WFV_SO Digital Issue 2026

SHEERS IN A NEW LIGHT

The COLOR Issue

VOLUME 48, ISSUE 5 SEPTEMBER + OCTOBER 2026

Discover a Palette of Possibilities

SPECIALTY SHADING TAKES SHAPE THE LATEST IN CHILDSAFE DESIGN CELEBRATING THE 2026 GRACE AWARDS ARTISAN WINNERS

SMART WINDOW COVERINGS

Discover more

THE NEW ROLLER COLLECTION HAS ARRIVED

New recycled qualities, elevated natural textures, and high-performance screen fabrics, organized into five dedicated books built to help you sell more. This is the collection your customers are already asking for.

coulisse.com

Designed To Carry the DRAMA This fall, soft treatments are richer, more layered, more expressive, and more essential to the way a room comes together.

Graber’s fall launch introduces 130+ new fabrics in sophisticated patterns and luxurious textures alongside expanded hardware and rod options to hold larger and heavier draperies. Graber is committed to helping dealers create spaces with both depth and distinction.

Scan the QR code to access Graber’s Trend Showcase.

MASTHEAD September + October 2026

VOLUME 48, ISSUE 5

Publisher | Ania Munzer ania@wf-vision.com Managing Editor | Lindsay Brown lindsay@wf-vision.com Art Director | Brandon Bennett bbennett@studiobtm.com Copy Editor | Maude Campbell maude@wf-vision.com Event Manager | Shannon Flaherty shannon@wf-vision.com Sales Executive | Nancy Nix nnix@wf-vision.com Marketing Coordinator | Tracy Herold tracy@wf-vision.com CONTRIBUTORS Jill Ballew, Sam Blair, Kelly Drake, Else Johnson, Roger Magalhaes, Oliver Schreiber, Shaun Turner SUBSCRIPTION SUPPORT 866-456-0405 • wfvision@bridgetowerhelp.com

ON THE COVER: Designer: Sandra Asdourian, Sandra Asdourian Interiors Fabrication & Workroom: Boca Fabric, Mary Ann Ferreri Photography: Tristin Heeb Installer: Peter Ferreri Builder: Stonebreaker Builders

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 BridgeTower Media, LLC, 1633 New Garden Rd Unit #163, Greensboro, NC 27410. Visit our website at WFVISION.com. Periodicals postage paid at Columbia, SC 29292, and additional entry offices.

POSTMASTER Send address changes to: Window Fashion Vision Subscription Services PO Box 494 Lincolnshire, IL 60069-0494 Subscription rates: $22/yr. U.S. and possessions; $29/yr. Canada; $90/yr. Foreign (includes airmail postage). Copyright © 2026 by BridgeTower Media. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission prohibited. Canadian Publications Agreement Number: #40036514.

Canadian Return Address: Window Fashion Vision, PO Box 494, Lincolnshire, IL 60069-0494 SEPTEMBER + OCTOBER 2026, VOLUME 48, ISSUE 5.

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E D I TO R ’S N O T E

Fall for

Color

Editor’s Picks Color us obsessed with these bright, bold and playful finds Wall-to-Wall Art Pierre Frey’s Arty wallpaper by MarieCécile Aptel turns the wall itself into a work of art.

PierreFrey.com

There’s something about fall that makes us see color a little differently. As summer greens give way to warmer, richer hues, it’s hard not to think about bringing a little more color indoors. That makes it the perfect season for our Color Issue.

In “Living in Color,” we look at how interiors are warming up to richer palettes after years of playing it safe with neutrals. From layered hues and textures to color drenching and tonal combinations, designers share how to use color in ways that feel fresh, personal and livable.

Of course, color doesn’t have to stop at the walls.

“Sheer Delight” proves that sheers can go well beyond basic white, while “Beyond the Rectangle” explores creative shading solutions for arches, angles and other windows that refuse to play by the rules.

October also marks Window Covering Safety Month, and we’re spotlighting some of the latest child-safe products that pair peace of mind with great design.

Finally, we celebrate the 2026 Grace Awards Artisan winners, whose creativity, craftsmanship and technical know-how turn ambitious ideas into beautifully executed spaces.

Flying Colors Originally designed by Alexander Girard for Braniff International Airways in 1965, this colorful Pendleton throw brings a mid-century classic in for a landing.

HermanMiller.com Guilty Pleasure Jonathan Adler’s Glitter Canister gives your favorite little indulgences a suitably glamorous hiding place.

JonathanAdler.com

Fall is a season of change, so why not change things up at home, too? Add an unexpected hue, embrace a little more color or simply look at a familiar space in a new way.

Cuckoo for Design

Cheers, Lindsay Brown Managing Editor

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With dachshund-inspired details and a modern silhouette, Ryosuke Fukusada’s Dachs Cuckoo Clock for MoMA is a new breed of timepiece.

Store.MoMA.org

Linère

The Beauty of Linen, Perfected for Modern Living.

Linère combines the refined beauty of linen with subtle texture, warmth and sophistication, engineered with high-performance Roller Shade fabric technology for everyday living.

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C O N T E N TS September + October 2026

IN THIS ISSUE COLUMNS

48 812 14 14

26 Living in Color 4

After years of playing it safe, interiors are warming up to color again. Designers share how to embrace richer palettes, layer hues and textures, and create colorful spaces with staying power.

33 Sheer Delight 4

Who said sheers had to be plain white? These colorful options bring a fresh perspective to the window.

38 Beyond the Rectangle

Today’s architecture is turning challenging windows into opportunities for specialty shading.

44 Safety First

The latest products designed with child safety in mind

50 Crafting Greatness 4

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Grace Awards Artisan winners whose creativity, craftsmanship and technical expertise bring extraordinary custom projects to life

EDITORS’ NOTE

By Lindsay Brown disCOVER About the Cover Point-of-View New & Noteworthy All That’s Interesting

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ARTISAN ATELIER Every Touchpoint Matters

By Jill Ballew

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FULL FRAME: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Shades of Influence

By Sam Blair

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FULL FRAME: INSTALLATION Letting Go to Grow

By Roger Magalhaes

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24 58

LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP Universal Window Coverings

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FULL FRAME: DIGITAL MARKETING Show Your True Colors

By Kelly Drake and Shaun Turner

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FULL FRAME: WELLNESS When Close Enough Isn’t Close Enough

By Else Johnson

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SOLD! Why Less Sells More

By Oliver Schreiber

D I S C OV E R Cover Stor y

Into the Blue

With water views from every window, this Marco Island, Florida, primary bedroom offered designer Sandra Asdourian plenty of inspiration for its dreamy blue palette.

Part of a new-build home designed by Sandra Asdourian Interiors, the bedroom was created as a quiet, calming retreat where the homeowner could unwind and sleep peacefully. Asdourian embraced the home’s coastal surroundings, color drenching the ceiling, trim and walls in Sherwin-Williams’ Smoky Azurite.

A hand-knotted rug in shades of blue, green and teal helped set the palette for the rest of the room. At the windows, Asdourian selected Kravet’s Lost Coast fabric for the custom drapery and roman shades. “I sourced a fabric that felt like the waves on the beach and built the colors and textures around those elements,” she said.

Even with color covering nearly every surface, the room never feels overwhelming. Asdourian balanced the saturated blues with soothing wood tones and other quieter elements. “When I go bold with color, I also add places for the eye to rest.”

The window treatments add another layer of color while providing the light control essential to a restful bedroom. The drapery and roman shades are fully lined, and motorized blackout shades at every window make it easy to darken the room when needed.

Satin brass hardware adds warmth to the window treatments, while Designer: Sandra Asdourian, Sandra Asdourian Interiors Peacock Alley’s Biagio Jacquard bedding and Visual Comfort lamps Photography: Tristin Heeb in a glazed Blue Lagoon finish carry the palette throughout the Installer: Peter Ferreri space. Custom pillows and a one-of-a-kind rug complete the room’s Fabrication & Workroom: Boca Fabric, Mary Ann Ferreri mix of color, pattern and texture.

Builder: Stonebreaker Builders

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Expand Your Roller Shade Collection with

Insolroll Elements® Designer Roller Shades

The Insolroll Elements® Collection showcases meticulously curated fabrics with textured blackout, translucent, semi-sheer, and solar screen opacities.

Organic weaves, paired room-darkening and light-filtering fabrics, with elegant choices for both high-end and value projects.

• 488 in-stock fabrics and colors • Architectural Collection including high-performance solar and hospitality sheer fabrics • Special Order Program for key vendor fabrics to help you meet project specifications.

5 day lead time

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insolroll.com (303) 665-1207

P O I N T - O F -V I E W New & Noteworthy

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY NEW PRODUCT

Smooth Operator DualMotion by Carsan Window Fashions goes beyond traditional motorized horizontal blinds. Where other motorized faux wood systems tilt only, DualMotion delivers both lift and tilt from a single integrated motor, giving full control of light, privacy and view-through. Paired with Carsan’s ScrolControl remote, a precision scroll wheel dials in exact slat position. The engineering earned Carsan the 2025 WCMA Best New Technical Innovation Award for Horizontal Blinds (All Finishes) and Motorization and Automation. Built by a 50-year vertically integrated manufacturer selling exclusively to the trade, DualMotion gives dealers one clean, cordless motorized solution to specify and sell.

CarsanWF.com

Wicker Dreams While we may never get a wicker husband who looks like Alexander Skarsgård, we can weave a little cottagecore into our homes with ferm LIVING’s Dou Floor Lamp ahead of Wicker’s October 23 release.

Meticulously hand-braided from natural rattan, the sculptural lamp features a conical shade supported by a durable iron frame. Its open weave casts a warm glow while adding texture and organic appeal, with subtle variations in color and shape making each handcrafted piece one of a kind.

FermLiving.com

NEW PRODUCT On a Roll Coulisse refreshes a staple with its new Roller Collection, bringing together an expanded assortment of performance-driven and design-forward fabrics. Organized across five dedicated books, the collection includes Light Filtering, Black-out, Nature, Screen Textile and Screen Function options. New recycled and nature-inspired textiles join proven bestsellers, offering designers and dealers a broad range of colors, textures and performance features, all in stock and ready to ship.

