Windows With Bad Views

Here in the Dallas, Texas area new homes are popping up everywhere. It is truly amazing. However, sometimes it seems as though the home building are piling these large homes one of top of the other. It almost feels like you can reach your arm out and touch your neighbor! We recently helped a client in Plano who had exactly this problem. Her home is stunning, but the distance between her home and her neighbors was less than eight feet. The view from her three large dining room windows were a brick wall along with the neighbors air conditioner unit and meters. This was definitely an issue as no one wants to look at that mess while eating a lovely family dinner. What a sore sight!

Our solution for this bad view is simple. We did not want to cover this windows with blinds or shutters as this was the only light entering this room. We still wanted to keep it light and bright. So instead of putting something heavy, we decided to go with a sheer drapery. It is a dining room, after all, so the drapery is a perfect way to dress up the room and solve the visual issue with the view. The sheer fabric we chose has a delicate pattern for added interest and style. The fabric is from a beautiful line in the Kravet Collection. We used a zip rod from Design Elements so they can pull the draperies open if they want to. This window treatment lets light diffuse into the room while hiding the ugly view and dressing up the room. Style and function! What a beautiful combination. If draperies aren't your thing, there are other window treatment options to explore. 

If draperies aren't your thing, there are other window treatment options to explore. 

In a room with more light, you might consider plantation shutters in the 4.5 inch louver. You can tilt the louvers slight to let plenty of light in while still hiding the unwanted view. Keep in mind, shutters will always take away more light because it is a heavy and solid window treatment, so make sure you have plenty of windows and an airy, large room.

Another option would be to look into Pirouette or Silhouette Window Shadings from Hunter Douglas. These two unique products offer the versatility and control most people love. In fact these are my absolute favorite window treatments to use in homes and ten times out of ten, my clients are thrilled. Silhouette shades with the Signature S vane will transform light. Fabric vanes float between two sheers that create a beautiful and functional look. This innovative design will defuse light and soften the view outdoors. They allow for daytime privacy and offer 88% UV blockage in the tilted position. Pirouette shades with its striking design will dramatically filter light in a way you've never seen before. Unless, of course, you're familiar with the product! These shades will give you a softened view to the outdoors along with giving you the look of a traditional fabric shade. Both of these beautiful window coverings come in a variety of fabrics giving you many textures and colors to choose from. It is easy to find the right fabric for your space.

You might even consider the Duette Architella Honeycomb Shade with the Top Down/Bottom Up design feature. This allows you to lower your shade from the top for maximum privacy as well as blocking unsightly views while offering light control. Duette® Honeycomb Shades are the original cellular shades, specifically engineered to provide beauty and energy efficiency at the window in both cold and warm climates. Their honeycomb construction traps air in distinct pockets, which creates insulation that can help lower your energy consumption and energy bills. Duette shades are available in an expansive range of pleat sizes, fabrics, colors, opacities and textures. Innovative operating system design options such as Top-Down/Bottom-Up and Duette Duolite® make these shades a top choice for any window, skylight or even specialty window shapes like arches, sidelights and circles.

The newest option to haze the ugly view would be to use Vignette Modern Roman Shades with the Duolite option. You can use a sheer fabric to distract, but not cut out light. For two opacities in a single shade, consider the revolutionary Duolite® option. Vignette Duolite combines a light-filtering or sheer front shade with a built-in room-darkening back panel both housed on a single roller to easily achieve the perfect level of light and privacy. My favorite fabric in this collection is called Layla and I can't wait to show you!

All of these beautiful shades come in a variety of lift systems including the PowerView Motorization from Hunter Douglas. Control your shades with the touch of a button or use the PowerView App! 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.

Beauty Is In The Layers

Layer The Look

It all begins with Hunter Douglas Silhouette Duolite Shades.

Our Favorite projects are those where we can put together a look designed specifically with you in mind. A look that cannot be repeated because it is unique to your style.

