Window Fashion Vision Mar/Apr 2017

30 years of window treatment inspiration

IWCE 2017 Get Ready For

BEST PRACTICES FOR

customer service INDUSTRY VETERANS:

30 years of insight IWCE KEYNOTE SPEAKER

pre-show interview TRIMMING TRENDS

Volume 38, Issue 2

MAR + APR 2017

then & now

MEET US AT IWCE 2017 8 - 9 MARCH 2017, CHARLOTTE N.C. STAND 501 - HALL B

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CONTENTS volume 38, issue 2

insight 10 | The Best of Both Business Worlds Attending trade shows is an investment in yourself and your business. by Gail Doby, ASID

12 | How to Build Your Online Credibility Simple steps to transform visitors into customers. by Welton Hong

14 | Survey Says… The right questions to gain real insight from your clients. by Anna Runyan

42

16 | Creating Lasting Client Relationships Good behavior is good business. by James A. Holloway

18 | Taking Root The basics of grass-roots PR. by Kathy Wall 20 | Better Booking There’s no secret to landing more appoint-

ments—you just need to make the effort. by Madeleine MacRae

22 | An Accurate Quote Developing estimating software that

takes into account the complexity of custom window treatments.

24 | It’s All Connected Current and former business leaders reflect on changes in the window treatment industry. by Gail Gutsche

34 | Hot Topics A look at an industry supplier that is happy to 52

remain behind the curtain.

76

inspiration 42 | What a Difference a Bay Makes Emma Messerschmidt of 7 Sisters reinvents an awkward space.

48 | A Tale of Two Bedrooms Cynthia M. Ney of Windows and Beyond discovered that helping a client solve a small problem helped open several windows of opportunity.

52 | An Exploration of Decoration Carl Dellatore discusses what he learned when researching his best-seller, Interior Design Master Class.

60 | The Softer Side The top projects from this year’s Budget Blinds’ Inspired Drapes competition.

76 | Then & Now Trimmings through history. by Jana Platina Phipps 82 | Working the Angles A sharp new trend direction. by Hilde Francq 86 | The Creation of Beauty Highlights from Paris Deco Off.

fixtures 08 | Welcome A note from publisher Grace McNamara.

86 4 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

96 | Throwback An image from Window Fashion’s past.

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Go to Facebook.com/wfviwce for updates on the magazine and the show

Keep up with all the IWCE news @IWCEVISION

Check out our Pinterest Boards! Follow us and re-pin pinterest.com/wfvision

30 years of window treatment inspiration Looking for online inspiration?

Check out these great pages from industry suppliers who will be exhibiting at IWCE in Charlotte!

YouTube: Rollease Acmeda Great short videos for motorization and more.

Facebook: Vertilux: Ideas for your space Proudly promoting their participation at IWCE.

WINDOW FASHION VISION MAGAZINE President + CEO | Grace McNamara grace@wf-vision.com Editorial Director | Susan Schultz susan@wf-vision.com Circulation + Data Management Director | Belinda Pasquale Hanson belinda@wf-vision.com Managing Editor | Maude Campbell maudedotycampbell@gmail.com Logistics Coordinator | Amie Holsten amie@wf-vision.com Business Manager | Heather Bradley heather@wf-vision.com

Facebook: Coulisse USA An inspiring, trend-filled feed.

Facebook: Vako B. V, A new shade system supplier to check out.

Competition Coordinator | Claire Bowman claire@wf-vision.com

SALES

Vice President, Sales + Marketing | Susanne Young susanne@wf-vision.com Sales & Marketing Coordinator | Anne Bild anne@wf-vision.com

CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE

Gail Doby, Hilde Francq, Gail Gutsche, James A. Holloway, Welton Hong, Jana Platina Phipps, Madeleine MacRae, Anna Runyan, Kathy Wall Facebook: Sandown & Bourne A great new fabric supplier from the UK.

Facebook: WF VISION Magazine Did you know there’s an app for IWCE?

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Mireya Carachure, Joe Cole, Carl Dellatore, Robert Döhlemann, Dick Gentry, Marv Hopkins, Tom Marusak, Joe Mehm

DESIGNERS & WORKROOMS FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE

Quent Blodgett, Dell and Susan Cannon, Brian and Tammy Connor, Onofrio and Mary Ann DeMattia, Dan and Jessica Martinez, Emma Messerschmidt, Cynthia M. Ney, Scott and Cori Peters, Sonie Skogerson, Cora Sutherland, Stephanie Wojcik

SUBSCRIPTIONS

877-344-7406 • WFVision@pubservice.com

30 years of window treatment inspiration

est Year Ever!

IWCE 2017

Make 2017 Your

Get Ready For

MAR + APR 2017 VOLUME 38, ISSUE 2

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 © 2017 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. Mar + Apr 2017, Volume 38, Issue 2.

BEST PRACTICES FOR

customer service INDUSTRY VETERANS:

30 years of insight IWCE KEYNOTE SPEAKER

pre-show interview TRIMMING TRENDS

VOLUME 38, ISSUE 2

MAR + APR 2017

then & now

Vision_MarApr17_Cover.indd 1

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6 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

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WELCOME grace note

We’re busy finalizing the results from our annual design and workroom competitions—meet this year’s winners at the awards ceremony March 8 at 5:00 pm—but the winners from the most recent Budget Blinds’ Inspired Drapes competition can be seen starting on page 60.

Thirty years is a long time to be doing anything, let alone publish a magazine for window coverings, but we did it! Former editor Gail Gutsche’s interview with some of the industry’s leaders at the time made me contemplate the long journey. There were many challenges, including a formidable competitor, but we made it through the good and bad times and we’ll be celebrating at IWCE in Charlotte, March 8 & 9!

Reviewing our early issues brings a smile to my face as I can’t believe we knew what we were doing. I have so many wonderful memories about launching our first educational conferences in Minneapolis and Seattle, realizing the need for education and developing our program into a multi-city traveling show and culminating in producing IWCE. Today, in response to technology, we offer “live” education at IWCE only and deliver great courses online through our Window Fashion Certified Professionals Program.

Education is our core mission and we are excited to offer you the best in Charlotte—from our cutting-edge seminar program to the many new products and demos you’ll see on the show floor. I hope to see you there!

Grace McNamara Publisher + CEO 8 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

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INSIGHT business coaching

The Best of Both Business Worlds Invest in inspiration

by Gail Doby, ASID

My business demands that I attend a lot of trade shows and conferences each year and I enjoy talking with vendors and getting a look at the latest products and trends. I don’t know of any other events where designers can gather so much valuable information all in one place.

An Investment in Your Business I understand why some designers hesitate to take time away from their business to attend a trade show. It’s a significant commitment of time and money. But, in my opinion, it is one of the best investments you can make for your business. Innovation, inspiration, variety—these are a designer’s stock in trade. You need to replenish these precious resources to keep your business fresh and up to date. You’re not going to do that sitting behind your desk. You need to get out and expose yourself to new designs and new ideas.

A trade show is a great way to do that.

Think of it this way: How many hours would you have to spend scanning magazines or browsing the Internet to gather the same information about new products and technologies— assuming you are disciplined or fortunate enough to set aside the time to do so? Where else would you have the opportunity to network with so many colleagues, vendors, and reps? Or to catch up with old friends and associates? We depend on those relationships month in and month out to help keep our business running smoothly.

The Value of Community To my mind, a trade show offers the best of both business worlds. It helps me keep current with what is going 10 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

on in the industry. At the same time, it gives me an opportunity to expand my outreach, to acquire new contacts, to develop new relationships, and to promote my brand.

Especially for sole practitioners and small business owners, it’s important to stay connected with others in the industry. We spend much of our time working alone or as the only member of the team in our profession or trade. From time to time we need to

A trade show is one-stop shopping for a designer. interact with our peers to regain our perspective. No one understands our business better than we do. We have so much we can share and learn from one another and so few opportunities to do so. A trade show not only gives us a reason and a place to gather; it also provides a lively environment that helps to stimulate our thinking and promote dialogue. Inevitably, I always come away with a few valuable ideas or insights that I can apply to my business right away.

Exhibitors are an important part of that community as well. Yes, they are there to promote their products, but they also have a substantial body of knowledge about their products and their industry that they are happy to share. Everybody likes to be recognized for their expertise. Often a vendor or rep will gladly help you troubleshoot a problem or direct you to a resource you did not know about.

Plus, it’s always good policy to stop by

and say hello to your favorite vendors and thank them for their good service, particularly if they’ve helped you out of a jam.

Professional Development Trade shows are also an excellent venue for enhancing your skills and discovering new ways to improve your business. You can conveniently catch up on that continuing education you’ve been putting off without worrying about disrupting your normal schedule or overextending your workweek. National and international trade shows pride themselves on featuring some of the best speakers and experts in the industry, so you can be assured of getting a quality presentation or class.

When you think about it, a trade show is one-stop shopping for a designer. You can view products, find out about the latest trends, brush up your business skills, network, and catch up with friends all under one roof. Afterwards, you’ll return to your firm brimming with new knowledge and inspiration. Your investment of a couple of days will keep on paying back throughout the year. z Gail Doby, ASID, is the co-founder of Gail Doby Coaching & Consulting, whose mission is to help you earn six figures doing what you love.

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INSIGHT business coaching

How to Build Your Online Credibility Simple steps to encourage visitors to become customers

by Welton Hong

While much of online marketing advice is focused on driving traffic to your website, that is only one step in the process. If visitors don’t become qualified leads and ultimately your clientele, then getting a lot of hits doesn’t add a dime to your bottom line.

That said, there are also plenty of tested techniques for helping convert visitors to customers, but they all start with one core aspect: your site’s credibility with potential customers. If visitors don’t feel comfortable and confident in your abilities when they view your website, they won’t do business with you.

Conveying credibility is imperative to converting interested homeowners into customers and locking in major sales.

Here are my six top ways to encourage visitors to your website to take that next step with you.

Improve Your “About Us” Page Like a lot of business owners, you may have thought it was enough to simply plop in a couple of brief biographical sentences about you and your staff, but that is a massive mistake. A much better plan is to make sure this section clearly explains who you are and why you’re the best choice for window fashions in your area.

Explain exactly what you do, where you’re located, and the service area you cover. Give this section a strong personal touch, including pictures of you and your smiling employees. Keep this in mind: People don’t just contract with local businesses—they contract with other people.

If you have strong roots in the community, put that information in there. If 12 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

you and/or members of your staff do local volunteer work or, for example, your company sponsors a local sports team, put that in there as well. Doing so conveys trustworthiness and interest in the people you serve as a business. Be sure not to come off as full of yourself, of course, but, by the same token, don’t be too modest.

While you’ll certainly be putting a specific call to action elsewhere on your website, it’s also a fine idea to throw in a line on your “About Us” page explaining the particular benefits you provide customers. Whatever that is, tie it into your mission statement as a business. You want visitors to feel they’re supporting good people and their own community when they do business with you.

Use “Marketplace Trust” Badges These types of badges convey objective proof of your business’s trustworthiness at a glance, which is critical in this digital age. Review badges—an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, the Angie’s List Super Service Award, or honors from Yelp and GuildQuality—go a long way toward demonstrating to a new visitor that your business can be trusted.

If you’ve been accredited by any of these institutions (or others), display those badges proudly! If you haven’t looked into such accreditations, get on it right away.

Truly Personal Testimonials Many websites include testimonials from happy clientele and these work wonderfully as long as they are—and look— legitimate. But when testimonials appear too anonymous in nature, they may actually do more harm than good. A couple of sentences followed by a generic identification such as “Larry H.” doesn’t

achieve much at all as many visitors will presume those are just made up by the business owner.