Coulisse.com

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CR A F TED FOR QUA LIT Y A ND ENDLE SS POSSIBILITIE S. FOREST POLE SETS OFFER QUALITY FOR EVERY STYLE AND A POLE SET FOR EVERY LOOK. Choose from a wide range of metal, wood, & acrylic poles sets, each design to bring the right finishing touch to any interior. With an extensive selection of finishes, profiles & distinctive finials, Forest makes it easy to create a look that is classic, contemporary, or uniquely your own.

THE WORLD BEHIND YOUR DRAPERIES

SEE MORE

P O I N T - O F -V I E W New & Noteworthy

NEW PRODUCT Bathing Beauty Heritage textile house Lee Jofa brings some of its most recognizable patterns to the bath in a new collaboration with luxury linens brand Weezie. Designed as a coordinated “wardrobe” for the bathroom, the collection spans plush towels and robes, shower curtains and accessories, reimagining archival florals, stripes and botanicals for everyday use. Signature Lee Jofa patterns, including Palermo and Davenport, mingle with Marciana, an exclusive design created for the collaboration, while Weezie’s piped edges and customizable monograms add a personalized finishing touch.

WeezieTowels.com

NEW PRODUCT

Room to Grow Inpro is expanding its U.S. manufacturing footprint with a new 165,000-square-foot facility in Mint Hill, North Carolina, bringing two previously separate operations under one roof and adding capacity to support its growing customer base. The company is also investing in its Muskego, Wisconsin, headquarters, where it recently opened a new Design Center + Showroom and plans to open a 30,000-square-foot manufacturing facility later this year. Together, the expansions strengthen Inpro’s manufacturing capabilities and support continued growth across its portfolio of commercial architectural products, including window treatments.

InproCorp.com

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Small but Mighty Somfy is expanding motorization possibilities with the Roll Up 30 Short, a compact motor designed for narrow windows that may have previously required manual shades. Approximately 3 inches shorter than the standard Roll Up 30, it delivers 2Nm of lifting capacity while helping maximize visible glass. Compatible with existing Sonesse accessories and available with Power over Ethernet or Somfy Digital Network, the motor gives dealers and designers greater flexibility to bring automated shading to smaller openings while maintaining a consistent look across a project. SomfySystems.com

Family of Brands DECORATIVE DRAPERY HARDWARE

Trend-Right Designer Hardware Collections

Custom for Every Style

WOOD HARDWARE

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Elevate your next project Explore the Brands

Designed To Inspire

Workroom | Drapery Hardware | Shades

Elevating windows with a finishing touch ROWLEYCOMPANY.COM

FOLLOW US @ROWLEYCOMPANY

A RT I SA N AT E L I E R Workroom Planning

Every Touchpoint Matters How communication, listening and follow-through build lasting client relationships and referrals

BY JILL BALLEW

Every business in this industry can point to a project that turned out beautifully. Fewer can point to a client who became a repeat customer or sent three referrals the following year. The difference between those two outcomes rarely comes down to the drapery. It comes down to everything that happened around it.

Trust is built at every touchpoint, from the first appointment and proposal to project updates, installation and follow-up. Each interaction is an opportunity to reinforce a client’s confidence in your business and their decision to work with you. When that trust carries through the entire project, a successful installation can become something more valuable: a lasting relationship that leads to repeat business and referrals.

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Set the Tone Early Before a client ever meets our team at High Country Drapery Design, they receive a client guide so they know what to expect. We confirm the appointment 24 hours out, and we show up on time. None of that is remarkable on its own, but together it removes uncertainty before the relationship has earned any goodwill to draw on. Clients don’t yet know if we’re good at our jobs when they open that door. What they know is whether we did what we said we’d do. That's the foundation everything else gets built on.

During the home tour, our role is mostly to listen, then reflect back what we heard: how they want the room to feel, what isn’t working in the current setup and where

their budget realistically sits. That reflection isn’t a soft skill for its own sake. It’s how we catch a misread before it becomes a design revision and how a client, homeowner or designer knows we understood the assignment before a single fabric is chosen.

A quote is numbers on a page. We pair every proposal with a visual, built in Google Slides, so a client sees the room we’re describing rather than imagining it. Then, we present it on a call instead of sending it and hoping. A window treatment project is a considered purchase, and considered purchases deserve an adviser in the room, not a document in an inbox. The call lets us explain our reasoning, answer the question a client is too polite to type and notice hesitation before it turns into silence.

No News Is Not Good News Once a client commits, the work of earning their confidence continues. We send a thank you email outlining what happens next, then follow up with proactive updates every two weeks for the life of the project, even when the update is simply that things are on schedule.

No amount of process guarantees a project runs perfectly.

Fabric gets backordered. Install day runs long. What separates a five-star experience from an average one has never been the absence of problems. It’s how quickly you communicate when something goes wrong and how you carry yourself while fixing it. Clients forget the hiccup far faster than they forget whether they were told the truth.

remember it.

Newsletters keeps clients connected to the business long after their project wraps, so the relationship doesn’t quietly end when the crew leaves. Reach out a few months before a warranty expires so a client has time to address an issue with the manufacturer first. It’s a small gesture, but the kind that separates a company clients tolerate from one they recommend.

That, ultimately, is the whole strategy: build communication into the system rather than leave it to instinct, treat listening as part of the design process and stay present in the relationship long after the sale closes. Do that consistently—for homeowners and designers alike—and referrals stop being something you chase. They become the natural result of how you do business.

V

With over 25 years of experience in textiles and custom window treatment design, Jill Ballew is recognized for her ability to blend beauty and functionality. As the owner of High Country Drapery Designs, founded in 2015, Jill emphasizes quality and meticulous project management. A pioneer in motorized treatments and an honoree of the Window Fashion VISION Designer of the Year award, she also serves as a director-at-large for the WCAA, reflecting her commitment to leadership and excellence in the design industry.

When we’re brought in by a designer rather than working with a homeowner directly, the shape of the relationship changes. Ahead of install day, we ask what a successful day looks like for them and their client, particularly on a full-house project. Do they want pieces installed as they arrive, or one clean install once everything is on-site? Are there hard constraints, a stop at 5 p.m., a week reserved on the calendar? Defining that up front lets us deliver what a designer and their client actually need. It’s also what earns us the next referral from that designer’s book of clients.

Stay in the Picture After installation, I call every client myself to ask whether the finished result met or exceeded what they expected.

That call is a small investment most companies skip once the invoice is paid—and it’s precisely why clients

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FULL FRAME Business Development

Shades of Influence Every color choice has the power to influence emotion, behavior and the way people experience a space

BY SAM BLAIR

I’ve always found it interesting how we can walk into a room and know almost instantly how we feel about it. Sometimes it feels calm. Sometimes it feels energetic. Sometimes it feels expensive. Sometimes it just feels … off.

Most people chalk that up to good design. They’re right, but they’re also missing a big part of the story. What they’re actually responding to is science.

Over the last several years, I’ve become fascinated with behavioral psychology and why people make the decisions they do. Whether we’re talking about a customer buying a product, an architect designing a building or an employee deciding whether they enjoy coming into the office, very few decisions are purely logical.

Emotion almost always gets there first. One of the biggest drivers of emotion is color. That should matter to every one of us in the window covering industry.

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We Need to Stop Thinking Like Shade Salespeople One thing I’ve learned over the years is that the best salespeople aren’t the ones who know the most about their products. They’re the ones who understand the customer’s business better than anyone else.

There’s a big difference. Anybody can memorize specifications. Anybody can explain openness factors, solar performance, automation protocols or fabric collections. In fact, Google can do that now.

What customers can’t Google is someone who understands how daylight affects productivity, how glare impacts learning, how occupant comfort changes a patient’s experience or why a simple color decision can influence how someone feels the second they walk into a room.

That’s where we earn our seat at the table, not because we sell shades, but because we understand environments.

Your Brain Is Making Decisions Before You Know It Neuroscientists have found that our brains process visual information incredibly fast. Before we consciously evaluate a space, we’ve already developed an emotional reaction to it.

Before anyone notices the furniture, before they appreciate the architecture, before they even realize there are motorized shades, their brain has already decided how the room makes them feel.

Every day our products influence comfort, productivity, wellness, energy consumption, views, privacy, sleep and learning.

That’s a much bigger responsibility than most people realize.

Understanding the science behind color simply gives us another way to bring value to our customers. Will it win every project? Of course not. Cost is still an important part of the discussion. Schedules will always matter. Relationships will always matter.

Color is a huge part of that equation. That’s why some rooms naturally reduce stress while others increase energy. It’s why some offices feel creative while others feel corporate. It’s why luxury hotels somehow make you feel comfortable before you’ve even checked in.

The companies that win over the next decade won’t be the ones with the biggest fabric books. They’ll be the ones that understand buildings, understand people and help customers make smarter decisions.

None of that happens by accident. Every color choice influences the human brain whether people realize it or not.

I’ve always believed we in the shade industry are capable of being much more than product experts. Now, you have a pathway to deploy that and turn it into your own reality.

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So, Where Do We Fit In? This is where I think we’ve undersold ourselves as an industry for years. We don’t just provide window treatments. We’re helping define how people experience a building. Think about the amount of visual space our products occupy.

Sam Blair has combined his passion for business growth and window covering innovations to create impactful solutions. His comprehensive experience allows him to generate revenue and enhance team dynamics, all while focusing on mentoring in leadership and window covering advancements.

When the shades are down, they become one of the largest architectural elements in the room. They’re influencing daylight. They’re controlling glare. They’re changing contrast.

They’re affecting thermal comfort. They’re shaping the overall color palette of the space. That’s not a finishing touch. That’s part of the architecture.

ULTRATAB.COM

Becoming More Valuable I’ve noticed over the last few years that our industry is changing. Customers aren’t looking for another salesperson.

They’re looking for someone who helps them make better decisions.

ULTRA PTX

Instead of talking about function, talk about wellness and how daylight plays into that. And guess what controls the daylight coming into the room? Instead of talking about shade cloth, talk about occupant comfort and how you’ll support it by engineering the perfect blend of textile palette.

