Paul’s Place

We’re nearing the end of another design project and we’re thrilled with the way its turning out! It all started with Paul stopping by our showroom in search of Hunter Douglas window coverings for his new spec home. Upon walking in he saw that we are not only certified Hunter Douglas specialists, we are full service interior designers. He said to us “this is great! A one stop shop!”

We began the project with the window coverings. He likes softness at the window and has a more casual, transitional style. His biggest concerns were light control and privacy. He also wanted easy operation, functionality and of course style. Our first recommendation was that the operation system be UltraGlide Click and Walk Away because it is an easy to use lift system when PowerView isn’t an option. Our second recommendation was to use Silhouette Shadings because they offer the most light control options and have that softness Paul so wanted. In the closed position we took care of the nighttime privacy concern, in the tilted position we combated daytime privacy while keeping the view, and when he wants a completely unobstructed view he can simply roll the shades all they way up into the headrail. Our final recommendation after getting to know Paul was to use a bold color on the shades and not do a “safe” white. We set out to his new home with samples in hand to find the perfect color. We chose a “greige” with a deeply textured sheer called Brio Basilica from the Alustra Collection of Silhouette. It goes perfectly with the with tile in the kitchen, the trim on the outside of the house, and the texture creates another design demention. Because the home is open concept, we decided to put the Silhouettes in every room. What an amazing look and in complete agreement with Paul’s style.

Our next step was to design the drapery panels to compliment the shades and frame the windows. We found a beautiful fabric with a pattern that was in keeping with the other design elements of the home. These soft treatments really make a point to draw out the colors of the shades and add a flowing pattern that makes a statement.

Then we moved on to finish out the home with a clean, uncluttered look.

In their dining room, we put together a 72”round table that comfortably seats eight. We custom made the upholstered chairs that accompany it. The chairs are simple in design, but the nail heads give a hint of sophistication. We finished off this room with a large mirror and a pair of sconces.

The entry in this home is huge so we used a console table that is unique in design and large enough to fit this space. It can even be used as a buffet if they have a big party. You won’t find this piece just anywhere! We topped it with 3 candle holers and 2 tall lamps. We also put artwork above with neutral colors and hints of gold.

In the study, we found this beautiful bookcase to put behind his desk.

In the living room we pulled together a large rug that has all the neutral colors of the home in it, 2 throw pillows and 3 panel art. We are planning on adding more drapery panels for that added softness in this room as well.

This has been a very fun project and we have enjoyed working with Paul so much! We are so happy everything is pulling together nicely and we love the clean look.

If you are buying a new home or just want to give your home an update, give us a call! We would love to help you create a space that you will love to come home to.

Fresh Ideas For Your Home - Master Bathroom

Upgrade your master bathroom to a five-star retreat.

A spa oasis will help soak your stress away.

We all love a beautiful spa bathroom when we’re on a luxury vacation. Why not enjoy that luxury every day of the year while we’re at home too?

You can create a spa experience in any size bathroom although bigger is almost always better! Think neutral colors because they lend themselves to the calmness and serenity you’d like for a spa retreat. Also consider coordinating colors with your master bedroom for a seamless transition from sleep to serenity.

Here’s where you can start:

• A beautiful, elegant soaking tub

• New sinks, countertops and backsplashes

• Exquisite new hardware, including pulls, handles and faucets

• A soothing paint color that makes you feel calm

• Soft and luxurious bath textiles, including towels, washcloths, bath rugs and bathrobes

• An elegant vanity (preferably a double vanity if you have room)

• Stunning framed mirrors, instead of frameless wall-to-wall mirrors

• Layered lighting for both function and beauty, and maybe even a skylight to bring in natural light

Even more ideas to enhance your spa experience include:

• A steam shower

• Plenty of towel racks, and even heated towel warmers

• Soaps, scrubs, lotions and fragrances that please YOU

• Beautiful smelling candles and aromatherapy

• A built-in bench or movable chair or stool

• Built-in storage, to keep chaos to a minimum and maintain a zen calm feeling

Begin and end your days in luxury and comfort. Plan for a master bathroom redo this season. You can’t help but slow down and relax. 

Fresh Ideas For Your Home - Complementary Colors

Complementary colors beautifully finish almost any design plan

Use them for harmony and a sense of calm.

The old adage that opposites attract is often true; and especially in selecting the colors for decorating your home. Using opposite colors (also known as complementary colors) adds energy to a room, yet at the same time, makes us feel comfortable and complete.

Complementary colors are the shades that are opposite on a color wheel:

• Red and green

• Orange and blue

• Purple and yellow

Nature is full of complementary colors, such as dramatic red roses on stems with bright green leaves, delicate pansies with their purple and yellow color combination, and bright blue sky and sea positioned near golden sand.