Make sure your website visitors know these rave reviews are from real people.

Get permission to include a full name and location, and (if at all possible) include a photo of the customer. Uploading an image of a written testimonial is another great tool.

Only include testimonials where visitors can feel assured these are actual satisfied customers who are so happy to support your business that they’ll put their names (and even photos) behind their compliments.

Make it Easy to Reach You Potential customers trust businesses they can call and get an immediate response from. It means that real people are waiting to answer questions and solve their window covering needs right away.

Make sure your contact information appears on every page of your site. Answer the phone “live” whenever possible (during business hours), and reply to emails promptly as well. If you also promote your business through social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook—which can also boost credibility—reply to tweets and messages promptly as well.

Show and Tell: Part One Take high-resolution before-and-after photos when you sell and install window fashions. These let visitors see for themselves just how good you are and the high quality of your products. This gets visitors excited about what you can do for them.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to take high-quality pictures. If the images

look amateurish, in a grainy, out-of-focus picture, so will your work.

Everything you do on your website conveys how professional you are, so take the time to get great photos in great lighting.

Show and Tell: Part Two Create a business profile video. Just a one-minute video showing your employees, your showroom, and work at an actual jobsite delivers instant credibility.

People love to look at videos and website visitors won’t have to imagine what your business is like if you show them for yourself.

Don’t assume DIY is the way to go just because your vacation videos turned out decently when shot on your iPhone! The difference between a professionally shot business video and a homemade one is substantial, and the impact on your business significant.

Review your current site to see where and how you can apply these tips to make your website more welcoming, more informative, and more conducive to converting visitors to customers. Website traffic is all well and good, but web-driven business is much better! zz

Just as with your photos, your video needs to look sharp. If you’re having trouble creating a professional video on your own, it’s worth it to hire a professional. Most areas have freelance videographers who can handle small projects at a good value.

Welton Hong is the founder of Ring Ring Marketing and a leading expert in creating leads from online to the phone line for window covering business.

For more information on marketing in the digital age, Hong will be speaking at IWCE in Charlotte in the following sessions: • Top 10 Proven Ways to Convert Website Visitors into Customers • What Will Work in 2017 to Generate More Leads • How to Increase Your Online Reputation and Reviews IWCE-Vision.com RingRingMarketing.com Facebook: RingRingMarketing

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INSIGHT business coaching

Survey Says…

Ask the right questions to the right audience

by Anna Runyan

If you have an idea, there is always one place you should start: gathering feedback from your potential future clients so you can identify the frustrations that they are facing, what their goals and dreams are, and how you can help.

Doing one-on-one interviews for this type of insight isn’t realistic, which is why surveys are such a popular tool.

But the challenge is to structure a survey correctly, so that the number and types of questions, the phrasing, the incentives, etc., delivers actionable results. Otherwise, you end up with a survey that is annoying to your customers instead of being informative for you.

Here are the six elements of a survey you need to have clearly organized before you push send.

Step One: Know Your Audience What is this group like? Who am I gearing this question toward? Put yourself in their shoes and pretend as if you were taking the survey. If you already have a relationship with them, you can make the survey a little longer and more complex. So your first question to yourself should be: How well do you know your audience?

Step Two: Define Your Objective What type of information are you trying to get from them? Too many surveys try to accomplish too much, instead focus on one problem you’d like to address.

You’d be surprised how many questions can be asked around one specific issue. This allows you to get deeper insight into a particular issue vs. general responses on general topics.

Step Three: Think User Experience Carefully consider how well you know 14 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

your client, and how well they know your products and services. Think about how they will approach your survey.

Start broad if they don’t know a lot regarding the topics you’re addressing, or be more focused if you’re sure they’re familar with the issues.

If you were taking your own survey, what time and place would you want to take it? Make sure you send it out at the right time, because if it gets “filed” in their inbox, you’ve most likely lost that potential respondant. Sometimes it is about trying different approaches to see what works—one test in the morning and another in the evening in order to catch your audience at the time that’s best for them. Sometimes I’ll even send out individual emails with the survey or make phone calls.

Step Four: Define Your Incentives I always try to set a goal in advance for the response rate I want. If you write out your goal, it helps push the process and encourages you to keep seeking those survey results. Your incentive is the great information you’ll garner.

But your audience needs its own incentive. For certain audiences it may be a gift card, but in many cases you want something more connected to your business— perhaps a PDF on 2017 color trends, or an exclusive report from a trade show you visited. Or offer a single, but more valuable “prize,” such as a consultation, a custom product, or something that relates directly to your services.

Just remember the point of all this: The more you can learn about them and talk to them, the better potential there is they can turn into a future client.

Step Five: Structure Your Questions Ideally, you want people to be able to answer your survey in 2–3 minutes.

For people who are familiar with you and your products or services, you can typically fit 10 or so questions in this time frame. For a new audience, that number should be pared back to 5 or 6.

Try to include a mix of question types to keep the survey from seeming repetitive.

These include: • ranking (most-to-least, 1-to-10, etc.)

• ranking with a value assessment • simple yes or no • suggestions for change • open-ended comments • recap of accomplishments Step Six: Analyze the Results Review the results and put them into an improvement plan. Find someone to review the data with you and help you transform those responses into actionable steps that will build your business. z Anna Runyan is the founder and CEO of ClassyCareerGirl.com, named by Forbes as one of the top 35 most influential career sites of 2014.

She helps millions of women design and launch their dream careers, businesses, and lives through her website, online courses, and social media channels.

Get started with broadening your network using Runyan’s free network action plan, available on her website. classycareergirl.com Facebook: theclassycareergirl Twitter: classycareer LinkedIn: annarunyan YouTube: classycareergirl

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INSIGHT business coaching

Creating Lasting Client Relationships Good business is more than just money in the bank

by James A. Holloway

Being in business is obviously about making money, but too often we get caught up focusing on the “bottom line” that we forget that being in business is not just about the revenue we receive from our clients but it’s also about the individuals, families, and other businesses that rely on our goods and services.

By focusing on the balance of our bank account, we forget that our client base is our business. In the beginning, nearly all business owners work to nurture those client relationships because they know that they have to fight to keep every client they land as they are getting their business off the ground.

As the years progress and the business establishes itself and starts to have some success, the client relationship tends to get pushed to the background and the focus shifts to the profit & loss statement or the quarterly earnings report. As we become successful, do we become “too big” to create meaningful relationships with our clients?

The Macy’s What-If How fast would Macy’s become one of the most popular retail clothing stores in America simply if it made the effort to change the way it looks at its clients?

• What if Macy’s implemented a new policy to reach out to their customers?

• What if their associates mailed out a handwritten thank you note to every customer they served in the course of a week?

• What if those efforts resulted in repeat business simply because they were appreciative of their customers?

16 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Right now, Macy’s may send out special coupons or passes for secret sales to its best customers (i.e., those who spend the most on their Macy’s credit card), but what if they thanked every single customer?

1. Be good for your word.

Unfortunately Macy’s will probably never do anything like this, citing reasons (i.e., excuses) such as “there’s no money in the budget” or “we could never get our employees to actually follow through” or “do you know how much that would cost in postage alone?”

4. Treat people with respect and dignity.

So here’s the challenge for you: Can your business do what Macy’s can’t (or won’t) do?

Absolutely. Any small- to medium-size business can and should do this, and so much more, in order to attract and retain customers.

The Long-Term Value of a Client The average family stays in their home seven years before they either remodel or buy a new home. If you are able to cultivate and maintain a relationship with that client, chances are fairly good that you will earn repeat business from them. Add to that the fact that the average person knows 250 people and each of those people know approximately 250 people, giving you a potential client base of 62,500 people for each client with whom you have developed a lasting relationship.

There’s no elaborate scheme or secret tips to developing a lasting relationship with your customers. All that is required is your willingness to do five simple things…things your parents or grandparents probably taught you as a child:

2. D on’t promise something you can’t deliver.

3. Admit when you’re wrong.

5. Be grateful for what you have and show your appreciation.

If you can do those five things with every client that you do business with, you will likely never have to worry about the “bottom line” ever again. z James A. Holloway has worked full time in the window treatment industry since 2001. He founded South East Installation Solutions, one of the few “installation-only” services in the Greenville, SC, area in 2009, and taught the professional installation curriculum at the Custom Home Furnishings Academy. He also writes for TraVerseBlog.com, a website that focuses on business, particularly in the window treatment industry.

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INSIGHT take note

Taking Root

Public relations from the ground up

by Kathy Wall

As a small business or a solopreneur, marketing is probably not at the top of your to-do list on a regular basis. And when it is, I bet that public relations may not even rate a mention as a marketing effort you plan to invest in. Many small businesses don’t budget for PR and you know what, that’s okay. But as a PR professional, I say don’t let that stop you!

Certainly there’s a place for traditional PR which relies on carefully crafted news releases and statements that are distributed to media, all planned and executed in a controlled manner. But there has always been another aspect to PR that is more community-driven and this is something small business owners can plan and execute themselves. It’s the grassroots approach and it’s a great way to integrate PR into your marketing efforts, especially as many of its tactics fit right in with the design process.

Going to Grass First off, grassroots public relations is based on creative ways of building relationships with specific groups within your community. There are many noand low-cost ways to actively build these relationships with those you want to know and support your brand. The results are improved brand recognition and reputation, motivating people to get in touch with you and your business.

Grassroot efforts reach people where they live, work, and play. Your fans or advocates grow the promotion for you in your area which, of course, is also the definition of positive word of mouth.

Mobile is now considered the new word of mouth, as the great majority of consumers say online research affects their purchase behavior. Tie this in with 18 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

social media, which actively encourages group participation, and you have a winning combination.

Think of Twitter and #hashtag campaigns, “likes” and “shares” on Facebook—these all encourage followers to become promoters, and in some cases advocates. Third-party advocacy equals endorsements. Advocates will not just be fans, but will be passionate about your brand. The ripple effect can positively affect potential sales well beyond the initial campaign. Try some of these: • Trackable codes in exchange for gifts or discounts • Distinctive hashtag with related contest • Online “flyers” (show/share this to get…)

• Flash sales for Facebook and Instagram followers Even better, these types of efforts are easily trackable, providing great analytics for you to determine what works best.

Event-Driven Grassroots strategy is not much different than planning traditional PR—first and foremost, you must understand your audience. But while the strategy might be similar, the tactics will be very different.

• Brainstorm some creative events you can host in your studio This is easier if you have wine first!

Seriously, think about the number of “wine and design” events you’ve probably heard of over the past few years.

Why not try one yourself? And honestly at The Media Matters, we do our

best creative thinking late in the day with our favorite vino, so even if you don’t want to host a “wine and design” perhaps you’ll think of something else.

What about: • A food drive to benefit your local pantry • Sponsor a Girl Scout/Boy Scout event • Host an art show for local students Bonus: When you honor/entertain kids, their parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles follow. Try hosting movie nights, music events, or chili cook-offs in your parking lot, plus there are innumerable local fundraisers and silent auctions that always need donations. Choose the ones that best fit your customer base.

Work with your vendors and leverage their support to bring in knowledge leaders, notables, and celebrities.

Grassroots PR centers around not being the biggest, but the best. Grassroots PR takes time, but pays excellent dividends. Good luck! 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 three decades before forming her own business 16 years ago. Her motto? “We don’t work with jerks.” themediamatters.com Facebook: themediamatters Twitter: @themediamatters

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INSIGHT take note

Better Booking

How to land more appointments

by Madeleine MacRae

There is a window of time between the inspired moment in which a lead reaches out to your business, looking to secure your services, and the time by which they have completely forgotten your name.

