Window Fashion VISION September + October 2019

32 years of window treatment inspiration

THE COLOR ISSUE! TIPS FOR COMBINING COLORS, PATTERNS AND TEXTURES

WHY DECORATING WITH WHITE NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE

PLUS

VOLUME 40, ISSUE 5 SEPTEMBER + OCTOBER 2019

AN INTERVIEW WITH KASSIA ST. CLAIR, AUTHOR OF “THE SECRET LIVES OF COLOR”

WINDOW COVERINGS SAFETY UPDATE: HOW TO CREATE

SHAPED BANDING FOR ROMAN SHADES, VALANCES AND MORE

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO COMPLY WITH CURRENT SAFETY REGULATIONS

Introducing SheerWeave Brite White.

Accentuating contemporary design while improving solar heat reduction, P84 Brite White is simply the perfect white for any occasion.

Now available in Styles 2500/2410/2390/2360 and widths 63" | 98" | 126"

sheerweave.com/starter-kit

CONTENTS volume 40, issue 5

contents

16

INSIGHT 16 | 5 Things Window Companies Must Know About Local Citations

Not sure what local citations are or why they’re important?

You could be leaving money on the table. by Welton Hong

18 | Design Consultations: 1 Answer to the On-Demand Economy

Offering your knowledge for a fee rather than free can be fun, profitable and help increase future referrals.

by Rebecca West

20 | Business 101: Handling Finances Ten things business owners should know about managing their money. by James Holloway

22 | The 2 Most Damaging Lies Business Owners Tell Themselves

Business owners must constantly evaluate their financial situation and have systems and processes in place to avoid a professional crisis. by LuAnn Nigara

26 | What I Learned in My First Year as an Entrepreneur When it’s time to switch jobs, make sure you set up your own business right from the start. by Kathy Wall

28 | Finding the Sales Process That Works for You You’ll be a better salesperson if you use a process that makes you stand out and blend in at the same time. by Jason Zullo

18

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CONTENTS volume 40, issue 5

contents INDUSTRY 30 | Canadian Safety Requirements Cause Concerns

Canada recently released window covering safety requirements with notable differences from those in the U.S. The Window Covering Manufacturers Association explains what it’s doing to better align the standards.

28

32 | Safety Standards for Corded Window Coverings; Roman Shades–Comparing Different Headrail Systems

A review of last year’s changes to the U.S. window covering standard, and a look at headrail systems for creating safe roman shades. by Kathryn Dillon

36 | Smart and Safe: The Next Generation of Roller Blinds

Coulisse’s Absolute Roller 2.0 shade allows designers and fabricators to mix and match elements to meet their needs.

38

38 | Design Triumphs & Tribulations

Minnesota designer Kara Karpenske explains how she hung an unusually heavy drapery on oversize windows.

by Sophia Bennett

42 | Quick Reference Chart: Safety Products

Looking for child-safe blinds, shades, components and more?

Find them all in this quick reference guide.

44 | Product Intelligence: Safety Products

An in-depth look at the safety products you’ll want to know and use.

48 | All the Way to the Top

36 6 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

Qualities such as lightning-fast delivery and inspired fabric collections give Top Window Covering an edge over its competitors.

CONTENTS volume 40, issue 5

contents INSPIRATION 50 | Inspired by Nature

A look at Sherwin-Williams' 2020 Colormix Forecast.

52 | Color and Pattern and Texture, Oh My!

52

How to combine these essential elements with beautiful results.

by JoAnne Lenart-Weary

60 | King of Color New York designer Rayman Boozer on color trends, designing for small spaces and the romance of window coverings.

by Sophia Bennett

64 | Revitalizing the Eleanor Roosevelt Suite The Color Lux Window Solutions Collection turns out to be a designer’s perfect partner.

66 | Color in Context An interview with Kassia St. Clair, author of “The Secret Lives of Color.” by Sophia Bennett

68 | Whiteout

60

Three designers share why, even as color becomes more popular, decorating with white never goes out of style. by Sophia Bennett

76 | Shaped Banding for Roman Shades and Other Soft Décor Throw customers a curve by adding shaped banding to all sorts of soft items. by Rose Mary LeBlanc and Amanda Deal Smith

FIXTURES 12 |Grace Note | A word from our publisher 14 |Letter from the Editor | On love and color 80 |Focus | Product showcase

68 8 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

82 |What’s Next | We pull back the curtain on our next issue

32 years of window treatment inspiration

WINDOW FASHION VISION MAGAZINE President + CEO | Grace McNamara grace@wf-vision.com Editor -in-Chief | Sophia Bennett sophia@wf-vision.com Creative Director | Nichole Day nichole@wf-vision.com Industry Liaison Editor | Gail Gutsche gail@wf-vision.com

Go to Facebook.com/wfviwce for magazine & show updates.

Keep up with all the IWCE news @IWCEVISION.

Follow us and re-pin pinterest.com/wfvision.

Follow us on instagram.com/iwce2020.

Copy Editor | Maude Campbell maudedotycampbell@gmail.com Circulation + Marketing Director/WFCP Director | Anne Bild anneb@wf-vision.com 32 years of windo w treatment inspira tion

Controller | Heather Bradley heather@wf-vision.com

THE COLOR ISSU

Competition Coordinator competition@wf-vision.com

TIPS FOR COMBININ G COLORS, PATTERNS AND TEXTURES

PLUS

AN INTERVIE RVIEW W WITH KASSIA ST. CLAIR, AUTH "THE SECRET LIVES OR OF OF COLOR"

Business Development Manager | Anne Tousignant annet@wf-vision.com

CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE

Sophia Bennett, Kathryn Dillon, James Holloway, Welton Hong, Rose Mary LeBlanc, JoAnne Lenart-Weary, LuAnn Nigara, Amanda Deal Smith, Kathy Wall, Rebecca West, Jason Zullo

DESIGNERS FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE

Michaela Barrett, Rayman Boozer, Kara Karpenske, Rose Mary LeBlanc, Jessica McClendon, Shea McGee, Rachel Moriarty, Leanna Patton, Julie Peyton, Roger Reid, Amanda Deal Smith, Veronica Solomon, Nikole Starr, Christine Tse

SUBSCRIPTIONS

877-344-7406 • WFVision@pubservice.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, 4756 Banning Ave, Suite #206, White Bear Lake, MN 55110-3206.; Tel 651/330-0574; Fax 651/756-8141. Visit our website at www.wf-vision.com. Periodicals postage paid at St Paul, MN and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Window Fashion Vision, PO Box 15698, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5698. Allow 60 days for address change. Subscription rates: $22/yr. U.S. and possessions; $29/yr. Canada; $90/yr. Foreign (includes airmail postage).

Single copies/back issues $6 each, except for special issues, which are individually priced. (Payment must accompany order.) Copyright © 2019 by AIM Communications, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission prohibited. Canadian Publications Agreement Number: #40036514. Canadian Return Address: Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ONT N9A 6J5. September + October 2019, Volume 40, Issue 5.

10 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

5 SEPTEMBER + VOLUME 40, ISSUE

Digital Marketing Manager | Ania McNamara ania@mcnamaramarketing.com

OCTOBER 2019

SALES AND MARKETING

Vice President, Sales + Marketing | Susanne Young susanne@wf-vision.com

E!

WHY DECORATI NG NEVER GOES OUT WITH WHITE OF STYLE

HOW TO CREATE

SHAPED BANDING FOR ROMAN SHADES, VALANCES AND MORE

WINDOW COVERING S SAFETY UPDATE: WHAT YOU NEED TO COMPLY WITH CURR KNOW TO ENT SAFETY REGULATIONS

SEPTEMBER + OCTOBER 2019 VOLUME 40, ISSUE 5 On the cover: A cheery, bright room designed by Jessica McLendon with Glamour Nest Interior Design.

Photo by Mary Costa Photography.

Shade fabric: Peter Dunham Textiles Workroom (shade and banquette cushions): Home Couture by Teresa Prater Light fixture: Schoolhouse Electric Table: Lexmod.com Chairs: Overstock.com (no longer available) Pillow (pink): Glamour Nest. Fabric: Raoul Textiles. Trim: Houlès Pillow (brown): West Elm Pillow (blue and white stripe): Tar get Pillow (white and gold): Tar get Pillow (fluffy): West Elm Wall paint: Benjamin Moore. Color: Athena

Introducing SheerWeave Brite White.

Accentuating contemporary design while improving solar heat reduction, P84 Brite White is simply the perfect white for any occasion.

Now available in Styles 2500/2410/2390/2360 and widths 63" | 98" | 126"

WELCOME grace note

Grace Note

W

hat a crazy summer! With the scorching

Professional Motorization Certification class with O’D

heat waves and torrential rain across the

McKewan. Many of you have taken his classes at the

country, I hope you all stayed safe and

International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE) and you

cool. This kind of severe weather makes us wish for the

know he is a master of explaining it well, regardless of

best light- and heat-blocking window

your level of knowledge. Be sure to

coverings for our homes. I know I was

add this to your skill list for maximizing

delighted to be able to program my new

your sales this fall! In addition to

motorized shades to lower when the

Motorization, we also offer Window

blazing sun wanted to shine through.

Fashion Design, Color and, coming

They did make a big difference. It’s

soon, Installation Certification. All can

one of the great things about custom

be taken from the comfort of your own

window coverings—not only do they

home with flexible scheduling. Be sure

finish the room, but they’re a powerhouse

to check out these programs at

of functionality. As we move into the

wf-vision.com/education.

fall and cooler months, don’t forget to emphasize the light control and energy

Enjoy the inspiring color information

savings that you can offer your clients.

we have in this issue, including JoAnne

And if you’re not selling motorization, you’re really

Lenart-Weary’s article on combining colors, patterns

missing out on a great opportunity.

and textures on page 52. October is Window Covering Safety Month, which reminds us of the importance of

I know motorizing window coverings can be daunting, so

being aware of cordless options and your liability. It is yet

we’re here to help you power through it. In August, we

another reason to invest in learning about cordless, safe

are launching our first Window Fashion Certified

motorized window coverings.

Grace McNamera Publisher grace@wf-vision.com

12 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

Personalized Scenes and Timers

Simply Sophisticated.

Sunrise & Sunset Automation

Introducing the new Automate Pulse 2 Hub. Designed to embrace the architecture of a home and provide effortless control of Automate motorized shades.

Live Feedback

Smarter Design. Smarter Integrations. Smarter Shades.

RO LLE ASE ACME DA.C OM

3 Step Set Up

A DIVISION OF

WELCOME letter from the editor

I

’m lucky to have a husband who has an

technical article with an analysis of different headrail

outstanding sense of color and design.

systems for roman shades.

