Plantation Shutters

Custom Plantation Shutters... and best of all - Made In America!!!!

Yes, Plantation Shutters are still as popular as ever and are still a great way to add value to your home. Shutters for your windows will last for generations and is one window treatment that is seldom changed if you sell your home. This is especially true with Wood Plantation Shutters. The beauty of wood is classic, will add warmth to your home and will last a lifetime. And today their are many different choices you can make including louver size, trim design, hidden or standard front tilt, divider rails, custom paint or stain color, and hinge color.

Introducing Heritance Hardwood Shutters by Hunter Douglas.

The simple elegance of rich, hardwood shutters gives lift to any room. Now, the maximum strength and durability of our Heritance Hardwood Shutters make them a wise investment in many ways. They feature dovetail construction and a vast selection of frame choices, specialty shapes, and louver sizes- and a variety of paint and stain finishes, as well as custom colors. Also available in six Handcrafted Series Techniques to enhance the inherent character and color of the genuine hardwood and making your shutters truly one of a kind.

Six Techniques

The first technique is textured, which enhances the woods natural grain and creates a contrast and depth of the natural wood grain. You can also choose glazed which enhances the richness of the stain finish with a hand rubbed glaze. The Glazed and Burnished technique creates an antique effect. With the Rustic technique the natural characteristics of hardwood are arranged so you will have your own unique shutter. The Heirloom distressed technique will give your shutters an Old World effect with the addition techniques. Including burnishing,, rasping, and flyspecking. An finally the Classic Technique give the wood a beautiful worn finish with the techniques including glaze, dents, cracks and wormholes.

Or you can choose any of our paint selections including Custom Paint Match.

So how does it work? Give Read Design Plano or Read Design Southlake a call and schedule an appointment with one of our Designers. We will gladly meet with you at your home and check out the windows where you would like shutters. We will suggest louver size keeping in mind scale of the window and room. We will also help you decide on the trim and which tilt system is best for your look. And finally we will help decide if paint or stain is best for your design and walk you though the different techniques.

Read Design is a leader in Hunter Douglas Window Coverings with 2 Gallery locations, one in Plano and the other one in Southlake. We offer personalized service that you will only find with a locally owned store. This is our family business and we are here to help you personalize your own design. Stop by and see over 60 working displays including PowerView, the latest in home automation. Our designers can also help you with drapery and window treatment selections as well as anything you might need for your home including furniture, rugs, lamps and home decor items.

Here is one of our projects which includes Custom Plantation Shutters. We had the walls painted and then came back and designed drapery panels to finish off the look. Next we will be moving on to the Dining Room.

And at our Plano Store you will see our new displays of our RD Home Collection where you will find anything you might need for you home. New products are coming in weekly! 

Don't miss out on Hunter Douglas rebates going on now (shutters excluded). Give us a call now to learn more about all our different products and features and benefits of each. We look forward to working with you!

Draperies & Shutters

Do you need to add draperies to windows with shutters? ........Answer.......... that is up to you.

We are asked this question all the time. My answer is "it is up to the individual." Plantation Shutters do stand on their own. Most of the windows in the Dallas/Fort Worth area are sheetrock windows - no framing around the window. So when framed shutters are installed all of a sudden the window is squared and looks like an expensive wooden window. And because the framing is beautiful, it really dresses up the window all on it's own. Some windows will work wonderfully with drapery panels, while others have too little room or are at an unusual angle. Drapery panels certainly add softness, texture and color and real accent any design. 

NewStyle Shutters by Hunter Douglas

Here is a great example of how Framed Plantation Shutter create a Finished Look. These Shutters are New Style by Hunter Douglas. We used the Classic "Z" Frame with the 4 1/2" louvers and the Hidden Tilt to give a modern and clean look. This is exactly the look this customer wanted so we did not add a drapery treatment to these windows. These shutters dramatically change a room while providing the function of keeping the home cool in our harsh Texas summer.