If you’re concerned that too many calls may be “bugging” them, just remember: Your leads are the people who will become happy clients whose lives your products have improved, so don’t be shy! Be persistent.

To harness the full profitability of every lead you’ve worked so hard to gain, you have to have a system in place to ensure that every moment of initial contact translates into an appointment.

Execute the Follow Up Given that the majority of calls go to voicemail, you need to be prepared for that eventuality. Have a mini script for your messages which include a call to action and a promise to follow up.

Then, make good on your promise and actually send them a follow-up email.

Most leads receive only two calls before being abandoned.

When you consider that many calls go to voicemail, twice is nowhere near enough. Then factor in that many sales experts believe that wonderful window of opportunity between inspiration and irrelevence is only 24 hours, a foolproof plan to actually speak to that lead becomes crucial. You’ll need to be tenacious and work a system that is built around three core elements: • speed, • frequency, • follow up.

The Need for Speed Chances of getting in touch with a lead increase exponentially if you react to an inquiry or pick up a phone call right away—after all 24 hours passes very quickly. As soon as you see a lead, act on it. Some of the most successful dealers I’ve worked with will excuse themselves from a client conversation to quickly touch base with an incoming lead. Take a cue from them and don’t let a lead sit, because if that lead doesn’t receive an immediate response, they’ll simply move on to the next option.

Try, Try Again Don’t fall into the trap of returning phone calls and emails first thing in the morning. When you do that, you are hitting people during the busiest time of day: 7:00 am to 9:00 am—the very hours when most people are hustling to prepare for work, drop kids off at school, and get settled into their day.

Instead, set up callback time slots in your day that work for your leads. Leverage the power of your CRM systems and your calendar to automatically remind you to send those follow-up emails or to make those third, fourth, and fifth calls. Chances are, if the intensity and frequency of your response isn’t scheduled into your plan, it won’t get executed.

20 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

When you follow up a voicemail with an email that contains the word “voicemail” in the subject line, studies have shown that your email is more likely to be opened and garner a positive response.

Every piece of this system—from taking instant action, to increasing your call frequency, to having a consistently promised and executed follow-up sequence—gives you a slight edge on your less organized, less tenacious competitors. It is that edge that allows you to create a dramatically improved return on the investment you spend annually on lead generation.

Letting your leads turn cold by being slow to respond or by being unwilling to make those few extra outreach calls is one of the sneakiest profit leaks in our industry. Plug your leak with a tenacious and persistent plan! z Having built sales from zero to more than $1 million in several markets, Madeleine MacRae brings unique perspective to her business, MM MacRae Coaching & Consulting.

With over a decade of experience working with contractors, dealers, and manufacturers in the home professionals industry, she shares the insights she knows, understands, and has codified to help her clients shortcut their way to success. mmmacrae.com Linked In: macraemadeleine

Experience WCAA Where you are NEVER in business alone.

Member Benefits at a Glance: · Monthly educational webinars

· Local chapter networking

· Industry discounts and members-only perks

· Free on-line directory listing on WCAA Website

WCAA is the only national non-profit trade association dedicated to the retail window coverings industry and to our membership of designers, decorators, workrooms, installers and dealers.

Enjoy all these benefits and more; join today at www.wcaa.org

Window Fashion Vision | 21

INSIGHT leader board

An Accurate Quote

A new Cloud-based solution to providing immediate, in-home pricing an interview with Joe Mehm of Windowware Pro

A true veteran of the window treatment industry, Joe Mehm has created and operated a series of retail operations, both at the local level and also through Internet-based businesses such as Blinds.com. Always aware of shifting trends, Mehm recognized the opportunities offered by widespread use of mobile technology. He realized there was a gap in terms of the information regarding window treatments available online and the systems required to accurately quote any custom window treatment design. Undaunted by the complications, Mehm has spent the last several years building such a system—one that delivers immediate, accurate quotes for any type of window treatment product, from any manufacturer.

Can you provide a little more background for why you decided to make Windowware Pro your next business?

Joe Mehm: My experience with Internet businesses included designing extremely detailed software systems and this, coupled with my retail background, allowed me to see the time was right for this product.

There are other estimating programs, but most are exclusive to a specific manufacturer’s products or, in other cases where multiple product lines are included, the Windows-based programs can feature out-of-date pricing, delayed updates, and less-than-robust mobile functionality. Our goal was to create a Cloud-based system that would function for any type of product, from any manufacturer, with all updates, pricing, and technical support immediately available.

What has been the development timeline?

JM: We started working on this more than eight years ago. It’s

taken a long time to get things right because, let’s be honest, our industry is unlike any other when it comes to creating a completed order! There are literally hundreds of possible combinations of options and configurations available from the different manufacturers. For a dealer to be able to quote any brand, any product type, and any option, a software system needs to allow for a vast array of pricing modules to be utilized.

Calculating an accurate price demands structures that may include: grid-based pricing, single line pricing, width based, height based, flat list, flat net, percent based, square inch based, square foot based, divide overall size by two, divide by three, sub option grids, by yardage and number of panels, etc. Building a system to accommodate just one manufacturer or pricing structure would have been simple. But we wanted to create an unrestricted system that allows dealers to build their businesses the way they want. And that meant having to address all the complexities of various pricing options.

What were the particular end-user concerns you want your system to solve?

JM: I come from the old-school notepad and pencil days, where every measure sheet was handwritten, every price quote was manually pulled from the vendors list price book, and every quote and comparison quote was manually calculated. It was time consuming and error prone—a process that is a mine field of potential and extremely expensive errors.

I remember arriving at the customer’s home with a notepad, pencil, calculator, and tape measure, along with a very heavy briefcase loaded with pricing and product spec manuals. All too often I’d still have to lug all that back to my office to complete a detailed quote, and expensive pricing errors still snuck through.

That additional time not only adds hours to the work week but it could potentially cost a sale. Anytime you leave the home without the deposit, you also leave an open door for another company to step in and take that job.

Immediate, accurate quotes are key to closing a sale. Windowware Pro manages that as well as your contacts, scheduling, and much more, all from a single, hand-held device.

22 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

The time I spent building highly efficient ordering processes for my window covering Internet businesses helped me realize there could be a simpler and safer way to do this. As handheld, mobile technology advanced, a Cloud-based system, accessible from anywhere, meant that dealers could simply tap in the window measurements, select their prod-

ORION

ORNAMENTAL IRON, INC.

Traversing Systems ucts and options, then produce an accurate quote right there in the customer’s home. This means a much higher possibility of completing the sale and leaving with a check in hand.

Our software allows a dealer to trade in their heavy briefcase, notepad, pencil, and calculator and arrive with a compact tablet and laser measuring device or steel tape instead.

Aside from being “open” in terms of its product array, what are some of the other key features of your system?

JM: One of the most important issues that our software addresses is the ability to use any device out in the field to assist with closing the job on the spot. It also includes most all of the other tools they would need to manage their dayto-day business operations. For example, instead of having to use spreadsheets, third-party calendars for scheduling, invoicing tools, etc., they can simply use our business management system. Everything from managing their contacts, appointment calendar, quotes, orders, job costing, quote follow up, job flow progress, installers, taxes, accounting, employee user levels, and more are included. And most importantly, this was all developed specifically for window treatment dealers—not adapted from some other industry.

Other important features include: • A Cloud-based system means it can be used anywhere and is always kept up to date.

• There are single- and multiple-user options.

• Users can create unlimited quotes and also generate comparison quotes for each customer with no limit on the number of products to compare.

• The system works with all brands, including both major manufacturers and private label.

• New features are added weekly, sometimes daily.

What type of training or support is offered?

JM: At no additional cost, we offer unlimited training and support for not just the owner, but also their entire staff. We pride ourselves on our ability to listen to every dealer, no matter their size, to learn their needs and improve the platform. z windowwarepro.com

Our beautiful traversing collections are available in iron, wood and lightweight embossed metal designs in over 100 finishes and over 200 different finial styles. When using traversing systems, draperies will open and close easier than traditional rod and ring combinations through the use of heavy-duty glides, tracks, and pulleys. Use them manually with cords or batons, or combine them with Somfy Motorization. Call us today and let us help you create your perfect design.

VISIT US AT BOOTH #409 sales@ironartbyorion.com | www.ironartbyorion.com | 877.476.6278

Window Fashion Vision | 23

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It’s All Connected In the fall of 1986, Gail Gutsche was an unemployed editor paging through the want ads when a position at an unnamed trade magazine caught her eye. Three interviews later, Grace McNamara, who had just recently purchased Window Fashions, hired Gutsche. This newly formed team, who coincidentally had attended high school together, worked tirelessly to turn a struggling trade publication into a successful, respected, industry staple.

24 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Thirty years have passed, and the enduring success of the magazine and trade show remain a testament to the strong start they provided. “As a friend, Gail has kept in touch,” said McNamara, “and I thought it would be an interesting way to mark this anniversary to have her interview some of the industry leaders we initially met in our early years together, as they contributed both to the industry, and to the success of this magazine.”

Window Fashion Vision | 25

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let’s set the stage… In the mid-’80s, prior to the numerous buy-outs,

acquisitions, and closures that would soon follow, transforming the industry into the consolidated, streamlined animal that it is today, just about anyone could, and did, open shop. Mom and Pop operations in southern Florida fabricated blinds in garages and out of the backs of trucks. Product innovation was thunderous, competition fierce, and trade shows bursting with new creations. The days of single panel draperies, aluminum mini-blinds, and vinyl roller shades dominating the market were over.

Enter the era of opulent top treatments, elegant, ornate drapery hardware, and revolutionary energysaving honey-combed shades that came in numerous pleat sizes, myriad colors and textures, and ran horizontal as well as vertical. Interviews and commentary by Gail Gutsche

JOE COLE, GRABER Soon after I was hired, Grace and I hit the road, paying visits to key industry players.

One of our first stops was Middleton, WI, where we called on Joe Cole, then vice president of sales and marketing at Springs Window Fashions (Graber). Cole had been with the company only a few years, and was eager to find a way to compete with the newest product on the block, a gangbuster called Duette. The answer was CrystalPleat, a hit for Graber, invented by Cole, and one that is still a top seller today. Soon afterwards, Graber introduced Cascade, a Roman shade that was also a best-seller.

Cole worked for Graber for seven years, then moved on to Del Mar (Newell) and Verosol for a few years, before co-founding Wilco, which sold skylight and solarium shades—an untapped market at the time. Cole retired from the business in 2005, but recalls with enthusiasm his years working there.

“When I came into the industry, the major players were LouverDrape, Levolor, and Kirsch,” recalls Cole. “Levolor was soon sold, and it almost disappeared. Then Hunter Douglas came along with a new product—Duette—and marketed it very well. At the same

Above: While often critical of the magazine,

time LouverDrape (Home Fashions) was scaling back, so there

Cole realized that a strong advertising presence

was an opening in the marketplace. I put my money, advertising, and promotions with Window Fashions magazine. Graber became one of the major players in the industry, and Window Fashions contributed to that success.”

26 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

for all of Graber’s products was an important aspect in building the company’s market share.

Opposite page, top: Malou and Joe Cole.

During our meeting in Middleton, Cole had a few choice things to say about the fledgling magazine, and was not shy about suggesting changes he thought would improve its chances of becoming the industry leader. It was the only time I’ve ever seen Grace speechless. After resurrecting my apoplectic boss, we headed for home, where we set to work reimagining the magazine and incorporating many of his suggestions.

MARV HOPKINS, HUNTER DOUGLAS Shortly after purchasing the magazine in ’86, Grace attended the western trade show in San Francisco, where she and Marv Hopkins, the newly hired president of the window fashions division of Hunter Douglas in Broomfield, CO, crossed paths for the first time. Hopkins spent 29 years with Hunter Douglas, rising to become chairman and CEO of Hunter Douglas North America and Canada, before retiring in 2016.

