WE 10:30 am–11:45 am Design/Color

Change the Color, Change the Mood: The Psychology of Color & Interior Design Tracee Murphy 9WE 10:30 am–11:45 am Workroom The Basics of Bedding & Beyond Donna Cash 10WE 12:00 pm–1:15 pm Luncheon: Sales/Motivation Sell Transformations, Not Window Coverings Kathy Cragg Pace 11WE 1:30 pm–4:00 pm ..... Workroom/Design ............................ Mastering Cornices: The Most Valuable Top Treatment..................................................Linda Tully .......................................... 12WESS

1:30 pm–2:45 pm Design

High-End Design With Window Coverings

Tracee Murphy 13WE 1:30 pm–2:45 pm Business/HR Training Behind the Design Jessica Harling 14WE 1:30 pm–2:45 pm Business/Finance Grow Your Business With Reduced Stress Michele Williams 15WE 1:30 pm–2:45 pm Workroom/Design Roman Shade Savvy Sandra VanSickle 16WE 3:00 pm–4:15 pm ....... Sales............................................................. Leverage the Power of Story to Influence Sales..........................................................................Kathy Cragg Pace ............................... 17WE

3:00 pm–4:15 pm Design Use the Power of Visualization to Create Beautiful Rooms Donna Cash 18WE 3:00 pm–4:15 pm Marketing/SEO Leveraging Your List Will Hanke 19WE 3:00 pm–4:15 pm Workroom Drafting & Making Professional Swags Janie Cox 20WE 3:00 pm–4:15 pm Design/Window Treatments Window Treatments Demystified: What Every Designer Needs to Know Vita Vygovska 21WE 4:30 pm–5:30 pm Keynote A Well-Designed Life LuAnn Nigara 22WE 5:30 pm–8:00 pm Grand Opening Reception 23WE

THURSDAY, APRIL 20

9:00 am–12:00 pm Sales/Motivation

The Hero’s Guide to Sales Success

Kathy Cragg Pace 1THSS 9:00 am–10:15 am Business/Finance Benchmark Numbers for a Profitable Business

Vince Nigara 2TH 9:00 am–10:15 am Design/Workroom The Secrets of Sheers & Wide Widths

Linda Tully 3TH 9:00 am–10:15 am Business/HR

Talent Attraction Strategies: Recruiting Rock-Star Employees

Jessica Harling 4TH 9:00 am–10:15 am Workroom/Design/Motorization Roman Shade Motorization

Sandra VanSickle 5TH 9:00 am–10:15 am Design Window Treatment Trends Vita Vygovska 6TH 10:30 am–11:45 am Business/Finance

Plug the Profit Leaks in Your Business Michele Williams 7TH 10:30 am–11:45 am Business/Sales

Virtual Selling: Grow Your Business With Reduced Expense

O’D McKewan 8TH 10:30 am–11:45 am Design/WindowTreatments

All About Fabrics

Cynthia Clark 9TH 10:30 am–11:45 am Design/Workroom

Fullness Matters: The Fun Math Class Linda Tully 10TH 10:30 am–11:45 am Business/Sales Sharpen Your Competitive Edge Madeleine MacRae 11TH 5:30 pm–7:00 pm Design Competition Awards 13TH

FRIDAY, APRIL 21

9:00 am–12:00 pm Business/Sales

9:00 am–12:00 pm Motorization

9:00 am–10:15 am Design/Window Treatments

Attracting the Luxury Client: Build Revenue & Profit Margin

Mastering Motorization

Designer Details for Window Treatments

LuAnn Nigara 1FRSS

O’D McKewan 2FRSS

Cynthia Clark 3FR

9:00 am–10:15 am ...... Business/Motivation ............................ Own Your Own Value ................................................................................................................................Madeleine MacRae

9:00 am–10:15 am Installation Deliver a Top-Notch Installation Experience

9:00 am–10:15 am Social Media How to Use Social Media to Build Your Business

10:30 am–11:45 am Marketing/SEO Everything You Should Know About Google Ads

10:30 am–11:45 am Installation Installer’s Toolbox

10:30 am–11:45 am Social Media Get Fewer Calls, But Better Clients, With Strategic Social Media Marketing

Roger Magalhaes 5FR

Sara Lynn Brennan 6FR

Will Hanke 7FR

Roger Magalhaes 9FR

Sara Lynn Brennan 10FR

2:00 pm–3:00 pm Grand Finale 100 Takeaway Ideas: Wrap Up Your IWCE Experience With Tips From the Experts!! 11FR

To view a full list of seminars and descriptions, please visit iwce-vision.com/seminars.

The window treatments are hidden to ensure lots of natural light comes through, as well as breathtaking views of nature.

PHOTO BY STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON

Wellness

BY JENNIFER JENSEN

What is wellness? When one thinks of the world, it usually generates words related to health and self-care. People associate wellness with simply their physical health, such as nutrition and exercise, but wellness goes way deeper than that. Wellness can be broken into eight dimensions, which include physical, emotional, social, intellectual, financial, occupational, spiritual and environmental wellness. “All of these different things really need to be in balance to have wellness,” said Caleb Anderson, interior designer for Drake Anderson and co-founder of Well-Designed, a space for those in the interior design and architecture industries to participate in events centered around wellness and learning activities.

Now, what does wellness mean for interior design? The concept of wellness, as well as sustainability, has made its way to the forefront of the industry. People are becoming more aware of their spaces, how to best utilize them and how they can create a sense of wellness for the people who use the space. The COVID-19 pandemic can be thanked for the acceleration of this movement. People who were stuck working and living in their homes became very aware of their surroundings and how the space aided or hindered their overall wellbeing. Striving for wellness is driving their design choices and purchases that reflect a healthier home.

People are looking for calm and health in their environment. “For design, in particular, it’s creating environments that bring people to that space,” Anderson said. This can be about fabrics, textures, colors, lighting, arrangement of the furniture, function of the space, etc. “It’s many pieces coming together,” he added.

For Anderson, it’s about asking more questions. “How do these things support wellness? How does it support health? How

does it support the environment? How does it support other people?” This added an extra, critical layer to the design process.

And when talking about wellness in the window treatment industry, Deb Barrett, designer and principle of Window Dressings, feels there are numerous opportunities for designers and manufacturers to expand into this space. “We’re kind of overlooking this opportunity,” she said. “This whole trend has really put window treatments in the forefront.”

Wellness at the window can mean lighting, purification and filtration with air quality, noise reduction, cleanability, sustainability, and comfort and function.

“Wellness is more than just spas, color palettes, GREENGUARD certification, etc.,” Barrett said. “It’s more than just the physical products.”

Window treatments can capture, manipulate, control and enhance the entire environment by playing with daylight, Anderson said. “Something that has shown to have such an impact on our well-being. It’s not just another design element in a room, it’s a really important one.”