So when he came home raving about an interview he’d heard with Kassia St. Clair, author of “The Secret Lives of Color,” my

ears perked up. I was in the middle of putting together

Window Fashion VISION’s annual color

Elsewhere in the issue, we’re pleased to offer the latest contributions in two ongoing series. You’ll love Kara Karpenske’s tale of how she hung a challenging set of drapes in our latest “Triumphs & Tribulations” column on page 38. And Rose Mary LeBlanc

edition, and I immediately knew I

and Amanda Deal Smith take on

wanted to talk to her about her book.

another how-to topic—this time on

I’m eminently glad that I did. Like me,

shaped banding for roman shades—

Kassia enjoys digging into the history

on page 76.

of things, and I found her long-term perspectives on color fascinating. (As

Will we see you in Charlotte on

a writer, I also appreciate her lyrical

March 25 to 27? Plans for the

prose.) After perusing her interview

International Window Coverings

on page 66, I hope you’ll buy her

Expo are well underway at this

book and keep reading—about

point. We’ll have an update for

the puce phase spurred by Marie

you in the November + December

Antoinette, the way electric blue is

issue, coming soon. Until then, I

used to convey a futuristic tone in

hope you’re enjoying your return to

movies like “Minority Report” and

normalcy after the summer hiatus.

“Inception,” and the insanity of artists

My family and I had lots of fun

brought about by lead used in the white and yellow paints of old.

adventures this summer—camping,

Since this is our color issue, of

more—but I think all of us are happy

course, you’ll find the magazine saturated in articles about shades of all sorts. Don’t miss my interview with Rayman Boozer on page 60 and our tips on decorating

boating, fairs and festivals, and to be getting back into our regular routine.

Best wishes,

with white on page 68.

October is Window Covering Safety Month, and we’re grateful that our friends at the Window Covering Manufacturers Association have once again shared a safety update on page 30. I’m also grateful to columnist Kathryn Dillon, who offered to write yet another highly

14 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

Sophia Bennett Editor-in-Chief sophia@wf-vision.com

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Window Fashion VISION | 15 www.insolroll.com

INSIGHT business coaching

5 Things Window Companies Must Know About Local Citations If you’re not sure what local citations are or why they’re important, you could be leaving money on the table

BY WELTON HONG

I

s your window coverings business putting in the work to get the right kinds of local citations? If you’re not sure what local citations are or why you need to chase them, you could be leaving large, attractive crumbs on the table for your competition to gobble up. Here are five things window and home improvement companies need to know about local citations.

What are local citations?

When your business is mentioned online along with contact or identifying information (such as your city, address or phone number), that’s a local citation. Citations can appear on a variety of sites, including your own pages and profiles, review sites, local news pages and industry listings.

Examples of places citations are found include Google, Yelp, your site’s contact page, Facebook and Window Fashion VISION’s online Industry Resource Directory.

16 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

What information is important for a local citation?

The information included in a citation depends on where it appears.

Reviews, for example, make up one component of some local citations, but you’re more likely to find this element on Google, Angie’s List or Yelp rather than within industry organization listings.

The most important elements of a local citation are your business’s name, address and phone number. This is known as the NAP, and it helps link your company name with a specific location for both users and search engines. The URL for your website is also sometimes considered a critical component; when the website is included, it’s called the NAP+W. Other elements of local citations can include business category, directions to your location, a description of your business and hours of operation. Fax numbers, email addresses, images and videos, taglines and even the forms of payment you accept can also be integrated into local citations.

INSIGHT business coaching

Why does this even matter?

In the spirit of “no press is bad press,” it’s easy to see that local citations are probably good for business. At the very least, when people see the information online, they are exposed to your brand.

But these citations matter much more than that.

Local citations help enforce the fact that you are a local business in a specific niche—for both search engines and consumers. Google and other search engines use local citations as one factor when compiling search results, including map and Local Pack results.

When your business is mentioned a lot online—and the information appears to be consistent and accurate—experts believe search engines see the data as more valid, which can escalate your window treatment business’s website in rankings.

Citations also help consumers find your site when they search online. If your company is listed by many sites as a window blind company in Dallas, for example, that increases the chances of a consumer finding you in a search for “window blinds Dallas.” It also increases the likelihood that your business will come up in a mobile search when users are looking for a store or service near them.

How important is accuracy for local citations?

Given that local citations often appear in information published by others, you don’t always have control over the accuracy of the information in them. But accuracy is important for a few reasons.

If you have numerous high-quality citations and all the information is basically the same, that’s a positive factor when it comes to search engine ranking. Additionally, if consumers find your company’s listing on another site and decide to act, they’ll be derailed if the phone number or website link turns out to be incorrect. Most won’t take time to find more accurate information; they’ll simply move on to the next business in the listings.

Policing all of your citations is likely not the best way to spend your resources, so it’s a good idea to concentrate on the highest-quality listings and most important elements. Ensure all local citations you control are accurate, including those on Google My Business, your own pages and social profiles, and any industry listings that let you maintain your own information. After that, consider contacting other listings that have inaccurate information in order of priority.

According to a BrightLocal survey of local ranking experts, the most important citations come from niche and industry directories, national and local directories, industry associations and local government sites.

The majority of experts also said zip codes and URLs must be an exact match. Only half were concerned with an exact match for street address, and 55 percent said your business name only needs to be a close match if other NAP components are accurate.

What’s the best way to build your local citation presence?

Established businesses in the home improvement niche likely already have some local citations online due to reviews, their own sites and mentions by other local organizations. But more is better here—as long as it’s of high quality.

Build your local citation presence by ensuring your NAP information is listed and coded appropriately on your website using schema markup and claiming all listings and profiles with sites such as Google, Yelp, Facebook and others.

Next, submit your company information to relevant industry and local listings, including chambers of commerce and associations you belong to. When you take part in or sponsor local events, ask about having your full NAP+W listed on the event or organization page.

Almost 70 percent of BrightLocal’s ranking experts note that manually submitting information to listings is the best way to ensure accuracy, but pushing data via real-time distributors is faster. If you’re not sure where to start with building local citations—or you don’t have the time or resources to get this marketing task done—you can also work with a marketing firm with experience in the home improvement niche.

However you land local citations, know that it’s important to do so.

While no ranking effort stands alone, citations can be a way to put you over the top and ensure your window coverings website shows up in prime real estate on search engine result pages. z Welton Hong is the founder of Ring Ring Marketing and a leading expert in creating case generation from online to the phone line.

He is the author of “Making Your Phone Ring with Internet Marketing for Window Covering Companies.”

RingRingMarketing.com Facebook: RingRingMarketing

You can also prioritize the type of information you want to correct.

When it comes to your phone number, 95 percent of BrightLocal’s experts said an exact match was important. Just over 85 percent said an exact match was important for the city.

Window Fashion VISION | 17

INSIGHT business coaching

Design Consultations: 1 Answer to the On-Demand Economy Offering your knowledge for a fee rather than free can be fun, profitable and help increase future referrals

BY REBECCA WEST

I

f you’re feeling frustrated by the on-demand culture created by HGTV and Amazon, or if you’ve felt discouraged by clients shopping around you and undercutting your markup, I have good news! It’s not all doom and gloom.

This new reality gives designers a chance to offer something new to this new class of client—and make a really good living doing it. I’m talking about the stand-alone design consultation.

Whether you call it a consultation, design coaching or a design chat, what you are creating is an opportunity for people who are not ready to invest in a full design to pay you for your expertise.

The benefit for them is that it will save them hundreds of hours figuring out basic design principles. The benefit for you—besides the opportunity to make money from offering advice—is the chance to develop a relationship with someone who may need a full design one day or recommend you if they know someone looking for a designer.

Many of us are already doing a version of a design consultation, but not making any money off of it. Have you ever spent an hour with a client talking through their space and design needs and sharing ideas for what you might do with the space, only to have them not sign on as a client? That may be because you already 18 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

gave them what they needed: a jump start on their DIY design.

Now, before you groan and moan about how they can’t pull off a design at the same level as a professional designer, that isn’t the point. This particular client isn’t ready to hire a designer. They just want DIY guidance. Why not save yourself a bit of frustration and find a way to get paid for your good advice?

In my firm, we call our single-use sessions “Quick-Action Sessions.” Because I love a pop quiz, they are my favorite design service. I get to swoop in like a home design superhero—answer all kinds of fun questions about color, how high to hang artwork, what kinds of window treatments would work best on their windows and where to start with a kitchen remodel—and leave without any homework. It keeps my services accessible to folks on a tighter budget so I can help more people get happy at home, and it aligns with our on-demand reality.

The math can really work on this. In the Seattle area, the average price per hour for a design consultation is about $175. They are usually offered in hour-and-a-half to two-hour appointment lengths. Some of my colleagues take notes and send a follow-up action plan after the session. Others, like myself, ask the clients to take their own notes (sometimes they choose to video or au-

INSIGHT business coaching

dio record me) and I only follow up with specific contractor referrals if needed. That means your cost is just the drive time and gas, plus any follow-up notes you choose to send. They get access to expert advice. You take home practically pure profit.

If this appeals to you, the key is to define what your consultation will look like, and clearly distinguish it from the initial conversation you would have before a big project. If you define the services clearly on your website, and ask good intake questions, then you won’t have a client who is a better fit for a single-use session mistakenly have you over for a pre-project consultation. Words like “quick,” “chat,” “immediate solutions” and “brainstorm” will help you connect with a client who just wants to pick your brain. Words like “get to know your designer,” “define the scope of your project” and “design project fees start at $5,000” all help clarify that a pre-project conversation will be leading to a bigger project and will not be about design ideas.

Of course, you’ll have to develop the discipline to keep most of your good ideas to yourself during a pre-project conversation.

That will be easier if you set a clear expectation that you’ll use that hour to gather information about the scope of the project and the client’s design goals, get to know them and their lifestyle, and answer their questions about your service process and what to expect during the project. The goal of a pre-project conversation isn’t to solve their design dilemmas. It’s to be able to put together an accurate design agreement for their review.

No Matter What You Call Them Zebra Combi Double Roller

So here’s the takeaway:

Paid consultations might be for you if you:

• • • •

like the adrenaline of a pop quiz. like having all the fun and none of the work. enjoy non-luxury clients and want to remain accessible to “real people” with real-life budgets. would like to stop giving away your advice for free.

Why not give this service a try? Like me, you might find it fun and profitable! z Author and design psychology coach Rebecca West is an incurable optimist who is on a mission to help you get happy (at home, in business and in life). She and her team provide interior design services in Seattle at Seriously Happy Homes, but she doesn’t care if you ever buy a new sofa—she just wants your home to be your happy place. Rebecca is available for virtual one-to-one coaching worldwide for people looking to grow a happy design business.

HappyStartsAtHome.com Facebook: SeriouslyHappyHomes Twitter: HappySeriously Instagram: HappySeriously Pinterest: SeriouslyHappyHomes Houzz: SeriouslyHappyHomes

We call them our best-selling collections

Eclisse &

Twinlight Contact our sales department today for more information USA cs-usa@topwindowcovering.com Canada cs-ca@topwindowcovering.com

Window Fashion VISION | 19

INSIGHT business coaching

BUSINESS 101: Handling Finances Ten things business owners should know about managing their money

BY JAMES HOLLOWAY

I

n 1996, after the release of the movie “Jerry Maguire,” everyone was walking around saying, “Show me the money.”

If someone approached you today and said, “Show me the money,” could you show them where you spend and invest the money your business generates?

As a business owner, especially if you are the sole employee of the company, one of the last things you probably want to do is dive into a spreadsheet or a P&L statement to assess the financial health of your company.

Like many people, you probably pull up your online bank account and if there’s money in the bank, it’s a good day. If funds are running low, maybe you think closing one or two more sales will be sufficient. If that is the extent of your money-management plan, you may want to consider adding some or all of the following tasks to your to-do list.