“I remember meeting Grace in San Francisco,” says Hopkins. “She was very outgoing, vibrant, great personality. Vivacious. Everybody liked her. She was excited about the industry and interested in our products. She had a booth and Hunter Douglas had a booth featuring the new Duette. It was exciting. Things were moving very quickly and we were having great fun.”

Like Graber, Hunter Douglas became an anchor advertiser in Window Fashions magazine, and advertised consistently until the early 2000s, when their focus switched from advertising to designers and retailers to marketing directly to consumers. Hunter Douglas developed a series of successful “ette” products, including Vignette, Luminette, Silhouette, Pirouette, and Duette.

“By the end of the ’80s, Duette was definitely our most important product, but it wasn’t the biggest volume,” recalls Hopkins. “That was aluminum blinds, which is how Hunter Douglas started in 1946. Our focus was and is on Above: Duette, the industry-changing product, was launched around the same time Grace pur-

product innovation. To develop unique products with the aesthetic and functionality that set us

chased the magazine, so in a sense, they “grew

apart. Today, Duette is still the most important

up” together. Right: Collette and Marv Hopkins.

product, followed by Silhouette and Pirouette.”

Window Fashion Vision | 27

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TOM MARUSAK, COMFORTEX Hunter Douglas has played a role in Tom Marusak’s (the co-founder and president of Comfortex, Maplewood, NY) life as well: Comfortex became a wholly owned subsidiary of Hunter Douglas in 2000.

Marusak notes that one of the most significant industry changes was the consolidation of scores of regional fabricators and moderate-size manufacturers into a few strong companies that bring order and leadership to a market that was once a free-for-all with few barriers to entry. But when Grace and Marusak met back in 1986, Comfortex was one of those medium-size fabricators, As with most of the surviving businesses in the window treatment family, Comfortex has changed course numerous times throughout its 30-year history. It started out catering to high-end retailers and designers as a fabricator known as a color leader in the industry, a distinction it still holds today, cataloging over 31,000 colors. In 1991, it began manufacturing honeycomb products, selling to retail fabricators, which contributed to significant growth of the company. By the late ’90s, Comfortex was a wholesale distributor—shipping fabric and hardware all over the world. Then in 2010, it pioneered a production-on-demand manufacturing strategy, which requires no stockpiling of inventory. Marusak recalls the beginning of the journey.

“I will always cherish the dinner that Grace and I shared together at the Boston DrapAbove: A Symphony ad from the early 1980s features Marusak’s wife and

ery Show in Andover, MA, in 1986, when

daughter. Right: Ten years ago Maru-

we both speculated on our respective start-

sak re-learned to play the accordion

up company’s opportunities to succeed

which he played as a child. Fun fact:

in the window coverings industry,” recalls

Grace also played accordion as a child.

Marusak. “We were just kids. I was so new

to the industry. My background was in the aerospace industry, and here I was making window shades. At the time, we were both newcomers and underdogs. Thirty years later, we can both look back with pride on what we accomplished and what respective contributions we may have made to help move the industry forward and in a positive direction that today benefits many. I still bound out of bed every day with enthusiasm. We have a long way to go and I’m still going strong.”

28 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

DICK GENTRY, WESCO “My journey at Wesco started in 1968 when I married the boss’ daughter. I showed up on my first day with a threepiece suit and was told by my father-in-law that they didn’t have a job for a junior administer. So I started in the wood shop where I learned to develop our proprietary patterns and designs in woven woods,” says Gentry. He and his wife Marla, who serves as president and CEO, took over the business in 1986, when his father-in-law passed away, and have been a formidable, adaptive team ever since.

Gentry recalls the mid-’80s as a time when Hunter Douglas and Graber swept into the market with breath taking new alternative products. That, and the evolution of really good ready-made-product from design-oriented retailers, changed the industry forever.

“Back then, we were selling decorative fabrics, valances, bedding, and woven woods. Today, there are myriad choices that a window coverings professional can put at the window. It’s very competitive. Hunter Douglas is gigantic, and the style leader in all of these interesting products. Designers are specifying much simpler treatments, with fewer under and top treatments,” he says.

In order to remain competitive, Wesco diversified into different markets, including home furnishings, and expanded its distribution.

“Very few of my competitors have a custom workroom. That’s what helped us keep the lights on, and keep going,” says Gentry. “We’ve always been pretty conservative. We didn’t take a lot of risks on crazy fabrics. We were

Dick Gentry with his wife Marla, left, met up with Grace purely by happenstance at the O’Brien Estate in Napa, CA, a few years ago.

decorative and smart. We’re still an artisan workroom. We do custom work for designers from Maine to Maui.”

Gentry offers some sage advice for today’s window treatment specialists. “There are many fabulous lines of decorative fabrics, custom hardware, and more. Partner with companies who understand your market, your business, and your needs. Try to be important to your supplier and they will bend over backward for you with service and special arrangements. Top customers receive top treatment in almost every instance. There are plenty of nice-looking ready-made window coverings available, so promote the custom elements of your business. Promote your unique signature and ability to create the window covering dreams of your clients. Stay hip to what is fresh and cool in the market. Be active on social media so you can gain traction and get your personal brand out there! That’s why I really appreciate Window Fashion Vision. It’s a viable tool for keeping designers and professionals up to date on color trends and international trends. The trade is so thirsty for knowledge and Grace is the only one doing it.”

Window Fashion Vision | 29

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ROBERT DöHLEMANN, DöFIX Robert Döhlemann, president of döfix International, sales director for döfix Germany, and vice president of döfix USA, shares this with his colleagues: He’s been in the business a long time. This year marks the 40th anniversary of döfix, and Döhlemann has been an integral part of the family-owned, Stuttgart-based business since he was a child. .

“The company was founded in 1977 by my dad. We started out in our basement—I rolled up tapes by hand as they came out of the machine. As a teenager, I was in charge of repairing the steam irons,” recalls Döhlemann. “My dad’s policy was that none of his sons could work at the company without working some where else first. So, I was a banker for four years before starting full time at döfix.”

By offering products that no one else did, products that “take the sewing out of window treatments,” döfix quickly found success. Bortenfix (the name is made from the German word borte, meaing trim and fix) is a bonding tape used for hemming fabrics, to apply banding and trim, or to join fabrics. First developed in the ’80s, this is still a best-seller as Above: This ad from February 2004 demonstrates the long, consistent relationship between

clients have found hundreds of uses for this versatile product.

döfix and Window Fashion Vision. Right: Robert Döhlemann and his wife, Aleksandra.

The company has been with Window

Fashion from the start, advertising in the magazine and exhibiting at its trade shows. As with his competitors, Döhlemann hasn’t participated in a trade show for many years, but döfix will exhibit at the upcoming IWCE show in Charlotte this March.

“Grace takes the time to talk with me in person, shows interest in our company, and genuinely tries to help us generate business,” says Döhlemann. “People express themselves through their window treatments. We still loyally advertise in Window Fashion Vision because it helps designers and retailers to network, to help them grow their business. That is why the magazine is, and always has been, so important.” zz

Gail Gutsche is a former editor of Window Fashion Vision magazine, a former Montana state legislator, and a former non-profit director, who occasionally freelances.

She has lived in Missoula, MT, for the past 25 years, where she enjoys camping and running rivers.

30 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

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h

Hot Topics a

34 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

In 1977, GĂźnter DĂśhlemann, a textile chemist, invented a product to make soft cornices consisting of a very stiff textile backing with a hot-melt adhesive. His goal was to provide a product that improved overall workroom productivity while also enhancing the look of the final product by eliminating the wrinkling, pulling, and needle marks that can result when stitching fabrics.

Window Fashion Vision | 35

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It was a unique approach to custom drapery construction that quickly caught on in both Döhlemann’s native Germany and, soon enough, in the United States. Now, forty years later, Robert Döhlemann heads up döfix, the company his father founded on the belief that heat and adhesive could work as well, if not better, with fabrics than a needle and thread.

“My dad invented the first stiffeners and iron-on loop fasteners,” said Döhlemann, “and it was a family business from the beginning. My three brothers and myself now split the responsibilities, with two of us in sales and two in production, but all of us always work on new products and solutions together.”

Adding to the Family Business Although döfix is probably best known for its iron-on tapes and backings, Döhlemann explained that the tapes account for only about 25% of its business.

“We offer a complete range of professional workroom equipment, including several commercial steam iron options, as well as iron-on backings, Roman shade lift systems, sliding panel systems, and cordless shade systems.”

Döhlemann is particularly proud of the fact that a cordless shade system was in place years before child safety became an issue. “These were originally designed for skylights and sunroom windows but became popular for bottom-up/top-down shades,” he said, but admits that child-safe products remain an ongoing challenge.

“Our goal is always to design products that are aesthetically up to our standards, improve productivity, and of course, to be compliant with the new standards.”

Adjusting to New Standards The company started with specific cord safety developments three years ago. “Our first safety tape was an iron-on shade tape with integrated pullcord and shroud. There is no need for sewing on rings,” said 36 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Döhlemann. “The second safety tape is a cord shroud with an integrated pullcord. It attaches with connectors to the loops or rings of shade tapes or to sewnon rings. This can even be used to convert existing shades to make them compliant.” Another innovation is the company’s autodescend shade system, which smoothly lowers and raises the shade, without motors, batteries, or wiring.

Creative Success “The secret to the success of our iron-on products lies in the particular coating that is used and the high-quality weave of the products,” added Döhlemann. “In the company’s early years we often had to explain how and why the iron-on products work, but as designs using our products endured for many years after installation, through dry cleaning, and other typical wear-and-tear, the industry gained confidence in the efficiency and durability of our products.”

It is an interesting twist on the company’s emphasis on efficiency that, while window treatment styles have changed, even the earliest döfix products remain available. “Fashions may have changed, but the products are still the same,” said Döhlemann. Add to that the fact that workroom professionals are constantly coming up with new ways to use the company’s tapes, liners, stiffeners, and backing. “The creativity of our customers is inspiring and challenges us to continue to research and develop more great new products,” said Döhlemann. “This focus on working to solve new issues combined with our ability to provide excellent customer service are important parts of the continued success at döfix.”

dofix.com

Window Fashion Vision | 37

Join thousands of industry pros

MARCH 8–9

2017 Charlotte NC

SPECIAL EVENT S HOME DÉCOR FROM THE GROUND UP: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO THE DESIGN PROCESS Deb Barrett | Principal & Founder, Window Dressings TUESDAY, MARCH 7 • 8am−6pm

Get a unique behind-the-scenes look at the processes involved in creating almost every design product for the home. With exclusive access to manufacturers, showrooms and studios, this full day pre-conference tour brings you to the center of North America’s design universe. Transportation and lunch included.

Go to wf-vision.com for a full tour itinerary.

Early registration by Jan.15: After Jan. 15:

$199 $249

DUKE MANSION TOUR & HIGH TEA TUESDAY, MARCH 7 • 10:30am−2pm Built in 1915, The Duke Mansion has been home and host to leaders of the 20th century. After your guided tour, enjoy High Tea in the Ray Dining Room while you nibble on tea sandwiches, scones, and desserts prepared by Executive Chef Harrison Booth. Shuttle included. $65

WFCP FAST TRACK WORKROOM CERTIFICATION BECOME A WINDOW FASHION WORKROOM PROFESSIONAL IN 1½ DAYS Staci Faulkner | Owner, Staci Faulkner Designs STARTS TUESDAY • 9am−5pm The 6-week Fast Track program combined into a day-and-a-half. You will learn basic business set-up, basic workroom set-up, fabrication of panels, valances, Roman shades, cornices and bedding.