DOUBLE MAST HOIST

Instead of talking about motorization, talk about improving the actual experience inside the space and how we naturally interact with our environment, then explain how automation makes those interactions more efficient and less disruptive.

Instead of talking about products, talk about outcomes, goals and desires.

Think Bigger Shades may be a small part of the overall construction or renovation budget, but they have one of the biggest impacts on how people interact with a space after all the construction dust settles.

Finish your fabrication with confidence: Complete inspection, Uncompromised quality.

SCAN FOR 2026 CATALOG

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FULL FRAME Installation

Letting Go to Grow Scaling means turning the knowledge in the owner’s head into systems an entire team can follow

BY ROGER MAGALHAES

I remember the exact feeling of finishing an install and knowing, with total certainty, that everything on that job was done right. Because I did it myself. Every measurement, every mount, every conversation with the client. If something went sideways, I knew before I even left the driveway.

It’s a great feeling, being in control of every piece of the process. But—there is always a but!—it doesn’t survive scale.

And for a long time, I didn’t want to admit that.

If you’re still in the one-truck phase and considering expanding, you probably think the biggest challenge ahead is finding good people. It’s not. The real challenge is that everything that made you successful—including your eye for detail, your gut check on quality and the way you solved problems—was built around you being physically present.

The day you add a second crew, you won’t be able to be in two places at once. It has to become a system instead of a habit.

Here’s the naked truth: Scaling a business is only possible if you build systems with an open mind. Look at any large chain like McDonald’s or Starbucks. No matter where you go, across town or across the country, the coffee or ham-

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burger tastes the same and gets handed to you the same way. That’s not luck. That’s a system doing the work a person used to do.

I asked a few dealers who’ve already made this jump to share what actually changes. Here’s what they told me.

Scheduling Is Not Intuition I was a truck driver prior to this industry. Scheduling multiple stops a day was second nature to me. I knew how long each install would take and how long the drive between jobs would run. Half knowledge, half intuition.

Add crews, and it becomes what Lisa Hayse, owner and CEO of Schammerhorn Inc. in Wichita, Kansas, called “a constantly moving puzzle”: matching installer skill level to job type, juggling PTO and sick time, and figuring out who’s the right fit for a given install.

Tim Sanders, founder and president of Solar Shield Blinds in Kansas City, Kansas, added the geographic layer. With vans scattered across a territory, scheduling becomes a routing problem, too, balancing installer skill set, location and client availability all at once.

Neither of them said this gets “solved.” It gets managed continuously by someone whose whole job is managing it.

If you haven’t noticed yet, you will need to upgrade your office staff too. Someone will need to coordinate all the moving parts now.

because solo installers are used to doing things their way, and that instinct has to bend once there’s a crew. Petitt’s answer was structure: clear roles and clear ownership.

Sanders’ was tracking and documentation, so the truth of what happened on a job doesn’t depend on memory.

Communication Without You in the Room When it’s just you, everything rides on one person. When something goes wrong, you know exactly who to talk to or what action to take. Add a second or third installer to a job and it gets murky fast: Who’s the lead? Who’s responsible for getting information back to the office? Who makes the final call on-site?

The Reality Check Scaling means accepting that not every job will unfold exactly as it would if you were the one holding the drill.

I didn’t want to hear that either. It took me 17 years, and great people on my team, to finally let go of control.

Hayse’s team is still actively working on this, which tells you it’s not a checkbox. It’s an ongoing discipline. Installers need a formal way to report what the office needs to know, including reorders, client requests and billing details instead of assuming they’ll know to mention it.

Tools and Equipment Multiply When I started, I built my toolkit as I went. If I needed something new, I drove to Home Depot and bought it. I knew every tool I owned.

Sanders pointed out that every additional van needs to be outfitted like the last one. But newer installers won’t automatically know what tool they need, or have, for every scenario. That’s not just the cost of buying more tools. It’s the ongoing cost of managing and training who has what and where.

But letting go doesn’t mean lowering your standards. It means defining those standards clearly enough that someone else can uphold them. One truck becomes a company when the quality of the work no longer depends on the owner being at every job. That’s the real shift: turning what’s in your head into systems your team can follow, trust and eventually carry forward without you.

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Roger Magalhaes is the chief owl installer at Trading Up Consulting, owner and project manager of Shades In Place and installation instructor for the WFCP Certification Program. He offers installation training and business coaching to people already in the window treatment industry and newcomers looking to gain an edge to be successful.

Add fleet maintenance and liability—including proper insurance covering your property, your drivers and everyone else on the road—and you’re running a small fleet operation on top of your installation business. Sanders’ team uses fleet-tracking technology for dispatching, after-hours van use, and driver habits and it has paid for itself in insurance savings alone.

Systems Replace Your Presence Morgan Petitt, owner of Savannah Blinds Shutters and Shades in Savannah, Georgia, took over the family business in 2014 and now runs a team of 17. He put it best: You can’t be everywhere, but a clear set of policies and procedures, along with a real CRM, lets you see the whole business at a glance.

His team leans on technology for sales, payments and even review tracking. Just as important is a defined organizational chart: operations manager, install manager, sales manager, lead installer and installers. Everyone knows their lane, so decisions don’t all funnel back to the owner.

Accountability Without You Watching This is the thread running through all three conversations.

Hayse’s team looks for people who are team players

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FULL FRAME Lessons in Leadership

Building on a Legacy Andrew Elliott (left) and Douglas Kern, copresidents of Universal Window Coverings

Douglas Kern and Andrew Elliott, co-presidents of Universal Window Coverings, are honoring the foundation of a family business while building it for the next generation

Douglas Kern and Andrew Elliott took very different tions and long-term direction. paths to leadership at Universal Window Coverings.

Ownership brought a new level of responsibility.

Kern arrived after a career spent on the ocean, while Elliott practically grew up inside the company. “Every decision we made would impact our employees, our customers and our family,” Kern explained.

After serving as a submariner in the U.S. Navy, “That responsibility continues to motivate us every Kern joined his in-laws’ window covering business day.” in 2008, ready for a new challenge. Elliott’s introDuring their tenure, Universal has expanded its duction came much earlier. He started working at Universal at 16 years old as a part-time office helper product offerings, invested in manufacturing equipment and technology, opened its North Carolina and continued while attending the University of Central Florida, eventually working his way through facility and built a larger team. With that growth has different areas of the business. “I’ve had the unique come a shift in how both men think about leading. experience of watching the company grow while As the organization has become larger and more growing alongside it,” Elliott reflected. complex, Elliott has seen communication become increasingly important. “With two locations and 145 Today, the brothers-in-law serve as co-presidents employees, you have to make sure people aren’t of the 37-year-old family business, which employs 145 people across facilities in Orlando, Florida, and just doing their individual jobs; they need to underHamlet, North Carolina. Despite their different paths, stand where the company is going and how their they share a common goal: honoring what the pre- role fits into that,” he said. vious generation built while preparing Universal for Kern has learned that growth requires the right infrawhat comes next. structure behind it. “It’s about building the systems, processes and leadership needed to support that Growing into Leadership growth while maintaining the quality and service our Neither Kern nor Elliott stepped directly into leader- customers expect,” he noted. ship positions. Both spent years learning the busiLearning to Lead ness before becoming owners.

For Elliott, working in different areas of the company The lessons gained through Universal’s growth became particularly important during the COVID-19 gave him a ground-up understanding of the operpandemic and the supply chain disruptions that ation. For Kern, ownership evolved as he became followed. deeply involved in Universal’s day-to-day opera24

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Universal Window Coverings employs 145 people across facilities in Orlando, Florida, and Hamlet, North Carolina.

“Every day brought new obstacles, and there wasn’t a playbook for what we were facing,” Kern recalled. “It reinforced that leadership is about remaining calm under pressure, communicating honestly with your team and making the best decisions you can with the information you have.”

“Markets change, technology changes, customer expectations change and businesses have to be willing to evolve with them,” he said. “At the same time, you can’t lose sight of your core values.”

Both have also learned that leadership is less about having the answers than creating an environment where others can contribute them.

Sharing leadership as brothers-in-law and business partners adds another dimension to their roles. “The biggest thing is learning when to leave work at work,” they shared. “We’re going to disagree sometimes. That’s inevitable when you’re running a business together. But we’re still family outside of the business.”

“One lesson I learned is that not every problem needs to be solved personally,” Kern said. “Trusting capable people and allowing them to take ownership leads to better decisions, stronger leaders and a healthier organization.”

Elliott has reached a similar conclusion. “Just because you’re in a leadership position doesn’t mean you have all the answers. I also think some of the best ideas come from people who are closest to the work.”

Growing Without Losing the Foundation As Universal has expanded, they have worked to modernize the business without abandoning the qualities that made it successful.

Elliott credits the previous generation with teaching him the importance of hard work, relationships and following through on commitments. He’s built on those lessons while embracing technology, new processes and a more tech-savvy approach.

Family First

“When you have 145 employees, the decisions you make affect a lot of families,” Elliott noted. “As a family-owned business, we’re not just looking at the next quarter or the next year. We’re thinking about what kind of company we’re going to hand down to the next generation.”

For Kern and Elliott, however, that inheritance goes well beyond the business itself. “We want them to understand the importance of treating people well, keeping your word, working hard and taking pride in what you build,” they said. “A business can change, grow and evolve, but those principles should remain constant.”

Ultimately, their goal is simple: “It’s not just to pass down a company. It’s to pass down the values and work ethic that made the company worth passing on in the first place.”

V

Kern sees that balance as essential to longevity.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICKOLAS SARGENT

DESIGN BY LTA INTERIORS;

Living in Color 26

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After years of playing it safe, interiors are warming up to color again.

Designers share how to embrace richer palettes, layer hues and textures, and create colorful spaces with staying power.

DESIGN BY ALEXANDER INTERIORS; PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICKOLAS SARGENT

F

or a long time, playing it safe was practically a color palette. White walls, gray upholstery and neutral window treatments promised versatility and broad appeal. But after years of restraint, interiors are getting warmer, richer and decidedly more personal.

Deep greens. Oxblood. Aubergine.

Goldenrod. Indigo. Terra-cotta. Even red and plum are finding their way back into the conversation.