Light Manipulation

Light manipulation can include letting light in as well as taking it away. This may include blackout or room-darkening blinds and shades in the bedroom to help aid with sleep or opening shades and curtains to let light in to warm up a room in the winter.

Lots of people want complete blackout in bedrooms with no light leakage. “But [they] also want an ethereal quality, like a sheer roman,” Anderson said. “Layers are definitely important.”

Mattress and bed linen companies have capitalized on the “sleep revolution.” But what is missing at times is window coverings. “We can enter into the wellness equation through that,” Barrett said. “We have all the products; we just don’t sell them that way. We don’t curate collections under wellness.”

Bedroom designed by Deb Barrett.

PHOTO: ERIC PIESECKI

There are numerous ways this concept can be applied to window treatments.

Exposure to daylight is linked to a person’s circadian rhythm, the natural sleep/wake process behind healthy sleep. Bright light is important for the body during the day and creating a dim, uninterrupted environment is essential for sleep. The choice one makes in their blinds and shades can greatly affect one’s sleep.

One example is Lutron wood blinds, which feature Natural Light Optimization. Using Lutron’s app, users can automatically tilt blinds to preset angles throughout the day to diffuse direct sunlight and maximize comfortable daylight in any space.

Noise Reduction and Acoustics

The type of curtain or window dressing one chooses can also have noisereduction capabilities.

Barrett had a client ask for a portiere on her front door in a condo to reduce noise levels for her neighbors. Barrett said they tested some acoustic textiles and the night her client used one on her bedroom window, her husband told her it was the best night’s sleep he’d ever had. “It’s a game-changer,” Barrett added.

“That is a highly overlooked opportunity: acoustics in window coverings,” Barrett said. “Designers and consumers should look at shading materials that have a noisereduction coefficient.”

IKEA offers the GUNNLAUG soundabsorbing curtain, which claims to have 50% to 100% greater absorption of medium and high sound frequencies compared to other fabrics with similar quality and weight.

Another ready-made option is Sun Zero’s Oslo blackout curtains. They offer excellent light-blocking, as well as an energy-efficient design that purports to reduce energy loss by up to 50% and reduce noise by up to 35%. The rod pocket style aids in light-blocking since no light comes through any grommets.

Comfort and Function

When comfort and function are discussed relating to window treatments, one often thinks of motorization and the ability to control light coming in and out by a remote, touch or even utilizing Alexa or other smart home compatibility company.

Motorization options are available on a wide range of window coverings: roller shades, cellular shades, honeycomb shades, draperies and motorized shutters.

Purification and Cleanability

IKEA has developed a textile that can break down pollution and purify the air inside a home. Currently only available as a curtain, GUNRID eliminates air pollution in the home. “This is crazy amazing,” Barrett said.

For external blinds, WAREMA added a self-cleaning technology. EcoClean finishes allow the sun’s rays to break down surface contaminants, which are then easily washed away by the rain.

Sun Decor offers antibacterial selfcleaning roller shades. The system bathes the cloth fabric in disinfecting ultraviolet light (UV-C 254nm wavelength) every time the “disinfect” button is pressed. The three passes take about three minutes to complete reducing contaminants by up to 99%.

Lichtenberg offers Clean Window, which merges anti-static technology with mindful design. One of its features is COFFEE-TEX fibers, which are spun from upcycled coffee grounds. The curtains are also designed to be allergen- and dust-repellent.

Environmental/Sustainability

Anderson said people are starting to become more aware of their environment and the harmful toxins that might surround them in their home furnishings, like how people started to really look at their diets and what ingredients were in the foods they were consuming. “We look at what we are putting into our bodies and I think that will carry over into material selection,” he added.

Many are becoming mindful of not using products that contain PVC and other indoor toxins. People are looking for healthy, natural materials.

“A lot of people feel like if they are making the sustainable choice or the healthier choice, they are sacrificing some type of aesthetic or function,” Anderson said. “It’s

helpful to know there are companies out there that are making things that are beautiful that also meet this criteria.”

One company that is embracing this trend is Hartmann & Forbes. “Hartmann & Forbes weaves together really beautiful natural materials,” Anderson said.

Truly Innovative Products

There are companies who are producing conductive fabrics that can store energy like a battery. The shade material is the source for the motor as opposed to having a motor or being plugged in to a power source. “Because of that, then you have touch control,” Barrett said. “That’s a little bit sci-fi.”

There is also much room for growth with glass. The glass windows would transition based on sunlight, much like transition lenses for glasses. “What does that mean for the industry?” Barrett asked.

Tips to Join This Trend

Look at the products and offerings and curate your own wellness collection, whether it’s sustainable, GREENGUARD, room-darkening, antimicrobial. Build a sample kit and marketing strategy around what room-darkening means to you. Create your own guidelines and standards and sell them based off those guidelines.

Barrett suggests checking out other industries within the design community, such as the contract market. This is where performance fabrics came from, she added.

Wellness is driving the consumer. They want a seamless design together with a healthy environment. Window treatments can have a significant impact on wellness and should be pointed out. Incorporate these wellness advantages to give customers a fresh take on the importance of the products available. V

PHOTO: SIMON UPTON

PHOTO: VHT STUDIO

“A lot of people feel like if they are making the sustainable choice or the healthier choice, they are sacrificing some type of aesthetic or function, It’s helpful to know there are companies out there that are making things that are beautiful that also meet this criteria.”

— Caleb Anderson

Performance Fabrics Go Beyond Standard Fabrics

By JENNIFER JENSEN

A product that has picked up steam in the last few years in the textile industry is performance fabrics. These are fabrics that go beyond a standard fabric. People are wanting more from their products and are becoming more aware of how they are made. They want companies to be environmentally conscious and offer products that support a green aspect or sustainability factor. They also want products that last and can withstand harmful rays from the sun.

“Performance characteristics are determined by the end use, application and goals of a project,” said Nathan Wintermute, product manager for Mermet. “A highperformance fabric possesses one or more characteristics that set it apart from other similar fabrics. These characteristics include specialized thermal control, environmentally conscious product design and appeal to the consumer.”

There are several major players that have expanded into the performance fabric area.

Crypton

Crypton provides both residential and commercial performance fabrics, all of which are third-party GREENGUARD Gold certified for sustainability. Crypton said it was the first to bring performance fabrics with 50% to 70% recycled cotton to the residential market and now they are in the contract market as well. “They are soft, with great textures and colors, and they reduce landfill waste from the garment industry by repurposing the cotton for upholstery,” Crypton said.

One of Crypton’s newest innovations is a three-way collaboration between Crypton, Celliant and Kravet. It is a residential and hospitality product called Wellness Textures. It is the first and only bio-responsive home textile with clinically proven wellness benefits, including improved circulation, cell oxygenation, faster recovery and better sleep. The Celliant fibers incorporate ethically sourced minerals that reflect natural body heat back as healing infrared energy, the same energy that gives saunas their healing properties.