COCKTAIL RECEPTION

KEYNOTE LUNCHEON & BOOK SIGNING

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8 • 3−5pm Join Rollease Acmeda in Booth 723 for a free cocktail reception on the show floor.

THURSDAY, MARCH 9 • 12:30−1:45pm Luncheon with keynote speaker Carl Dellatore, Industry Veteran, Textile Designer, Author. $65

2017 AWARDS CEREMONY

WCAA STUDENT TOUR

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8 • 5:15−7pm Window Fashion Vision Design & Workroom Competitions – an Oscar-themed celebration at the historic Mint Museum. FREE

COCKTAIL RECEPTION & MEET AND GREET

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8 • 3−5pm Meet award winning window treatment authority and author Luann Nigara at a cocktail hour in Wilson Fabrics booth 717.

Hands-on learning in a fast-paced class to give participants the knowledge they need to become a WFCP Workroom Specialist.

Test will be given during the last session. $750

An

EXCITING NEW ROSTER

connect at IwCe of

THURSDAY, MARCH 9 • 1−3pm Lead by Michele Williams, WCAA Past President, Owner, Scarlet Thread Consulting.

Join industry leaders for an exciting introduction to window coverings. FREE

BOOK SIGNING & COCKTAIL RECEPTION

THURSDAY, MARCH 9 • 3−5pm Meet keynote speaker and industry veteran Carl Dellatore at a book signing and cocktail hour in the Wilson Fabrics booth 717.

COCKTAIL RECEPTION

THURSDAY, MARCH 9 • 3−5pm Join Hangzhou Jiulin Wood Industry Co. & Fairway Shutters in Booth 811 for a free cocktail hour on the show floor.

EVENTS, EDUCATION, HANDS-ON TRAINING

& more!

SEMINARS AT-A-GLANCE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8 TIME

SPEAKER

TOPIC / EVENT

CODE

PRICE

(MEMBER/NON)

OPENING CEREMONIES: Excellence is a Decision: Top 10 Things I Learned From a Well Designed Business

WE1

Workroom Math: Confidence in Your Numbers

WE2-S

$120 / $165

Modern Embellishment: The History and Revival of Trimmings

WE3

$35 / $50

Open Your Color Toolbox to Success

WE4

$35 / $50

WE5

$35 / $50

Intro to Motorized Window Coverings & How to Sell Them Confidently WE6

$35 / $50

Planning For a Profitable Window Coverings Business by Pricing Your Services Right

WE7

$35 / $50

An Installer’s Guide to Dressing the Window

WE8

$35 / $50

Put Your Wanderlust at the Window

WE9

$35 / $50

T. Paradoski / Tracy Windell

Slipcover vs Upholstery Showdown

WE10

$35 / $50

W. Hong

Top 10 Proven Ways to Convert Website Visitors Into Customers WE11

$35 / $50

8–9:15am

LuAnn Nigara

9am–Noon

A. Johnson

9:15–10:30am

J. Platina Phipps

9:15–10:30am

J. L. Weary

9:15–10:30am

L. Medford

High End Custom Window Coverings: From Picture to Reality

9:15–10:30am

O’D McKewan

9:15–10:30am

M. Williams

11am–12:15pm

J. Shinn

11am–12:15pm

D. Barrett

11am–12:15pm 11am–12:15pm

Free for paid attendees

1–2pm

S. Bursten

Panel: How to Take Your Home Business to a Half Million Dollars WE12

$35 / $50

1–2pm

Panel

Design Collaboration: The Designer-Workroom-Installer Team J. Shinn, J.R. Scully, J. Wood & R. Rucci

WE13

$35 / $50

1–2pm

LuAnn Nigara

Increase Your Profits by Finding a Niche

WE14

$35 / $50

2:30–3:45pm

D. Barrett

Pattern Play: Lessons in Scheming the Perfect Mix on the Window WE15

$35 / $50

2:30–3:45pm

J. L. Weary

Styling Secrets & Strategies

WE16

$35 / $50

2:30–3:45pm

O’D McKewan

Mastering Motorization of Custom Window Coverings

WE17

$35 / $50

2:30–3:45pm

T. Paradoski

It’s All in the Details: Embellishments and Beyond

WE18

$35 / $50

WE19

Free

5:15–7pm

DESIGN COMPETITION – Mint Museum

THURSDAY, MARCH 9 TIME

SPEAKER

9am–Noon

O’D McKewan

9am–Noon

J. Shinn

9:15–10:30am

D. Barrett

9:15–10:30am

L. Medford

Beginners: Right Solutions: Calculating Yardage and Quoting

TH4

$35 /$50

9:15–10:30am

J. Wood/R. Rucci

Printing Design Techniques

TH5

$35 /$50

9:15–10:30am

M. Williams

Be Your Brand

TH6

$35 / $50

11am–12:15pm

J. L. Weary

What’s Trending and Why it is Important

TH7

$35 / $50

11am–12:15pm

Tracy Windell / T. Paradoski

25 Workroom Tips: Work Smarter, Not Harder

TH8

$35 / $50

11am–12:15pm

W. Hong

What Will Work in 2017 to Generate More Leads

TH9

$35 / $50

11am–12:15pm

S. Schultz

The Future of Fabric

TH10

$35 / $50

12:30–1:45pm

C. Dellatore

1pm

WCAA

Student Tour

Free

TOPIC / EVENT

CODE

SUPER SESSION Advanced Techniques for Designing & Installing Motorized Window Coverings

TH1-S

$120 / $165

SUPER SESSION Inside the Installer’s Vehicle

TH2-S

$35 / $50

TH3

$35 / $50

It’s Personal: Secrets of the Bespoke Window

PRICE

Keynote Luncheon & Book Signing: Int. Design Master Class TH11

2–4:45pm

A. Johnson

2:30–3:45pm

J. Shinn

2:30–3:45pm

W. Hong

2:30–3:45pm

J. Wood / R. Rucci

(MEMBER/NON)

$65

TH12

SUPER SESSION Confident Swags

TH13-S

$120 / $165

Closing High End Sales

TH14

$35 / $50

How to Increase Your Online Reputation and Reviews

TH15

$35 / $50

Window Dressing: Now & Then

TH16

$35 / $50

LEARN MORE & REGISTER AT

IWCE-VISION.com

CONSTRUCTION ZONE THEATER Year after year the CONSTRUCTION ZONE continues to be a bustling hub for learning & inspiration as top workroom experts share their techniques, passions and talents through hands-on and lecture style demonstrations.

This year’s Broadway theme is sure to delight.

The Window Fashion Artisan Project features ‘over the top’ window treatments that are sure to inspire. Each display reflects six of the most popular show titles: Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Mary Poppins, Miss Saigon, Kinky Boots, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

No theater is complete without a marquee and ticket booth!

Stop by for your photo op in the nostalgic velvet-draped booth under the lights of the Vision17 Construction Zone Theater Marquee. (but don’t worry – tickets aren’t really needed as everything is still free!)

CONSTRUCTION ZONE THEATER

SCHeDUle

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8 TIME

TOPIC

DEMONSTRATOR

CZ THEATER AREA

9:30am

Safe-T-Shade

Terri Booser

Show Hall

10:00am

Hand Smocking

Julie Wood

Assembly Hall

10:30am

Out of the Box Cornices

Rachel Barrera

Show Hall

11:00am

Felt Applique Embellishments

Julie Wood

Assembly Hall

11:30am

Rowley’s New Roman Shade Spring System

Laurie Medford

Show Hall

NOON

Reversible Zippered Pillow

Rachel Barrera

Assembly Hall

12:30pm

Low Bulk Attached Valance Panels

Rose Mary LeBlanc

Show Hall

1:00pm

Soft Cornices

Cathy Tucker

Assembly Hall

1:30pm

Tips from the Installer

Jeff Booser

Show Hall

2:00pm

Loading Zippers

Laurie Medford

Assembly Hall

2:30pm

Quick and Simple Faux Romans

Bianca Henry

Assembly Hall

3:00pm

One Medallion Stacked Panel

Rachel Barrera

Show Hall

3:30pm

The Trapezoid London Shade

Cathy Tucker

Assembly Hall

4:00pm

Making Beaded Tassels

Laurie Medford

Show Hall

THURSDAY, MARCH 9 TIME

TOPIC

DEMONSTRATOR

CZ THEATER AREA

9:30am

Pleating to Pattern

Ann Johnson

Show Hall

10:00m

Shaped Banding

Cathy Tucker

Assmebly Hall

10:30am

Italian Stringing

Ann Johnson

Show Hall

11:00am

Tag Gun Smocking

Cathy Tucker

Assmebly Hall

11:30am

Unique Center Field Pillows

Laurie Medford

Show Hall

NOON

Put A Knot In It

Ann Johnson

Assmebly Hall

12:30pm

Slipcovers– Cruising Around the Curves

Rose Mary LeBlanc

Show Hall

1:00pm

Sun-burst Pillow

Terri Booser

Assmebly Hall

1:30pm

Pre-lined Hinged Cornices

Jeff Booser

Show Hall

2:00pm

How to Use the Grommet Template

Laurie Medford

Assmebly Hall

2:20pm

WCAA Scholarship and Techniques

Julie Wood

Show Hall

2:30pm

Bedding Inspiration and Techniques

Staci Faulkner

Show Hall

3:00pm

Bound Zippers and Button Holes

Cathy Tucker

Assmebly Hall

3:30pm3:30pm

Safe-T-Shade

Terri Booser

Show Hall

INSPIRE design file

What a Difference a Bay Makes 42 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Emma Messerschmidt reinvents an awkward space into a relaxing guest room.

Window Fashion Vision | 43

INSPIRE design file

44 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

When Emma Messerschmidt of 7 Sisters Interiors, San Diego, CA, first walked into her client’s rarely used guest bedroom, she saw an uninspiring bed in a bland room, with window treatments and furnishings that were more than 20 years old. “The very basic bed was pushed right up into the center of the bay window,” remembered Messerschmidt, “and I initially wondered at such an awkward placement.”

But a quick glance around confirmed that position was actually the only place for the bed.

French doors to the exterior, a door to the en-suite bathroom, a door to the hallway, a door to the closet…all those doors and very little wall space meant that trying to move the bed anywhere else in the room would make for an even more difficult arrangement. So the bed would stay, but Messerschmidt was determined to make it more enticing. A modern fretwork-style headboard in white was adapted to fit the queen mattress as flush as possible into the bay.

The open design provides support for an inviting array of pillows but doesn’t distrupt the flow of the bay. Two plug-in sconces and two minimalist side tables are practical and noninstrusive additions.

As for dressing the bed and the windows, Messerschmidt selected a palette that would fit with the current wall color while providing a cheerful, welcoming tone. A mid-tone green is the main color, with subtle purple accents in the decorative pillow covers. A soft valance with gently curved stepdowns highlights the bay window without overpowering the space. Contrast banding emphasizes the shape and helps distinguish the valance from the side panels and, in an unusual touch, that design element isn’t just used on the bottom edge, but between the valance sections as well. The existing light-filtering shades can be pulled up under the valance.

On the French doors (see next page), dated-looking shirred sheers were replaced with a flat-hung semi-sheer, for a cleaner, more contemporary look that both better suited the newly redesigned room and kept the focus on the bed in the bay. An incredibly detailed wicker chair, a modern rustic cabinet, and an eclectically curated selection of art help complete the ambience of the space.