What’s notable isn’t simply the return of these hues. It’s where they’re showing up. Color is moving beyond the occasional accent wall or throw pillow and onto cabinetry, ceilings, upholstery and window treatments.

“Designers are approaching color with greater confidence and intention than we’ve seen in recent years,” said Emily Kantz, interior designer and color strategist at Sherwin-Williams.

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“

As homeowners seek spaces that feel more personal and expressive, we’re seeing a shift away from one-size-fits-all neutrals toward layered palettes that reflect individual lifestyles and tastes.”

The result is a new set of possibilities, along with a familiar design challenge: How do you use more color without creating a space that feels like it will be dated before the paint dries?

Goodbye Gray If there is one shade our experts seem happy to leave in the rearview mirror, it’s gray.

“If I never do another gray window treatment in my life, I would not be sad,” said interior designer Lindsey Putzier. Plain white isn’t getting a pass either. “At least add a fun trim or a band of color for some visual interest. Plain white drapes just remind me of bedsheets.”

That doesn’t mean every neutral room needs a dramatic makeover. For clients accustomed to quieter palettes, the transition can be as simple as changing the temperature. Cream, camel, mushroom and other warm neutrals can provide the versatility of gray while creating a softer backdrop for blues, greens, rusts and other colors.

Brenda Baxter, founder and principal of Custom Drapery Design, sees an opportunity to add dimension through materials as well. “While gray and white have had their moment, the combination can feel flat and one-dimensional,” she said. “It lacks the warmth, depth and personality that make a house feel like a home.”

The takeaway? Neutral doesn’t have to mean colorless. A room can remain restrained while incorporating subtle shifts in hue, natural materials and tactile surfaces.

Turn Up the Saturation For clients ready to venture further, some of the 28

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DESIGN BY DWELL BY CHERYL INTERIORS; PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA SUMRAK

— Emily Kantz, Sherwin-Williams

most interesting colors right now have considerable depth.

Putzier is gravitating toward saturated jewel tones, particularly blues and greens, along with deep reds, plums and golds. “We’ve been adding saturated jewel tones to upholstery, such as using emerald green for a large sectional,” she said. “We’re also incorporating jewel tones into rugs and window treatments, while often still leaving the walls neutral in those spaces so we’re not overwhelmed with color.” It’s a useful formula for clients who love a bold shade but aren’t ready to see it everywhere: Choose where the color gets to be the star.

Cheryl Luckett, owner and principal designer of Dwell by Cheryl Interiors, is exploring another side

of the saturated spectrum with deep teal, oxblood, aubergine and goldenrod.

“I think the popularity of color drenching has expanded people’s comfort level with color,” she said.

“Clients who may have once been hesitant are now much more open to embracing bold hues in a meaningful way.”

Color Drenching Grows Up Painting the walls, trim and ceiling one color certainly makes an impact. But color drenching is becoming less about adhering to a formula and more about creating an enveloping effect.

“Color drenching has evolved beyond simply painting every surface the same color into a

more thoughtful approach to creating immersive, layered environments,” Kantz said. “We expect that evolution to continue into 2027, with designers embracing tonal palettes that incorporate varying depths, sheens and complementary hues to create spaces with richness and dimension.”

That opens up the concept considerably. Instead of matching every surface precisely, try staying within a family of colors and varying the intensity. A deep green wall might sit alongside slightly darker trim, a softer green textile and patterned drapery that picks up the same hue.

Sheen offers another tool. Even when the paint color remains consistent, moving from matte walls to glossier millwork can create subtle contrast as light moves through the room.

And remember: More color doesn’t have to mean more colors. Repeating variations of one or two hues can make a room feel richer without making it busier.

Let Texture Do Some of the Work Before adding another color to a palette, consider adding another texture.

DESIGN BY DWELL BY CHERYL INTERIORS; PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA SUMRAK

Textiles can create contrast through the way they reflect light, the dimension of their weave or the combination of fibers. That makes texture especially valuable in tonal rooms, where the difference between flat and layered may have little to do with adding another hue.

Greg Voorhis, executive design director at Sunbrella, expects dimensional weaves, decorative yarns, bouclés, mélange effects and pile fabrics to continue influencing interiors.

“The result is a more sophisticated approach to design, one where texture becomes the pattern, creating warmth, comfort and lasting appeal,” he said.

Baxter uses a similar philosophy when working with window treatments, combining prints and embroideries with details such as beaded trim, French welt and decorative braids. Natural fibers, loose weaves, grasscloth and scenic wallcoverings can introduce still another layer.

Make the Windows Part of the Palette When planning a room’s color scheme, it’s easy to 29

story. Whenever possible, evaluate larger samples in the actual room and at different times of day before committing.

It’s also worth considering what happens when the window treatment is open.

Drapery that provides a dramatic block of color when closed may become a narrow accent at the sides of the window during the day. Both views should work within the room.

Follow the Light

IMAGE COURTESY DESIGNER DRAPERIES OF BOSTON

No conversation about color is complete without considering light. The perfect green in a showroom can shift dramatically once it enters a north-facing bedroom or a sun-filled living room.

Natural light changes throughout the day, while artificial lighting can alter undertones after sunset. Paint, textiles and wallcoverings should be viewed in the room where they’ll live, ideally in morning, afternoon and evening light.

This becomes particularly important when combining materials. A paint color and fabric that appear to match under showroom lighting may reveal different undertones at home. Exact matching isn’t always necessary, or even desirable, but the undertones should work together.

Start with Something Personal focus first on walls, upholstery and rugs. But a large expanse of drapery or shades can occupy as much visual space as any of them.

“For window treatments in particular, color and texture are increasingly being used to add softness, personality and architectural interest to a space,” Voorhis said.

For the color-curious client, the window can also be a good place to push the palette without committing to four saturated walls. A maximalist drapery print, patterned roman shade, contrast band or decorative trim can introduce a hue in varying degrees.

Scale also matters. A tiny fabric sample may make a color seem relatively quiet, but several yards of it hanging floor to ceiling can tell a different 30

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When there are thousands of paint colors and seemingly endless fabric options, the hardest part can be deciding where to begin. Luckett frequently starts with something that already matters to the homeowner.

“We often begin the design process with an inspiration piece that already has meaning to the homeowner, whether that’s a favorite piece of art, a rug, a fabric with multiple tones or an heirloom piece of art,” she said.

An item containing several colors is particularly helpful because the palette is already partially assembled. One shade can become the dominant color, another can appear in upholstery or window treatments and a third might be reserved for smaller accents.

Future Hues

Putzier recommends looking for another clue: the colors the homeowner repeatedly chooses without thinking about it.

Ready to drench, layer or simply dip a toe into more color? Sherwin-Williams’ 2027 Colormix Trend Forecast: Rewild offers 48 handpicked hues to inspire the way forward. Divided into three design stories—Revive, Reignite and Reconnect—the forecast serves up plenty of possibilities for mixing, matching and making a room a little more colorful.

Standouts include:

“You likely have a color palette you gravitate toward, neutrals, pastels, brights, muted tones or jewel tones, etc.,” she said.

“If you stay cohesive within that tonality in your home, it’s easy to mix styles!”

And don’t design by committee.

“Be bold, take risks and be free to be yourself,” Putzier said. “If someone else doesn’t like it, they can go home!”

Trend Less, Personalize More Knowing what’s gaining momentum can be useful, particularly when it introduces clients to possibilities they might not otherwise consider. Sherwin-Williams’ 2027 Colormix Trend Forecast, for example, includes rich greens such as Roycroft Bronze Green, Taiga and Secret Garden; earthy neutrals like Renwick Golden Oak, Clove and Beachcomber; and more expressive hues such as Deep Sea Dive and Stolen Kiss.

Reconnect’s Roycroft Bronze Green SW 2846

But a trending color is an invitation, not an instruction.

“I view trends as inspiration, not direction,” Voorhis said. “My approach is to translate emerging influences into textiles with lasting relevance through thoughtful color, rich texture and versatile design.”

After years of asking which neutral is safest, the better question may be much simpler: What colors make this feel like home?

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IMAGES COURTESY SHERWIN-WILLIAMS

Perhaps that is the most useful way to approach this new era of color. Pay attention to what’s new, but build the room around what the homeowner actually wants to live with. Layer rather than match. Let texture carry some of the visual interest. Test colors in the light where they will actually live. And give a bold hue enough breathing room to make an impact.

Revive’s Stolen Kiss SW 7586

Reignite’s Lotus Petal SW 9697

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Sheer ➔

Delight Who said sheers had to be plain white? These colorful options bring a fresh perspective to the window.

Kravet Basics Seascapes Kravet.com 32

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➔

➔

Nordic Knots The Sheer in Old Rose NordicKnots.com

TWOPAGES Eliza UV Color-Changing Embroidered TWOPAGESCurtains.com

➔ Sunbrella Sheers in Mist II Sand Trivantage.com

➔ Pepper Home Lucie in Olive PepperHome.com

➔ RM Coco Sheer Perfection Illusion Stripe in White Smoke RMCoco.com

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Vesta is expanding its selection of motors for smart curtain sets with a new motor that’s a true game-changer. The family-owned company from South Carolina is now offering a new HD Bliss motor, which draws on the HD Bliss technology proven in smart roller blind systems and has now been specifically adapted for curtain systems.

The new HD Bliss motor offers an impressive price-to-performance ratio combined with high performance, making smart curtain sets attractive to a wider range of customers.

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THE SMART CURTAIN UPGRADE MOTORIZATION REDEFINED AND EFFICIENTLY CALCULATED

Compact, quiet and discreetly integrated, it delivers top performance and is easy to operate. The HD Bliss motor can be controlled via

Vesta is now benefiting from this as well and is bringing this revolutionary technology—including the new motor—to us. The company has specifically purchased the special milling machine from BÜSCHE to produce custom-made solutions right here on-site and thus shake up the market. Vesta has already tested the innovative technology, called MCT 2.0, and can’t wait to offer it in combination with the new HD Bliss motor.

“

We’re really looking forward to showing the HD Bliss to our customers. We think they’ll be just as excited about it as we are! Standard curtain sets can easily be motorized and equipped with the brand-new motor—all at an unbeatable price.”