“It’s astonishing that something as seemingly innocuous as upholstery can actively, positively impact wellness,” Crypton CEO Lance Keziah said. “We think people who care about health and wellbeing, but don’t have a ton of time to spend on self-care, will embrace this technology as a way to have it all.”

Crypton fabrics last on average seven years longer than non-performance fabrics.

Crypton fabrics are made entirely without the use of PFAS chemistry. “Many people think that performance fabric is all made with some PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances), but Crypton is not,” the company said. “The brand introduced its first PFAS-free products six years ago and have subsequently phased out PFAS for all Crypton textiles.”

Mermet

Mermet provides a wide range of high-quality screen fabrics for sun control and privacy. The fabrics offered by Mermet are flame-resistant rated and tested for antimicrobial properties. Mermet offers fabrics for thermal protection, glare control, facade design and varying levels of privacy.

The benchmark for Mermet’s sustainability efforts are the fabrics GreenScreen Evolve and GreenScreen Revive. These fabrics are manufactured from recycled content and designed to be easily recycled through a takeback program. Both fabrics are Cradle to Cradle certified, Red List Compliant and free of harmful chemicals like halogens and antimony.

“The interest in sustainable and healthconscious products is a clearly growing trend as the general public becomes more aware of the products they interact with on a daily basis,” Wintermute said. “Consumers want to know that their home and work are safe, healthy places to spend their lives. The importance of product transparency and trust in a manufacturer is key as consumers look for confidence in their purchases.”

Phifer

Phifer’s SheerWeave suncontrol fabrics begins with the energy savings and light-management features that they are designed for, but they offer many other attributes. “Not only do the fabrics offer performance features in the area of solar heat and glare reduction, but they also afford the use of natural daylighting and enhancement of outward views while improving the buildings acoustical performance, offering ease of maintenance and meeting environmental goals by incorporating the latest in green materials and technology,” said Andrew Caldwell, Phifer national market manager, sun-control products.

SheerWeave represents the most comprehensive range of sun-control fabrics on the market, Caldwell said. SheerWeave is available in more than 40 classic and designer styles composed of multiple patterns and colors. From blackout to 25% open, SheerWeave combines aesthetic appeal with technical performance. “And Phifer is the only manufacturer capable of producing both fiberglass- and polyesterbased shading fabrics,” Caldwell added.

Phifer SheerWeave fabrics offer energy savings, GREENGUARD certification for indoor air quality, Microban antimicrobial protection, a seal of approval from the Melanoma International Foundation for effectiveness in preventing sun damage to the skin or eyes by offering superior UV reduction, and noise reduction through acoustical properties.

“All of our SheerWeave performance fabrics capture the spirit of sustainability and environmental stewardship through energy savings and light management, but we do have several fabrics that have features that have a positive environmental impact and can help meet clients’ sustainability goals,” Caldwell said. These fabrics include SheerWeave 4000 series with Dow Ecolibrium and recyclable fabrics

SheerWeave Infinity2 and Style 8000. A biobased plasticizer, Ecolibrium, is a renewable alternative to traditional plasticizers that lowers greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 40% versus existing PVC compounds. SheerWeave Infinity2 is made with 100% recycled content and is 100% recyclable and PVC-free, while offering the same solar heat and glare-control

properties as traditional SheerWeave solar screen fabrics. SheerWeave 8000 is a cradle-to-cradle certified bronze fabric constructed from 100% polyester yarns and is 100% recyclable.

Regal Fabrics

Performance by Regal Fabrics is now available on all Regal Fabrics items. Performance by Regal Fabrics provides durability and stain-resistance as a possible addition to any color, style or look in the Regal Fabrics line. This is a white-label solution while allowing for high-quality performance looks. Some features include long-lasting stainresistance, easy cleanability and heavy-duty durable construction. The company has the ability to apply the same performance treatment either during the manufacturing process overseas or through domestic finishing partners. Every item finished with Performance by Regal Fabrics has the same qualities customers expect from a performance fabric: stain-resistant, waterrepellent and easy to clean.

The company also recently entered the outdoor category with its new collection of performance fabrics, which featured eight new patterns and 63 SKUs. The fabrics are made with 100% solution dyed polyester yarns and have 1,000 hours of UV lightresistant properties.

Revolution Fabrics

Revolution Fabrics by STI and Brentwood Textiles are luxury performance fabrics that are stain-resistant, fade-resistant, easy to clean and extremely durable.

Revolution Fabrics are made with recycled fibers and are “forever chemical-free.”

Revolution is inherently stain-resistant, while many other performance fabrics use perfluorochemicals (PFC chemicals) to achieve cleanability. These chemicals are applied during the finishing process of manufacturing the fabric. In addition to the potential risks associated with PFC chemicals, anytime a finishing or coating is applied to a fabric, it is going to wear off

over time. Revolution Fabrics are made of polypropylene. Because they are inherently stain-resistant, they do not need to have PFC chemicals applied to make them cleanable.

Sunbrella

Some performance fabrics rely on a sprayed-on topcoat, which can give them a stiff hand and the finish can wear away over time.

Sunbrella fabrics are woven with yarns saturated at the fiber level with UV-stable pigments. Sunbrella Director of Upholstery Sarah Dooley said their proprietary Color to the Core technology ensures the pigment entirely saturates every fiber of the fabric and doesn’t fade with time. “Sunbrella fabrics maintain the same look and feel even after continual usage, cleaning and exposure to the elements, and they also have the added benefit of resistance to spills, so you don’t need to worry about muddy paw prints, red wine and other household mess-makers,” she added.

Performance fabrics are meant to last longer and endure more wear and tear, improving the longevity to limit the need for frequent replacement. Sunbrella also invests in sustainable operations, including incorporating recycled fibers into many of the fabrics and expanding its recycling program to consumers. “Through the Recycle My Sunbrella program, for example, we’ve been able to divert more than 1 million pounds of fabric away from landfills to date,” Dooley said. The Sunbrella ReCycle collection features more than 100 fabrics made with at least 20% and up to 90% recycled content.

“Ultimately, performance fabrics are designed to deliver peace of mind and eliminate stressors,” Dooley said. “We create fabrics without compromise, combining elegant design, luxe softness and dynamic textures, all while delivering best-in-class performance for any indoor or outdoor setting.”

The new pattern Nelson offers a sense of sophisticated whimsy with a modern circular motif that pops off a beautiful bouclette ground, Dooley said. Another new introduction, Fascinate, is a multicolored stripe that brings depth, richness and materiality to a space with its patchwork of textures created through various constructions and yarns.

Ferrari Group

Serge Ferrari Group’s Soltis Loop Sunmate is the first generation of interior blinds fabric made with 100% recycled materials, illustrating the corporate social responsibility commitment of the Serge Ferrari Group, said John Fryc, solar protection, business development manager for North America. Soltis Loop Sunmate contains 100% recycled polyester yarns and 100% recycled polymers, which is a real breakthrough in the solar protection market, Fryc said.

