The latest trends in windows and window treatments
by Marc Huminilowycz
Mountains, water, countryside – with so many beautiful vistas to be admired in our region, it’s no wonder that people in Southern Georgian Bay are paying so much attention to their windows these days. Large, expansive windows create a connection to the great outdoors, but what to do if you sometimes desire privacy or shading from the hot summer sun? There are lots of options to get the most from your view while protecting your privacy and the energy efficiency of your home.
According to our local window treatment experts, by far the single most popular trend in window coverings is the motorization or automation of blinds, shades, shutters and curtains.
“Five years ago, only the affluent could afford motorization,” says Karen James, owner of Ashtons Blinds in Thornbury. “With the cost dropping significantly, anyone can now integrate every window covering in their home. You can create different themes depending on the day: full light in the morning, blocking in the evening and partial mood lighting in different rooms.”
Although battery-powered motorization may be a more practical way to go for existing homes, James is encouraging new home builders to install special wiring to windows, which will allow blinds equipped with a wi-fi component to be operated via remote control or mobile phone. She sees this as a real bonus for homes with many windows or large banks of windows, not to mention the safety and esthetic aspects compared to manual blinds with dangling cords.
Sarah Lougheed, manager of sales and marketing at Deans Carpet One Floor & Home in Collingwood, also sees motorization becoming a popular choice among her clients, noting that the option is offered by most blind and shade manufacturers, including almost every Hunter Douglas product.
According to Judy Salnek of Salnek’s Custom Window Treatments in Collingwood, cords will be a thing of the past in five years. “Automated window covering technology and how it integrates with home automation systems will move forward, with more choices for clients,” she says. “It’s quiet, it’s probably the lowest-cost component of the blind and it will last for the life of the blind.” Noting that the majority of her motorized blind installations today are battery-powered, Salnek adds that the AA batteries in automated blinds will last one-and-a-half years, and Lutron blinds now have batteries with a three-year lifespan.
“Automated window coverings are moving to low-voltage wiring,” she says. “For windows in existing homes, wires can be hidden behind trim or drapery and connected to a plug-in transformer. In new home installations with multiple windows, all blinds are wired to a central power supply in the mechanical room.”
“Motorization is huge today,” adds John Young of Collingwood Shades & Shutters. “Whether they’re battery powered or wired low voltage, the prices of automated blinds have come down, while there is a growing demand for them because of child safety issues. It’s a matter of supply and demand. Better quality products offer a longer operating life.”
Hunter-Douglas, the best-selling brand of blinds and shutters offered by local retailers, features Powerview Motorization, one of the most advanced operating system on the market, which integrates with popular smart home devices like Nest, Google Home and Amazon Alexa. With this technology, shades can be opened and closed using your voice or when the home thermostat reaches a certain temperature.
Automation aside, what are some of the most popular styles of window coverings being purchased by residents in our region? According to Karen James of Ashtons, today’s biggest trends include honeycomb and sunscreen blinds that deflect light while protecting views, privacy shutters and draperies, which “never go out of style.”
“You can choose fabrics that suit your décor – natural linens, textures and gorgeous big prints – which add warmth and a relaxed feel to rooms while controlling light, deadening sound and insulating from heat and cold,” she says, adding the “pendulum is swinging” over to a more industrial look.
For Sarah Lougheed of Deans Carpet One, new trends in window treatments include the Hunter-Douglas Silhouette dual shade, a delicate horizontal sheer fabric that offers the look of a shutter, giving users the option of blacking out light for total privacy. Her top sellers also include Everwood faux wood horizontal flat shutters and designer screen and roller shades that offer a cost-effective way of blocking light and keeping out heat.
Most popular at Collingwood Shades & Shutters are California shutters, perforated sunscreen roller shades (big in the design industry, according to John Young) and Hunter-Douglas designer banded shades, which feature alternating sheer and solid bands in a single shade, transitioning between view-through and total privacy.
Judy Salnek points to Pirouettte from Hunter-Douglas for a Roman shade/shutter look, roller blinds (perfect for cottages and chalets that need many windows covered for privacy), shutters that obscure views, and Silhouette shades for great rooms. That being said, she adds that draperies still make up “a ton” of her business. “Simple and unique to each personality, and available in a wide choice of fabrics including popular fun, bright patterns, they frame and finish a window so that it looks like a work of art,” she says. “With a 10- to 20-year lifespan, they are an investment.”