Heritance Shutters by Hunter Douglas

These Shutters are Heritance Shutters by Hunter Douglas. They are made of North American Basswood. We used the Classic Frame and they completely finish the look. Here is also an example of where you would not use draperies because there is not enough room on the right side. Adding drapery would crowd the look and cover too much of the window losing light in the room. When we think about draperies is a room we always look at the window placement and spacing and think about stacking and amount of glass that would be covered. You do not want to add draperies if it creates a crowded look. In this room the shutters using a 4 1/2" louver really opens up the room, gives a lot of light, and beautifully finishes this Dining Room.

Draperies With Shutters

Here is an example of where we added drapery panels to NewStyle Shutters by Hunter Douglas. This is a Dining Room and the customer wanted to add a touch of elegance to the room without giving up the light. There was plenty of room between the window edge and wall so we added Drapery panels made of a neutral Grey Velvet. The drapery panels frame the windows with softness and add a touch of sophistication. Perfect for a Plano dining room. The finished look was what the customer wanted with out giving up light.

Sheer Drapery

We recently finished a project where we installed New Style Shutters by Hunter Douglas  in the customer's Master Bedroom. They turned out beautiful and gave privacy but the room needed softening. The room had a transitional design where the customer combined old with new. The master bedding was white with just a soft blue touch in the pillows. So we added sheer panels in a soft white color with a delicate design in the fabric. And we took the panels all the way up to the crown moldings to give a feeling of height. These drapery sheer panels finished the look of this room.

If you are looking for a new look contact us at Read Design in Plano or Read Design Southlake.  Our Designers are ready to help you. We will look at your space and help you see all of the different ways you can treat your rooms. If you are wanting Plantation Shutters, we will show you all of the choices that would work. And if you are interested in Draperies or Drapery Panels we have a large selection of fabrics that we will show you. Stop in Today

We service the Dallas/Fort Worth areas including Prosper, Colleyville, Grapevine, Allen and everywhere in between.

Hunter Douglas NewStyle Plantation Shutters: Timeless With A Contemporary Appeal

Where Life Comes Together Beautifully

Your home is a place of gathering, meeting and connecting. It is where the solid foundations of life are built. Home is your haven, the place that keeps welcoming you back day after day. Hunter Douglas NewStyle Hybrid Shutters belong there. The perfect combination of real wood and alternative materials, custom crafted just for you. They've brought together the elements that create lasting beauty and are a reflection of the place you call home. 

Superior Quality

Crafted and designed to your precise specifications and covered by the Hunter Douglas Limited Lifetime Guarantee.

Material Composition

A hybrid material, fashioned using the beauty of real wood combined with advanced man-made elements provides a quality product with superior strength, straightness and stability. 

Finetech Finish

Our low-luster Finetech finish enhances the beauty of NewStyle Shutters. The character is soft, warm and beautiful. A natural in any room, this finish gives the impression of a fine wood shutter.

Quick Lead Times

Lead times are dramatically shorter than industry standards.

Professional Installation

Installation from Hunter Douglas trained shutter installers ensures a quality, professional measure and installation. 

A Southlake, Texas Shutter Installation - Lighting Up A Room With Style And Quality

We recently helped a customer in Southlake who had stopped by our Hunter Douglas Gallery. She knew she wanted shutters in her new family room and kitchen because these rooms face west. We showed her Hunter Douglas NewStyle shutters and she loved the quality and feel of the shutter as well as the ease of cleaning. They are at a great price point too! We then made an appointment for an in home consultation and measure. We suggested that we use the 4 1/2" louver size because of how it opens up the room to the outside. We used the Bright White color because of the perfect match to the window sills. 

The shutters were installed a few weeks later and they not only looked beautiful, they also helped with the client's energy efficiency, solar heat control and UV protection. The Hunter Douglas NewStyle Shutters were a perfect solution for these rooms. A few weeks later we were back adding shutters in her Master Bedroom and Bath. The Master Bath was my favorite. I love this look!