Recently we helped a client in North Dallas who had remodeled her ranch style home. More square footage was added to the master bedroom as well as three extra windows for more light. She wanted a whole new look which included furniture and decor. We decided on a soft contemporary design using neutral fabric colors for versatility and texture for an element of design. She needed privacy during the day and a room darkening option for nightfall without losing her light during the day. The second layer needed to be different and have the best solution to meet all of her design requirements is Silhouette Duolite Window Shading only from Hunter Douglas. The Duolite is a room darkening shade that falls behind the Silhouette making it darken the room and provide complete privacy. This unique product provided a solution to all of our clients window covering and design needs. With so many windows, the window coverings are a very important feature and focal point. There was no other option for this homeowner! And she loves the way they look and function. We decided to use Silhouette in the Alustra Collection Brio fabric for her bedroom because the beautiful textured fabric adds a unique element. She can leave the shades in the opened position during the day while still getting privacy, UV protection and allowing light to cascade into the room. 

For the final layer we added these soft contemporary sheers with a nice texture and modern pattern creating a sophisticated look. This is a soft linen sheer fabric from Kravet. The neutral colors accent the shades and wall paint while providing a softness. It's everything we wanted the finished look to be. It paired very well with the gray velvet chaise and neutral bedding. By mounting the drapery panels at the highest point and letting them flow to the floor, we draw your eyes up and make the room feel larger and maximize out space. It all aligned beautifully and we couldn't be happier! We plan on adding a touch of color using pillows, accessories and art. 

Another feature we added for easy operation and convenience is PowerView Motorization. This exclusive automation system makes raising and lowering your shades a breeze. These are intelligent shades that simplify your life. Particularly convenient in the master bedroom, you can set schedules to have your shades move to any desired position at any particular time of day. Have your shades rise with the sun to get an early start to your day and have them lower with the sunset to ensure privacy. Or simply shout out to Alexa to set your desired position. The PowerView system is so versatile it can be paired with most home automation system including Nest, IFTTT, Amazon Echo, Control 4, Logitech and more!

“The secret to a well-designed room is the selection of truly special products that beautifully weave light and texture together with ultimate functionality and performance.”

Silhouette by Hunter Douglas

Silhouette window shadings are designed to offer a surprising combination of light-diffusing textured sheers and light-controlling soft fabric vanes that enhance the ambiance of a room. In an understated ethereal way, they bring a textural quality that is naturally illuminating, quickly signifying style and subtle sophistication. Undeniable, natural light is one of the most precious elopement of any environment and of good design. These organic textured sheers magically transform light and offer an evolving art that elevates any room with a refined aesthetic. 

The Silhouette Duolite feature gives another layer to an already exclusive product. This feature allows a room darkening liner to lower for more privacy and a darker sleeping environment. Silhouette Duolite shadings seamlessly combine a Silhouette shading together with an independently operated room-darkening roller shade that nestles behind it in the same headrail. The addition of the roller shade enhances the room darkening and privacy benefits of Silhouette, while still allowing you to enjoy the softly diffused light and view through that Silhouette shadings are known for. Once the Silhouette shading is down with the vanes open, the room-darkening roller shade can be positioned in the window at any height to allow maximum flexibility when determining your light control and privacy needs. The shade can even be completely recessed into the headrail and out of sight.

Where To Find Hunter Douglas And Custom Drapery

Find it all here at your one stop shop for all your interior design needs! Read Design in Plano and Southlake have been creating beautiful designs for 30 years! Stop by either of our showrooms to learn how we can transform your home into a unique living space designed just for you. We can walk you through all of the beautiful window fashions Hunter Douglas offers and discuss features and benefits of each one. We will be showcasing our updated fabrics for each product line and introducing our brand new products beginning May 16th! We are very excited about this! 

Areas we service: Southlake, Plano, Dallas, Highland Park, Colleyville, Coppell, Celina, Fort Worth, Prosper, Gunter, Roanoke, Trophy Club, Allen, Frisco, Grapevine, Flower Mound, Robson Ranch, Keller, McKinney, Carrollton, Euless, Arlington, Rockwall, Richardson, Murphy, Lewisville, Anna, Denton, The Colony, Little Elm and every where in between!