For a more modern take on complementary colors, you can use shades that are not exactly across the color wheel, or you can be a bit creative with the complementary color concept. Think about innovative hues like:

• Sky blue and terra cotta

• Pink grapefruit and acid green

• Burnt orange and sage green

• Soft aqua blue and tomato red

If you feel cautious about adding complementary colors, start small with elements like a painted wall, sofa pillows, throws, flower arrangements or slip covers. Then, as you become more confident, you can ratchet up your color scheme with larger and more permanent items like upholstery fabrics and window fashions.

Balance your interior design plans beautifully by selecting complementary colors.

Fresh Ideas For Your Home - Bathtubs

A beautiful bathtub can change the way you think about your bathroom.

A bathtub marries function and fashion in a unique way.

Bathtubs mix aesthetics and purpose more than almost any other bathroom element. Many people include a bathtub in their design plans just for the look, but think about how a bathtub can transform your bathroom into a relaxing, stress-relieving retreat where you can have a long soak with candles, music and a soothing beverage.

Be creative as well as practical when selecting a bathtub for your home. You can select from many styles of tubs from the most traditional – even a refinished antique tub! – to the most contemporary, and everything in between. And you’ll want to focus on the fixtures, which come in a variety of beautiful styles and finishes.

Functionality plays a part in your selection process too. Does someone in your home have mobility issues, needing help to get in and out of the tub? Does your tub also need to function as a shower? Would you like a whirlpool feature to soothe aching muscles or arthritic joints? 

In terms of beauty, bathtubs give you a unique opportunity to mix surfaces – porcelain, metal, stone, tile, wood and more. Tubs can be freestanding or have a surround of various materials. And plan for plenty of towel racks so towels are convenient to access and dry quickly.

As far as additions to your bathtub design:

• Position a tray across your bathtub to hold your soap, loofah, a book and a beverage.

• Display potted plants around the tub; many of them like the moisture.

• Add warmers in towel bars and under the floor.

Enhance your relationship with your bathroom with a fabulous new tub!

Why Hunter Douglas

BETTER WINDOW TREATMENTS, BY DESIGN

We believe that the perfect window treatment should do more than just cover a window.

For almost 100 years we have dedicated ourselves to studying the properties of light at the window, discovering new ways to manage the daily illumination, privacy and energy management needs of a home, and pioneering innovative window treatment designs that add value and style to any room.

We invented many of the window treatment designs that lead the industry today, including the iconic Duette® Honeycomb Shade, whose shape and revolutionary energy-efficiency benefits have become a design standard. Our most recent products have even gotten their own intelligence, with smart-home operating systems that move the shades automatically to their perfect positions throughout the day.

By constantly innovating and pairing our designs with the most elegant performance fabrics, we create long-lasting window treatments whose beauty, functionality and durability are simply like no other.

Imagine what our window treatments can do in your home:

LIGHT CONTROL & PRIVACY

Harsh light at the window? Our products feature innovative fabric designs that transform sunlight into a wonderful soft glow and help protect your furnishings from damaging UV rays. Want more light? Our products can help channel light deeper into your room, filling dark corners and reducing your need for electrical lighting. Want daytime or nighttime privacy? Our products and operating systems provide clever ways for giving you the privacy you want while maintaining your view-through to the outside.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Keep your rooms warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer thanks to our energy-efficient products—specially engineered with cellular air pockets that can block up to 50% of the heat transfer at the window. At Hunter Douglas, we're an industry leader in making a big energy savings difference at the window. In 1985, we invented the highly energy-efficient Duette® honeycomb shades in response to the energy crisis of the late 1970s. Our latest innovation is the Duette Architella® honeycomb fabric featuring a honeycomb-within-a-honeycomb design for even greater energy efficiency. Today, we continue to think about the impact all of our window fashions can make. Without energy-efficient window treatments, as much as 50% of a home's heating and cooling energy can be lost through its windows.

SMART-HOME SHADE AUTOMATION

Imagine your shades moving automatically to the exact position you prefer—to achieve the specific lighting effect you love or adjusting themselves for the optimal energy efficiency throughout the day. Our revolutionary PowerView® Motorization system automatically moves your shades according to schedules you set. Your shades will always be in their perfect positions 24/7—no hands required​. The PowerView App unlocks the full potential of PowerView Motorization. Using the App, you can control your shades with a swipe of a finger. Or, create customized Scenes that move the shades to positions you set, and automate those Scenes to operate on their own throughout the day.