NewStyle Shutters In Frisco, Texas

For this client in Frisco, Texas we installed Hunter Douglas NewStyle Shutters throughout her new Shaddock Home. These shutters are custom crafted for each window. We used the standard Z frame and they all looked beautiful. Our client was happy with the high quality standards and the feeling of comfort that the home now has. We used 4 1/2" louvers to eccentuate the large windows and give the most view through to the outside. We added a divider rail so the bottom portion and top portion can operate independently providing privacy when needed and maximum light control up top. The front tilt rods gave the traditional shutter look that the client loved and makes her new house feel like home. 

Call Read Design Plano or Read Design Southlake For Your New Plantation Shutter Project

Come in or call either of our Hunter Douglas Gallerys when starting your next Plantation Shutter project. We can show you the design and quality of the NewStyle Hybrid Shutter only from Hunter Douglas and explain the construction and finishes. We will show you all of the options which include frame design, louver size, color and configuration. At Read Design, you will get personalized service that you can only find at a small Family Owned and operated Gallery because our designers are family and will guide you through the entire project. We will have the BEST prices available for the same Hunter Douglas products found around the Dallas Fort Worth Area because as a Loyal Hunter Douglas Partner, we can pass along to you great deals and bargains! We are not a revolving door business with carefree sales people like big box stores. We are a family with a vested interest in you and making your home beautiful! We take pride in our work and what we do

We proudly serve Richardson, Grapevine, Prosper, Celina, Dallas, Highland Park, Colleyville, Coppell, Denton, Arlington, Flower Mound, McKinney, Allen, Mabank, Rockwall, Rowlett, Trophy Club, Westlake, Southlake, Carrollton, Robson Ranch, Light Farms, North Dallas, Addison, Farmers Branch, Lewisville, Plano, Frisco, Little Elm, Park Cities, Fort Worth, Northlake and everywhere in between!

It's Spring, Let The Outdoors In! Design Ideas For French Doors

Welcome Spring! Now more than any other time of the year, we open up our homes and let the fresh air in. And nowadays we are adding to and enjoying the outdoor living space more than ever. So there is a real need for functional solutions for covering the patio doors. Whether you have a Sliding Glass Door or French doors, here at Read Design Plano and Read Design Southlake, we have plenty of ideas and solutions to help you. After we have solved your indoor needs we can also move outdoors and help you cover your patio with Corradi Outdoor Screen Shades.

What to think about when covering your French and Sliding Patio Doors

You need to think about whether you do get direct sun through these areas or not and also about the glare, energy loss, and destructive UV rays. But you also might have a beautiful view to keep in mind. Consider Sheer Shadings from Hunter Douglas. These include Silhouettes, Pirouettes, and Luminettes. These shade will offer you the view while maintaining all the solutions for light and energy control .

Sliding Glass doors are gaining popularity in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and today there are many more options than just the old fashioned Vertical Blinds. One of our favorite Vertical solutions is the Luminette Privacy Sheer. The rotating vanes offer you a large range of privacy and light control and the soft fabrics bring beautiful elements of design to your home. A characteristic of all Hunter Douglas Soft Shades is the ability to enjoy your view while shielding your home from glare and harmful UV rays.

Other Shading Ideas

There are many other ideas from Hunter Douglas for these areas. These include the gorgeous Provenance Woven Wood Shades. We recently added Provenance Woven Shades to this home is Coppell where the client did not need much privacy or sun-control because the doors were protected by the balcony above. We used a shade with a rich texture and white color to blend with the doors and it was the perfect solution. It allowed the client to see her kids play in the yard while providing some privacy. The low profile head rail and the hold down brackets make this shade an ideal candidate for your patio door window coverings.

Vignette Modern Roman Shades and Design Studio Roman Shades are also great solutions for covering French Doors.  With many fabrics to choose from and with a range of colors and textures, we are certain to help you find the perfect fabric for your style. When pulled up, the soft folds of these shades make a beautiful valance. In this homein Frisco, TX we used a textured Grassland fabric in the Vignette Modern Roman Shades product line. When in the down position, the fabric folds beautifully and maintains that look when pulled up. We added Drapery panels to frame the doors and make a picture to back yard.