— Bret Jackson, General Manager, Vesta

remote control or app and features three speed settings. The wireless technology is integrated directly into the motor itself, eliminating the need for a visible antenna. It can be conveniently charged via USB-C and moves both heavy curtains and light sheers gently and reliably.

Uncompromisingly good and surprisingly affordable, it is suitable for both short and long systems and opens up a new entry-level price point for smart curtain sets.

The example shows the TECHNO 1.1/8" design in the premium finish antique brass matte, mounted on the wall and equipped with the new HD Bliss motor. Vesta’s TECHNO TRACK collection features seven stunning finishes with many mounting configurations.

Most items are in stock and are available not only with motorized control options but also for manual operation and cord control.

THE BEST OF THE BEST In addition to the new HD Bliss motor, Vesta offers a range of motors from renowned manufacturers, including Somfy and Motionblinds.

The wide selection of motors meets a variety of customer requirements and needs, ensuring maximum user-friendliness and ease of operation.

VARIETY AND HIGHEST QUALITY IN THE NEW CATALOG In addition to the smart motorized curtain sets in the MCT 2.0 collection, Vesta offers other collections. These include both classic and modern designs, all of which impress with their high quality, durability and functionality. Sourced from around the world, they offer a wide range of options for a variety of interior design styles. Vesta recently unveiled a new catalog that presents everything in a compact and clear format. Of course, it includes the smart MCT 2.0 collection and, naturally, the new HD Bliss motor.

No fewer than five designs, over 13 elegant finishes and a wide variety of endcaps can be combined with the new HD Bliss motor, offering maximum design freedom when it comes to decorative drapery hardware with smart control.

SMART IN EVERY WAY Another highlight is the way Vesta integrates the motor into the profile.

This utilizes a revolutionary technology from Germany developed by Vesta’s long-standing partner, BÜSCHE. The motor mount is milled directly into the profile with absolute precision, eliminating the need for additional components. The result is visual perfection, as the motor is mounted invisibly from the front and hidden behind the curtain. No additional mounting of the motor to the wall or ceiling is necessary, allowing for installation even in tight spaces. BÜSCHE has been developing high-quality motorized curtain systems for nearly 20 years, drawing on a wealth of experience, and looks back on more than 150 years of successful company history. This long-established German company is a pioneer in the field of motorization and a global market leader based in South Westphalia. At BÜSCHE, the focus is always on the highest product quality, easy setup, high compatibility and seamless integration into existing smart home systems.

SCAN QR CODE TO VIEW CATALOG

CONTENT SPONSORED BY VESTA DRAPERY HARDWARE

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OPEN-ROLL STYLE Stylish, durable, and affordable

FULL-CASSETTE STYLE

SEMI-CASSETTE STYLE

Sleek and modern design

Our proven and trusted system

EXPAND YOUR OUTDOOR LIVING OFFERINGS WITH OUR ENHANCED AWNING LINEUP Our new awning styles offer innovative ways to design comfortable, functional outdoor spaces tailored to various homeowner needs. Expand your business and delight homeowners with premium, customizable shading solutions.

Become part of Shade Sense Outdoor’s growing dealer network today. shadesenseoutdoor.com

GROW YOUR BUSINESS

It’s happening everywhere toward the end of the year... other business owners reviewing their numbers, benchmarking their margins, and walking into January with a plan. Maybe you nod along. But if you’re honest, you’ve never actually sat down and done it. And you’re not entirely sure where you’d even start.

Want targeted help, based on the experience of some of the most successful window treatment pros in the industry?

Members in this group show me what’s possible.

No need to reinvent the wheel.”

—SUSAN DAY, OWNER, EXCITING WINDOWS BY SUSAN DAY

Beyond the

Rectangle DESIGNER: MICHAEL DEGRAFF; PHOTOS: A&I MANUFACTURING

How evolving architecture is turning challenging windows into opportunities for specialty shading

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W

BY ANIA MUNZER

indows are changing. Across residential and commercial architecture, larger expanses of glass, dramatic shapes, sloped glazing, skylights and stronger connections between indoor and outdoor spaces are creating applications that don’t always fit neatly into a standard shade specification. At the same time, clients expect window treatments to do more: integrate with the architecture, disappear when not in use, connect with smart home and building systems, and deliver precise control of light, heat and privacy.

For professionals, that evolution is creating a growing need for something this industry has always done particularly well: solve problems.

A MARKET MOVING BEYOND STANDARD

DESIGNER: AMY HUNLEY; PHOTOGRAPHER: LAUREN CHAMBERS

Specialty shading is not defined by one product. It can include oversized openings, skylights, triangles, arches, trapezoids, radial or sloped glass, tensioned systems, concealed applications and highly customized motorized solutions. The common denominator is simple: these are the windows where a standard solution is not enough.

“The desire for more natural light means more and bigger windows,” said Clint Childress, market director for residential solutions for Draper At Home.

He also points to a move away from a “cookie-cutter” approach as clients seek solutions that reflect their own design aesthetic.

Controls are part of that shift, too, with growing expectations that shades integrate with smart home and building networks.

Research from Lutron’s 2026 Luxury Residential Trend Report reinforces that direction: 56% of residential interior designers and architects surveyed said their final designs include automated shades, while another 43% recommend them.

Among affluent homeowners surveyed, 38% said they are

interested in automated shades, compared with 11% who currently use them. The numbers point to an important opportunity: Design professionals are already specifying increasingly integrated shading, while consumer adoption still has room to expand.

Specialized Shading Systems (SSS) is seeing the architectural side of that evolution firsthand. Taylor Margolies, marketing specialist, pointed to luxury homes and commercial buildings incorporating massive glass walls, conservatory-style roofs, sloping skylights, trapezoidal windows and other unusual openings as designers prioritize natural light and indoor-outdoor connections. Those distinctive features cannot always be controlled effectively with off-the-shelf products.

That is where specialty stops being a niche conversation and becomes part of what it means to offer truly custom window treatments.

DON’T SKIP THE HARD WINDOW For a dealer, an enormous wall of glass, an unusual angle or a difficult skylight can be intimidating. There are more variables, more questions and potentially more risk than with a straightforward rectangular opening. But walking away can also mean walking away from an opportunity to demonstrate expertise—and from a project competitors may not know how to handle.

Margolies noted that standard rectangular shades have become highly commoditized. When dealers limit themselves to standard applications, price can become a bigger part of the conversation. Specialty changes the value proposition. The dealer is no longer simply providing a product; the dealer is helping solve an architectural, performance or integration challenge.

That does not mean a dealer must personally engineer a tensioned system or design a sophisticated control network. The expertise lies in recognizing the challenge, gathering the right information and knowing which partners to bring into the conversation.

HOW TO BECOME THE EXPERT So, what should a dealer do when a specialty opportunity appears? First, recognize the signals. Oversized spans, slopes, arches, skylights, unusual geometry, exterior exposure, concealment requirements, difficult access or advanced automation can all indicate that a standard product may not be enough.

Next, document the application before trying to prescribe the solution. Exact dimensions and window geometry matter, but so do photographs, architectural drawings, framing materials, access conditions and the client’s expectations for power, controls and automation. On complex projects, CAD files or 3D models can help

39

a manufacturer understand the architecture before fabrication begins.

Then, involve the right partners early. “Early collaboration isn’t just important; on complex projects, it’s the entire game,” Margolies said.

Waiting until drywall, electrical and other construction elements are complete can create expensive modifications or compromises.

Early involvement gives the team an opportunity to address structural support, shade pockets, fabric roll diameters, wiring and automation while those decisions can still be incorporated into the build.

Childress echoed that advice. The more complex the project, he said, the more important it is to have manufacturers, dealers, designers, architects and installers communicating from the beginning. Technical drawings and specifications matter, but so does a shared understanding of the expectations behind them.

In other words, becoming a specialty expert does not mean doing everything yourself. It means becoming a professional who knows how to lead the process. V

Specialty in Action

Specialty shading can take dramatically different forms depending on the architecture, environment and performance requirements. These projects show what happens when custom fabrication, engineering, installation and collaboration come together to solve the windows that refuse to fit the mold.

EXTREME EXTERIOR ENGINEERING Bridgehampton Coastal Estate Bridgehampton, New York | Specialized Shading Systems Six massive tensioned exterior sail shades at a high-end coastal estate in Bridgehampton demonstrate just how far specialty shading can move beyond a standard opening. Installed within recessed pockets in a custom cantilevered overhang approximately 60 feet above ground— with a 40-foot vertical drop beyond the pool— the project required engineering for extreme exposure and extraordinarily difficult future access.

SSS designed and fabricated the tensioned systems using custom low-profile stainless-steel return pulleys, fiberglass reinforcement battens and Serge Ferrari Soltis 86 exterior fabric. An opposing

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shade was inverted so the substantial front profiles could overlap, eliminating both a visual gap and an approximately 11-inch mass of aluminum where the systems meet.

With even future adjustments potentially requiring more than $100,000 in temporary scaffolding, precision and durability were essential. SSS collaborated with Blindtek Designer Systems on measuring and installation, creating a solution designed to

withstand harsh Atlantic coastal conditions while integrating seamlessly into the architecture.

BY THE NUMBERS: 6 tensioned sail shades | 60' installation height | 40' vertical drop | $100K+ potential access cost

MUSEUM-LEVEL DAYLIGHT CONTROL Shading as an Extension of the Architecture Adam MacKenzie and Ben MacKenzie, National Commercial Shading Solutions

In the promenade, a bespoke system allows vertical topdown and angled bottom-up tensioned shades to deploy simultaneously from behind custom fascia and virtually disappear into the architecture when retracted.

The project brought together National Commercial Shading Solutions, Draper, Guillaume Janssen, Somfy, Phifer and

PHOTO NOAH MEDLIN

For a $100-million-plus, 42,000-square-foot museum expansion designed by a world-renowned architect, the mandate for the shading system was clear: prevent sunlight from reaching priceless artwork while preserving the architectural vision. The project required an extraordinary range of custom solutions. Tensioned shades span nearly 35 feet vertically and 25 feet horizontally, while 30-foot recessed shades follow a curving curtain wall. Above the galleries, 96 motorized tensioned skylight shades provide precise solar and blackout control, allowing individual spaces to adapt to the requirements of different exhibitions.