Keep good records

Whether you have a bookkeeper or use accounting software like 20 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

QuickBooks, you have to keep the information updated on a daily basis. Use your online banking access to reconcile bank transactions on a daily basis as well (not just when you receive a statement at the end of the month).

Stay on top of billing

Send out invoices as soon as possible. Make sure your clients understand when payments are due and what, if any, penalties there are for late payments. If you do multiple jobs for the same client, use a unique invoice-numbering system so that you can easily identify which jobs have been paid and which jobs may have been missed. Don’t be afraid to follow up and ask about the status of a payment if you do not receive the funds in a timely manner.

Keep your money separated

Have a dedicated checking account for your business and never, ever use business funds for personal expenses. Likewise, avoid using personal funds for business expenses.

INSIGHT business coaching

Calculate your BMOE

Have an exit strategy

Find your golden goose

Managing your money and knowing where you stand financially does not have to be scary. With just a little bit of work and some attention to detail, your business can “show you the money” whenever you ask. z

Once you know what your “bare minimum operating expenses” are for a typical month, you should set aside that amount in a secondary checking or savings account as an emergency fund as soon as possible. Your BMOE should include (but is not limited to) rent, payroll and payroll tax contributions, utilities and business insurance premiums. If you have this amount set aside and you have a slow month, or an accounting error by you or your bank causes problems with your primary checking account, you should be able to cover your costs for the month with minimal aggravation. As your business grows, it is likely that your BMOE will grow as well.

Most businesses develop a relationship with a small number of clients that can lead to ongoing revenue through referrals. These relationships are the proverbial geese that lay your golden eggs.

Perhaps it is someone from your church, or an interior designer in town, or a member of a business network such as the Chamber of Commerce, but somewhere out there are your golden geese. Once you have those relationships, you should be careful to maintain and cultivate them because the long-term value of those clients can be significant.

Have a marketing plan

Not all businesses can rely on word of mouth alone. You might need to spend some money on advertising. To do that wisely, you need to know who your ideal client is and which advertising channels will allow you to reach them in the most cost-efficient manner.

Unless you plan on working in your business until the day you die, you need to have a plan on what happens to the company when you are ready to get out of the business. Do you plan on simply closing the doors when you retire, or does the business have value that would allow you to sell it to another entrepreneur? What about if you were to die before you retire? Do you have a succession plan in place?

James Holloway began his window treatment career as a full-time installer in 2001. In 2009 he started his own business, South East Installation Solutions, an “installation only” company based in Greenville, SC. His professional writing career began in 2013 with the launch of “TraVerse: A Window Coverings Blog.” He has also been asked to speak at various events including WCAA chapter meetings. His latest endeavor is the creation of a hands-on installer training facility.

SouthEastInstalls.com TraVerseBlog.com Learn2Install.com

Be a good steward of your money

Just because you can buy a new car doesn’t mean you should buy the newest model. The same thing goes for tools and supplies. Do you really need a $500 drill that has a GPS tracker letting you know where you left it on a jobsite, or do you just need to be more careful with where you leave your $100 drill?

Keep your travel costs to a minimum

BESPOK E LE ATHER DR A PE RY H A R DWA R E

Chances are that not all of your clients will live in your subdivision. If you do have to travel, try to schedule projects in similar areas on the same day. If you have out-of-town projects that will require an overnight stay at a hotel, you don’t have to stay at the sketchiest motel in town, but you don’t have to stay at a five-star resort either. Just because “the business will pay for it” should not be an excuse to be frivolous. Even if the business does pay for it, ultimately it is coming out of your profit.

Have a contingency file

Regardless of the size of your business, but especially if you are a one-man or one-woman show, you need to have a contingency file in place so you can provide your spouse or another trusted person with your bank account information, passwords, contacts and other information necessary to handle things if something were to happen to you.

800.793.0337

SARKISSTUDIO.COM SARKIS @SARKISSTUDIO.COM

Window Fashion VISION | 21

INSIGHT business coaching

The 2 Most Damaging Lies Business Owners Tell Themselves Business owners must constantly evaluate their financial situations and have systems and processes in place to avoid a professional crisis

BY LUANN NIGARA

A

t some point, we all tell ourselves sneaky little lies in our personal life. You know what I mean…

“On Monday, I’m starting back at the gym (for real this week)” or “I’m making my coffee at home every morning and breaking my standing date with Bonnie the Barista.”

expenses you have every month whether you have five, 50 or 500 projects. You must know your baseline number. As my friend Alinda Morris of Alinda Morris Interior Design in Gig Harbor, WA, said to me on my podcast, “If I don’t hit my cost to be open number every week, I’m just borrowing money from my own family to run my business.”

But what happens when we lie to ourselves about our businesses? Does it matter, or is it like the gym: no one knows, no one cares? Well, it can matter a great deal, depending on the lie. Some of these lies are not critical to our success. It is possible to coast along for years without facing these kinds of lies in the mirror. However, some lies really do affect our business at a fundamental level. Certain areas in business cannot be ignored or you will not be profitable. And understand very clearly, there is a huge difference between existing year after year versus being a vibrant, money-making business. If you are running a business, not a hobby, these are the two most destructive lies you can tell yourself.

Sit with this statement. Do you see how true it is? When you are not profitable, you are borrowing from your family vacation fund.

You are borrowing from your retirement egg. You are borrowing from yourself.

My finances are in order

Believe me, I would be one of the many business owners who wouldn’t have known how or why to measure these things. I understand how easy it is to think, “There’s money in the bank, I

Do you know your “cost to be open” number? This is the finite dollar amount it costs to run your business. These are the 22 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

Do you know your gross and net profit margins? Do you know the difference between them? Do you evaluate every single project at completion for profitability? Do you have specific sales goals defined by day, month and year? Without your cost to be open number and absent defined sales goals, it is truly impossible to know if you are on track, headed to a brick wall or having a banner year.

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Window Fashion VISION | 23

INSIGHT business coaching

make my payroll, I pay my bills, things are probably OK.” If this is you, this is the most critical lie you tell yourself. Years ago, my husband Vin drilled it into my head. Now I own it and guess what: It’s very empowering. It’s even comforting because I know when I am making money and when I better get up and get going.

If you know you should do this but don’t know how, there are tons of resources available. Seek out awesome coaches like Michele Williams of The Scarlet Thread Consulting, who is also a Certified Profit First Coach, or Madeleine MacRae of MM MacRae Consulting. Join organizations like Exciting Windows, a pay-to-play group of high-achieving window treatment professionals whose virtual monthly meetings help guide you toward being a better, more profitable business owner. There are Window Covering Association of America chapters all over the U.S. that provide resources and educational programming. And, of course, there is the International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE). Join us in Charlotte next year and make it a point to attend the seminars by business experts who have been where you are and can teach you how to know your numbers.

I know how I do things, and that’s good enough for me No ma’am, no sir, this is not good enough. I always tell the entrepreneur groups I speak to, if you don’t have a finite system for how your business is run, you don’t have a business, you have a you. There should be a particular way everything in your business is executed. I say to my staff all the time, if you win the lottery tonight and I never see your eyeballs again, I shouldn’t have to call you to ask a question about anything. We all order product the same way, we all check in product the same way, we all put install notes in the same place. Why? Because now anyone can pick an order up in process and carry it to the finish line.

When you have clear, written systems, it ensures your business runs smoothly and efficiently in good times and bad. Ever feel like you are so busy that you have to hire someone, but you don’t even have the time to train someone? What if you have a family emergency that takes you away for a few days or a few weeks?

Maybe you want to go on vacation and relax—there’s an idea.

When you have a defined system in place, your business can operate with efficiency in your absence. Your level of customer service will be elevated because attention to detail is easier when you are not fighting fires all day. With a business manual and systems in place, you can actually contemplate selling your business rather than simply closing the doors at the end of your career.

I know it is hard work to create a system for every aspect of your business, so I’m always asking colleagues, “How did you do it for your business?” My friend Sara Brennan of Sara Lynn

24 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

Brennan Interiors in Waxhaw, NC, shared with me recently on the podcast how she did this for her interior design firm.

For weeks and months, as she went about her normal work, she would jot in one notebook all the details required to execute the various tasks, in no particular order. Additionally, whenever she had downtime, she brainstormed and added to her wish list of the things she should be doing to make each process better, like creating a checklist for the window treatment installer.

Finally, after many weeks and a full notebook, she went back and highlighted each note according to the process it belonged in. For example, any note related to onboarding a new client was highlighted in blue, any note related to the design presentation was highlighted in yellow and so on. Next, she collated all the information for each process and created a detailed guide describing how to do every task in her business. The last step was to assemble all the information according to task and category and create her SLB Interiors Manual. This is a living document. It can be revised and improved upon as she grows and faces new challenges and revenue streams.

Having this for your business is a game changer. This clarity in your process creates an unforgettable client experience.

It helps when you hire and train new employees. It creates synergy and optimal results when dealing with vendors.

Let’s get practical. There are at least three months left in 2019.

What if you committed to knowing your numbers and creating your business systems once and for all? Creating a sustainable, profitable business begins with a single action. Draw the line now and accept responsibility for making drastic changes.

The best way to do this is one step at a time. If you are telling yourself either of the above lies, start with one, master it and go to the next. Make a plan, read up on how to do it, join an organization, listen to my podcast or hire yourself a coach.

Once you have these critical areas locked down, you can grow, move on and tackle some others. I’d love it if you found me at IWCE next March in Charlotte and let me know what action you took. z LuAnn Nigara is an award-winning window treatment specialist and co-owner of Window Works in Livingston, NJ. Her highly successful podcast “A Well-Designed Business” debuted in February 2016.

She has since recorded more than 400 episodes.

WindowWorks-NJ.com/podcasts Facebook: WindowWorksNJ Twitter: WindowWorks_NJ Instagram: WindowWorks Houzz: Window-Works

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Window Fashion VISION | 25

INSIGHT business coaching

What I Learned in My First Year As an Entrepreneur Starting your own business can help you live your dream or escape a dead-end job. A longtime entrepreneur shares advice for doing it right from the beginning

BY KATHY WALL

D

isruption is a trendy word these days. It’s used to describe what has happened with omnichannel marketing, the rise of e-commerce retailers and the impact of technology on our culture. It’s a little more personal if you are one of the unfortunate ones who have had to reinvent yourself after the loss of a job. With downsizings, bankruptcies and the loss of traditional employment opportunities, disruption is what happens when your world changes in a 10-minute meeting with HR. Or, when you become painfully aware it’s time for you to strike out on your own after years of working for another’s dream.

The upside is that you can actually transition into a place that fulfills your dreams. So, whether this “oh no” moment is your doing or someone else’s, hold tight. Breathe. And listen and learn. This girl has glass-ceiling scars as evidence of perseverance and tenaciousness. There’s nothing that can replace those tough experiences.

26 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

It’s how to capitalize on your hard knocks that matters.

Although you may want to jump right into creating your new future, you’ll want to take time to prioritize first. Stop and spend time with family and friends. Work on positivity. Breathe some more. Schedule a day in your calendar when you’ll work on “the plan.” In the meantime, enjoy the lull. When you are working long hours (again), you’ll wish you had the quality quiet time.