Don’t forget about Plantation Shutters - these classic window coverings never go out of style. Especially when using a larger louver size, you can really get a great view. When closed, or even when the louvers are slightly opened in the up position, Plantation shutters can really protect your furniture and floors from harmful UV rays.

Call Read Design Plano or Southlake

Give us a call at either location. Our Designers would love to show you these ideas, or many others. Stop by either Gallery to see over 70 working samples. You can see, operate and select the perfect lift system for your home including the new PowerView Motorization. Let us help you put a plan together that will solve the issues you have with these doors and any window in your home. We can also help you with Custom Draperies and Curtains and all kinds of Top Treatments. Now is the time to let the outdoors in and enjoy the weather with effective solution for your Patio Doors. Also ask us about our Corradi Outdoor Screen Shades for your outdoor Patio.

Read Design will help you with ideas for Patio Doors in these areas: Dallas, Highland Park, Park Cities, Plano, Prosper, Frisco, Allen, McKinney, Richardson, Wylie, Murphy, Parker, Rockwall, Carrollton, Lewisville, Grapevine, Southlake, Kellar, Trophy Club, Arlington, Flower Mound, Denton, Celina, Little Elm,. Bishop Arts District, North Richland Hills, Robson Ranch and everywhere in between.

Enhancing Light, Ensuring Privacy

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Natural light constantly changes and shifts through the day - as does what we expect from our windows. We want full sun one moment, low light the next, a clear view, then a discreet screen. Our sheers, shades,  blinds and shutters help you balance the light you want with the privacy you need. 

At Hunter Douglas, privacy and light are interrelated. Our designs, in a wide array of materials, colors, and opacities let you control light effectively and customize your privacy throughout the day. And their sheers and other select styles are specially designed to diffuse and draw light deeper into a room helping to illuminate your home naturally.

Sunlight is warm and welcoming, but without ultraviolet (UV) protections over time it can fade and damage a room’s furniture, floor and décor. Hunter Douglas products offer ultraviolet protection to help counter these harmful effects.

Luminette Privacy Sheers

Privacy with softened light. Enjoy subdued light and the privacy of soft draperies on Luminette Privacy Sheers. Fabric vanes rotate for privacy while controlling the light in a room. Perfect for large windows and sliding glass doors, their superior UV protection meets both your decorating and practical needs.

Luminette Installation in North Dallas

We recently installed Luminette Privacy Sheers in a home in the Preston Hollow area of North Dallas.  This room is the customer‘s sitting room and study combination.  The windows are on the front of her home so she definatly needed privacy but she also loves light. The Luminette was a perfect solution for her 3 windows. The Radiant White Fabric looks beautiful against here soft gray walls. The whole look lends itself to a transitional style which is exactly what this customer wanted.

And because her furniture is positioned in front of the windows , we added the PowerView operational system with the PowerView App. This works beautifully especially in the later afternoon when the sure starts to come in those windows. She has her Luminette's set on a schedule so they open and close at preset times during the day - she never has to lift a finger!

Style gets Smarter with Powerview Motorization.

With the introduction of PowerView Motorization, Hunter Douglas is leading the revolution in intelligent home design with the smart window treatments that can adapt to every moment of your day, and make each more beautiful.

PowerView is a new wireless system that lets you control the window treatments thoughtout your home from your smart phone, tablet, Pebble Remote or Pebble Scene Controller. Better yet, use the PowerView App to schedule personalized Scenes to operate automatically in response to your unique light, privacy and comfort needs as they change throughout the day. Set your mind at ease with the Remote Connect Feature that allows you to view and operate your shades from across the world.

When you combine the advanced technology of PowerView with the unrivaled selection of sophisticated styles, fabrics, and colors, you will find the most beautiful window treatments are now also the most intelligent.  Your window treatments will become such an essential part of the way you live, you will wonder how you ever lived without them.