Soltis Loop Sunmate is closely linked to the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy and embodies the group’s commitment to sustainable innovation and reducing its environmental footprint by preserving natural resources and using recycled materials.

In addition to International Organization for Standardization certifications for its products and production sites, the group has made an environmental product declaration for almost all its solar protection fabrics with the intention of communicating transparently on the environmental impact of these products and to meet the requirements of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method).

Other solutions for solar protection like phthalate-free screens (Soltis VEOZIP and Soltis TOUCH) or PVC-free fabrics are also offered to the market to widen the possibilities and answer a maximum of needs and requirements.

“Serge Ferrari Group has always had a proactive attitude toward addressing environmental issues,” Fryc said. “This is the domain where the group first started implementing a quantified and assessable CSR policy. The environmental strategy addresses a two-pronged objective of lowering its direct impact and broadening its offering of eco-friendly products.

It is articulated around three priority goals: carbon footprint reduction, lower consumption of natural resources and biodiversity protection.” V

Serge

Consumers want to know that their home and work are safe, healthy places to spend their lives.

— Nathan Wintermute, product manager for Mermet

2023 Resolution: Stop Selling Window Treatments, Start Selling Transformations

BY KATHY CRAGG PACE

Most of the time, it’s this: You’re spending too much time explaining what makes your products special instead of positioning them as the solution that solves problems and will change your client’s life. Yes, you read that correctly. Sounds overly dramatic, right? I can assure you, though, it’s not. It’s modern sales and it’s backed by science.

When you figure out how to sell transformations rather than products, your business will take off. You’ll stop spending countless hours preparing quotes and design boards that never go anywhere and spend more time preparing purchase contracts that bring your window treatment design ideas to life. Clients will buy from you again and again. They will refer their friends. You will enjoy the satisfaction of helping more people live better.

Not only will your client’s life be transformed, but your sales will also be transformed.

Most businesses have been approaching window treatment sales for years from one of two directions: function or design.

A function-forward salesperson spends lots of time on product knowledge. They study features and benefits, attend product trainings with vendors, know lots about lift systems and light gaps. They explain in detail which product will solve what problem. The focus is on the product and what it does. Because there are so many choices and options, it’s very easy for the client to become overwhelmed and do the mental equivalent of putting their fingers in their ears while shaking their head. “TMI … TMI!”

Too much information is the downside to this approach. Confused, overwhelmed people do not act. Focus too much on product and the client will say, “Let me think about it and get back to you.”

The second sales approach centers more on design. Conversation involves the product, but from the perspective of what it looks like and how it fits into the other design elements in the room. Like the first approach, the window treatment will solve a functional problem, but more emphasis is placed on design items like the look and texture of the materials, the style of the treatment, the warmth or coolness of the color, how it blends into the room and such. To all but the trained designer, this approach can be overwhelming too. More importantly,

it lacks a compelling sense of urgency to take action and buy. Client’s say, “Oh, so many beautiful choices. You’ve given me a lot to think about. Let me talk it over with (family, friends, anyone who can help them make sense of it all) and I’ll get back to you.”

Both of these sales styles can be effective sometimes and one is not better than the other, but neither of them are enough to motivate a high purchasing likelihood because their emphasis is on selling products.

Modern sales take a completely different approach. Product isn’t what makes you stand out. Design isn’t what makes you stand out. And, by the way, service isn’t what makes you stand out either. Beautiful,

You have great products that can help a lot of people, so why does it feel like such a struggle to sell them?

“People don’t buy things. They buy the feeling that comes from owning the thing.”

Old-school thinking won’t get modern sales results.

well-designed, quality products and good customer service is a given. It’s what the customer called you there to provide. Clients expect it of everyone they do business with. It is required to stay in business.

There is a missing ingredient in the approaches I’ve just described. A secret sauce, so to speak, used in modern sales that drives the decision to purchase and it’s related to the limbic region of the brain.

This is your brain on sales. Or, more to the point, this is your client’s brain on buying.

The thinking brain represents conscious thoughts, calculations, reasoning and expression through language. As humans, we spend most of our time in the analytical or thinking part of the brain. In a selling situation, thinking correlates to what we sell and how it works. It is the part of the brain engaged when we talk about products.

The feeling brain represents emotions, impulses, intuition and instincts. The limbic or feeling region is the part of the brain that has no language associated with it. It relates to how we feel about something or someone, warns us of danger and signals trust.

Science has discovered it is the limbic brain that lights up when trust is established and that the feeling brain trumps the thinking brain when it comes to the purchasing decision. For example, we’ve all encountered situations where we were gathering information on a project and person A’s solution sounded great and cost less than person B’s proposal, but there was just something about person B. If we pause to think about it, we might reason that they seem to really understand my situation… they “get me.” Yes, the price is higher, but our gut tells us we should buy from person B because it just “feels right.” This gut feeling isn’t the gut at all. It’s the limbic brain at work—and science has shown it is the region of the brain where the decision to purchase takes place.

Solve bigger problems and the likelihood of purchase increases.

Successful sales professionals use this knowledge about the “feeling” brain to sell clients on why they should buy. They talk beyond functional problems because external challenges are not difficult to solve. To create more value, real pros talk about how their solution solves internal problems related to feelings, not just to things like light control or privacy.

Yes, you must correct the functional need first and foremost, but imagine the clients delight when they discover they are working with someone who “really gets them” and that their less obvious, much bigger problem— that they feel uncomfortable in their own home, even to the point of embarrassment—has caused them to avoid gatherings with friends or family they care about as a result of those feelings. Now that is a real reason to buy. One that inspires action. You not only solve a functional problem, but you also solve an internal problem and a philosophical one as well…talk about value.

Sell transformations rather than products. Window treatments do so much more than provide light control and privacy. They do more than look good hanging in the window. Window treatments transform a room. It only takes attending a few installations to experience firsthand the contrast, before and after, in the way the room looks and feels. To notice the way the client’s eyes light up and joy spills over at the change. The difference is palpable. The room went from an uncomfortable space to something that produces pride and spring-in-the-step joy upon entering it now, all because the client purchased your solution.

Successful sales pros sell transformations.

So, don’t just sell room-darkening shades. Sell the transformative benefit of getting enough sleep. When baby Daisy can’t sleep, and mom and dad are losing zzzzs because of it, they experience bigger problems than just sleep loss. They feel cranky, lose patience more easily, take their frustrations out on co-workers, each other...maybe even on precious baby Daisy. They don’t just need light control, they need a transformation.

They also need to clearly be told how their life will be so much better once this problem is solved. The sales professional who understands this and articulates it in such a way that the customer feels seen and heard and buys the vision of how life will be different (better) is the sales professional that will sell far more than their competitors.