If you plan to be a home-based business, set up an office and a workroom separate from your personal spaces. My first “office” was a desk in the kitchen. It was a disaster. It should feel professional, complete with a desk, comfortable office chair and your technology. If you don’t have a separate room, invest in a screen or create a custom drapery treatment to cordon it off (no pets, children, TV or laundry should be visible). Make it pretty… a reflection of you.

INSIGHT business coaching Get advice from the pros. Do you need an LLC or a corporation?

Open a business checking account. (You’ll thank me come tax time.) Set aside money for taxes. It will bite you big time if you don’t. Get your own health insurance. There are many options, including short-term policies, to bridge the gap until you’re back in the corporate world (if you decide to go back). Check with your insurance agent to see if you need liability or renter’s insurance.

Many homeowners’ policies won’t cover work-related losses in your home. Will you have contract labor or employees? You may need worker’s comp insurance. It’s not expensive and it will pay for itself should you ever need to file a claim.

Create a very large “shadow.” Have a name for your business.

Something memorable works better than your name followed by “consultant” or “associates.” Purchase your URL and obtain all related social names (even if you are not planning to use them all).

Create a brand look with a color palette. Invest in professional graphic design services for your logo and social icons and business cards. Surveys show that websites are important, so set one up, even if it’s a simple one. Carry a tote and notebooks that fit your brand. Distribute a professionally written press release about your new business to all area and relevant trade and business media.

Set a schedule. The most seasoned work-at-home pros will tell you to establish a business schedule. Most of us perform better when we’re dressed for business during business hours. It’s also helpful when a potential or existing client calls for a meeting in an hour. Take regularly scheduled breaks and lunch. You’ll burn yourself out otherwise (ask me how I know). Officially close for holidays.

Here’s a biggie: Hire help. Can someone else do the task for less money than you can earn during the same period of time? This includes accounting, answering the phone, filing, research and running errands.

Network, network, network. Where two or more are gathered, so shall you be. Attend conferences and trade shows. If it’s free, show up. If important people will be there, go and shake hands.

If you can afford it, invest in it. If you have something of value to contribute, step forward. If you can barter a service, offer it.

Be bold. Be brave. You can rise above job loss or dead-end positions and create your own destiny. I did it and so can you. It’s true that we don’t know what we’ve got until we’ve lost it. But it’s also true that we don’t know what we’ve been missing until it arrives.

z

Kathy Wall is president and ringleader of The Media Matters, an agency in the Triad area of North Carolina offering marketing, advertising and brand strategy to a roster of international clients.

Kathy has shared her talents with the home furnishings industry for over three decades and formed her own business 18 years ago. Her motto? “We don’t work with jerks.”

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Window Fashion VISION | 27

INSIGHT business coaching

Finding the Sales Process That Works for You You’ll be a better salesperson if you use a process that makes you stand out and blend in at the same time

BY JASON ZULLO

S

elling with a process is a big deal these days. Like every other idea, this brings about a question that you need to answer before you get started: What is the right process for me?

Any good sales process has two important components. First, it must feel natural but make you stand head and shoulders above the competition. It will feel like a second skin: comfortable, secure and as normal as saying hello when answering the phone or knocking on a door before entering a room. At the same time, that process must make you a whole foot taller. You need to do something that makes you rise above every other salesperson talking to your potential clients.

This second qualifier will help with that. A good sales process is also one that fits with social norms and niceties. That means no tricks, no gimmicks, and it naturally moves with the ever-changing social conventions of the world around you. A good process relies on the law of returns. That simply means as long as you do something, you will get something. If you plant corn, you will grow corn.

It’s as natural as the sun coming up in the morning and going down in the evening.

28 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

At Window Covering World, we use a five-step plan that is designed to help you be the best you.

The process is guided by five simple phrases: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Make a friend: Connect before you meet in person and start a friendship.

Guide the tour: Take charge and have control. Stay in the lead through the whole sales process.

Doctor of design: You’re the doctor! Help your patient resolve the design problem.

The sharp pencil: Give the client the perfect price the first time.

Show me the money: Resolve any objections and close the deal.

Finding the right sales process for you may take time, but once you do, you’ll be amazed at the way it helps you close more sales and make more deposits at the bank. z Jason Zullo is the sales coach for Window Covering World, an online training service.

Interested in learning more about the company’s sales process? Check out Window Covering World to find out whether it’s right for you. windowcoveringworld.com Facebook: WindowCoveringWorld Instagram: Window_Covering_World

INSIGHT business coaching

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INDUSTRY canadian safety requirements cause concerns

Canadian Safety Requirements Cause Concerns SUBMITTED BY THE WINDOW COVERING MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (WCMA)

H

ealth Canada, the Canadian counterpart to the U.S.

“STRANGULATION HAZARD — Young children can be strangled by

Consumer Product Safety Commission, published a new

cords. Immediately remove this product if a cord longer that 22 cm or

regulation for all corded window coverings on April 15,

a loop exceeding 44 cm around becomes accessible.”

2019. The new regulation, SOR/2019-97, will not come

into force until April 15, 2021.

Unfortunately, some of the language in the new regulation is

In summary, the new regulation contains several requirements. Any

and procedures. Regrettably, this new regulation is no longer

reachable cord cannot exceed 22 centimeters in length (8.6 inches)

harmonized with ANSI/WCMA standard that is currently enforced

when pulled in any direction with a force of 35 Newton (7.9 pounds).

in the U.S., creating a significant challenge for the window covering

The perimeter of any looped cord cannot exceed 44 centimeters

manufacturers that service the two jurisdictions. WCMA has been

(which would equal 22 centimeters in overall length).

and will continue to be in contact with Health Canada to provide

External components cannot contain more than 90 PPM (parts per million) of lead. The current ANSI/WCMA standard lead requirement is 100 PPM.

ambiguous and lacks the clarity needed for product testing protocol

the U.S. and Canadian industries’ input and gain greater clarity from Health Canada officials as to the scope and specifics of the new regulation.

z

The following information must appear on every corded window covering, as well as on any packaging displayed to the consumer: •

Model name or number

•

Date of manufacture

•

Name

•

Principal place of business of the manufacturer or the person for whom the window covering was made

In the case of imported products, the name and principal place of business of the manufacturer and the importer must also be included.

Product warnings in English and French must appear on every corded window covering, the packaging of the corded window covering, any accompanying instructions and all of the advertisements for the corded window covering. The warning must state the following:

30 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

To see more detailed information on the new regulation, search “Corded Window Coverings Regulations: SOR/2019-97,” or see the link on the Window Fashion VISION website. WCMA will share its findings in future articles.

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Window Fashion VISION | 31

INDUSTRY roman shades

SAFETY STANDARDS f o r

CORDED WINDOW COVERINGS

ROMAN SHADES: Comparing Different Headrail Systems

BY KATHRYN DILLON

O

ctober is National Window Covering Safety Month,

Stock products make up roughly 80 percent of the market and are

and as I Googled information about child safety

defined as those that are premade and sold in stores or online. They

regarding corded window treatments, I was shocked

are sold “as is” or modified by the seller, manufacturer or distributor.

at how many kids under the age of six are injured

The operating systems used in stock products must be cordless or

annually. Dr. Gary Smith, the senior author of a study from the

have inaccessible or short cords. There is a new “Best for Kids” label

Center for Injury Research and Policy, “found that almost 17,000

that helps consumers identify cordless products.

children under six years of age were treated in hospital emergency departments in the U.S. for window blind-related injuries from 1990 to 2015, averaging almost two per day.” The study, which spanned 26 years, recorded 271 children dying of strangulation from corded

By cordless, the standard is addressing the operating system, with lift cords being permissible. A type of inaccessible cord would be the Fashion Wand by Safe-T-Shade. This wand has the operating cord

window treatments, which is about one child each month.

inserted into a clear wand to keep the cords out of reach.

To address this concern, a new safety regulation for corded window

the length of the shade when it is in the closed position. Lift cord

coverings went into effect on December 15, 2018. This last revision

standards in stock products are the same as custom products with the

was the result of a two-year effort by the Window Covering

short cord exception. These are addressed in the “standards for roman

Manufacturers Association (WCMA), Consumer Product Safety

shades” section below. Any products manufactured after December

Commission, the window coverings industry and consumer groups

15, 2018, must comply with these new standards.

to update the safety standards of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), known as ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2018. At times, terminology can be confusing because the regulations are often referred to as voluntary safety standards. Voluntary simply means that interested groups of people “volunteered” to collaborate to determine safety regulations for window coverings.

The new standard separates stock products from custom products.

32 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

Short lift cords are defined as being no longer than 40 percent of

Another possibility for cordless shades is motorized window coverings.

They are still the most expensive option, but they are becoming more affordable.

Custom products are defined as those that are “not stock.” This segment makes up 20 percent of the market. For window treatment

INDUSTRY roman shades

fabricators, this includes the type of hardware systems we specify

•

Stock or custom product must be designated by a “S” or “C”

and use to install traversing drapes. Corded traverse rods are not

•

Name of client, designer or PO number so product can be

compliant any longer but must be hand-drawn, use a wand or utilize motorization. However, there is an allowance with custom products for the operating cords to be longer than 40 percent of the shade in the closed position to accommodate the needs of those who are disabled, shorter in stature or elderly, and need a longer cord in order

tracked if needed by manufacturer These labels can be attached to the back of the headrail, on the roller tube or on the dust board. Proper warning tags must be attached to the shades that show a graphic of a child being strangled by cords.

to operate the shade.

If the fabricator is not going to be present during the installation,

The Nitty-Gritty Standards for Roman Shades and Blinds

include installation instructions with their products.

A child under age six generally has a head that is 17 inches or larger.

Therefore, the horizontal ring spacing cannot be more than eight inches. This ensures that the space between the cord and the fabric on the back of the shade is no larger than 16.9 inches, making it next to impossible for a child to get their head in that space.

Rings must be at least two inches from the edge of the shade. When using a continuous loop cord, it must be attached to the wall with a tension device that prevents the cord from dangling. Free-hanging cords must be 40 percent of the length of the shade when it is fully covering the window for privacy. Designers must use ladder tape, shroud cord, or rings and cord locks when fabricating shades using lift cords. When custom blinds are ordered, the default to open and close the louvers is a tilt wand instead of tilt cords.

Manufacturing or custom workroom labels are more stringent with the revised standard and must include the following: •

Name of company

•

City and state where product was manufactured

•

Date product was made

written instructions must be attached to the shade. Most vendors

Comparing Roman Shade Operating Systems There are many different operating systems on the market that can be divided into three different categories. They are clutch, springloaded and motorized. It is important to state that there is a difference between the operation system and how the cords are attached on the back of the shade and the headrail. As of press time, there is only one truly cordless shade system on the market and that is the Safe-TShade with wide band lifts.

Clutch Systems Some of the clutch systems include the Roman Blind System (RBS) from Forest Group, EZ Rig Soft Shade System by R-Tec, Soft Shade Traversing Clutch System from Rowley, RollEase Board Mounted Workroom System and the SS38 Roman Shade System by Rollease Acmeda. Each of these systems work with a clutch on one side of the tube or rod that has a chain connected to the clutch. Clutch systems have lift cords on the back of the shade with the same number of cord clips or drums where the cord attaches to the rod or aluminum tube, depending on the type of operating system selected.