Her gratified client commented on the transformation: “After 20 years and constantly being unhappy with the bay window dressing, it is now amazing! The green in the window treatment merges with the tree tops outside, giving you a very serene feeling. Guests love the room and the view and I couldn’t be more pleased with the finished look. zz

Window Fashion Vision | 45

INSPIRE design file

CREDITS PROFESSIONALS: Designer: Emma Messerschmidt, 7 Sisters Interiors, San Diego, CA. Workroom: Cathy’s Draperies, San Diego, CA. Installer: Dean S Drapery Installation, San Diego, CA. Photographer: Wade Steelman, Wade Steelman Photography, San Diego, CA.

FABRICS: Bay window valance and side panels: Duralee 42088 color 213. Contrasting binding: Norbar, Tropic in oyster. Custom coverlet: Stout Fabrics, Copley in grey. Shams: Stout Fabric, Baja in granite. Accent pillow: Anna French (discontinued).

Bedskirt: Kravet 3783-11. Contrasting pleat: Norbar, Tropic in oyster. French Doors: Kirsch 5/16' sash rod and Trend 02278 in vanilla.

After earning a Master’s degree in science and moving to the United States from Russia, Emma Messerschmidt discovered her natural talent and passion for interior design. With a this change of heart and career path, her American dream was born. Her full-service firm, 7 Sisters Interiors, specializes in custom window treatments and furnishings. The name is a tribute to her family—six sisters whom she greatly cherishes.

7sistersinteriors.com Houzz: 7 Sisters Interiors Instagram: 7sistersinteriors Facebook: 7sistersinteriors 46 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

INSPIRE design file

Tale A of two Bedrooms 48 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Cynthia M. Ney of Windows and Beyond, a retail window treatment chain with three California locations, discovered that helping a client solve a small problem helped open several windows of opportunity.

Window Fashion Vision | 49

INSPIRE design file

Cynthia M. Ney’s relationship with these clients started small— very small. “One Saturday afternoon, a man walked into our Palo Alto, CA, showroom with a mission,” said Ney. “He was looking to solve a problem with his shade and showed me a piece of hardware. I immediately recognized the part he needed, opened the parts drawer, and problem solved.” Shortly after that initial meeting, Ney was commissioned to provide Hunter Douglas Pirouette shades for the nursery for this new client.

In addition to their Palo Alto home, the couple also have a vacation home in Carmel-by-the-Sea. “They had invested in some lovely bedding ensembles that suited the Mediterranean style of the home but both the master bedroom and the guest room had tired window coverings,” said Ney. They wanted new window treatments to complement the bedding and enhance the ambience of the rooms.

The original master bedroom windows (top right) were treated with silk duppioni panels over light-filtering Duette shades. But the thin wrought iron rods and simple panels were underwhelming compared to the ornate headboard and lavishly decorated bed. Ney’s new design (right) features formal swags with tassel fringe over more substantial gilded rods, keeping the silk panels and shades as underlayers.

In the guest bedroom Ney noted that the soft valance and narrow swags (center right) were disproportionate to the scale of the bed and the rooms. She located a silk and linen damask that fit perfectly with the bedding and pulled a coordinating stripe to band the bottom of the deeper swag and cascade treatment she designed. A solid blue velvet is used as a contrast lining and serves as another way to tie the window treatments and the bedding together (bottom right).

From a small hardware fix to three (and counting) complete window treatment designs, Ney is pleased to have been able to work with this couple. “It’s an honor to help people transform their space and make it more welcoming and more livable.” zz

windowsandbeyond.com Facebook: WindowsAndBeyondInc Houzz: windowsandbeyondinc 50 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

INSPIRE design file

Image: Courtesy of Rizzoli New York 52 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

An Exploration of Decoration

When the economy collapsed in 2008, Carl Dellatore’s

textile design and custom workroom businesses were pulled into the financial undertow. Faced with a pressing need to reinvent himself, Dellatore was determined to recognize these changes as opportunities. He combined his desire for a deeper interior design education with his experience writing for several shelter magazines and an amazing contact list into a thoughtful examination of what it takes to deliver exceptional interiors for contemporary clients.

Window Fashion Vision | 53

INSPIRE design file

Dellatore, who will be a keynote speaker at IWCE 2017 in Charlotte, provided some background on the genesis of his book, Interior Design Master Class, as well as what he learned in the process.

How did you come to the decision that your next big project would be a book?

In spite of my business background, I had no formal design education so I wanted to make that investment. I was also very intrigued by the Michael Hyatt book, Platform, and his discussion on content and the way it is consumed today. Two other books were important in how this idea came together. The Decoration of Houses by Edith Wharton and Ogden Codman Jr. was certainly an inspiration and the other is Entertaining by Martha Stewart, because in a profound and enlightening conversation with her, she explained how that book, her first, opened up a whole new world for her.

So all of these interests and investigations eventually coalesced into the idea for Interior Design Master Class.

to address ‘Comfort.’ With some of the contributors, we met to have a discussion of their work and chose subjects together; others had a particular subject they wanted to write about. It sounds complicated, but it was really quite organic.

Were there “hot topics” that had several interested contributors?

How did you manage those concerns?

There were a few instances where several designers wanted to address the same subject, but as subjects were agreed upon they were taken off the table. The contributors understood the book was not really about the designers in it, as much as it was about what they as designers know. And further, how they might share their expertise generously and inform the future of design. In the end, I wanted the designer to be passionate about their subjects—and I think there’s evidence of that in the finished book.

How did you decide on the structure of the book—with the individual essays divided into sections of Theory, Structure, etc.?

I had a vision for the book which would have had the designer’s essays appear alphabetically, but both my editor and the book’s designer felt that was not the correct approach. The designer in particular was concerned that due to the varied images—ranging from opulent to minimalistic—the essays needed to be organized in such a way that the content flows, instead of feeling disjointed.

Which contributor essays where the most surprising to you when they arrived, in terms of the information or perspective they revealed to you?

There were many surprises—nearly all good. People not only understood my editorial direction but were eager to share information that would truly inspire design students and aficionados alike.

My editor came up with a broad list of categories, which we narrowed down. Then we began the lengthy task of creating the groupings.

In the end I created the book for the design community, with the hope that the sensitive layperson would also be able to learn from the book. I can say that the resounding response to the book from the collective group of contributors, as well as the larger community, has been fantastic.

Did you approach individual contributors with suggested topics— proportion, materials, etc., or did they develop their own topics?

Having been in the industry for so long, I first came up with a list of subjects, and then I began organizing the list of designers to contribute to the book. I first approached Alexa Hampton and Matthew Smyth and their essays formed the initial book pitch. Once the book concept was accepted I knew there were certain designers that just fit certain topics.

For example, I knew I wanted Mario Buatta to address ‘Color’; Victoria Hagan to address ‘Light’; and Bunny Williams

How does the book’s content fit into your presentation at IWCE? I thought I would choose some of my favorite essays in the book to talk about—to examine in detail the ideas in each.

There are certain recurring themes that emerged in the book which I think underscore the continued move toward eclecticism and simplicity. I also thought I’d talk a bit about the value of carefully crafted content, which in the end is my real passion.

54 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Photo: Francesco Lagnese Tom Scheerer on Luxury

“Luxury properly starts with a fantasy. My own notion is clearly fixed in my mind; it doesn’t waver. It starts with a house high on a bluff in a car-free village looking westward over the sea.

There are white walls, a stone terrace shaded by vines, and fruit trees. There’s a kitchen with a hearth for cooking over wood. In the bedroom, I sleep facing windows open to the salt air.”

Window Fashion Vision | 55

INSPIRE design file

Photo: Thomas Loof David Kleinberg on Taste

“To define taste as an aesthetic idea is like trying to describe the color of oxygen.

It is ephemeral in every sense, personal in every way, and influenced by the vagaries of society and fashion, yet it is a constant we somehow recognize, like perfect pitch.�

56 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Photo: Michelle Rose Alan Wanzenberg on Modernity

“Modernity and its manifestations in the physical world—what is considered “modern”—can be easily misunderstood. Modernity is not about minimalism or everything being white and reductive.

When this happens—and the pendulum often swings in that direction—modernity falls into a style or, worse, a cult. It then has the potential to become tyrannical and intolerant, unaware of all the potent and fascinating forces in design that brought the modern world, as we think of it, into being.”

Brad Ford on Craft

Photo: Scott Francis

“Craft, unfortunately, is often undervalued when compared to fine art; even the words convey a different meaning. The work of artisans is sometimes seen as more casual, lacking in the same level of finesse needed for ‘true art.’ But the attention to detail, the high level of skill, and the artistry involved equate the two in my mind.”

Window Fashion Vision | 57

INSPIRE design file

Photo: John Gruen Matthew Patrick Smyth on Travel

“When I create rooms and houses, I sometimes know precisely where the spark comes from for a particular detail. Other times, though, I don’t, although it feels right. That’s the essence of design. What I am aware of, however, is that my choices come from a collective memory of things I’ve seen and places I’ve experienced in person.”

Until the 2008 financial crisis, Carl Dellatore owned and operated D&F Workroom, producing custom upholstery and window treatments, as well as CJ Dellatore Textile, his own line of furnishing fabrics for the interior design industry.

After Dellatore’s work and textiles were featured in such magazines as House & Garden and Martha Stewart Living, he was asked by Marian McEvoy, then editor-in-chief of House Beautiful, to contribute a regular column on the use of current fabrics in the home. Entitled Swatch Watch, the highly popular column ran for three years and was compiled as The Fabric Style Book by Hearst in 2007. His latest book is the best-selling Interior Design Master Class: 100 Lessons from America’s Finest Designers on the Art of Decoration, an encyclopedic survey of contemporary decorative practice.

Dellatore is the keynote luncheon speaker at IWCE on Thursday, March 9, where he will discuss insights and lessons from his book, and be available for book signing. Go to IWCE-Vision.com for details.

InteriorDesignMasterClass.com Facebook: CarlDellatoreAuthor Instagram: carldellatore 58 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

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INSPIRE design file

60 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

On the Soft Side

The top entries from Budget Blinds’ third Inspired Drapes design competition.

Window Fashion Vision | 61

INSPIRE design file

Soft Shades First Place: Quent Blodgett, Budget Blinds of Boise, ID The client for this new home build is a busy mom of five (including a set of twins) and was eight months pregnant when Quent Blodgett and his team began working on window treatment designs. The overall style throughout the home is a contemporary take on traditionalism and the classic look of Roman shades fit her design sensibility. The crisp white shades above the sink are accented with teal banding, to coordinate with the counter stools and dining table end chairs. To complement the Roman shades and enhance the teal accent color, patterned drapery panels frame large windows in the dining area (shown on the previous page) and the living room (not shown). “Our designer, Kelly Halderman, worked with the builder and he provided cornice boxes that work seamlessly with the woodwork,” said Blodgett.

CREDITS Franchisee: Quent Blodgett. Designer: Kelly Halderman.

Workroom: Lafayette Interior Fashions. Installer: Ben Wald.

Photographer: Fabiana Huffaker.

Second Place: Scott and Cori Peters, Budget Blinds of Statesville, NC The renovation of this log cabin included new window treatments for the large living room bay. “This room, with its beautiful views, gets strong afternoon sun,” said Scott Peters. “Because there’s so much wood already in the room, the client agreed that something was needed to add softness to the room while keeping the relaxed mood of a cabin,” added Cori Peters. The Roman shades, in a soft golden-yellow geometric fabric, keep out the afternoon glare and the client likes that the shades create a valance effect when raised.

CREDITS Franchisee: Scott and Cori Peters.

Designer: Cori Peters. Workroom: Phase II. Installer: Dana Edwards.

62 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Top Treatments First Place: Cora Sutherland, Budget Blinds of Battleford, AB “My client wanted a cornice to hide the hardware used for the motorized drapery panels we had done for her,” explained Cora Sutherland. “She wanted to use the same white fabric as the draperies on the cornice, but not only that fabric, as she felt it would be too plain. My instructions were to come up with something unique that would complement the dark walls and flooring.”

