New Trends for Window Treatments and Coverings

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For a long time, it seemed there was nothing new under the Sun as far as window coverings were concerned. But in the last 15 years, innovation has taken hold of the industry, and now consumers have a bevy of choices to look at when deciding how to dress their home’s glass. Window films come in a variety of styles, like this stained-glass look film from Gila. Photo courtesy of Gila Film Products. “Take down the PVC vertical blinds, take down the heavy drapes and the miniblinds because there’s so much more out there now than there was 15 years ago,” says Sandra Saft, founder and president of Window Interiors, window covering subcontractor in Altamonte Springs, Fla. Want to go greener with your window coverings? Options to choose environmentally friendly products abound, says Saft. “Energy-efficiency is a big buzzword right now, and manufacturers are even moving toward using sustainable and biodegradable materials.” (For more about green window treatments, read “Green Homes Special Series: Part Nine: Window Treatments.”) The nature of the industry, however, is very cyclical, says Jared Grodnitzky, vice president of sales and marketing at Crown Shade Company, a window covering fabricator in Baltimore, Md. “The industry is a roller coaster ride,” he says. “What’s here today will be gone tomorrow and then will come back in a generation but with new twists, like motorization.” Horizontal Blinds The traditional horizontal wood blind is a perennial favorite of consumers. “If you’re a customer who has no really strong preference about your window covering, you’re probably going to go with the traditional two-inch wood or faux wood blind,” says Grodnitzky. Window films can offer privacy as well as style, such as these decoratively placed “Glacier” cutouts. Photo courtesy of Gila Film Products. He says faux wood shutters are big, thanks to the improved design of the medium density fiberboard (MDF) product. “It really simulates wood,” he says. “If you look at an MDF shutter and a normal real wood shutter, you can’t tell the difference from the outside.” He cautions, however, that the same is not true for faux blinds made of vinyl. “The quality of the vinyl is lackluster,” he says. One reason people go with the faux wood over the real wood is of course price point; the faux is considerably less expensive than the real wood option. Another advantage is durability. “People sometimes go with the faux because they don’t want their shades to warp in the kitchen or bathroom environment,” he says. But don’t assume two-inch blinds don’t offer many choices. From ribbon-adorned center strings to different wood and paint choices, you still have a lot to decide on when choosing this shade staple. Grodnitzky says if you’re interested in having a stained wood look, it’s best to go with the real wood rather than faux because there are no stains in faux—only paint to look like stain, which isn’t really a realistic substitute. Finally, if you’re installing shades in a child’s room, consider new cordless options, says Michael Cienian, vice president of quality assurance for Hunter Douglas and past-president of the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC). “Cordless solutions are available in many types of shades, and they’re really the best option for a child’s room,” he says. Shutters Shutters are back, and they’re growing in popularity. “Interior shutters are huge right now,” says Grodnitzky. “Some people want the richness of the real wood, but others go for the composite wood, which is cheaper and can go into a bathroom with steam or other areas with moisture and temperature issues.”

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