Window Fashion VISION | 33

INDUSTRY roman shades

Photos courtesy of Safe-T-Shade

Döfix Auto-descend would be included in the clutch system family,

integrated into a hub system. There is also the option to attach a

but it has a semiautomatic feature to its clutch. When the operating

wand to the tube. The bottom of the wand is shaped like a teardrop,

chain is securely attached, a simple tug to the chain will cause the

with buttons to raise and lower the shade. Rowley and Merrill Y.

shade to lower or “auto-descend.”

Landis sell wand-controlled motorized systems by Rollease Acmeda.

ProLift Professional Lift System by Safe-T-Shade has a clear

The only completely cordless operating and lift system is the Wide

Fashion Wand that houses the beaded loop operating cord. The

Band Lift System from Safe-T-Shade. There are several outstanding

distinguishing feature of this system is the Fashion Wand, which

features about this shade. Besides being completely cordless, there

creates a corded operating system where the cord is enclosed,

is a choice of 10 percent openness or a complete blackout lift sheet

making it inaccessible. There is a Fashion Wand cradle that attaches

to replace the cords. This gives the back of the shade a clean, smooth

to the mount board so the wand can be hidden behind the top of the

look from the street. Battens are used along with j-guides and can be

shade.

placed more than eight inches apart if you want to change the stack

Spring-Loaded Systems Spring-loaded systems work similarly to traditional roller shades.

There is a 1.5-inch tube that attaches to the mount board. The tube

size because you are pleating to pattern. This system is spring-loaded, and you can choose between two different spring sizes depending on the weight of the shade.

houses the spring and stop that will allow the shade to have an upper

Safe-T-Shade’s ProLift Professional Lift System can be motorized,

stop position. Without this being set, the shade will not raise and be

with the option of selecting two different motor sizes. The Light Lift

stuck in the down position. While these do not have operating cords,

LL-13 will lift up to 13 pounds. The Medium Lift ML-23 will lift up to

they do have lift cords on the back of the shade.

23 pounds. The Heavy Lift HL-70, which will lift up to 70 pounds, is

Spring-loaded systems include the Easy Spring Plus by Rollease Acmeda and MYL Shield Spring Shade Operating System Kit by Merrill Y. Landis.

Motorized Systems Many of the operating systems we have discussed previously can be motorized. For example, Forest Group’s RBS can now be motorized with your choice of a standard or lithium-ion motor.

Pro Design LLC houses the motor in a 1.5-inch tube, similar to one of the spring-loaded systems. This system can be remote, wall or 34 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

coming soon.

While I am sure that the standards and operating systems I have discussed are not all-inclusive, it is my hope that I have given you enough information to sell, source and fabricate draperies and shades according to the new safety standard. The safety of our families is the impetus to find innovative solutions for safe operating systems for blinds, shades and draperies. New products and the education needed to implement the new standard help the industry to continue to develop best practices. z

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Window Fashion VISION | 35

INDUSTRY advertorial

SMART

and

SAFE:

The Next Generation of Roller Blinds

36 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

INDUSTRY advertorial

T

hanks to increasingly strict regulations regarding child

Single Pull uses the best of both

safety, cordless window coverings are becoming more

designs. This new solution is ideal

popular by the day. However, these updated safety

for large windows with out-of-reach

standards require new solutions and innovative design.

roller blinds. The dual options of

With over 25 years of experience in designing high-

bottom bar and single retractable

end window covering solutions that combine beauty and function,

chain always ensure smooth

Coulisse knows exactly how to tackle that challenge.

operation.

Coulisse is proud to present the new modular Absolute Roller 2.0

Imagine being able to offer clients the ability to control the roller

concept that is child safe by design. The company has taken this

blinds in their home from anywhere. Imagine saving them energy,

popular window covering system and completely reinvented it, adding

creating privacy and making their home a safer place—all with a

new functions, styles and control options. The modular technology

single touch or word. Motion, Coulisse’s user-friendly motorization

allows designers and fabricators to mix and match elements to create

technology, makes automation accessible to everyone.

a custom solution that will work for each individual client’s needs.

The Motion concept comes with an

The new Absolute Roller 2.0 has the following options:

integrated lithium-ion battery that’s rechargeable via micro USB. This

The award-winning Twin Pull

system includes a pull mechanism

design combines all the benefits

and remote control but can also be

of a traditional chain mechanism

operated via voice commands, the

with high-end technical innovation.

Motion Blinds smartphone app or

By using two separate, retractable

leading smart home applications

chains or wands rather than a

such as Amazon Alexa, Google

single loop, Twin Pull takes a fresh,

Assistant and IFTTT.

child safe approach to roller blind technology.

Find out more about Coulisse and Absolute Roller 2.0 at go.coulisse.com/absolute-roller.

As the name suggests, Cordless roller blinds are completely cordless and easy to install without a mounting profile. The secret is in the innovative smart installation lock that keeps the blind perfectly tensioned throughout the installation process and transport.

Window Fashion VISION | 37

INDUSTRY triumphs and tribulations

38 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

INDUSTRY triumphs and tribulations

Design Triumphs & Tribulations THE PROBLEM:

HANGING OVERSIZE DRAPERIES

BY SOPHIA BENNETT

Photos courtesy of Bill Diers

This is part of our ongoing series describing how design professionals have overcome a business challenge or created the perfect treatment for a difficult window. Do you have a story to share?

Send an email to sophia@wf-vision.com.

The Challenge When Kara Karpenske, principal designer and CEO of Kamarron Design Inc. in Minneapolis, first met with the owner of this lakefront home, the client identified replacing the living room curtains as a priority. The existing drapery was dated, didn’t allow much light into the room and distracted from the view. It also made the soaring ceiling appear shorter than it really was.

Karpenske commissioned new 35-foot-tall draperies from Quality Custom Interiors, a workroom in Minnetonka, MN. The curtains, which have a 28-inch pleat at the top, required 42 yards of a linen-viscose-silk fabric from Colefax and Fowler to make. Each drapery was lined and interlined to provide volume. A set of custom-made tassel tiebacks, 30 inches long and 14 inches in diameter, added a dramatic focal point to the finished pieces.

But Karpenske quickly realized there was a problem with the new design. “The height of this space made the design and installation very challenging,” she says. The drapery was also very heavy, which meant hanging it from conventional rods would be impossible.

Before the install Window Fashion VISION | 39

INDUSTRY triumphs & tribulations

The Solution It took a few attempts, but Karpenske was finally able to work with the installer to come up with a solution for hanging the drapes. First of all, when the home’s windows and upper paneling were replaced, she asked for an extra backer board to be added around the windows. That provided a stronger foundation for the heavy curtains.

To hang the drapes, Karpenske devised a two-tiered bracket system to hold them up. A heavy-duty rod was sewn into the top of the curtains so that they could be hung from a set of custom-made rods. “The rod sits up and over the windows, like you would hang a TV,” she explains.

Halfway down the wall, the team second-anchored the curtains so that all of the weight wouldn’t be on the top rod. A welder created an L-shaped bracket, similar to ones found in a typical hardware store but much larger. The L bracket holds a portion of the curtains and the heavy tassels. z

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INDUSTRY triumphs & tribulations

TRACK SYSTEMS

M O T O R I Z AT I O N Touch • RF/Remote • Z-Wave • Integratable ROMAN BLINDS

DECOR ATIVE METAL

DECOR ATIVE WOOD

ROLLER SHADES

For all your motorized window treatment needs.

FORESTDH.COM 866.823.3894

Window Fashion VISION | 41

INDUSTRY safety chart

QUICK REFERENCE CHART SHADES

BLINDS

CORDLESS INDOOR

CORDLESS INDOOR

CORDLESS INACCESS. OUTDOOR CORDS OTHER

CORDLESS OUTDOOR

INACCESSIBLE CORDS

VERTICAL

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Alpha Motors alphamotors.us Alta Window Fashions altawindowfashions.com Centurian Window Fashions centurianwindowfashions.com Chicology chicology.com Coulisse coulisse.com

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Current Products Corp. currentproductscorp.com Hartmann&Forbes hartmannforbes.com Hunter Douglas hunterdouglas.com

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Kirsch kirsch.com Lantex Window Fashions lantexwindowfashions.com Leviosa Motor Shades leviosashades.com LuXout Shades luxoutshades.com Markisol USA, Inc. markisolgroup.com/en Rollease Acmeda rolleaseacmeda.com Romanzia romanzia.com Safe T Shade safetshade.com SM Automatic smautomatic.com Solar Shading Solutions solarshadingsolutions.com

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Somfy Systems somfysystems.com Springs Window Fashions springswindowfashions.com Vako vako.com Vista Products vistaproducts.com Williamson Supply Company williamsonsupply.com Woven Woods Plus wovenwoodsplus.com

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INDUSTRY safety chart

– SAFETY PRODUCTS FABRICATION SUPPLIES HAND-DRAWN INACCESSIBLE TRAVERSING SYSTEM CORD SYSTEM

CLUTCH SYSTEM

MOTORIZATION SUPPLIES SPRING-LOADED SYSTEM

OTHER

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Window Fashion VISION | 43

INDUSTRY product intelligence

Product Intelligence - Safety Products

ALTA HONEYCOMB TD/BU SHADES with Simplicity Rechargeable Motorization Honeycomb sales are on the move when paired with Alta’s Simplicity Rechargeable Motorization Top-Down/Bottom-Up. The 14-channel remote offers excellent versatility when operating shades individually, or as a group. Lower shade from the top for natural light and privacy. Raise from the bottom like traditional shades.

Or operate both rails together and position the shade as desired.

Convenient. Rechargeable. Simplicity from Alta Window Fashions.

Sonesse® 30 WireFree RTS Li-ion The Somfy Sonesse® 30 WireFree RTS Li-ion motor has a built in, rechargeable lithium-ion battery that offers a convenient and quiet motorized solution for roller/solar shades, roman/woven shades, sheer shades and horizontal blinds.

Designed for power and strength, it’s able to control larger window coverings. The rechargeable battery reduces overall costs, minimizes maintenance and eliminates the need to replace batteries. Ideal for areas where wiring is a challenge. Voice control is possible by adding myLink™.

MOTION is the ground-breaking window covering automation concept from Coulisse, with solutions for any requirement. MOTION includes a new generation of completely wireless battery powered roller shade and honeycomb motors, that are easy to install and rechargeable with micro USB. MOTION blinds and shades can be controlled from anywhere, in any way by using the smartphone app, voice control, remote control and pull operation. MOTION is compatible with leading smart home technologies Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT. Discover more at motion-blinds.com.

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Vertilux’s constant efforts to manufacture and distribute products that are safe not only for the environment but for all living beings, especially our kids, has been at the core of our philosophy for more than three decades.

With our VTi® Celtic Motors, we offer a costeffective solution for motorized blinds and shades, and also a safe and reliable operation, minimizing the accidents caused by cords and chains that affect mostly children and pets.

SM Automatic The Model 140-S is a Japanese-engineered MODEL 140-S Motorized Drapery Track belt-driven system designed to effortlessly INFORMATION GUIDE traverse draperies up to 36 feet. The builtin radio frequency receiver offers enhanced operation up to 100’. The touch design transmitter (1 to 16 channels) is sleek with an anti-scratch white piano lacquer finish. Features include ultraquiet operation, manual override for handdrawn operation, automatic limit setting, touch motion, dry contact or line voltage controlled, and app control. Contact SM Automatic today for your motorization requirements. smautomatic.com • Built-in RF remote control receiver.