BEAUTIFUL, UNIQUE DESIGNS

Whatever your aesthetic style or home lighting need, Hunter Douglas has a visually stunning and functionally amazing window treatment solution designed to wow you. We offer the broadest selection of innovative product types, elegant performance fabrics and intelligent shade operating systems​. Everything we do at Hunter Douglas is inspired by a passion for beautiful, highly functional design. And nothing illustrates this enthusiasm quite like our extraordinary collection of over 2,400 unique fabrics, thoughtfully and practically designed to help you express the spirit of your home.

SAFETY

Create a safer home environment for children and pets with advanced, cordless operating systems from Hunter Douglas. ​From cordless and motorized operating systems, retractable lift cords, cord tensioners and wand controls, we offer a wide array of operating system options for enhanced child and pet safety. The window coverings industry uses warning tags, labels, and other methods to communicate the potential hazards of corded window coverings. The warning shown here, for example, communicates the important message about cords being a potential strangulation hazard and suggests choosing cordless or inaccessible-cord alternatives.

LIFETIME LIMITED WARRANTY

Your stylish additions to your room also become sound long-term investments for your home. Our long heritage and passion for craftsmanship helps deliver window treatments with the highest quality and construction, and the lifetime limited warranty helps ensure beauty that endures.

Give us a call or visit our showroom for an in-depth consultation about all of our products. Our experienced designers can tell you the features and benefits of each product, while narrowing it down for the perfect window treatment for your unique style. We appreciate that every consumer has their own special needs and work hard to create a look that is both functional and beautiful. 

We serve all of Dallas Forth Worth from Celina to Dallas, Wylie to Grapevine, Denton to Benbrook and everywhere in between.  

RD Home

We have exciting news at Read Design, the expansion of Read Design Home (RD Home Collection). New Products are coming in everyday and we are busy in our remodeling mode. Our shop is taking on a new and fun look. Stop in and see us soon!

At Read Design Plano, we are a full service Interior Design studio. It all starts with your window coverings. We have a Hunter Douglas Gallery and can show you Blinds and Shades - including Silhouettes, Pirouettes, and many other styles of Shades. And do not forget Plantation Shutters. An attractive window and the right light can change everything - from your room to your mood. Hunter Douglas has mastered the art of window dressing by engineering innovative functions into stylish, versatile looks for every window in your home. Hunter Douglas is the leader in light control, energy efficiency, operation systems and motorization, which makes your home smarter, your days easier, and every room more beautiful. When you stop in make sure you ask for a free copy of our Art of Window Dressing book.

Now that the windows are taken care you can move on to softening your windows with drapery panels, cornice or valances. With so many fabrics to choose from we are sure that we can find the perfect solution for your home.

​We recently helped a customer in Dallas who needed window treatments and more. First we started with Roller shades from Hunter Douglas. The shades are there for sun control and privacy and when they are up, they completely disappear into the headrail. We also added the PowerView motorization options which give give our customer ease of operation. Next we added drapery panels in a navy pattern that coordinates with the new color scheme of her home. They soften the windows and draw out the view to the back yard.

For the master bedroom our customer wanted to keep her king size bed. It works nicely in this large room with tall ceilings. First from RD Home Collection we used a 9’ x 13’ Rug in a contemporary design that brings together the soft grey, silver, and blue colors. We added a blue velvet throw at the end of the bed, blue linen euro shams and 3 custom pillows. All of the fabrics are from Kravet. To finish the look we hung 2 large art pieces behind the nightstands. What you don’t see are the 4 1/2” louver Shutters from Hunter Douglas and 4 drapery panels. The room looks very inviting and comfortable. 

In her sitting room we selected another piece from RD Home. This is a versatile piece that can be used in a Living Room, Dining Room, or just about anywhere. We also used a large rug to set the tone for the color pattern. We will soon be continuing furnishing this room with chairs and a cocktail table.

Below are some of the new pieces you will find at Read Design Plano and RD Home. We will continue get new pieces weekly. Or if you would like to have one of our Interior Designers help you with floor planning and design, just let us know. We can put together a Interior Design Plan just for you. Because we have a ton of furniture in our showroom, we are able to get you a new piece for your upcoming holiday party! We deliver! Give us a call at your earliest convenience to set up your consultation today!

Design Studio Roman Shades.... you have got to see the new fabrics!!!

Get creative with new custom soft Roman shades from The Hunter Douglas Design Studio Collecion. Choose from four distinctive styles, each designed and crafted with Hunter Douglas quality and innovation. Explore the New and Exclusive collection of artfully curated fabrics - sophisticated textures, patterns, stripes, rich solids and sheers. We have added many fabrics with updated colors and designs. Reflect your personal style by adding coordinating valances, tapes and trims, making your windows truly unique. Hunter Douglas Design Studio Roman Shades Redefined.