Sutherland worked with drapery coach Sherri Brown and they developed a design that incorporated burnished metal as a key design element for the cornice. “The client loved the idea,” said Sutherland, “but it was an intimidating project for us, as it was the first time we had done anything like this. But Sherri and our wonderful suppliers helped us pull everything together. The client agrees that CREDITS Franchisee & Designer: Cora Sutherland. Fabric: Phase II. Drapery hardware and metalwork:

the results are amazing!”

Orion Ornamental Iron, Inc. Workroom: Lafayette Interior Fashions. Installer: Shaun Saulnier.

Photographer: Genelle Amber. Special thanks to: Sherri Brown and Charlie Kerrigan.

CREDITS Franchisee & Designer: Sonie Skogerson. Fabric: Lafayette Interior Fashions.

Workroom: Drapery & More. Installer: Ally Espana.

Second Place: Sonie Skogerson, Budget Blinds of Paramus & Westwood, NJ Looking to replace dark brown draperies for a brighter, more updated style, the client fell in love with the Art Deco–style cornice. Gold trim in a Greek key design accentuates the stepped edge while coordinating with other furnishings in the room.

“The draperies were heavy and on wooden rings that made them difficult to pull across the windows,” said Sonie Skogerson. “With three little boys in the house she wanted new treatments that functioned easier without attracting their little hands. The cornices provide impact while cordless, light-filtering shades are a safe and practical solution.”

Window Fashion Vision | 63

INSPIRE design file

Curtains & Draperies

First Place: Dan and Jessica Martinez, Budget Blinds of West Calgary, AB “Our client for this project is the mother of a previous client,” said Dan Martinez. “She was helping her daughter during our consultation and was very impressed with our knowledge, expertise, and professionalism. When she decided to remodel her own condo, she called on us.”

The wrap-around windows in this bright living room are treated with sheers to filter the light. The glittering fabric on the top portion of the sheer coordinated with the contemporary leaf pattern on the bottom section. “Due to where the heating element is installed at the base of the windows, we couldn’t bring the sheers down to the floor, so by blocking the two fabrics, we wanted to draw the eye away from that issue,” explained Jessica Martinez.

CREDITS Franchisees: Dan and Jessica Martinez. Designer: Lee Moysey.

Fabrics: Maxwell Fabrics. Drapery hardware: George N. Jackson.

Workroom: Draperyworks. Installers: Dan Martinez, Ralph Goetz, Lee Mosey.

Photographer: Shae Jones.

64 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Second Place: Brian and Tammy Connor, Budget Blinds of Terre Haute, IN The massive windows in this living room can be seen from the foyer and the dining room. The client wanted an amazing space that was still family friendly. The designer for this project had a clear vision but relied on the expertise of the Budget Blinds team to move from concept to actual design and installation.

“It was important to get the correct proportions along with selecting appropriate fabrics and hardware for a project of this scale,” said Tammy Connor.

“The designer had looked at many different fabric choices that worked well with the decor and furnishings in the room but with draperies like these, you have to be sure the fabrics are suitable in both appearance and performance.” Stationary rods at each window help control the panels and keep a tailored look from top to bottom that complements the clean-lined furnishings.

CREDITS Franchisees: Brian and Tammy Connor. Designer: Nikki Holmes. Fabrics, hardware, and workroom: Lafayette Interior Fashions.

Installer: Brian Connor. Photographer: Brian Connor.

Window Fashion Vision | 65

INSPIRE design file

66 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Combination Treatments

First Place: Quent Blodgett, Budget Blinds of Boise, ID “After working with several customers on custom draperies, I decided it was time to give my office a makeover and create a place that customers could come and gain inspiration for their projects,” said Blodgett.

An odd-size room with awkwardly positioned commercial windows placed right next to a column, the space had multiple challenges. “I chose the shutter and drapery combination because it’s a personal favorite, but also because we’ve had many customers who seem to believe these two cannot (or should not) be paired together,” explained Blodgett. The ceiling-mounted panels are another “teaching moment” as they allow Blodgett to show a design that not all are familiar with, but they also deal with some installation issues due to the commercial windows and the abutting column.

“Green and gold are my motivational colors and when used with the dark brown walls, it’s a color theme that works for the accessories and rugs to really create a welcoming space,” he adds.

A custom-made oversize desk (not shown) allows Blodgett to spread out design plans and samples in order to work comfortably with clients and his team. “I now love welcoming customers to my office and enjoy helping them find their inspiration!”

CREDITS Franchisee, designer, and installer: Quent Blodgett. Fabrics and workroom: Lafayette Interior Fashions.

Drapery hardware: Rowley Company, LLC. Photographer: Fabiana Huffaker.

Here are my 2017 design destinations . . . Where will you join me?

I’m so excited for all the amazing design experiences I’m planning in 2017—each filled with the wonderful mix of cultural and textile exploration that I most love to share.

Find out more at DecorTours.com Provence

Paris

in May

in September

Everyday Extraordinary: Textiles & Design

An Italian take on Everyday Extraordinary

M&O, Design Week & more

Venice

New York

in September

in November

A Creative Connection weekend Window Fashion Vision | 67

INSPIRE design file Second Place: Onofrio and Mary Ann DeMattia, Budget Blinds of Howard Beach, NY Onofrio and Mary Ann DeMattia had already installed Illusion shades the previous year in this sunroom-slashliving room. When the client reached out to ask for something to soften the stark look of the blinds, the DeMattia’s understood that the expansive views remained a priority.

“The client didn’t want a decorative rod,” said Onofio DeMattia, “so we settled on classic, three-finger pinchpleat panels. The goal was to find a fabric that complemented the shades and the other furnishings while adding another element of design to the neutral room.”

The stationary panels were sized to fit between the eyebrow window while covering just a bit of each frame, with the single windows on each end of the room treated with the same panel widths.

CREDITS Franchisees, designer, and installer: Onofrio and Mary Ann DeMattia. Designer and installer: Onofrio DeMattia. Fabric, workroom, and hardware: Lafayette Interior Fashions.

68 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

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INSPIRE design file First Place: Stephanie Wojcik, Budget Blinds of Naperville, IL For this sunroom the client requested a traditional treatment that incorporated red accents from the attached kitchen. The design also needed to work with the treatments planned for the nearby great room and formal dining room. And given that this room looks out to the pool in the back yard, the design could not detract from the view. “With all the angles in the room, we needed a design that was flexible enough to accommodate the differing widths of the windows,” said Stephanie Wojcik. The sections of Kingston-style valance were meticulously measured out so swags worked with each window and the hardware could be placed as needed, even into corners.

CREDITS Franchisee: Stephanie Wojcik. Designers: Stephanie Wojcik and Marjorie O’Dowd.

Fabric: Fabricut, Inc. Decorative hardware: Lafayette Interior Fashions. Installer: Stephanie Wojcik.

Second Place: Dell and Susan Cannon, Budget Blinds of SW Lubbock, TX This guest bedroom has an awkward space between the two windows and the short headboard only made that issue more evident. A curved crown, mounted so the peak is just slightly higher than the valances, helps emphasize the height of the room, while the faux canopy of lace disguises the odd gap between the windows. The antique-looking hardware and the lace complements the existing furnishings but adds a special, welcoming touch to the room.

CREDITS Franchisees: Dell and Susan Cannon.

Designer: Susan Cannon. Fabric: Schumacher.

Decorative hardware: Inessa’s. Installer: Dell Cannon.

70 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

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Window Fashion Vision | 71

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solution for customers struggling to remember which channel operates the shades over the sink and which opens the living room draperies. A simple and portable solution is the DecoFlex tabletop remote. The buttons can be custom engraved in order to clearly identify the different channels. With more consumers jumping on the home automation trend, custom engraved buttons can be a great way to keep organized. For a more stationary option, Somfy’s line of DecoFlex WireFree™ wall switches can also be custom engraved. The Decoflex WireFree with custom engraved buttons can be a great option for customers who entertain often and want to allow guests to easily control their motorized products.

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control of your blinds will help you get the most from them. Somfy offers a Telis Modulis RTS remote control which features a scroll wheel to incrementally adjust blind slats and sheer horizontal vanes. The “my”, or favorite, position on Somfy controls allows users to set customized positioning for their sheer horizontal vanes while the blinds are at their lowest position.

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AC battery charger for our WireFree motorized products. A rechargeable solution is an eco-friendly way for your customer to power their window coverings while also saving them time and money. The battery pack can be recharged simply by connecting it to the charger, making this option a very economical one. If your customer’s motorized window covering is in a sunny spot, Somfy’s WireFree™ Solar Pack is another great option. Somfy’s rechargeable Have a question? solutions are the perfect choice for customers seeking easy, Send an email to environmentally-friendly charging options.

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Then Now INSPIRE on our radar

I’ve been busy preparing for my IWCE seminar “Modern Embellishment: The History, Making and Revival of Trimmings.” The more research I do, the more fascinated I am by how design has historically been a product of function. It then often evolves to a decorated version of itself, and this process ends in a post-modern interpretation, which is purely aesthetic.

My seminar will be a virtual journey visiting the aristocracy, tradesmen, and factories, exploring the evolution of design trends through the Industrial Revolution, landing in the current day where creativity is boundless. I hope you’ll join me!

But in the meantime, I thought I’d share some examples illustrating the crossover of these three levels I’ve observed—functionality, to decorated functionality, to pure decoration. The next time you’re in a client meeting, perhaps you can make an impression with some of this decorative arts trivia. zz

by Jana Platina Phipps 76 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Marie Antoinette (left) would be impressed by the current maker movement but the level of artistry achieved in her day will probably never be seen again. • The original function of the tassel was to prevent the unraveling of a cord used on clothing, cushions, or draperies. Later, in the hands of the artisan Guild of the Passementiers in 16th-century France, the tassel (above) became an art form such as this beautiful example on a window treatment at Versailles. • Hundreds of tassels by Samuel and Sons (right) decorate a tremendous lighting fixture at the Design Centre London at Chelsea Harbour.

Window Fashion Vision | 77

INSPIRE on our radar

In the early 18th century, passementerie moved from window treatments onto the stately bed. It was customary for persons to receive guests before rising from these lavish settings such as Marie Antoinette’s boudoir in Versailles. Her chambers (above) were much more contemporary than the King’s, as she redecorated in the latest fashion. • A luxurious bedroom by Barclay Butera, for Eastern Accents (above right), is embellished with woven jacquard trim and faux fur. One still might receive guests in this gorgeous setting!

After the French Revolution, the use of passementerie was reserved primarily for the military and the clergy. But when Napoleon came to power, he gave a boost to the art again through his own commissions as well as all the highly decorative designs for the French military. His richly embroidered cape (left), created for his 1805 coronation as king of Italy, features his signature imperial N and bee motifs. • A French lieutenant’s naval dress uniform (mid-left) from the same era demonstrates how even lower-ranking officers were “highly decorated.” • This type of elaborate decoration for men’s wear is often reintroduced, such as these examples from Dolce & Gabbana from their 2013 (far left) and most recent 2016 (above far left) collections.

78 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Window Fashion Vision | 79

INSPIRE on our radar

The Victorian era is the first time we see the integration of cushions with fully upholstered fabrics working into the framework of furniture, a style referred to as “comfortable furniture.â€? During the Industrial Revolution of the late 19th century, the lower cost of machine-made trimmings, meant embellishments were no longer reserved to the upper class. Deep fringing on upholstered chairs (top), Chesterfield sofas, piano benches, shawls, and so much more were a hallmark of the late Victorian era. • These contemporary braiding machines (above), which turn out decorative trims and cords, are nearly identical to those invented in the Industrial Age.