• Motorized drapery track with ultra-quiet operation (less than 35 dB).

• Drapery can head up to cover track.

• Manual override (by hand-drawn operation) is possible.

• Automatically identifies and sets Open and Stop operation limits.

• The Touch Motion function performs opening/closing of draperies without using any controls.

• Dry contact or line voltage controlled.

© 2017 SM Automatic

INDUSTRY product intelligence

FOREST DRAPERY HARDWARE has the solution for all your MOTORIZATION motorized window treatment needs. Let us motorize your track, roman shade, decorative metal, decorative wood and roller shades designs.

Our motors are strong, ultra-quiet and can be operated by touch, RF/ remote, z-wave and through home integration.

Plug and play or choose a lithium battery option.

Forest Shuttle drapery motors include a 10-year warranty.

FORESTDH.COM • 866-823-3894

Comfortex PowerTouch™ Rechargeable Motorized Shades are the perfect battery-powered option for the budget savvy consumer.

The wand and pendant operation lifts and lowers the shade with the touch of a button.

The Rollease chain-free Easy Spring Ultra system offers a smooth and controlled ascending spring operation that will maintain the correct tension, and adjustable top limit setting to ensure that the shade will open to your preferred top location.

Easy Spring Ultra system is the perfect child-safe solution, testing at an impressive 7,000 cycles to ensure no loss of spring tension over time, and with one-touch operation, for the ultimate peace of mind.

US6004N Uni-Cord Roman Shade for Child Safety Uni-Soleil has developed a safety Roman which can be operated simply by one single cord/wand without loop. It’s easy to operate and only one shot the blind will be lowering automatically. Comparing with cordless blind, our Uni-Cord is much convenient and no limited for too high or lower location. This system is available for Roman & Honeycomb. The two systems could be interchanged by changing only the headrail.

Insolroll has been an industry pioneer in shade safety, offering WCMA Award-winning complete UL-Listed motorized shading systems.

US6004N Break away Roman Shade for Child Safety KEY ADVANTAGES:

• •

Chain breaks away under 12lbs for Child Safety.

• •

No need for device screw on the wall.

After chain breaks away, the drive wheel is attached with controller without falling to the floor. It avoids choking hazard for children.

Comparing with Cordless shade, there is no limitation for higher or lower location, breakaway roman shade is easy to operate.

These systems bear the ULListed label to alert electrical inspectors that the comprehensive system has met UL’s highest documentable standard of fire and shock hazard safety. Exceeding the level achieved by merely using UL-Recognized components, this makes the inspection process easier and faster for installers and end users in both commercial and residential applications.

More at Insolroll.com.

Window Fashion VISION | 45

INDUSTRY advertorial

Counting the ways...

R EA SON #82

LOVE

Our dealers becoming Elite Partners.

Why?

46 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

INDUSTRY advertorial

Because we turn their profits into

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Window Fashion VISION | 47

© 2019 Custom Brands Group. All rights reserved.

super blooms.

INDUSTRY advertorial

A L L T H E WAY TO T H E

TOP

A team work ethic, lightning-fast delivery, inspired fabric collections, value-added hardware—these distinctions give Top Window Covering an edge over its competitors.

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INDUSTRY advertorial

P

eter Nelissen, the founder and owner of Top Window Covering in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, has infectious enthusiasm for the window coverings industry. His vision for providing a quality product and outstanding service has made the company an indispensable resource for professionals all over the world.

Fabric collections are all done by design, beginning with yarn combinations and ending with finished fabric. Codeveloping custom fabric collections with their customers is also a unique feature of Top Window Covering. A quality management team is onsite at all production facilities to ensure consistency and quality. The same principle is in place for all other products, including custom hardware and components.

One of Nelissen’s first jobs after a stint in the Dutch Army was working with production at a window coverings manufacturer. This experience gave him a view of the difficulties that fabricators experience every day. He set a goal to one day own a company that would better serve fabricators by offering quality, on-trend fabric; keeping products in stock at all times; and providing the best possible service for customers.

As Top Window Covering continues to grow, it is upgrading fabric, hardware and component collections. It has added new point-of-sale resources, including developing new concepts for store displays. Another innovative service recently launched by the company is an online portal that enables customers to have real-time insight into stock levels at any time.

Nelissen founded that company, Top Window Covering, in 1998. From the beginning, he knew his goal would be to establish operations across the globe. With this in mind, he searched for the ideal people to grow the company with. He has handpicked each member of his team and is proud to have created a family-like atmosphere within the company.

No matter where its customers are, Top Window Covering offers the same promise Nelissen made when he started the business over 30 years ago: “Our goal is to offer and deliver on time fabric collections that put you ahead of the competition. If something isn’t just the way you like it, simply let any Top team member know and we will make it right.

Guaranteed.”

Today, Top Window Covering is a global company that creates and develops high quality and luxurious window covering fabric collections for fabricators worldwide. In addition to its headquarters in the Netherlands, it maintains warehousing facilities and sales offices in North Carolina, Quebec and the U.K.’s Northamptonshire.

“We keep our entire collection in stock at all of our locations so our customers are not required to stock heavily in inventory. This allows them to invest more in their marketing and sales,” says Nelissen. “In today’s economy, just-in-time shipping and cashflow are important. We can send one yard, or a container-load of textiles designed specifically to meet the needs of our customers.” This centralized worldwide distribution system sets Top Window Covering apart from other multinational companies.

Learn more about Top Window Covering at topwindowcovering.com.

Peter Nelissen and Kenneth Clayborne

The company targets the mid- to upper level in the market and provides ways for customers to differentiate themselves by supplying specialty items, including fabrics and hardware.

Window Fashion VISION | 49

INSPIRATION inspired by nature

INSPIRED b y NATURE

T

oday’s consumers continue to crave warmth and seek out natural-looking environments. Their desire for cozy and calming spaces is reflected in Sherwin-Williams’ Colormix Forecast for 2020. Specialists combined 45 colors into an array of palettes designed to appeal to modern buyers.

Here is a look at three of this year’s collections.

ALIVE This mix of blues and reddish-browns, which has a touch of olive and gold thrown in for good measure, hums instead of shouting. It brings an energy that’s infectious yet not overpowering.

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INSPIRATION inspired by nature

HAVEN With its beachy blues, jungly greens and rich gold, this collection truly seems to transform an interior space into a nature-inspired retreat.

MANTRA Focused around the cool, calming aesthetic of Japan and Nordic countries, this grouping of colors includes a variety of grays, mauves and taupes.

Window Fashion VISION | 51

INSPIRATION color and pattern and texture, oh my!

Room design by Rachel Moriarty. Photo by Deborah Shields Photography

52 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

INSPIRATION color and pattern and texture, oh my!

COLOR AND

PAT T E R N

AND

TEXTURE

Oh My!

BY JOANNE LENART-WEARY

D

id you know color is the first thing we see followed by shape? Color impacts us visually, emotionally and even physically because we can actually “feel” some colors.

Pattern and texture elevate color to the next level. The ability to mix all three with panache can take a room to new levels of fabulous.

The best rooms not only delight your eyes but make you want to touch and feel your way through the space. Let’s get inspired by the work of some talented designers who demonstrate my “get it right” guidelines.

COMPLETE, NOT COMPETE

The true key to color palette success is not the mix of hues but of saturations. If the intensity of one color completely distracts from the others, chances are you are witnessing competing saturations.

In the room at left, the talented Rachel Moriarty of Rachel Moriarty Interiors in San Diego creates a fabulous color recipe of deep values and completing saturations. The use of yellow in the art also brings the eye up, making the space seem larger.

Window Fashion VISION | 53

INSPIRATION color and pattern and texture, oh my!

Room design by Christine Tse. Photos by Veronica Rodriguez

In this beautiful room by Christine Tse of Christine Tse Interiors in London, the art married the complementary color scheme and brought the room together.

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INSPIRATION color and pattern and texture, oh my!

FIND THE COMMON THREAD

When mixing patterns and textures, it is essential to find the thread that creates visual cohesion with color, motif or contrast. Nikole Starr with Nikole Starr Interiors in Richmond, TX, blended all three by first applying contrast. The walls and window treatments have a light background with a darker motif. They contrast with the chairs, which do the exact opposite, providing a dark background contrasting the light diagonal lines. Notice how she also brings the blue up in the art, again lifting the eye and honoring the tall ceilings in the room.

Window Fashion VISION | 55

INSPIRATION color and pattern and texture, oh my!

Room design by Veronica Solomon. Photo by Colleen Scott Photography 56 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

INSPIRATION color and pattern and texture, oh my!

Room design by Nikole Starr. Photo by Colleen Scott Photography

POP IT WITH COLOR (left)

Black may be the common shade in this room, but it gets more exciting with the addition of the rosy-red sofa in this beautiful room by Veronica Solomon with Casa Vilora Interiors in Katy, TX. Notice the color is repeated in the Chinoiserie table and then very subtly again in the book binding on the sideboard. When popping an accent color, repeat it three times at different levels in the room. Never divide colors evenly.

TEXTURE TIMES TWO (above)

We feel texture twice: with our eyes and then with our hands.

In today’s world, the mix of unexpected pairings adds interest and contrast to every room. The key is to use texture at multiple heights and blend rough with smooth. Nikole Starr did exactly that by blending the rough texture of brick with the smooth velvet on the dining chairs. The visual texture of the chandelier adds weight and balance.

Window Fashion VISION | 57

INSPIRATION color and pattern and texture, oh my!

Room design by Jessica McLendon. Photo by Mary Costa Photography

WHAT GOES WITH WHAT? Once you select your color palette, have fun with pattern. The best combinations include a statement pattern mixed with a smaller-scale pattern, a directional fabric and a blend of texture and sheen.

Jessica McClendon with Glamour Nest Interior Design illustrates this perfectly in this cozy and colorful kitchen.

58 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

Here is my cheat sheet of combinations that work every time: • • • • •

Toile, Stripes, Checks Floral, Geometric, Stripes Floral, Geometric, Polka Dots Ikat, Plaid, Floral, Mini Floral, Geometric, Texture

THE WINDOW AUTHORITY™

INSPIRATION color and pattern and texture, oh my!

As an In-Home Design Consultant with JCPenney, you can have a full-time position with base pay, plus the BEST commission program and benefits in the industry. Also, JCPenney is the only retailer who carries the top three best-selling brands: Hunter Douglas, Graber and Norman.

$400 PER WEEK base salary UP TO 12% BASE COMMISSION per transaction 14% COMMISSION on non-discounted transactions 18% COMMISSION per transaction when you introduce a new customer to JCPenney TIERED SALES AWARDS paid for every $100K in incremental sales with no limit.

When you reach $1M in sales, you will receive your salary & commission, PLUS an additional $47,500 OUTSTANDING BENEFITS Starting Day 1, Design Consultants are eligible for associate discount, medical, dental, paid time off and 401(k)* *Full-time benefits for eligible JCPenney In-Home Design Consultants APPLY TODAY! Send your updated resume to designers-sm@jcp.com.