At Hunter Douglas, the difference is in the details. Design Studio fabrics are woven in widths that allow shades to be made up to 96" wide without being interrupted by seams. Every shade offers high quality construction. Our innovative cording system reduces access to the rear cords for enhanced child safety. Clear rings coordinate with all lining and sheers, stiff battens provide structure, bartender tunnels are sewn to keep battens from slipping out and all hems are double-turned for a custom finished look with bottom hems weighted for a smooth appearance.

 The Roman Shade Styles

Batten Front Roman Shades are characterized by battens or tunnels sewn at regular intervals on the front facing side of the shade. The clean, dimensional lines of this style work well in all environments. When a stripe or pattern fabric is selected, batten front is a great choice because the battens on the front won't interfere with the pattern.

Batten Back Roman Shades have inverted tunnels that create a soft, tailored look when lowered and defined folds when raised. This simple style requires the least amount of dressing when raising or lowering the shade... looking great in any position.

Flat Roman Shades have no horizontal seams or stitching across the face of the shade making them the best choice for showing off large-scaled patterns and striped fabrics. 

Hobbled is a classic style defined by soft fabric folds which cascade from top to bottom. Design Studio Hobbled Shades have a unique, triple-layered fabric construction with a double lining, providing unsurpassed energy efficiency.

Refine Your Style

Do you require privacy? Room darkening? Or would you like the light to gently filter into your room?The uniquely edited collection of Design Studio fabrics work for all your windows, whatever the need. You have a choice of lift system-Cord-lock, continuous Cord, Ultraglide lift system and PowerView only from Hunter Douglas.

We recently helped a customer in Plano. Her family room sliding Doors look out onto her pool patio and beyond to a wooded area. She wanted to be able to raise her shades to give her full view of the beautiful spot so we decided the best solution for this project was Design Studio Roman Shades by Hunter Douglas. For ease of operation we selected the PowerView Motorization. She used the Hub and set the shades so that they raise to a certain spot every morning and lower every evening. For an additional touch be added a custom cornice to cover all shades using a textured fabric. This was a solution both the customer and I love.

Let Read Design Southlake or Read Design Plano help you with you next custom window fashion project. Our Designers will be happy to come out to your home and give you ideas. If you are wanting just shades, shutters, blinds or are wanting to add Drapery Panels or Valances and Cornice boards, we will help you find the perfect solution.

We service these areas - Plano, Southlale, Dallas, Fort Worth and all areas in between!

Pirouette Shades - Refreshed & Refined

Home in Lakeside where the customer wanted a beautiful view to the backyard. 

 The perfect blend of flawless beauty and exceptional functionality.

Our innovative Pirouette® shadings feature soft horizontal fabric vanes attached to a single sheer backing, allowing for enhanced views to the outside while maintaining privacy and the full beauty of the fabric appearance on the inside. 

Light Control - Supervise The Sun

Soft vanes floating on a sheer backing put you in control of the amount of natural light that comes in, with dramatic effects. Transform harsh exterior light by diffusing it, spreading it evenly throughout your room, so you can maximize daylight hours and reduce your need for artificial light. Our beautiful sheer fabrics also softly filter out brightness, glare, and UV rays —protecting your furniture and flooring from fading.

Dramatic Softness

Invisi-Lift™ allows you to view through the sheer fabric and floating vanes with no obstructing cords or tapes, while maintaining a discreet level of privacy.

Sunscreen For Your Valuables

Protect your furniture, flooring and artwork from fading with at least 75% protection from harmful UV rays. The sheer backing allows you to keep your view while protecting your home.

Refreshed & Refined

New fabrics inspired by the organic beauty of raw silk and linen. A refreshed color palette, including 44 new hues spanning relaxing neutrals, sophisticated midtones and breathtaking pops of bold color. Check out the newly reimagined collection firsthand at Read Design in Plano and Southlake. 

Now through June 26th 2017 save with the Celebration of Light Sales Event going on now! For every 2 units purchased you will receive a $100 rebate in the form of a prepaid American Express gift card. 

Lift Systems

Pirouette comes with a variety of lifting systems including the highly sought PowerView Motorization. Manual lift systems include EasyRise and UltraGlide.   

Home in Castle Hills with view - Alustra Pirouette.

The Alustra Collection

The beauty of Alustra Pirouette Window Shadings extends well beyond the windows. Created for those  who know every detail in a room is a reflection of their personal style, they infuse an aesthetic that adds impressive dimension and instills sumptuous ambiance. This captivating design merges unprecedented light control with luxurious textiles embodied with texture and sheen. With superior functionality, it beautifully complements the unique inspirations and stories that express the spirit and soul of a home.