Serge Ferrari. This demonstrated an essential part of specialty expertise: knowing how to coordinate the right manufacturers, technologies and partners to deliver a solution no single off-the-shelf product could provide.

PHOTO NOAH MEDLIN

BY THE NUMBERS: 42,000 sq. ft. | $100M+ facility | 96 motorized skylight shades | Nearly 35' shade height

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INTRODUCING THE

VANISH BRACKETS N E W S L EEK COV ERS T H AT H I D E VI SI B L E M O U N T I N G SCRE WS

WWW.MORGIK.COM

Morgik is proud to announce our new line of Vanish Brackets that hide the visible mounting screws. The brackets are available in brass, steel and stainless steel for all of our standard, traverse and fascia rods in all of our quality finishes.

TEL: 212-463-0304

FAX: 212-463-0329

SALES@MORGIK.COM

Why Carole Fabrics?

Simple — Because soft window treatments are our specialty.

Carole Fabrics offers a design-driven approach with one of the industry’s largest selections of decorative drapery fabrics and trims.

We stock thousands of fabrics including exclusive patterns.

Our custom product line includes a vast assortment of drapery and panel styles, Roman shades, top treatments, and drapery hardware.

Ready to learn more?

PHOTO COURTESY COULISSE

Safety

First

IN RECOGNITION OF WINDOW COVERING SAFETY MONTH, THESE PRODUCTS PUT SAFER WINDOWS FRONT AND CENTER. Child safety is an essential consideration in window covering design, and industry standards have reshaped the products available to consumers.

The Window Covering Manufacturers Association’s (WCMA) revised ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2022 standard marked a major shift for the industry. Effective June 1, 2024, it eliminated free-hanging operating cords and tilt cords on made-to-order custom window coverings and placed tighter restrictions on other corded systems.

Stock window coverings were already required to be cordless or have inaccessible cords.

Today’s options show just how far the industry has come, combining safety with style, performance and convenience.

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1. Graber Bottom Up Cellular Zigbee Motorized Shades Graber’s Bottom Up Cellular Zigbee Motorized Shades offer cordless control for managing light and privacy. Shades operate from up to 35 feet away, while two-way communication reports shade position and battery status through the app. Smart-home integration makes automation easy.

GraberBlinds.com

NEW PRODUCT

2. Coulisse Twin Pull System Coulisse’s award-winning Twin Pull control system eliminates loops and dangling cords from roller and honeycomb shades. The child-safe system provides precise positioning, while its modular design allows individual components to be replaced for long-term functionality.

Coulisse.com

3. Louvolite UniTouch NEW PRODUCT

Louvolite’s UniTouch is a magnetic, motorized wand that operates compatible cordless roller blinds without a motor in each shade. The tool-free system attaches to the control end, recharges via USB-C and eliminates exposed operating cords. UniTouch launches later this year. Louvolite.com

4. Graber Bottom Up Cellular Zigbee Motorized Shades Graber’s Bottom Up Cellular Zigbee Motorized Shades offer cordless control for managing light and privacy. Shades operate from up to 35 feet away, while two-way communication reports shade position and battery status through the app. Smart-home integration makes automation easy. GraberBlinds.com

NEW PRODUCT

5. Louvolite Chain Safe Pro Louvolite’s Chain Safe Pro is a child-safety chain tidy for roller and Vision blinds.

Fitted under tension, the system prevents operation if incorrectly installed. Suitable for inside- and outside-recess applications, it supports ANSI/ WCMA compliance and comes in three finishes. Louvolite.com

7. Draper At Home Elevate Manual Roller Shades Draper At Home’s Elevate Manual Roller Shades offer cordless operation with a touch-and-pull design. A touch to the bottom hem bar raises the shade, while a gentle pull lowers it. BalanceFit Technology helps maintain consistent positioning and dependable operation.

DraperAtHome.com 8. Somfy Sonesse 40 WireFree Zigbee Somfy’s Sonesse 40 WireFree Zigbee motor provides rechargeable, cord-free operation for interior blinds and shades.

The motor delivers 4Nm of quiet torque with USB-C or solar charging options, while TaHoma pro integration enables scheduling, scenes and voice control.

SomfyPro.com 9. Coulisse Safety Tensioner Coulisse’s Safety Tensioner is a lab-certified solution for window coverings with ball-chain loops. Meeting the ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2022 standard, it is compatible with roller, double roller, honeycomb, roman and Venetian shade systems. Coulisse.com

6. Forest Drapery Hardware Motorized Window Treatments Forest Drapery Hardware offers cord-free motorization for draperies, roller shades and roman shades. Operated by remote, wall switch or smartphone app, the systems combine automated convenience with a childsafe alternative to traditional corded window treatments.

ForestDH.com

10. TWOPAGES Lay Cordless Ramie Woven Shade Handwoven from 100% renewable ramie, TWOPAGES’ Lay Cordless Ramie Woven Shade combines natural texture with cord-free operation. The shade features a built-in valance and customizable liners for privacy and light control and meets Consumer Product Safety Commision child-safety requirements.

TWOPAGESCurtains.com

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The NEW

ROLLER COLLECTION Has Arrived

COULISSE’S NEW ROLLER COLLECTION ARRIVES EXACTLY WHEN THE MARKET NEEDS IT The window covering market doesn’t stand still, and neither do the people buying into it. Interiors are shifting toward softer palettes, more natural materials and a growing demand for sustainable options—and dealers, fabricators and specifiers are looking for suppliers who can keep pace with that shift, not just react to it.

“The signals were clear,” explains Jop Vos, Managing Director of Coulisse Americas. “The market is moving fast. What we’ve built here is a structure that makes it easier for our partners to stay relevant, present stronger offers and compete at a higher level.”

“What the market is asking for right now is both design and performance,” adds Catharina Idema, Creative Director at Coulisse. “New color palettes, technically advanced fabrics across black-out and screen, and nature-inspired materials are shaping decisions today—and this collection was built to answer all three at once.”

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Coulisse’s answer arrives this month, with all five books of its renewed roller collection now live and available. The structure is the product of a deliberate process, not a simple refresh—the entire existing range was reviewed first so that what was added actually closes a gap.

“

A complete, modern and fresh collection the market was waiting for.”

— Jop Vos, Managing Director, Coulisse Americas

Softer, More Sustainable Fabrics Two directions stood out clearly in that process: a market ready for genuinely sustainable options, and a growing appetite for softer, more tactile materials.

Asked what sets the offer apart from everyone else in the market right now, Vos points to fundamentals: “better products, quality and safety standards, and a more reliable supply chain.”

The updated collection books have just arrived in Coulisse’s Miami office, with all five roller books already in stock and available to explore and request. “It makes doing business with Coulisse easy,” Vos says of launching with full availability in place, rather than an announcement alone. “It’s important that the products are ready to deliver.”

“The consumer is demanding these types of products,” Vos says of the shift toward recycled and nature-inspired fabrics. Wembley, Prato, Marseille, Capri and Re-Essential mark the brand’s first global range of recycled roller fabrics—a meaningful shift for a category where sustainable choices haven’t always matched design expectations. Alongside them, nature-inspired fabrics including Aspen, Belize and Lima bring a richer, more organic texture to the collection, reflecting the same warmth and materiality showing up across interiors, fashion and architecture right now.

Five Books, One Sharper Offer Rather than expanding the range for its own sake, Coulisse restructured it into five dedicated books—Light Filtering, Black-out, Nature, Screen Textile and Screen Function—each built around a specific material direction and use case.

Light Filtering brings together softly woven fabrics that diffuse natural daylight with warmth and ease, creating calm, inviting interiors. Black-out delivers the same refined design language with full room darkening, bringing privacy and quiet elegance to any space. Nature draws on organic materials and crafted weaves for softness, warmth and quiet character. Screen Textile offers a curated range of tactile screen fabrics with depth and refinement, balancing aesthetic richness with reliable performance. And Screen Function brings together highperformance fabrics built for precise light and heat control, aligned with Motionblinds technology for smart, energyconscious spaces in both residential and commercial projects.

One gap Vos points to directly: trend items that meet the highest safety standards. “Trend items with the highest possible safety standards, OEKO-TEX certified fabrics,” he says, describing where Coulisse saw room to lead. Proven bestsellers Mombassa and Hampton remain at the core of the collection for a similarly practical reason. “We kept the top-performing fabrics in our assortment,” Vos explains. “Our collections are built to last—typically five years or more—so our partners can plan with confidence.”

A Reliable Supply Chain Design and material quality are only part of what the market is asking for. “Fabricators do not want to have back orders from their suppliers,” Vos notes. “They want to optimize their delivery processes and have a fast delivery time to their customers.” It’s a shift Coulisse has built the new collection around from the start.

Content Sponsored by Coulisse

CONNECT WITH COULISSE TODAY FOR A COMPLETE BOOK SET. 49

CRAFTING Greatness

Meet the 2026 Grace Awards Artisan winners whose creativity, craftsmanship and technical expertise brought extraordinary projects to life. Behind every exceptional project is an artisan whose expertise transforms a designer’s vision into reality. The Grace Awards Artisan categories recognize the workrooms, fabricators and installers whose talent often happens behind the scenes but leaves a lasting impression. This year’s winning projects highlight the ingenuity, collaboration and dedication required to solve complex challenges, elevate interiors and create one-of-a-kind spaces.

CURTAINS & DRAPERIES Rachael Harvey

Rachael Harvey of Refurnish fabricated sweeping draperies for a serene Alys Beach, Florida, living room using soft, gauzy Zimmer + Rohde hemp fabric. Designed in collaboration with Evan Millard, the installation spans the fireplace, front entry, arched kitchen opening and a wall of doors leading to the pool, all supported by iron hardware from B&B Metal Designs. Completed without a site visit, the project required meticulous planning and on-site adjustments, including custom-cut hardware and a seamless modification to accommodate an unexpected wall sconce.

