Window coverings are a feature that is often overlooked when planning a remodel or building a new home. Living in Alaska, we all know how important window coverings are to successfully functioning within a space. From blocking out the midnight sun during the summer – to keeping the heat from escaping throughout the winter, the right type of window covering can make a world of a difference in any home! Of course, the overall aesthetics of these coverings can never be forgotten so we utilize Hunter Douglas’s state-of-the-art products to further enhance our own designs.
When designing a home’s interior, we analyze the various features needed for each room and design according to them. To achieve maximum light control for this media room, we incorporated Silhouette shades with the PowerRise battery operated control system for ultimate convenience during movie night! When closed, the opaque fabric achieves a room darkening setting but when the vanes are tilted open, the sheer fabric diffuses harsh sunlight and maintains this home’s brilliant view. These translucent sheers also block damaging UV rays and protect the clients’ artwork and furnishings too.
Bedrooms have similar needs as media rooms and this Fairbanks suite is no exception. To combat the midnight sun and harsh glare from the lake located just outside of these windows, we determined that the Pirouette’s were the perfect solution. When closed, the soft folds of this luxurious fabric provide a more traditional look similar to that of a roman shade, but open to provide the ultimate amount of light control and incorporate a glare reducing sheer on the back of the shade. For this installation, we selected a fabric from the exclusive Alustra Collection that matches the wall color perfectly and contrasts nicely against the silk drapery panels. We also added motorization to this shade for ease of operation from bed.
This last home incorporates a great deal of windows that not only look down onto the neighbors below but also allow a great deal of cold air in due to their old age and grand size. Fortunately, the Duette Architella Honeycomb shades resolved both of these issues! The top-down bottom-up configuration now allows the homeowner to achieve privacy from their neighbors by adjusting the height of these shades with the small tabs located on the top and bottom rails. (Child safety was a concern so the cordless LiteRise operation was perfect for this family with small children and pets!) These shades also provide maximum insulation, reduce energy consumption by saving on heating costs, and block out solar heat gain to create a more comfortable atmosphere on sunny days. This is achieved by their cell within a cell construction for double the efficiency of standard honeycomb shades. Random fact: up to 50% of your home’s heating energy can by lost through your windows.
Time after time, we’re blown away by the amazing balance between form and function of Hunter Douglas. Their customizable systems provide us the flexibility to achieve unique designs for each project and their lifetime guarantee ensures our clients can enjoy them for many, many years to come!
The studio of Bauer/Clifton Interiors- a local source for quality products & materials- is located Downtown at 119A 2nd Street. Additional photos of their projects can be seen at www.bauerclifton.com or on Facebook & Houzz labeled under Bauer Clifton Interiors.