Throughout 2023, in this new series, I’ll share modern sales expertise. I will guide you to use science and consciously do specific things during the sales process to activate the limbic brain.

The delicious difference that will make people buy from you and seek you out again and again is the way the homes you’ve worked in are transformed. Sell the feeling that comes from owning the thing. Your sales will grow and your business will grow, which is why 2023 should be the year you stop selling window treatments and start selling transformations. V

Kathy Cragg Pace teaches modern sales for people who hate “salesy” people. Her specialty is elevated design sales for individuals and teams, empowering them to provide an irresistible selling experience. Throughout her decades-long career, she has led her own award-winning design franchise, real estate and custom home-building companies, a network of large and small independent window covering business owners and a nationwide retail team of in-home design professionals. She is currently director of sales for 3 Blind Mice USA in California.

» KathyPace.com

Come hear Kathy Cragg Pace speak at IWCE during her motivational luncheon titled “Sell Transformations, Not Window Coverings,” on Wednesday, April 19, at 12 p.m., “Leverage the Power of Story to Influence Sales” at 3 p.m., and on Thursday, April 20, at 9 a.m. during a supersession on “The Hero’s Guide to Sales Success.”

Why buy from you? Because everyone deserves a comfortable and inviting home they can be proud of.

SPEAKER

The Right Way to Let Employees Go

BY JESSICA HARLING, BEHIND THE DESIGN

What do you do when people quit? You work hard for your company’s success. Part of that process is finding, hiring and training the right people. But what happens when they decide to move on? The way you handle the process of letting employees go can be nearly as important as the way you bring them on. Done right, it can reveal your strength as a manager.

People leave companies for many reasons, including looking for remote or flexible opportunities, poor work-life boundaries, issues with management, better pay and benefits, and lack of opportunities for advancement. “Company culture” is the all-encompassing buzz phrase that candidates use to describe the environment they’re working in. If you face a high turnover rate, you should look hard at yourself and your company’s culture. Are you doing everything you can to treat employees well and communicate their importance to your company so that they stay long?

Even if you have created a positive environment rich with opportunities for your people to better themselves and your company, there will always be additional reasons why they might leave. You can’t prevent everyone from quitting, but you can take steps to make sure they leave well when they do.

Step 1: Difficult Conversations

When a valued employee offers their resignation, it can cause a range of feelings. You need to regulate those feelings to maintain professionalism and positivity. If you see this time as an opportunity to improve your company and yourself as a boss, you can have some difficult conversations that might ultimately lead to growth.

The first potentially difficult conversation is the exit interview.

Many people skip this step because it’s uncomfortable. Some relegate it to a worksheet. However, if you can sit down with the exiting employee and have a real conversation, it may be just the thing that everyone needs to feel good about the situation.

Some great exit interview questions

include:

■ What are your reasons for leaving?

■ Could I have done anything differently as a boss?

■ Did you feel you were trained and equipped to do a good job?

■ How would you describe the culture of our company?

■ If you could change anything about your job or the company, what would it be?

Again, regulate your feelings and don’t be offended if the person shares criticisms about your company or your leadership. If you handle this conversation well, you may even leave the door open for them to return to your company later.

The next difficult communication is letting the rest of your company or department know the person is leaving. You may choose to handle this through an email announcement, as part of a meeting or through an invitation to their send-off party. You may find it necessary to give some of the reasons for their decision to leave if you have been permitted to do so. Rumors may swirl, so it’s best to combat them with the truth. Even if it leaves you in a less-than-glowing light, honesty and transparency are valuable qualities that will prevail.

Step 2: Self-Reflection

Now that you’ve had a chance to talk through your employee’s reasons for leaving the company, it’s time to reflect on what you did well and what you can improve in the future. It’s a good idea to ask yourself these questions regularly, not just when someone leaves.

Think about:

■ What kind of environment are you creating? Do you encourage professional growth? Do you encourage failure? An environment where failure is cheered rather than feared can be one of the most positive places to be. Mistakes can usually be fixed and client relationships can often be repaired, but if employees are allowed to fail, they might just succeed more often.

■ Are you accessible? Do you communicate well? Communication is more than instruction and correction. It means listening and responding to your employees’ concerns as well.

■ Are your expectations clear? Are they rigid and unyielding or do you allow room for creative problem-solving? Do you acknowledge that your way might not always be the best?

■ Do you equip and allow your people to do their jobs? Is your onboarding process solid? Do people understand their valuable role in your company?

■ Are you setting an example that you want your people to follow?

Step 3: Logistics

In addition to conversations and reflections, logistical details must be dealt with when an employee leaves your company. You may have a company policy that requires a resignation letter and at least two weeks’ notice. If you don’t get a letter

when the employee resigns, be sure to get one for their file. Contact IT and make sure accounts and passwords are turned off at the appropriate time. Also, get in touch with HR and payroll to terminate salary and benefits.

If you haven’t already, conduct the exit interview and decide whether a celebration of the person’s time at the company is appropriate, either with a parting gift, a party or possibly both. Parting ways doesn’t have to be bitter. In fact, handled with dignity, respect, humility and grace, it can pave the way for future relationships to thrive in your company.

Step 4: Transition

After tying up all the loose ends, it’s important to start preparing for the next phase of your business. Consider things like a new search to fill the shoes, making client introductions to a new account manager or repurchasing any lost or damaged supplies to prepare for the next onboarding in advance.

Most business owners miss this last critical step in ensuring the chapter has a conclusion. This tends to result in loss of business because of lack of oversight in finding a new home for the clients that employee took care of. Make sure the customer remains the focus during the transition. The bottom line is you need to have a process—just like onboarding a new team member— to make the transition successful. V

Jessica Harling is a fourth-generation window treatment specialist, the founder of Behind the Design and a leading expert in employee and process development for design organizations. Her specialty in recruiting, training and change management drives innovative and high-producing results while keeping your team inspired.

» GoBehindTheDesign.com

Jessica Harling will speak during the “Building Sustainable Processes That Lead to Profits” session on Wednesday, April 19, at 10:30 a.m., “Training Behind the Design” at 1:30 p.m. and “Talent Attraction Strategies: Recruiting Rock-Star Employees” on Thursday, April 20, at 9 a.m.

SPEAKER

ORNAMENTAL IRON, INC.

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Keeping the Engine Running Smoothly: When to Adjust and Improve Your Systems

BY LUANN NIGARA

By now, I hope we all know that we should create systems. I’ve spoken about them here— and on both of my podcasts for years—so you’ve probably already considered creating them if you haven’t already put them into place.

If you’re in the second category, good for you! But … what happens next? Job well done, so now we’re on cruise control? Hopefully, it’s obvious that the answer is no.