SHINE BRIGHT AT JCPENNEY Window Fashion VISION | 59

INSPIRATION king of color

KING

OF

COLOR

BY SOPHIA BENNETT

I

n 1998, Time Out New York called Rayman Boozer with Apartment 48 Interior Design the city’s “go-to designer for color consulting.” It was yet another jewel in the crown of this widely recognized New York-based designer, whose colorful aesthetic has

won him legions of fans over the past 20 years.

Whether he’s working on spaces that are residential or commercial, big or small, urban or rural, Boozer says window coverings are a requirement.

“They’re more romantic. This is always what I thought I’d do as a decorator,” he says. His favorite type of room to

design is a little girl’s bedroom because it’s an excuse to do colorful curtains that puddle nicely. But he’s equally as comfortable specifying motorized

THE PATH TO FAME Boozer grew up on a chicken farm in Indiana. Nothing about it fit his personality; he was much happier redecorating his room and reading design magazines than traipsing through dirt and muck at all hours. He also felt isolated in his small town and spent much of his time dreaming about a life in New York City.

After high school, he went to Indiana University intending to study psychology. Then he took a seminar on interior design. “Once I discovered that class… it seemed to make sense to me. You know how when math makes sense and you finally get it? It was like that. It was a similar feeling, that I really understood this process.”

shades and shutters—something that

Five days after Boozer graduated,

provides much-needed convenience to

he moved to New York City. “I was

people living in high-ceilinged city apartments.

Given his location, Boozer works on as many studios and small offices as he does lofts and corporate headquarters.

“Small spaces are more difficult,” he acknowledges, but he’s developed ways to make sure his tiny spaces satisfy clients in the same way as more grandiose homes. As is true of the very personal process of picking colors, much comes down to good communication.

really in a hurry to get here and do something exciting and glamorous,” he says. But as is the case with so many people who head to the city with stars in their eyes, fame and fortune didn’t come immediately. “I was such a big deal at my school and everyone thought I was a really good designer. But I came here and there were so many other people who were good at things, so there was a lot more competition here than in Indiana.” His first job was working the retail floor at Bloomingdale’s. After that, he held similar positions at Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy’s.

60 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

INSPIRATION king of color

All room photos by Nick Parisse

A den and home office in a New York loft. Deep purple walls set the tone, and a custom rug by ABC Carpet & Home echoes the monochrome theme.

Window Fashion VISION | 61

INSPIRATION king of color

A girl’s bedroom in the Flatiron District. The curtain fabric is Lily Pulitzer from Lee Jofa. The wallpaper is by Flat Vernacular, and the headboard and pillows are custom-made.

His first New York dream came true when he took a job

surround themselves with or what colors they regularly

in merchandising for The Conran Shop. Terence Conran,

wear. To convey his initial ideas and thoughts about what

who was known for his groundbreaking Habitat stores in

shades he'll include in projects, Boozer uses mood boards

Europe, was someone Boozer had always looked up to.

instead of sketches, which he believes are too hard for

After several years there, he took what he had learned

people to visualize.

and opened his own home furnishing and accessory store, called Apartment 48. Interior design was his side hustle.

Regardless of the client's choices, blue almost always makes its way into Boozer’s designs. “It’s my base color,” he says. “I

His big break in that field came in 2007, when his

try to balance those colors out with lots of others, though.”

apartment was featured on cover of Elle Décor. He was

Purple is one of his favorite shades to put with blue. It's a

flooded with requests from people who liked his colorful

combination his clients once found strange but have been

spaces and sense of style. In 2010, he closed the store and

more comfortable with in recent years. (See sidebar for

became a full-time designer.

more of Boozer's thoughts on color.)

“COLOR IS EMOTION”

SIZE MATTERS

Color is omnipresent in Boozer’s work. “My philosophy is to

Boozer serves a combination of residential and commercial

surround yourself with colors you love,” he says. However,

clients. Most are in Manhattan, although he’s done some

he’s also critically aware of the importance of approaching

homes in Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut. Given

color carefully. “Color is emotion and that’s why people

his location, he works on plenty of small spaces, which he

like it. That’s also why people are afraid to try color. It’s a

says has its own set of challenges.

commitment and most people don’t know what they want until they see it. That’s why HGTV shows are effective.

People don’t know what a space will look like until they see it.”

One of the early things Boozer does with clients is get a sense of their color preferences. He’ll ask what colors they 62 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

“In a large house, you can use a lot of different ideas, so every idea doesn’t have to land perfectly,” he says. “If you’re doing a small space, especially a studio, everything has to be flawless. If people don’t love the room you’ve designed, they can’t go into a different room.”

INSPIRATION king of color

With these clients, communication becomes ultraimportant. Boozer does his best to assess whether a client’s professed favorite color is something to invest in full-bore or something to add in small quantities, so they don’t burn out on it. He’ll often suggest that

SNAPSHOT: RAYMAN BOOZER’S

COLOR TRENDS

accessories before making a bigger commitment.

“I’m all for putting a lot of color on the walls,” he says.

“If you’re talking about paint and you think you like a color, I’d go a little lighter than the color on the sample, because it’s always going to read darker when

GREEN

people add small touches through pillows or other

“The biggest trend I’ve seen that’s surprised me is green.” As people strive for a more organic look and put more plants in their homes, this color continues to explode in popularity.

it’s bouncing off the walls.” That’s especially true if the

coverings, I rarely use a solid color unless it’s for a

PURPLE

makes an appearance in Boozer’s spaces. “For window

PINK

Window coverings are another place where color

“Purple is the one color my clients have always had a problem with, but it’s a color people are embracing now.”

“It’s been around for like five years and I don’t think it’s ever going away.”

GRAY

DARING DRAPERIES AND SUBTLE SHADES

Pair this neutral with green or purple for an on-trend look.

C O MBO S

walls are in close proximity to each other.

“What we’re seeing now are color combinations we didn’t used to see, like blue and fuchsia or red and pink.

Black and white never goes out of style; that’s always a trend.”

specific reason. I’ll do solid, bright colors on their own, maybe, or a subtle pattern, or white with a pattern on top.”

Although he typically specifies curtains that are silk or cotton, he believes velvet can be amazing in the right situation. “Velvet is everywhere right now,” he observes. “It got affordable, and with tech there’s so many blends that don’t wrinkle anymore. You can crush them and they bounce right back.”

Boozer is also a big believer in shades. In New York, bamboo shades are coming back into style in a big way. “It feels organic and a lot people are reacting to that organic vibe.” In addition, he says, “We use roman shades in a lot in high-rise buildings because there’s always some kind of HVAC and you can’t go all the way to the floor.” Many of those shades are motorized.

“In the future probably everybody’s going to want that, once it becomes more affordable,” he says. “It’s still expensive, but it’s convenient, especially if your ceilings are 11 feet.” Sage advice from a man who's been watching trends evolve for decades.

z Window Fashion VISION | 63

INSPIRATION advertorial

R E V I TA L I Z I N G T H E ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

SUITE

Comfortex Window Fashions, in partnership with Roger Reid of Roger K. Reid Interior Design, revitalized Eleanor Roosevelt’s suite at the Vanguard Showhouse in Guilderland, NY, using the Color Lux Window Solutions Collection.

64 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

INSPIRATION advertorial

“People should not be afraid of color. It animates a space with a small investment,” says Roger Reid of Roger K. Reid Interior Design.

R

oger K. Reid Interior Design is a full-service interior design firm with more than 30 years of experience manifesting clients’ diverse taste to create well-detailed and coordinated interiors.

With design commissions ranging in style from traditional to contemporary, Reid has always nurtured a special sensitivity toward combining modern conveniences with architecturally and historically appropriate finishes.

Using the Color Lux Collection, he was able to bring a modern flair to Eleanor Roosevelt’s suite and create a space that was a mix of both old and new.

“Designing with the Color Lux program was truly inspirational,” he says.

Using Color Lux’s palette of over 800 colors, he created a harmonious blend of window treatments, including roller shades, boxpleated valances and portiere draperies.

Reid appreciated the process of working with Comfortex as much as the product. “Lead times from vendors can be one

of my most challenging tasks when designing,” he says. “I was so impressed with Comfortex’s fast ability to allow me to select and customize different textures and patterns to create my own totally unique look.”

“Color Lux provides designers with a multitude of color and design options without having to compromise on quality,” says Michael D’Agnese, manager of color and design at Comfortex.

“Designers can also harmonize and visualize their designs before ordering using the Color Window Solutions Design tool.”

Comfortex Window Fashions, founded in 1986, is an innovator in the window fashion industry. The company maintains its headquarters just north of Albany in Maplewood, NY. Comfortex’s complete line of products includes cellular, roller, roman and insulating blinds, wood blinds, sheer window shadings and the highly customized Color Lux line of window treatments. More information about these products can be found on the company website at comfortex.com.

Visit our design tool at colorluxwindowsolutions.com.

Window Fashion VISION | 65

INSPIRATION color in context

IN

COLOR CONTEXT

BY SOPHIA BENNETT

B

ritish freelance journalist Kassia St. Clair has

(Auguste) Rodin refusing to believe it, beating his chest

lived a colorful life—literally and literarily.

and exclaiming, “I feel it here that they were not colored.”

After several years as an assistant editor for

Actually, people still get upset by this. When Sarah Bond,

books and art at The Economist, she wrote a

a classics professor, wrote about it for Forbes in 2017,

popular column about color for Elle Decoration. Her musings

some people began trolling her online. You can also see a

inspired a book, “The Secret Lives of Color.” The book made

preference for black and white in architecture, fashion and

National Public Radio’s “Best Books of 2017” list and was

product design, particularly in high-end tech goods.

named a “Book of the Week” by England’s

For example, it’s not uncommon for flagship

Radio 4. Her second book, “The Golden

products to be offered in black and white and

Thread: How Fabric Changed History,”

possibly one metallic, but cheaper iterations will

was published in Europe earlier this year

be available in a wider array of colors.

and will be available soon in the United States. St. Clair shared her thoughts about historical and modern color trends and offered a bit of advice for designers looking to translate their ideas about color to clients.

One of the most interesting parts of the introduction to “The Secret Lives of Color” was your description of how color was once considered self-indulgent or sinful, the predilection of “savage nations (and) uneducated people.” Can you share a few examples of that? Do you see remnants of that playing out today?

A great example is when evidence first began emerging in the 19th century that classical statuary was often painted, rather than left as white marble or stone. This caused a furor. There’s a classic anecdote about the sculptor

66 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

Green is such a hot color right now. How are the shades that are trendy today different from the ones that were popular 50 or 100 years ago?

Green has been associated with nature for a very long time and, of course, environmental issues have become evermore pressing and newsworthy over the past few years. For me, it is almost impossible not to see a link between these two things. It’s similar to the way avocado and harvest gold were a response to the rise of Land Art, the blue marble photo and the environmental activism of the 1970s.

(See sidebar for St. Clair’s thoughts about the subtle way avocado is making a comeback.) If there is a difference, it’s that the greens that seem to be fashionable at the moment have tended to be more naturalistic and a bit more vibrant than those of the ’70s.

INSPIRATION color in context

Pink is another color that seems to be having a moment—at least in the United States, where it’s moving from a color associated with baby girls to one that’s acceptable for everyone. How has peoples’ perception of pink changed over time? How is it used in other cultures?