By the way, our customer selected the Poppy Red colored Pebble.

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Let Read Design Help you with your Window Fashion Needs

Read Design has been a Window Fashions leader in the Dallas - Fort Worth area for over 25 years. Stop in today at either of our locations, Read Design Plano or Read Design Southlake, to see over 60 working samples. You can touch, feel, and play with the PowerView Pebble remote. Or you can call either of our Mobile showrooms and we will bring the store to you. The designers at Read Design are committed to bringing you the lastest trends and styles.

Read Design Plano                        972-608-4999

Read Design Southlake                 817-416-7164

Read Design are helping customers with Hunter Doulas productsincluding Luminette Privacy Sheersand PowerView Motoriztion all over the Dallas / Fort Worth Area includingDallas, Highland Park ,  Park Cities, Preston Hollow, Richardson, Allen, McKinney, Wylie, Parker, Plano, Frisco, Prosper, Celina, Little Elm,  Carrollton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Grapevine, Southlake, Keller, Trophy Club , Argyle, Arlington, Fort Worth and all areas in between.

Fresh Ideas For Your Home - Design With Earth Tones

Earth tones add a natural and harmonious touch to any living space.

Today’s earthy colors are nothing like your mother’s or grandmother’s color palette. They are a thoroughly up-to-date decorating palette.Forget the avocado green shag carpet and harvest gold kitchen appliances you remember from your mother’s or grandmother’s house.Soft and warm, earth tone interior design elements and window coverings from Hunter Douglas take the chill out of a cool autumn evening. These gentle colors make rooms feel cozy and relaxing, never harsh and cold. And since the hues mimic the colors of nature, the blending between indoors and outdoors is seamless, especially if you have large windows.

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Earth tone interior design elements and hues blend well together, so they’re not as tricky to combine as other color palettes. In fact, decorating with earth tones makes it easy to coordinate your whole house, without colors clashing between rooms, even if the exact hues in each room are not identical.

For earth tone interior design,
think beige and brow, tan and taupe,
even sage greens, soft rust tones and muted golds – 
the colors of wheat, straw, sand, rocks, trees and soil.

An earth tone palette can be smooth and sophisticated, rough and rustic, or dainty and feminine – it all depends on the tones your select and the style of your furnishings.

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You can add white to brighten an earth tone palette, or introduce black to add drama. Then incorporate patterns and textures for added nuance and beauty. Obvious earth tone choices are in upholstered furniture, drapery fabrics, paint and accessories, but you can also use earth tone hues in flooring – wood, stone and carpeting – and in mantles and counter tops.

Come down to earth with your decor this fall. Add earth tones for a natural and balanced look.

Providing Interior Design ideas to all of these areas: Dallas, North Dallas, Plano, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Addison, Coppell, Southlake, Denton, Keller, Roanoke, Benbrook,  Westlake, Fort Worth, Lewisville, Grapevine, Trophy Club, The Colony, Frisco, Prosper, Celina, Savannah, Aubrey, McKinney, Allen, St. Paul, Wylie, Sachse, Rockwall, Rowlett, Lucas, Parker, Melissa, Anna, Fairview, Heath, Garland, Richardson, Irving, Las Colinas, University Park, Highland Park, Kessler Park, Euless, North Richland Hills, Colleyville, Flower Mound, Corinth, Arlington, Little Elm, Hurst, Saginaw, Haltom City, Bedford, Watauga, Haslet and many more!

Call 817.416.7164 for Read Design Southlake

Call 972.608.4999 for Read Design Plano

Plantation Shutters - Still A Favorite In The Dallas - Fort Worth Area

Custom Plantation Shutters are classic and continue to be a favorite solution when covering windows here in the Dallas - Fort Worth area. They provide that final touch of elegance with style and grace - all while blocking out those harsh UV sun rays and providing energy efficiency. Shutters have a timeless beauty and work wonders in any style of home with many frame options from simple and contemporary and detailed and traditional.