80 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

With the current rise of the artisan and maker movements, designers and artists are taking inexpensive, industrial trimmings and crafting labor-intensive designs. Their refined skills are

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elevating these simple materials to elegant looks. This intricately woven bench (left) is by Kate Casey of Peg Woodworking. She studied both Peruvian and American Indian weaving techniques, and her knowledge and skill shines in this piece woven in simple cotton cording. • Sailor knots, a classic passementerie design, are fashioned into coasters and napkin rings using industrial rope and cords by The Commons.

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䘀刀䔀䔀 䠀漀眀 吀漀 䤀渀挀爀攀愀猀攀 䈀伀伀䬀 夀漀甀爀 圀椀渀搀漀眀 䌀漀瘀攀爀椀渀最 䰀攀愀搀猀 吀漀 最攀琀 愀 昀爀攀攀 挀漀瀀礀 漀昀 琀栀椀猀 戀漀漀欀 愀渀搀 氀攀愀爀渀 瀀爀漀瘀攀渀 猀琀爀愀琀攀最椀攀猀 漀渀 最爀漀眀椀渀最 礀漀甀爀 氀攀愀搀猀 䌀愀氀氀 ⠀㠀㠀㠀⤀ ㌀㠀㌀ⴀ㈀㠀㐀㠀 漀爀 瘀椀猀椀琀

眀眀眀⸀眀椀渀搀漀眀挀漀瘀攀爀椀渀最戀漀漀欀⸀挀漀洀 Window Fashion Vision | 81

Working the Angles INSPIRE on our radar

More and more physical objects—our books, music, writings and photos—are being transmuted into bits and bytes. To counteract the sense of loss brought about by this dematerialization of our possessions, there is craving for environments that surround us with substance and texture. A form of intense materiality that helps ground us and protect us can be seen in fashion, architecture, and design.

In fashion, look for a shift toward weightier, more sculptural clothing, with asymmetric layers, geometric shapes, and irregular structures. • Young architects are finding inspiration in the materiality of Brutulism.

The massive designs of the ’60s and ’70s, previously maligned as too bulky and too overbearing, have encouraged a new interest in raw concrete, untreated metals, and more enclosed structures. • Interiors will accumulate more layers, with heavier, more weighty furniture, and deeper, richer colors. Bare windows will feel exposed rather than open; streamlined interiors will feel clinical rather than clean. Instead, look for layers of textiles and a greater tactility for all surfaces.z

by Hilde Francq

82 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Window Fashion Vision | 83

INSPIRE on our radar

Edge

A cool, wintery palette filled with moody blue greens, suited to shapes that often mimic crystals, icebergs, and natural fractals. Additional themes include: • angular shapes and diagonal lines • exposed concrete • embossed and textured glass • porous surfaces • varying lengths and layers • Japanese influences

84 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Hilde Francq, a member of the Color Marketing Group, first realized the power of color when she introduced prints and color to children’s bicycles—and they sold like hot cakes. Convinced of the power of color and trends and wanting to share that knowledge with others, she started her own firm, based in Antwerp, Belgium, and now works with a range of international clients in the home, beauty, and fashion industries.

FrancqColors.be Instagram: francqcolors Pinterest: francqcolors Facebook: francqcolors Window Fashion Vision | 85

The Creation of INSPIRE on our radar

A trip to Paris is always a privilege, and something I will never take for granted. Many people prefer the September trip I organize with Deb Barrett, mostly due to the weather I guess, because for those who love—truly, deeply, madly love— textiles, January in Paris is the absolute best.

Our week in Paris, while chilly, was filled with such amazing insight and inspiration, that this recap seems a paltry summary. Paris Deco Off, the official showcase of European textile éditeurs, was busier than ever. The number of permanent and temporary showrooms on the Left Bank more than doubled, making it much easier to visit dozens of brands in a single day. Meanwhile, on the Right Bank, the run of showrooms on rue du Mail that serves as the epicenter of French textiles, was crowded from the moment the doors opened through the special late night hours.

We saw many truly beautiful fabrics and trims, but it’s discovering first-hand the knowledge and artistry behind these creations that makes this January trip so special.

No one who attended the masterful line showing of Pierre Freys’s new introductions, unveiled by the charming and passionate creative director Patrick Frey, will forget 86 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Extra-Embroidery

Rich textures were a key theme at Deco Off and while there were many stunning fabrics, several extraordinary embroideries were the true stars.

THIS PAGE: The Maoming collection from Pierre Frey is filled with amazing embroidered designs including the collection’s glorious namesake, shown flat. The embroidered indigo ikat, Pitaya, is next to two other indigo looks, Helong and the tie-dyed Yuan Dye. Shangsha, an intricate jacquard, is next to Tieling, a vintage-looking indienne, while Fujin features a vivid yellow pattern detailed with fuzzy wool embroidery.

Not shown are several other embroideries from the collection. • Lelievre introduced the Évasions collection which included Kayapo, a design inspired by the symmetry of French parterres, or formal gardens, while employed embroidered looks borrowed from the Amazonian tribe for which the pattern is named. Available in three colors, the black version with its cyan brush fringe is truly electrifying. • Mina is a colorful, romantic floral, true to the house style of Manuel Canovas. NEXT PAGE: Criss Cross is free-style embroidery from the Swiss company 4Spaces in which the thread tension is deliberately tight, creating a threedimensional effect and, added surprise, the fluorescent embroidery thread glows in the dark! • Italian company StudioArt featured a wide selection of embroidered leathers.

his invocation to sell not fabrics, but dreams. Which in turn reminded me of the Emerson quote I used for this title, “Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art.” As designers we can easily lose track of that when faced with deadlines, budgets, and the other mundane details of a project in the works. But in a gray week in January, when I am surrounded by the creation of beauty in its myriad forms, inspiration truly blossoms. zz

by Susan Schultz Window Fashion Vision | 87

INSPIRE on our radar

Plush Life

Luscious velvets were part of almost every line, often featuring innovative techniques and interesting textures to further entice a lingering touch.

RIGHT: Tulipes, from Tassinari & Chatel, features a little bit of extra shimmer due to the use of oxidized Lurex as part of the pile. Available in six colors. • A deeply textural velvet, Erbusco from Black Edition is debossed with an intricate damask pattern. In the background is Filigrane, a contemporary intrepretation of a classical damask, digitally printed on a linen satin. • From Osborne & Little’s Savoy velvet collection, Iolanthe is another digital print—this a contemporary reworking of Victorian-era patterned carpets. TOP RIGHT: Clerkenwell is from Zoffany’s Aldwych velvet collection and features a subtly organic woven pattern. • These mineral-inspired velvets are part of the second Velours Iconic collection from Nobilis. The malachite and lapis colorways in particular capture a gemstone glow. NOT SHOWN: The various jacquard and plain velvets from Fadini Borghi’s Gio collection; a crushed texture printed velvet with metallic accents from Romo; a double-patterned palm leaf velvet from Casal; a blurred watercolor floral from Sheila Coombes; and so many more!

88 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Window Fashion Vision | 89

INSPIRE on our radar

Metallica

Precious accents showed up in all types of constructions and styles.

TOP: One of three new metallized linens from Élitis, the midweight Marama features a shimmering coating that is translucent and supple. • The textural silk jacquard Phoenix goes through an elaborate steam finishing process that enhances the fiber’s natural shimmer while adding a slight pucker, creating a pebbled texture. The other fabrics from Christian Fischbacher are two velvet jacquards, Allegro features hand-drawn squares and Vegas is a unique double-pile construction. • Giuditta from Rubelli has an irregular surface where the stitches of the embroidery intersect and scattered mini sequins define different planes. • Glade, an abstract foliage print on Création Baumann’s Shadow FR cloth, features a metallized aluminium backing that reduces glare and heat build-up. BOTTOM: Ivan, with its crocodile texture and Igor with its subtle pleated effect, offer a gleaming balance to Houlès new collection on plain linens. Both are available in silver, as shown, or several iridescent metallics • Mottled layers of iridescent foil are woven into Grazioso, a sophisticated jacquard from Sahco that changes color dramatically depending on the light and your perspective. • Fragments of classical figurative design are woven in lustrous gold into a heavy matte ground of silk and cotton, making Hermitage one of the most opulent fabrics in Dedar’s collection.

90 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Window Fashion Vision | 91

INSPIRE on our radar

92 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

Love the Accent

While the focus of Paris Deco Off is definitely on fabrics, there were some wonderful accessory introductions as well—wallpaper, decorative hardware, and, of course, trims.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Stucco is a line of plastered linens from Élitis that includes a collection of fringe, cord, piping and bias tape, each coated, powdered, or painted to chalky effect. • Feathered trims on sumptuous velvet cushions at Nobilis. • A 100% linen collection of tassel tiebacks and embraces from Black Edition is available in eight colors, four true neutrals and four soft tints (shown). • Made from cocowood, Savannah is available from Sahco in three colors, along with two related tassel tiebacks. Shade is a subtle ombre while Focus features a woven binder accent. Both offered in ivory, sable, and black. • The four braids in the Savoy collection from Osborne & Little perfectly complement the new Mikado plain velvets and patterned Savoy velvets. THIS PAGE: The Palladio collection from Houlès includes an extra-large embroidered Greek key braid, a wide assortment of fringes, metallic flat braids and gimp, shimmering ribbon trims, and more. • The Mantra collection from 4Spaces is what the company calls “resin pendants.” They are meant to be hung singly or grouped by a window where they can catch the light and the breeze. But Deb already has plans on how they can be used as trims, holdbacks, and other ideas. • The parent company of KriskaDecor manufactures chains for industrial use, but someone there had the brilliant idea of adding color and transforming their most lightweight links into shimmering panels and screens. Best of all, the links can be matched 1-to-1 with pixels so complex photos and patterns can be recreated in chainlink. Deb has ideas for this product too!

Window Fashion Vision | 93

Wall Art

There were dozens of gorgeous wall covering introductions, too many to feature here, so look for more of my favorite picks in the Feburary newsletter.

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The Alchemy collection by Arte includes four patterns that attempt to capture the mysterious transmutation of the ordinary into something precious. Each of the non-wovens in the collection includes metallic shimmer, ranging from subtle to striking. Shown here is Mercury in a swirling violet and copper color combination. • Designers Guild featured a new wall covering collection, Au Thèâtre ce Soir, from its House of Lacroix license that included colorful damask looks, interpretations of traditional toiles, inspired collages, and other looks, many drawn from the couture house’s archives. My favorite was Groussay, a vividly detailed palm motif. • While the Jean Paul Gaultier license with Lelievre has delivered four fabric and accessory collections since the collaboration debuted in 2012, this year marks its first wallpaper collection. The massive introduction of 15 designs and 42 color choices references many JPG talismans, such as graffiti, street art, marine stripes, swallows, tattoo art, and japonaiserie. Récréation, shown on the left and inspired by eighteenth-century toiles de Jouy, manages to capture several of these in one classic-looking but subversive pattern. Enlacés is a type of companion toile in monochrome, featuring different, but similarly scaled, motifs.• Artist Catherine Gran developed a playful yet sophisticated collection for Edmond Petit featuring graphic renditions of plants, vegetables, and animals, in particular rabbits and carrots.

94 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

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INSPIRE throwback This study was designed as a tribute to a popular first lady and no matter where you fall on the political spectrum, we think you have to agree that this elegant room would get your vote! Let us know via Facebook which first lady this honors and the year it was published and you could win a $50 Visa gift card.

96 | wf-vision.com | Mar + Apr 2017

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