I’m a rabid advocate for documented, duplicatable systems. As much as I’ve written and spoken about systems, it’s often from the standpoint of how important it is to create them in the first place. However, the point needs to be made that it’s equally as important to adjust your systems when needed.

There isn’t a hard and fast rule about when you need to tweak your systems. But, in my experience, there are at least four noticeable signs that it’s time to formally revisit your systems.

1When You’ve Grown

Whether you’re a solo operator of your business—the person with hands on everything—or have an established team of three, five or 25, when you grow, the process within the systems will need to be adjusted.

When we bring in more people, it’s supposed to get easier. We divide up the additional workload and delegate to more people—and our busy, burdened business gets back on track.

And when we have systems in place, this is how we expect that to happen.

But, how something is executed, regardless if you’re a solo operation and add one person, or you’re a team of seven and you add three, will change when you grow and add people, even if just slightly. The objective for the existing system remains the same, but the process for doing it will go through more hands, or steps, in order to be completed. This must be addressed. Otherwise, things will

fall through the cracks. At the core of it, the system stays the same, the process changes and the accountability changes.

When a system starts filtering through more people, it travels a different path. What was once handled by one person doing four steps eventually can become two people handling two steps … and as we continue to grow, we might eventually have four people, each handling just one step. Now, there are a lot more cooks in the kitchen, so the system needs to be updated to ensure everybody has all the information they need. You have to figure out a way for all four of those cooks to get the same end recipe.

We’ve run into this at Window Works, especially as I’ve stepped more out of the day-to-day. Whenever I’m in the office and the phone rings, if I pick it up and handle an issue, I must know exactly where it’s supposed to go next. I can’t just do something and then let it go—if I do, it’s going to get clogged up somewhere. Other people need to know what I now know.

There’s a temptation to not update our standard operating procedures (SOPs) with these little nuances because it’s tedious to do. But when we don’t, there will be miscommunication, mistakes and a loss of accountability, which is way more time-consuming and expensive. It’s dramatically more efficient to do it along the way, in real time.

I know this from experience. At Window Works, we hadn’t formally updated and revised our documented SOPs in many years. We decided in January 2020 it was time. I blocked three hours every Monday for months rewriting and revising each system to reflect the changes we’d made over the years and were operating under. Then, the pandemic began, and by that July, we were experiencing unprecedented growth, just like you. Since May 2020, we hired 11 people. And with our newly documented SOPs, we were in a much better position to onboard more efficiently and with greater clarity and accountability.

The lessen to learn: If we’d been documenting our systems as we adapted them over the years, we wouldn’t have needed a dedicated, time-consuming, formal overhaul. We do this in real time now and I encourage you to do the same. Understanding our SOPs are always a work in progress and not some dusty book on a shelf or lost doc in a Google Drive ensures that everyone on the team is able to understand their job roles and tasks quickly and easily, which, in turn, creates a more efficient, productive, profitable business.

2When Times Are A-Changin’

If there’s anything we learned from COVID, it’s that things can change without us being prepared. I don’t know a single person who can say that their business didn’t change because of the pandemic. For many of us, it brought new growth, new expectations, new client needs and, of course, new supply issues. With each of those changes, there are likely new steps or new shifts in our systems that come up.

Suddenly, what used to take a month to order ended up taking three months or more in the thick of COVID. That meant more back-and-forth, more emails and more communication with vendors and clients. Tweaks in systems—like email templates, additional follow-ups or weekly communication steps with clients—were likely needed to make sure those details and questions didn’t fall through the cracks.

Even beyond major changes like COVID, we’ve also faced technology changes. Maybe you’ve moved your invoicing from paper to QuickBooks. Maybe you’ve

embraced project management software. Maybe you’re outsourcing your social media. Maybe you’re on a mission to get a Google review for every completed project. Each of these changes—good ones and not-so-good ones—creates a change in your systems that you need to address.

Look at your business. These aren’t always big, massive shifts in your systems. Often, the smallest changes have the most impact and documenting them ensures the impact is positive.

3When You’re Repeatedly Wasting Time

One of the best rewards from formally identifying and documenting our systems is that once they are in place, they have a way of showing us deficits in our efficiency and productivity. When you start to notice those deficits—the areas where you’re dealing with repeated wasted time—it’s a sign to adjust your system accordingly.

I recently had Katie McFarlan of Dakota Design Co. present to our members at Exciting Windows. She works with designers and window treatment professionals to build the back end of the business and create operational systems. She discussed finding the little areas that become time wasters in your business, as well as how we differentiate ourselves from the competition when we up-level the customer experience. The answer to both of those challenges is improving your systems. Systems save time and money and they create duplicatable deliverables for your customers.

Time wasters include not having protocols for naming and categorizing your files. So, when we need a contract or an invoice, we have to go back and search through multiple digital or real folders and places before we find it again. It might seem like it’s not a big deal—just a few minutes here and there. But what if we have to do it for every client? It starts to add up.

Instead of kissing several minutes goodbye with every search for an invoice, a photo, a work order or a price list, what if you spent 15 minutes building naming conventions into your business and you made sure everyone in your company uses the same standards? Now you, and everyone else, will know every single time where “all the things” are. This time spent one time saves time and money on all the days ahead.

When an Issue Arises

One of my oldest and most reliable systems has served me well for many years. I developed it to address the importance of maintaining

accurate information despite the fact that I also needed to be flexible and adaptable. I call it my Colored Pen System.

We all know that when we’re working on a large project with a designer or a consumer, we might take our initial measurement months before the purchase orders are executed and well before the installation day.

Inevitably, changes come up along the way. Maybe we have to move the drapery rods because now the designer is adding crown molding. Or maybe we decided on a one-style treatment and, after the fact, new sconce lighting is being added or trees are being removed and now we need to provide privacy treatments. Whatever the reason, often initial specifications have to be adjusted.

Every change, every remeasurement means we have new details to remember—new information that impacts the outcome of the project. I take notes using my very simple, but very effective, Colored Pen System.

Each time I receive new information that requires a change from the previous information, I mark it on my original measure sheet, next to the window in question, and I use a different colored pen to note the new information. I also date it and note how I learned this: on-site measure (which includes the people present for the measure), on a phone call with the client or designer, or in an email from the client or designer. This ensures that regardless of who else remembers what decisions were made, I know the actual progression of the changes and who was there to confirm these changes.

And this system worked great. Until it didn’t.

I was on a huge project with a design firm— there were multiple rooms, draperies, blinds and shades—and there were also multiple measures before we ordered. So, I had 30 to 40 different measurements in all.

When my partner Bill went to the install, I started getting phone calls.

“Hey, in the dining room they’re saying the drapes are supposed to be under the crown molding, but these are above the window molding.”

“Hey, the roman shades are supposed to be outside-mounted but now they’re insidemounted.”