Hunter Douglas has 3 innovative styles of shutters and each come in 3 louver sizes; 2.5", 3.5" and 4.5".

Our Heritance Shutters are for those who desire the timeless beauty of real wood along with meticulous craftsmanship. These shutters are built with our exclusive dovetail joinery for maximum strength and durability. They also offer the most wonderful color selections including paints and stains.

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The Palm Beach Shutters are faux and guaranteed not to warp, chip, crack or peel. These shutters are unaffected by temperature and humidity extremes.

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The NewStyle Shutters blend the look of real wood with the stability and straightness of advanced modern-day materials. They create design in perfect harmony. Each of our shutters offer more than 250 configuration options to meet all your design needs. Best of all, our custom shutters have a Hunter Douglas warranty you can really count on. 

Stop by our showroom to see and feel the different types of shutters!

Providing shutters to all of these areas: Dallas, North Dallas, Plano, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Addison, Coppell, Southlake, Denton, Keller, Roanoke, Benbrook,  Westlake, Fort Worth, Lewisville, Grapevine, Trophy Club, The Colony, Frisco, Prosper, Celina, Savannah, Aubrey, McKinney, Allen, St. Paul, Wylie, Sachse, Rockwall, Rowlett, Lucas, Parker, Melissa, Anna, Fairview, Heath, Garland, Richardson, Irving, Las Colinas, University Park, Highland Park, Kessler Park, Euless, North Richland Hills, Colleyville, Flower Mound, Corinth, Arlington, Little Elm, Hurst, Saginaw, Haltom City, Bedford, Watauga, Haslet and many more!

Call 817.416.7164 for Read Design Southlake

Call 972.608.4999 for Read Design Plano

Fresh Ideas For Your Home - Clocks

Adding a clock to your decor is a functional and aesthetic choice.

The time is ripe for this unique and appealing design element.

Clocks are more than just for telling time. After all, to find out what time it is, we can use a wrist watch or our smart phone. Clocks are also about enhancing interior design and adding interest to a room. A clock can become a piece of art on your wall, in place of a painting or print.

Clocks come in many different shapes, sizes and materials. You can purchase a traditional style clock that’s an antique or a reproduction – maybe a grandfather clock or a cuckoo clock. There are lots of bold new designs to consider too, many which are one-of-a-kind pieces. People are also salvaging old school clocks and railroad clocks for a vintage look.

Clocks work well as design pieces in almost any room, adding elegance, sophistication, rustic beauty or whimsy, depending on the style you select. They’re very useful when displayed in your kitchen, home office or great room, where you might actually need to know the time as you’re planning your day. Clocks are also beautiful and appealing in a bedroom, living room, dining room and home office.

Choose a clock with chimes and you’ll not only get a visual design but an auditory addition to your home. And a pendulum on a clock can add motion to your decor. Some people are even adding duarable outdoor wall clocks to their patios and other outdoor living spaces.

Every minute counts. Add a clock to your decor before more time slips away.

Remember we serve all of the following cities: Plano, Frisco, Allen, McKinney, Parker, Prosper, Celina, Gunter, Sachse, Wylie, St. Paul, Little Elm, The Colony, Lewisville, Aubrey, Melissa, Van Alstyne, Anna, Lucas, Fairview, Rockwall, Rowlett, Garland, Richardson, Heath, Carrollton, University Park, Highland Park, Dallas, North Dallas, Farmers Branch, Coppell, Irving, Grand Prairie, Arlington, Euless, Grapevine, Southlake, Westlake, Trophy Club, Flower Mound, Keller, Roanoke, Argyle, Highland Village, Corinth, Denton, Fort Worth, Kennedale, Benbrook, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Desoto, Lancaster, Red Oak, Balch Springs, Mesquite, Forney, Crandall, Kaufman, Mabank, Gun Barrel City, Kemp, Seven Points, Cedar Creek Lake, Enchanted Oaks, Payne Springs and many more! We have even traveled as far north as Oklahoma and as far South as Waco!