“Window treatments used to be formal and ornate, but they’re more relaxed and friendly today,” says designer Gillian Crone of Gillian & Co. in The Blue Mountains. “The trend now is simplicity that complements a space, combined with the functionality of window coverings that offer privacy and shade.”
She says most of her current clients are looking for simple window coverings, without giving up style and character. “Window design is really up to the client, and spaces bring out the client’s personality, whether they want a beach, mountain or eclectic look,” says Crone. “A beach-y space is light and airy, with lots of windows. For a more rustic look, I choose heavier materials made of natural fibres with texture, like linen, which falls well.”
Drapery rods need to be simple these days, notes Crone, with a bronze, wrought iron or soft gold finish, pinched cleats on top, simple rings and flat end caps instead of ornate finials. Grommeted draperies with no lining and a concealed track on the ceiling create a contemporary look for floor-to-ceiling windows.
“I helped to convert an old Victorian home for a client into an eclectic mid-century modern style,” says Crone. “The windows were treated in a simple and understated manner – not overly Victorian, but using fabrics to pay homage to the era.”
As to the design of the windows themselves, she notes the current popularity of black window frames and spacers (inside and out) contrasted with light window trim to match other trim and baseboards in the home.
Homeowners in Southern Georgian Bay like large and expansive windows, adds Crone, with various sizes in different rooms as well as arched windows and peaked ceilings to take full advantage of the local scenery. “These design choices can present challenges when installing window coverings,” she explains. “It’s difficult to put draperies on windows in peaked ceilings. And installing California shutters on arched windows in the bedroom is an expensive proposition. Unless the windows are recessed back enough, these shutters need to cover the entire window, with a large box added for framing.”
For those who prefer not to have blinds, shades or shutters on the exterior of their windows, several window designs are available with privacy built-in. One such option is a patented window manufactured by Pella that includes a blind between two window panes, according to Dianne Scott of Cedarport Window & Door Centre in Thornbury.
“This window gives you a pleated shade or a mini blind sandwiched between a primary double-pane exterior window on the outside and an extra sheet of glass on the inside, controlled by small handles on the window frame. And you can also get steel doors with built-in mini blinds, offered by a different manufacturer,” she says.
In addition to built-in shades, Scott describes two other window design options that filter the sun’s rays and provide privacy. Cardinal Glass makes a coated window glass called LoE-366, available with windows from various manufacturers, which is compliant with Energy Star insulation ratings for double-pane windows.
The glass is formulated to reject heat from the sun in the summer and insulate from cold in the winter, without affecting the view. Although the product claims to block 95 per cent of the sun’s ultraviolet rays, which can fade interior carpets, furniture and curtains, Scott cautions that its coating is not enough to guarantee protection from fading. And she also warns people not to try installing window coatings themselves because it will void their window warranty if a problem arises.
A second window option offered by Cedarport from various manufacturers is frosted/pinhead privacy glass, which is available in a variety of patterns. In addition to these alternatives to window coverings, “low-E” glass and triple-pane windows, filled with gas and coated to absorb heat, offer superior insulation from heat and cold, although they do little to block the sun’s rays and may somewhat obscure views outside.
From automation to window coverings and designs, we have never had so many options for enjoying the magnificent vistas of the mountain, the countryside and the lake that we have in Southern Georgian Bay. At the same time, the window treatment and design choices available help us to enjoy our private times while keeping our homes cosy and insulated from the elements. ❧
Window Trends
These are the latest trends in window coverings and window design, based on interviews with local window experts and research on the new home building industry:
- Motorization – Wired or battery-powered, automated window coverings are getting less costly and a lot smarter, allowing you to integrate with smartphones and home virtual assistant devices.
- Simple, Clean Lines – Windows and window treatments complement simple interior details.
- Sunscreen Shades and California Shutters – Pin-hole or honeycomb/cellular designs that diffuse sunlight while maintaining views also add texture to interiors.
- Draperies in Bold Colours and Natural Fabrics – Used in combination with blinds or shades, curtains add character in rooms while allowing for shading, insulation and privacy.
- Black and White Windows – Black window frames and spacers (on the inside and outside) with white trim around them create a modern and contemporary look.
- Expansive Glass – New home builders and their clients are choosing to maximize their views with floor-to-ceiling and multi-panel windows, large casement windows and opening glass walls.
- Sun and Heat-blocking Glass – Whether it’s low-E design, triple-pane glass, UV-blocking coating, built-in shutters or privacy glass, several options are available for those who prefer not to install blinds or shades.