At least four of the 10 rooms ended up with some kind of “mishap.” But I had the notes. I had the changes. I even had the details down on the purchase orders. I had the backup. The job was delivered correctly

because I had the system in place. When digging through what the designer thought was supposed to be in each room, it was clear that she wasn’t working off the most recent instructions to us. And as many months had passed, her memory was not clear. But I could see in my notebook where we’d made each change, the date, the reasons why and who requested it. Like I always say, that and $5 will get me a latte.

But guess what? Being right wasn’t enough. My system didn’t loop the designer in. Yes, all day long they should have had their own system in place. But, in this situation, even though my system had worked for me, even though I was right, my system didn’t ensure a positive outcome for everyone involved.

We chose to eat the cost of the change because, although I was correct, when I analyzed how I personally could have prevented this from happening, I realized my system should include a recap email after each change. Taking care of the

problems for her sent a message to the designer that regardless of the situation, we’ll do the right thing and we’ll stand by you. Internally, we call this “marketing money.” We’re making a client for life, rather than a customer for one project.

In the end, I didn’t have to go back to the drawing board entirely. I just needed to update the system. I needed to build on it and improve it. Now, the Colored Pen System includes a recap email after every remeasurement visit.

Systems, Shifts and Cruise Control

When you start to grow in your business, when you first realize you need stronger systems in place, it’s hard to wrap your mind around it and take your foot off the gas.

But putting on the brakes long enough to create solid SOPs is what gives us the ability to get on the highway and put on cruise control. Don’t just cruise and pat yourself on the back. If you do, you’ll end up right back where you started, having to put your foot on the brake to fully redo your systems.

Better to tweak your systems as needed than to wait until you’re forced to. Take advantage of the cruise control. Notice the deficits in your productivity, pay attention to where your time is being lost and take the time to formally build the changes that can address those in your systems. This is how you build a better business. V

With four decades of industry experience, LuAnn Nigara is an award-winning author, keynote speaker and the host of two podcasts: “A Well-Designed Business” and “Window Treatment for Profit.” She is also part of the ownership team of the Livingston, New Jersey-based Exciting Windows! and Window Works. Through Exciting Windows!, LuAnn University and her one-on-one coaching services, Nigara teaches window treatment pros and interior designers how to operate profitable businesses.

» LuAnnNigara.com » LuAnnUniversity.com

» ExcitingWindows.biz

LuAnn Nigara will speak during the keynote address “A Well-Designed Life” on Wednesday, April 19, at 4:30 p.m. On Friday, April 21, at 9 a.m., she will also speak during the session titled “Attracting the Luxury Client: Build Revenue & Profit Margin.”

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How to Get the Perfect Shot Using Your Phone

BY LINDA HOLT

Imagine this, if you will: a beautifully designed room, with gorgeous window treatments as the crown jewel of the room. You try so hard to get a photo to share on social media or for your portfolio, yet the photos look terrible.

You may already know this, but window treatments are one of the most challenging things to photograph in an interior space. The problem is caused by backlighting.

What is backlighting? Backlighting is when the outside light coming in through the window is brighter than the interior light. I’m sure many, if not all, of you have experienced this issue when trying to

photograph window treatments. The sun is coming through the window, causing your beautiful drapes or shades to be in silhouette. The brighter outside light can also cause a halo effect, washing out the leading edge of the drapery.

If you use a smartphone, here are six tips to help you conquer backlighting and get the best photos possible.

TIP NO. 1

Manually Set the Exposure for the Drapery

Whether you use an iPhone or an Android, it is possible to override the in-camera light meter and set the exposure manually. The problem with relying on the in-camera light meter is that the camera will generally expose for the brightest part of the image. When photographing window treatments, this will be the brighter outside light, which will cause the interior and, hence, the window treatments to be too dark.

To manually set the exposure on an iPhone, simply tap and hold your finger on the camera screen until a yellow box with a sun icon appears. By sliding your finger either up or down the screen, you can control the brightness or darkness of the image.

Manually setting the exposure on an Android is very similar. Tap the camera screen and look for a yellow circle to appear. Then, swipe your finger to the right to brighten the image or to the left to darken the image. Overriding the in-camera light meter will give you control over the brightness of the window treatments.

TIP NO. 2

Time Your Shoot

It is nearly impossible to get a good photo if bright, direct sunlight is streaming through a window into the room. Timing the shoot for when the least amount of light is coming through the window can make a big difference.

Generally, early morning or later in the day, when the outside light is lower, is a good time to plan your shoot. Also, knowing what time of day the sun will be on the opposite side of the house will produce the best results.

Cloudy or overcast days can also be a good time to shoot because, during those times, the outside light is lower than usual. In the image below, the sun was facing west and the bathroom window was facing east. I was able to get a clear shot of the roman shades.

TIP NO. 3

Use HDR

HDR stands for high dynamic range. It’s a bit technical, but what HDR does is compress the difference in value between the highlights and shadows. How it works is that the camera will take a rapid series of three images and then stitch them together for one presumably perfect exposure. I have found HDR is not “perfect,” but it’s worth a try if you have a very bright outside and a much darker inside.

The newer smartphones have “Smart HDR” and the camera will automatically activate it when it detects a very contrasting lighting situation. If you own an older model of phone, you may need to go into settings to turn it on.

TIP NO. 4

Lower Any Shades, Sheers or Blinds

If your window treatments have layers, lowering any shades, sheers or blinds will soften the light coming through the window. This trick has saved me multiple times when timing the shoot was not an option. Naturalfiber shades in the image below soften the outside light coming into the room and allow for a nice image of the dining room drapery.

Linda Holt is an interior designer and a former professional photographer. She saw a need in the design industry to help fellow designers and home professionals get better photos using their smartphone. After successfully teaching smartphone photography workshops in and around Boston, she created an online photography class for interior designers and home professionals. Today, she splits her time between working with design clients and teaching smartphone photography classes.

» LindaHoltCreative.com

» IG: @lindaholtcreative

TIP NO. 5

Get Creative With Your Angles

Sometimes, no matter how good your intentions are, you will find yourself in a less than ideal lighting situation. Bright sunlight may be streaming through the window and there are no shades to lower in order to cut down the outside light. This is when it’s time to get creative with your camera angle. Rather than aiming your smartphone directly at the window, try shooting at a 45-degree angle. This will eliminate the problem of the bright sun hitting your camera, causing the window treatments to look too dark or go into silhouette.

TIP NO. 6

Focus on the Details

Finally, if the lighting is really bad, then this is a time to get those close-up shots and focus on the details such as the pleats or decorative trim and eliminate the window altogether. Show off the fine workmanship and custom details that make your design so special. Detail shots are “gold” for social media as the public loves them.

Yes, window treatments are challenging to shoot, but with a little preplanning and creative thinking, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to get good photos of your design. It takes a little practice and patience, but if you follow these six tips, then soon you will be shooting window treatments like the pros. V

Even Your Own Material

Customer’s Own Material Program

Did you know over 50% of the fabric and trims used in our custom window treatments come directly from customers? That’s because our Customer’s Own Material (C.O.M.) program works with designers to produce unique custom window treatments that fit perfectly with any décor.