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RACHAEL HARVEY

Refurnish

Sigita Nusbaum

Delaney Window Fashions LLC

TOP TREATMENTS

SIGITA NUSBAUM

A bathroom cornice became the perfect canvas for creative fabrication as Sigita Nusbaum of Delaney Window Fashions incorporated Carl Robinson wallcovering into the design. Experimenting with multiple techniques, Nusbaum folded portions of the material while leaving others smooth to create texture and dimension without compromising its integrity. Paired with JF Fabrics and blackout lining from Angel’s Linings, the gold cornice became a dramatic focal point within the space.

DAO ZHOU

COMBINATION

Dao Zhou

Drapery Designs

At a luxury apartment community in Oakville, Virginia, Dao Zhou of Drapery Designs fabricated oversized roman shades, ripplefold drapery, bench cushions and decorative pillows for the building’s public spaces. The centerpiece was a series of sheer-lined flat roman shades measuring approximately 130 inches wide by 133 inches tall, engineered to maintain clean channel alignment, smooth operation and minimal gaps across expansive glass walls. Ripple-fold drapery with 300% fullness balanced the scale of the architecture, while coordinated soft furnishings completed the installation.

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Ingenious INSTALLATION Oksana AmbrozTrychta

Created for the Second Nature exhibit during Chicago Design Days 2024, Oksana Ambroz-Trychta transformed the Herman MillerKnoll showroom with a sculptural installation of suspended sheer drapery. The floating system required 36 custom templates to precisely bend Sampson Mills rods around complex ceiling ductwork while maintaining perfect alignment throughout the space. Layers of sheer fabric reinforced the exhibit’s themes of sustainability, transparency and movement, creating an immersive experience for visitors.

OKSANA AMBROZ-TRYCHTA

It’s Oksana, LLC Design Studio and Drapery Workroom

Outdoor LIVING Irina Otto

IRICHKA

ADRIANA MICHELLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Working with designer Audrey Kennedy, Irina Otto of IRICHKA created soft furnishings that extend the home’s sophisticated interior style into an elegant outdoor living space. Every detail was thoughtfully fabricated to balance comfort, durability and refined design, creating a seamless transition between the home’s interior and exterior environments.

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Bedding & PILLOWS

Christina Price

DONNA DOTAN

Main Line Window Decor

Working alongside the designer and metal fabricator, Christina Price of Main Line Window Decor created a luxurious canopy bed centered around an elegantly engineered onepiece canopy top designed to fit the iron frame.

Layered bed panels, hand-pleated silk pillows, tailored shams, a hand-tacked Scalamandré coverlet and meticulously detailed accent pillows completed the ensemble, with every element requiring careful coordination from fabrication through installation.

SPECIALTY

Arthur Melkumov and Dzhuna Meskhi Towering 14-foot ceilings inspired Arthur Melkumov and Dzhuna Meskhi of Walls Studio to create an arched lambrequin that blends traditional craftsmanship with modern technology. Handcrafted from wood, upholstered in Romo fabric and accented with brushed brass inlays, the architectural feature was fabricated using 3D scanning to achieve a flawless fit. Concealed Forest CS tracks discreetly house sheers and drapery panels within the arch, preserving the room’s clean architectural lines.

ARTHUR MELKUMOV

Walls Studio

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Most INTRICATE HANDWORK

Olga Kott

Kott Soft Furnishings

OLGA KOTT

Traditional hand-sewing techniques define Olga Kott’s curtains and roman shades for a family home’s hallway. Heavy interlined triplepleat draperies in Ian Sanderson’s Shiraz Culpeper fabric were stitched entirely by hand, while a waterfall roman shade and sculpted roller blind cover feature invisible stitching for a flawless finish. Romo Linara accents and an antique brass pole from JSC Group Interiors complete the tailored installation.

Soft SHADES Irina Otto

IRICHKA

A classic soft shade received an elegant update in this serene La Jolla bedroom by Irina Otto of IRICHKA. Designed to provide effective light control, the shades feature a delicate gray ribbon outline that adds subtle definition and sophistication. Achieving precise pattern placement and proportion along the upper section required meticulous planning throughout fabrication.

ADRIANA MICHELLE PHOTOGRAPHY

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Finishing TOUCHES

Gillian Wendel and Dorsey Shedd

The Wendel Works and DLS Interiors

In a luxurious Texas ranchinspired primary bathroom, Gillian Wendel and Dorsey Shedd of The Wendel Works and DLS Interiors elevated stationary drapery panels and roman shades with hand-embellished trim and bronze nailheads.

Working with Alendel fabrics and Nahoon embroidered tape, Wendel enhanced a simple embroidered band by adding satin flanges, micro cording and interlining before hand-stitching the trim to each treatment.

Decorative Brimar nailheads were ingeniously secured within hidden channels at the base of every pleat to coordinate with Helser Bros.

French return hardware.

Arthur Melkumov and Dzhuna Meskhi

Walls Studio

An upholstered headboard wall transformed this primary bedroom through the work of Arthur Melkumov and Dzhuna Meskhi of Walls Studio. Extending to the ceiling, handcrafted geometric panels upholstered in Rioma Velvet Plus 5 are framed with brushed brass inlays that create depth, rhythm and symmetry. Coordinating Gianti draperies, Carole Afloat sheers on Forest CS Tracks, and an upholstered bed complete the layered design.

ARTHUR MELKUMOV

UPHOLSTERY

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Rising EXCELLENCE HONORABLE MENTIONS Congratulations to these talented workrooms and fabricators for their outstanding craftsmanship and creativity Curtains & Draperies Julia Hash, JSH Designs, LLC Top Treatments Sharon Gizzi, Styles by Sharon Combination Amy Hunley, The Drapery Room Ingenious Installation Beata Dubowska, Vitalia Inc. Bedding & Pillows Irina Otto, IRICHKA

CHRISTOPHER GLASSMER

Specialty Julia Hash, JSH Designs, LLC

Christopher Glassmer

Miami’s Best Blinds

Christopher Glassmer of Miami’s Best Blinds created a luxury drapery package for a spec-built residence, combining concealed treatments with dramatic, oversized installations. Functional drapery was installed within pre-constructed hidden pocket boxes, requiring precise planning and close coordination with the builder to ensure the treatments disappear completely when open. The project’s most ambitious installation came in the foyer, where panels exceeding 300 inches in height demanded exact fabric alignment, consistent pleating and flawless drops. Fixed decorative panels and concealed hardware throughout the residence complement the architecture while creating a refined, custom finish designed to appeal to the luxury market.

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Upholstery Tracie Bresnahan, Custom Creations Most Intricate Handwork Jordan Sceski, Vitalia Inc. Outdoor Living Susan Kostelecky, Welcome Home Designs Soft Shades Sigita Nusbaum, Delaney Window Fashions, LLC Finishing Touches Tracie Bresnahan, Custom Creations

Art is an

OBSESSION

with every inch.

T H AT ’ S W H Y Y O U R V I S I O N I S O U R M I S S I O N .

From our passionate customer service to every inch of perfection aligning with your vision on install. We take great pride in our work being handcrafted right here in America.

ARTISANDRAPERYROD.COM

CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT

(EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE TRADE)

FULL FRAME Digital Marketing

Show Your True Colors

How to select and apply a color palette that makes your business recognizable wherever customers encounter it

BY KELLY DRAKE AND SHAUN TURNER

You can recognize Coca-Cola red or the golden arches of McDonald’s before you read a single word. That recognition isn’t accidental. It comes from using the same colors, shapes and visual cues so consistently that they become inseparable from the brand itself.

Your business may not have a global advertising budget, but the same principle applies. Every time customers encounter your showroom, wrapped vehicle, website, advertisement or social media feed, they are gathering clues about who you are and what they can expect from you.

Color is one of the fastest ways to communicate that story. A carefully selected palette can make your business feel sophisticated, creative, approachable or dependable. But choosing attractive colors isn’t enough. They must appear consistently wherever your brand does.

Your logo provides the foundation. From there, your colors and typography should create a clear 58

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visual thread across every customer touchpoint.

When everything feels connected, your business becomes easier to recognize, remember and trust.

Using the Color Wheel to Tell Brand Story Colors convey meaning instantaneously, often before a customer reads a single word of your copy.

Warm reds, oranges and yellows feel energetic and urgent, and clearance banners and limited-time offers lean on them for exactly that reason.

Cool colors like blue and green feel calm and trustworthy, which is why so many brands build their identity around one or the other.

Saturation and lightness shift tones even further. A muted tone typically reads as heritage and craftsmanship, while a bright, saturated version of the same color feels playful and modern. No color is inherently better than another; the right palette depends on the emotional response you want to convey at first sight.

The color wheel maps how hues relate to each

to save your final palette for consistent use going forward.

One Story, Many Stages On your website, assign each palette color a job and keep those roles consistent on every page.

other, and those relationships shape how your palette feels: •

Complementary colors sit directly opposite each other, creating strong contrast, ideal for a call-to-action button or a detail you want to stand out.

•

Analogous colors sit next to each other and blend smoothly, producing a calm, cohesive look.

•

Triadic colors pull three evenly spaced hues, giving your palette energy without losing unity.

On social media, your profile image, post templates and photography all carry color signals.

Audit your image library the way you'd audit a showroom display: does your site, logo and photo gallery look like it belongs to the same palette? Do they differ or contrast pleasingly? These elements speak to the cohesiveness of your business. Draw from the same colorways so your grid reads as one brand at a glance.

Put It in Writing Even documents like spec sheets and dealer kits deserve the branded treatment; for your marketing team or B2B partners, that polish signals operational discipline.

Document and save all of your branded materials into a compressed folder. Include all potential colSplit-complementary colors pair a base color with the two hues next to its complement, offer- orways with appropriate hex code, RGB and CMYK values with multiple logo images, icons and your ing greater contrast flexibility. image guidelines into a simple brand style guide • Monochromatic palettes use shades and tints to be shared with those you collaborate with. of a single color for a clean, minimalist feel.

Planning these paths in advance means your team and your partners never have to guess (and never Branding Best Practices have to improvise).

A brand identity system is a series of preapproved Make Your Brand Story Memorable combinations of your text, color palettes and logo.