The classic fact about pink is that it was actually considered to be more masculine at the beginning of the 20th century, because it was viewed more as faded red than a color in its own right. Blue, on the other hand, in Western contexts at least, was associated with the Virgin Mary, and therefore was viewed as more feminine. Recently, as conversations about sex and gender have become more open and nuanced (at least broadly speaking), pink has become more prominent, in part because it’s hard not to think about gender with pink. You could really see that in the discussions around Pantone’s 2016 Color(s) of the Year.

Do you have a favorite color or color family? What is it and why?

I’m afraid I change constantly. I’ve recently really been loving terra-cottas, soft sunset oranges, and brick and Bordeaux

how they can avoid that?

I don’t think, unfortunately, that there are easy answers here, because colors are so culturally and contextually subjective and are continually shifting in response to trends and shifting cultural values. A hue that might mean one thing in one country—good luck, for example—might elsewhere signify danger or passion or something else entirely. The important thing is to be aware of these nuances and not make assumptions. I love pink, but I find it irritating when I go and buy presents for my nieces or new running shoes for myself and it’s the only option. And it is even worse when it’s the only option and the products are more expensive: the dreaded “pink tax.”

What do you think interior designers should know about color?

It seems as if people are becoming braver around color. There seems to be less fear of getting it wrong and more willingness to experiment, which I find really exciting. It’s likely caused in part by social media: People have access all day to inspirational images of gorgeous saturated spaces and can see people they admire experimenting with interesting combinations. I wonder if this will lead to a backlash sooner rather than later, because we are so often bombarded with colorful images. I think it’s important to enjoy it while it lasts. I know I definitely don’t miss ultra-minimalism. z Note: This interview was lightly edited for clarity and length.

reds (I’ve been exploring them on the @secretlivesofcolour Instagram account for a little while now). But I’m too much of a chromophiliac to choose just one forever!

I was interested to read how peoples’ descriptions of color can vary depending on where they live. You mention that the Russian language has different words for light and dark blue, and that the Rennell-Bellona language spoken on the Solomon Islands divides the color spectrum into dark, light and red, with blue and green being considered dark colors and red and yellow being called “light” hues. I know designers run into that challenge—they describe a color one way and the client sees or hears something different. Any advice about

Avocado has been stealthily reprising its role since the millennium. Those who

doubt this need only check their Instagram feeds. While few advocate for avocado-colored macramé and shag pile, the Persea americana has become the poster fruit (technically it’s a singleseed berry) for a new kind of luxury consumption underpinned by the concept of natural healthfulness. Lovingly slathered on pieces of toast everywhere from Southern California to Slough, it has become the centerpiece of the eatclean brand of aspirational lifestyle.

–From “The Secret Lives of Color.”

Window Fashion VISION | 67

INSPIRATION decorating with white

Shea McGee, Studio McGee, Salt Lake City, UT 68 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

INSPIRATION decorating with white

Whiteout

BY SOPHIA BENNETT

W

hite is the antithesis of color, but it still packs a punch in indoor and outdoor spaces. As part of our annual color issue, we’ve taken the renegade move of asking three designers to tell us what they love about decorating with white and pale neutrals.

Window Fashion VISION | 69

INSPIRATION decorating with white

Shea McGee, Studio McGee, Salt Lake City What are your thoughts about using white as an alternative to color or a way to complement color?

White is a great way to give other colors a way to shine. It provides your eye with a visual rest. Some of our favorite treatments are with dark tones to create contrast, or paired with lighter neutrals for a tonal look.

Is white coming back into style, going out or always amazing?

White is timeless! What’s trendy is what you add to it (e.g., the lighting, finishes or décor) that can make it start to look overdone and like everyone else’s space. I think going white in every single space might be its trendiest use and we might see more color in confined spaces like bathrooms, bedrooms and offices coming back.

What is your top tip for decorating with white?

Lately, we’ve been loving a tone-on-tone look for decorating with white. It feels clean and bright, and definitely not boring. Try mixing whites, creams and different shades in between while playing with texture and patterns for some subtle contrast.

When you use white for draperies, what is your favorite type of fabric?

Linen is our go-to for drapery. It’s soft, luxe and natural.

70 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

INSPIRATION decorating with white

Julie Peyton and Michaela Barrett, co-owners, Two Hens Design, Franklin, TN Why do you like decorating with white? What about it appeals to you?

White is just so fresh and airy. It visually removes weight from the space, making it feel more serene.

Decorating with white seems intimidating to some people. What if my kids or pets wreck it? What if it’s too blinding? How can designers convince clients that using white in a home is OK? Start with white walls or white painted furnishings, such as a side table or dresser. These elements are easier to keep clean and receive less wear as opposed to a sofa or bedding. Choose warm or neutral whites, or creams to avoid that bright white look.

What is your top tip for decorating with white?

White paint and décor is available in warms, cools and neutrals. Like with any other color, it’s important to recognize which of these three will work best with your current décor and taste. For example, if you want to mix silver metals, navy or red into the décor, try using cool whites, whereas with browns or earth tones, try warm or neutral whites.

When you use white for draperies, what is your favorite type of fabric?

We love a good white linen curtain, and cottons in general, but for fall and winter stylings there is nothing like neutral white draperies in velvet.

Window Fashion VISION | 71

INSPIRATION decorating with white

Leanna Patton, owner, The Whole 9 Yards, Dalton, GA Is white coming back into style, going out or always amazing?

What do you see as some of the benefits of decorating with white?

White never goes out of style. When we built our first house 26 years

I like to change things very often, and I’ve found that starting with

ago, we installed a white kitchen. I can’t even think of how many

a neural base allows you to keep color more intentional. When you

white kitchens I’ve installed since then. It’s classic and timeless. I also

start with white, you can add trendy pops of color and accessories to

love the way white looks with other neutral colors. I think it provides

create a current, up-to-date look. You have the option to make small

good balance.

changes and have a big impact.

What do you say to people who are afraid white furnishings will get

When you use white for draperies, what is your favorite type of

too dirty?

fabric?

White is your BFF. When you’re using white on an upholstered piece,

My favorite fabric is a linen-cotton blend. One hundred percent linen

it works best to have slipcovers that you can easily remove and wash

is gorgeous, but I’ve found when it’s mixed with cotton it still has a

and bleach. Once you do that, they’re good as new. You can’t do that

great look but it’s a lot less likely to wrinkle. It has a little more body

with color.

72 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

to it. z

Are you ready?

Keep your eyes on your inbox – IWCE registration opens in October!

INTERNATIONAL WINDOW COVERINGS EXPO

MARCH 25-27, 2020 CHARLOTTE, NC

IWCE-VISION.COM

Window Fashion VISION | 73

74 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

Window Fashion VISION | 75

INSPIRATION shaped banding

How to make

SHAPED BANDING for Roman Shades and Other Soft Décor

BY ROSE MARY LEBLANC AND AMANDA DEAL SMITH, SEAMLESS WORKROOM

S

haped bandings are a beautiful custom detail for roman shades, valances, draperies or pillow flanges. This method will result in a shaped facing on the back as well as the front.

For this example, we will apply a shaped banding to the bottom of a faux roman shade. You will need a few simple sewing supplies: pattern paper, bead weight chain, pencil, pins, straightedge ruler, steam iron, Jumbo Wonder Clips and lightweight iron-on fusible interfacing. Döfix products may also be used.

76 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

INSPIRATION shaped banding

1

3

Working Out the Shape

Banding Fabric

Step 1: The first step in this process is to draft the exact shape

Step 5: Place the fusible interfacing banding shapes onto the

of the banding. Bead weight chain is perfect for this because it

back of the banding fabric. See photo 3.

is flexible and has enough weight to hold a shape. Lay the bead weight chain out on pattern paper. Stick pins along the chain to hold it in place. Mark 1-inch parallel lines on the paper to keep the shape straight. You may also use pattern paper with a grid.

See photo 1.

Step 6: Steam the fusible interfacing until it adheres to the fabric.

Step 7: Mark seam allowances (½inch or ⅝ inch) on both sides of the fusible interfacing.

Step 2: Mark along the chain with a pencil. Determine the width of the band and mark a second line following the first line.

Step 8: Carefully cut out each piece along seam lines.

2

4

The Banding Pattern

Joining the Banding Pieces

Step 3: Cut out the banding shape marked on the pattern paper.

Step 9: Place the front and back shapes right sides together.

Step 4: Pin the pattern to the fusible interfacing and cut out one

Step 10: Pin along the bottom of the fusible interfacing,

for the back and one for the front. Do not add seam allowances.

matching shapes exactly. See photo 4.

The fusible interfacing will act not only as a stiffener but also as a sewing guide. See photo 2.

Window Fashion VISION | 77

INSPIRATION shaped banding

5

7

Stitching the Banding Pieces

Place Pattern on Roman Shade

Step 11: When you have pinned all along the banding shapes,

Now that our shaped banding is prepared (see photo 7), we can

you are ready to move to the sewing machine.

move to the faux roman shade.

Step 12: Stitch along the bottom of the fusible interfacing as

Step 15: Fabricate your roman shade, making sure you have a little extra fabric at the bottom. The amount of fabric needed

close as possible. See photo 5.

at the bottom will depend on the shaped banding. Leave the bottom of the shade unfinished. Side hems will be completed.

Step 16: Use the same pattern for the bottom of the shade.

6

Determine where you want the shaped banding to be at the bottom.

Step 17: Pin the pattern onto the fabric.

8

Seam Allowances Step 13: Using a steam iron, press seam allowances to the inside of the fusible interfacing on both sides following the shape. Clip

Step 14: After pressing the seam allowances, turn the banding

Cut Out the Shape on the Roman Shade

right side out. The banding front and back will be the same.

Step 18: Carefully cut the shape, keeping all layers together.

curves where necessary. See photo 6.

Step 19: Hand-baste all layers together to prevent them from slipping. See photo 8.

78 | wf-vision.com | September + October 2019

INSPIRATION shaped banding

9

Applying the Banding Step 20: Open the banding.

Step 21: Carefully match the banding shapes to the shadeshaped bottom. Place the shaped banding so that the shade raw edge will be encased by the shaped banding both front and back.

See photo 8.

Secure the Banding Step 22: Fold the front of the banding over the front of the shade bottom, making sure that the front and back banding align.

Step 23: Use Jumbo Wonder Clips to hold the banding in place.

See photo 9.

10

Finishing the Shaped Banding Step 24: Now you are ready to complete your shaped banding.

For an invisible application, hand-stitch both front and back banding. If you prefer to use Döfix, apply it now. See photo 10.

z Window Fashion VISION | 79

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In Our Next Issue…

The November + December issue of Window Fashion VISION will provide your first look at plans for the 2020 International Window Coverings Expo, March 25 to 27 in Charlotte. We have several exciting new speakers in our lineup, and you’ll hear straight from them in a series of special guest columns. We’ll also provide a preview of the rebranded Construction Zone and details about the keynote speaker.

The holidays are all about sparkle and showing off our finest things. With that in mind, the magazine will have our first-ever “bling” and high-end design issue. View gorgeous spaces designed by folks such as Reem Akkad (whose work is pictured here), and get insight into the latest and greatest trims from Jana Platina Phipps.

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