The program is easy to use. Dealers can either ship or drop off their desired material to our workroom. From there, our detail-oriented team works carefully to make sure every detail is exactly as it was envisioned. Depending on the fabric, an optional Premium White or Ivory lining can be added free of charge.

Cold Weather? Time for Layers

Much like we layer our clothes for chilly winter months, layering draperies over window treatments can help make your home feel comfy cozy. For patterned shades, try adding solid color drapes that match the accent color to make it pop. If you have a plain shade, adding patterned draperies can help enhance your windows.

Don’t forget: Top treatments and trims elevate your design and bring your space to the next level. Casual valances give your windows a touch of laid-back luxury, while the more formal Premium Top Treatments provide finished flair.

Soft and Cozy Interiors

When coordinating your home décor, whether that be in a space you share with guests or a more private space like a bedroom, it’s important to keep your theme consistent. If you gravitate towards a softer interior style, soft Roman Shades offer cozy fabric options with a sleek design.

For homes with pets or small children, cordless shades are a must. The patented Cordless One Controls allow you to design a space with soft Roman shades that include an easy to use cordless system.

The Right Workroom for Brilliant Ideas

At Horizons, our goal is to provide a premiere client experience. Our talented staff has the ability to customize every aspect of your window treatments—even the tiniest of details. No matter how big or small we strive to provide a local workroom atmosphere for each and every project that comes through our doors.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Surewin

Surewin has quality components at competitive prices from its Florida warehouse, with custom sourcing available. Plastic bead chain-in-rolls or continuous loops; numerous colors in all lengths, nickel-plated and stainless chainin-rolls and continuous loops in all lengths, stop balls, connectors, safety devices, c-clips, alligator clips, tassels, lift cord, vertical components, cord locks and the easy-to-fabricate, low-profile Sure-Lift® Roman Headrail System for shades up to 50 pounds.

» Learn more at surewin@optonline.net or call 239-362-3342.

Ona Drapery Hardware Company

The source for custom-made drapery hardware. From contemporary to traditional, we offer an extensive selection of styles and finishes. We manufacture every rod set to order using only premium heavy-gauge steel, wrought iron, crystal and more. Custom curving is also available for all rod profiles. Be sure to look at our new acrylic rods, art glass finials and polished chrome finishes, in addition to our popular French rods and ONAVERSE™ Iron Cord Traverse Rods. We pride ourselves on quality workmanship, timely delivery and customer satisfaction.

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Alpha Motors

Enjoy smooth operation with our ultra-slim drapery motors and extendable track. The all-new WSCM Series motor runs whisper quiet and has an integrated soft pull feature. It can be used manually in the event of a power failure and is available with battery and AC options.

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Coulisse

Coulisse has designed and developed an elegant collection of textured double roller shades, which offer the best of both worlds: the most perfect view of outside with diffused natural light or complete privacy at any moment in the day. Choose from subtle jacquard-woven graphic designs, metallic yarns with a sparkle or delicate woven textures with warm must-have colors.

» Discover the collection and request a sample by visiting bit.ly/CoulisseDoubleRoller.

V

Norman Shutters

What if motorized window treatments didn’t have to be so complicated? The exclusive smart motorization technology is designed to create simpler, safer and worry-free experiences. Experience effortless recharging, a gentle tap to raise or lower the shade and an auto brake safety feature with Norman® Smart Motorization.

» Learn more at bit.ly/NormanSmartMotorization.

Make a Deal by Making Friends

BY OLIVER SCHREIBER

Initially when I thought of the word “sold,” I thought of the importance of making sure we always follow up with our prospective clients and leads or, as I like to put it, call them until they “buy, die or call the police!” However, as I looked back on my career, spanning over 30 years, the one thing I have enjoyed the most and still do is meeting new people and making new friends.

As an 11- and 12-year-old playing in youth basketball and baseball leagues, I participated in our team fundraisers by selling candy bars. Most kids would sell between 10 and 30 bars. I sold 200 to 300. Most kids sold to their families. I knocked on doors and set up a table at the local grocery store. My success was largely due to my willingness to meet new people and make new friends. When it snowed in the winter, the folks who bought candy bars from me were the first doors I knocked on to offer my shoveling services. Then, some of my best snow-shoveling customers became some of my best customers in the spring and summer when it was mowing season. We knew each other by name, we respected one another and, whenever we saw each other, there were smiles and kind words exchanged.

I have continued to use this approach throughout my career and share a few tips to use when trying to close a deal.

MAKE AN EFFORT.

Starting with the first conversation on the phone and continuing with all further interactions, a real and genuine effort should be made to treat customers like new friends, building rapport and trust along the way. When they like you and they trust you, they will buy from you. In your own life, would you prefer to make a transactional purchase with someone random where you hope you made a good decision or would you prefer to do business with someone you know and trust?

ASK QUESTIONS.

Start by asking questions, lots and lots of questions. Open-ended, information-gathering questions will show them that you are genuinely interested in doing what is best for them. When the opportunity arises to ask them personal questions, find out about the things that are important to them, like their kids, grandkids and pets. Find out what hobbies interest

them and then let them share. You can share, too, like friends do.

LISTEN.

Look them in the eyes when they are speaking, allowing them to be the only thing you are completely focused on. This builds trust and confidence. Listen. Truly listen. Don’t just hear them. Listen to them and process the information they are giving you, asking follow-up questions for clarity. The better listener you are, the more likely the friendship will blossom, trust will be built and they will want to do business with you because they can’t imagine purchasing from anyone but you. The good lord gave us all two ears and one mouth—listen twice as much as you speak.

CREATE A FRIENDSHIP.

These friendships are built from scratch and it is up to you to create one. The person who contacted you

Oliver Schreiber began his sales career more than 30 years ago and is CEO of Beltway Blinds in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. He leads a team that generated more than $11 million in sales last year. He has been a speaker at the International Window Coverings Expo, has received awards for being the largest-volume dealer with Alta Window Fashions for four years running and sits on the National Advisory Committee for a window covering group, Exciting Windows!. He can be reached at oschreiber@beltwayblinds.com.

for help with their window treatments only knows that you sell window treatments. There are lots of people who sell window treatments. They do not know that you genuinely care. Once they contact you, you must create the relationship. It starts with that first conversation and never ends. You must show them that you care about them and not just their money.

Your potential customers will not make a buying decision based only on the reputation of the company you work for. Their buying decision will come down to how they feel about you and the relationship you have built with them. If they choose to do business with you, it is because of you, not just because they saw an ad. People do not buy the products we sell from companies, they buy them from people … people they like, know and trust. Go out there tomorrow, make a new friend and you will often find that you have closed another sale. V