Start with restraint: two or three main colors, paired Standing out doesn’t take a national ad budget. with one or two accents, give you enough range It takes a thoughtful color story, an eye-catching while keeping your palette coherent. Too many logo, a documented style guide and a team that colors dilute recognition rather than build it. holds to both. Do that consistently and your brand becomes what the best brands are: instantly, efWe recommend a light, dark and neutral colorway fortlessly familiar. so your brand stands out no matter the background. Contrast matters just as much as color choice. A palette that looks sharp in a mockup can still fail once real text sits on top of it, hurting readability and accessibility. Lock in exact hex codes rather than approximating a shade from memory to Kelly Drake is from northeast Ohio and is a senior SEO and content specialist at Creekmore Marketing. She has an MA keep that contrast consistent everywhere you use in English literature and has taught writing, editing and other it. language skills in four different countries.

•

V

Test your colors against light and dark backgrounds, and don’t let your palette drift across platforms or print media. Tools like Coolors, Canva and Adobe Color make this easier, offering palette inspiration, accessibility checks and simple ways

Shaun Turner is from southeastern Kentucky and is a senior SEO and content specialist at Creekmore Marketing. He is also the recipient of the Denny C. Plattner Award in Fiction from the Appalachian Review and won a Kentucky Emerging Artist Award.

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FULL FRAME Wellness

When Close Enough Isn’t Close Enough Why alignment starts with how we see, not just what we say

BY ELSE JOHNSON

looked at it.

A few months ago, I ordered new window treatments for my own home. So, for the first time in years, since I no longer run a window covering business day to day, I was the client, not the expert. I followed the process I had used with every client. I requested a color sample, held it up against my walls in different light and approved it with confidence. A few weeks later, the finished product arrived.

We stood there, the two of us, looking at the exact same swatch, in the exact same light, coming away with two different conclusions. Neither of us was wrong. Neither of us was difficult. We were simply seeing it differently, and that’s a far more common experience than most of us realize, especially in this industry.

The moment I unwrapped it, I knew something was off.

Not dramatically off, but off enough that I noticed it immediately. I asked my husband to take a look. He glanced at it, shrugged and said, “It’s fine. It’s really close.” And he wasn’t wrong. It was very close. But close wasn’t what I had approved, and I could see the difference the second I

We understand how nuanced color can be. We talk about undertones, lighting, fabric dye lots and the way a color can shift from morning to evening. And yet, how often do we assume that once we’ve picked a color and shown a sample, everyone involved is seeing the same thing we are?

Why This Matters Far Beyond Fabric

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This isn’t just about window treatments. It’s about every situation you encounter in your business where people assume shared understanding without ever confirming it.

You approve a concept with a client, certain you’re in agreement, only to discover weeks later that you’ve had two different visions the entire time. As the business owner, you tell your team to “keep quality high,” assuming everyone shares the same definition of high quality, until a delivered project reveals just how differently that phrase was interpreted. You believe your team is aligned on priorities, simply because no one raised an objection in the meeting.

In each of these situations, nobody failed to communicate.

Words were exchanged. Samples were shown. Instructions were given. What was missing wasn’t communication; it was verification. Nobody checked whether what was seen, heard or understood on one side matched what was seen, heard or understood on the other.

This is the quiet root of so much friction in businesses and teams. We treat disagreement as a communication breakdown, when it is often two people looking at the same swatch through two different sets of eyes, each one accurate to their own perception—and neither one wrong.

That friction has a price, and it’s not only external. A misread

color swatch costs you a reorder. A misread expectation with a client costs you the relationship. A misread priority on your team costs you months. And underneath all of it, the constant low hum of feeling misunderstood, or working harder than you should have to just to be heard clearly, quietly costs you your own energy.

The good news is that once you see this pattern, you can prepare for it. You can create checkpoints instead of assumptions. You can ask, “When you say aligned, what does that look like to you?” instead of assuming your version of the picture is the only one in the room. You can normalize the idea that seeing things differently isn’t a problem to fix, but the starting point of real alignment.

Because when it comes to your clients, your team and your business, “close enough” may not be close enough. The only way to know is to check.

V

Else Johnson is a mindset strategist and creator of the Wise Mind Leadership Blueprint, trusted by high-achieving entrepreneurs to dismantle self-sabotage and lead with intention. Backed by certifications in NLP, CBT and Positive Intelligence—and decades of experience in finance, entrepreneurship and the design industry—Else helps clients build emotional resilience, redefine their leadership identity and unlock measurable growth in creativity, profitability and strategic influence. » ElseJohnson.com

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FLAIR Product Focus

SPOTLIGHT ON:

MOTORIZED DRAPERY & SHEERS Motorized Drapery

PHOTO COURTESY CAROLE FABRICS

The Look: Elegant fabric panels that glide effortlessly along a motorized track, adding softness, scale and luxury to any space What It’s Made Of: Decorative fabrics paired with motorized tracks, aluminum hardware and wired or battery-powered motors The Backstory: Once reserved for luxury homes and hospitality projects, motorized drapery has become increasingly accessible as smart home technology has advanced and homeowners have embraced connected living.

What Sets It Apart: Motorized tracks open and close even large, heavy drapery panels with the touch of a button, voice command or automated schedule. Many systems also integrate with smart home platforms for effortless daily operation.

Where It Shines: Great rooms, primary bedrooms, media rooms, dining rooms and oversized or hard-to-reach windows The Eco Angle: Automated schedules help manage daylight throughout the day, reducing solar heat gain while maximizing natural light and improving energy efficiency.

Why It’s Everywhere: As automation continues to reshape the home, motorized drapery offers the perfect combination of convenience, comfort and sophisticated design.

The Look: Light, airy fabrics that gently diffuse sunlight while creating a soft, elegant backdrop What It’s Made Of: Lightweight woven fabrics, including linen, cotton blends, polyester and specialty performance fibers The Backstory: Once associated with traditional lace curtains, today’s sheers have evolved into sophisticated textiles that complement everything from contemporary homes to classic interiors. Designers frequently use them as the foundation of layered window treatments, pairing them with decorative drapery for added versatility.

What Sets It Apart: Sheers soften harsh sunlight, reduce glare and provide daytime privacy while maintaining natural light and outdoor views. Layered beneath drapery, they offer homeowners flexible light control from morning to night.

Where It Shines: Living rooms, family rooms, dining rooms, primary bedrooms and expansive walls of glass where daylight is a defining design feature The Eco Angle: By filtering rather than blocking daylight, sheers reduce the need for artificial lighting while improving visual comfort and helping manage glare.

Why It’s Everywhere: Designers continue to embrace sheers for their ability to soften interiors, make windows appear larger, frame architectural features and create the layered, high-end look today’s homeowners want.

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PHOTO COURTESY PEPPER HOME

Sheers

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Why Less Sells More

BY OLIVER SCHREIBER

One of the greatest advantages of our industry is customization. We can offer hundreds of fabrics, dozens of colors, multiple lift systems, decorative hardware and products designed for virtually every window imaginable. Unfortunately, that advantage can also become one of our greatest obstacles.

As sales professionals, we often believe that presenting more choices demonstrates expertise and increases the likelihood of finding the “perfect” solution. In reality, the opposite is often true. Too many choices overwhelm customers, create uncertainty and delay buying decisions.

Psychologists call this analysis paralysis.

When people are presented with too many options, they become mentally exhausted. Rather than making the wrong decision, they make no decision at all.

If you’ve ever heard a homeowner say, “We need to think about it,” after an appointment where they seemed excited, there’s a good chance they weren’t rejecting your recommendation. They were simply overwhelmed. Think about the average in-home consultation. A homeowner may start by saying they want “new blinds.” An hour later, they’ve been introduced to roller shades, cellular shades, roman shades, shutters, motorization, cordless operation, colors, hardware and countless other options. What began as a simple choice has become dozens of individual decisions.

No wonder they need time to think!

One of the biggest mistakes sales pro-

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fessionals make is believing their job is to educate customers on every available option. While product knowledge is important, homeowners are not looking to become window treatment experts. They want someone they can trust to guide them toward the right solution. People hire professionals because they don’t want to become professionals themselves.

One technique I’ve found effective is what I call the Rule of Three. Instead of presenting 10 possibilities, present three.

You might say, “Based on your home’s style, the amount of sunlight you receive and what you’ve told me about privacy, there are three products I think would work exceptionally well here.” Immediately, you’ve simplified the decision. Now, the homeowner is comparing three carefully selected recommendations from an expert they invited into their home..

If you’ve ever watched a homeowner flip through a fabric book for 20 minutes, comparing nearly identical shades of white, you’ve witnessed analysis paralysis firsthand. Instead of helping them compare 40 whites, narrow the conversation. “I’ve installed all of these, but these are the three that consistently look best in homes like yours.” Suddenly, the impossible decision becomes manageable.

The same principle applies to motorization.

Rather than spending 10 minutes discussing every remote control, hub, battery option and smart home integration, begin with the lifestyle. “Would you enjoy open-

ing every shade in the house with one touch before your morning coffee?” Now, you’re selling an experience instead of a specification.

One phrase I’ve started using more often is, “If this were my home, here’s what I’d do.” Customers love hearing that. Not because they think you’re always right, but because they’re paying for your experience. Homeowners don’t invite us into their homes because they want someone to carry around sample books. They invite us because they want someone who knows which book to open.

The next time you walk into a home, resist the temptation to show every product you carry. Narrow the choices. Offer confident recommendations. Guide your clients instead of overwhelming them with options.

When you eliminate confusion, you build confidence. And when customers feel confident in their decision, you’ll find yourself putting another check mark in the Sold! column. V

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

With , child safety is a standard.

© Somfy Systems, Inc. • Photos : © Somfy Activités SA/Getty Images.

Help protect what matters most with motorized window coverings designed for everyday living.

Every family deserves a home that’s as safe as it is beautiful.

Somfy motorized window coverings remove the risk of dangling cords, helping create a safer environment for children without compromising on style. Deliver the convenience of automation and the confidence of cordless solutions thoughtfully engineered to meet the demands of today’s market.

Visit somfypro.com to learn more

ROLLER SHADES. REDEFINED. 350+ COLORS & DESIGNS NEVER BACKORDERED NEVER DISCONTINUED More choices. More availability. More opportunities to sell. TEXTON COLOR Roller Shades give dealers the selection and reliability they need to create beautiful solutions for every window.

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