March Into Spring......

          With window coverings by Hunter Douglas and Custom Draperies by Read Design

We can see the start of warm weather ahead of us and it is time to freshen up your home just in time for Spring. What better way then changing out your window coverings or adding Custom Window Treatments?! I love to open the windows at the beginning of Spring and see Nature in it's glory and to smell the freshness of Spring.

A great way to open up your home is to update your window coverings.

Silhouette, Pirouette, and Roman Shades

When customers ask us what we would do to open up a room, we always suggest shades. These include Silhouettes, Pirouettes, Roman Shades and Roller Shades all from Hunter Douglas. These are products where you can easily lift them all the way up and let the sun shine in.  

Silhouette transforms light. Like the subtle cast their name suggests, Silhouette window shadings with the Signature S-Vane, creates beautiful and ambient light and shadow. Soft fabric vanes are suspended between two sheers, diffusing softened light deep into a room. Tilt the vanes to achieve the privacy you desire while maintaining UV protection. These shades can easily be rolled all the way into a cassette to give full view of the outside.

Stringing design, dramatically filtered light. With Pirouette window shadings, the look and feel of a traditional fabric shade is enhanced, the gentle pull of a cord lets you change a room's lighting in a whole new way. Soft, horizontal fabric vanes close to filter natural light, or open to give you a perfect outside view. Our revolutionary invisi-Lift system allows the vanes to float gracefully. Even when opened they offer UV protection and reduced glare through the sheer backing.

Vignette and Design Studio Roman Shades offer a simple, uncluttered, look. Luxurious fabrics and soft folds give the shades a clean, crisp look. The range of styles can help you create a warm, inviting, and beautiful space. With so many fabric color and texture options, there is something for any style of home.

Sophisticated but uncomplicated is how we describe Roller Shades. For a look that is both custom and classic, our Designer Roller Shades offer a clean appearance in a beautiful range of fabrics and have a variety of design options and operating systems.  

There other Shades from Hunter Douglas that also fit this bill including Duette Honeycomb Shades, Provenance Woven Shades, and Solera Soft Shade. All of these designs are beautiful and dynamic. 

Stop in to see us at Read Design in Southlake or Plano and let one of our designers help you select the perfect shade for your home. Because we are a full service Interior Design Studio, we can help you with Custom Window Treatments. We can even pair them to Hunter Douglas Shades. With the thousands of fabrics available, we are sure that we can find the perfect fit for your home.  Here are just a few ideas.

Don't Forget! March is Motorization Month! Ask us about PowerView!

We service all of the following areas: Garland, Richardson, Farmer's Branch, Dallas, Rockwall, Fortworth, Plano, Frisco, Southlake, Westlake, Trophy Club, Roanoke, Denton, Celina, Prosper, Allen, McKinney and every where in between!

Fresh Ideas For Your Home - Simple Style

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A clean and simple design style can make your life less stressful. 

The look of your home can give you peace of mind and a sense of calm. Many of us have feelings of stress because we’re overwhelmed by the demands in our lives. What better goal to consider in your home decorating plans than to create a home environment that’s calming and relaxing, both on the eyes and on the soul. 

Simple doesn’t mean plain or unattractive. Simple design can create a sophisticated, traditional, elegant look or a modern, minimalist feel. The bottom line is reducing chaos and over-decoration, and minimizing clutter and confusion.

• Plan only one or two focal points per room, so you can really “see” the beauty, rather than having a hodge podge of color and design elements. 

• Limit the number of colors in your design and stick with gentle colors, rather than bold primary colors. 

• Make color transitions gentle. Avoid making too strong a statement between dark and light colors, such as black and white. (However, keep in mind that you may want energizing colors in a room; for example, in a kitchen or home office where you’d like to be engaged and active.)

Once you’ve created a simple, clean design, enjoy it! Allow yourself relaxing time to read a book or watch your favorite TV show, without answering the phone or responding to text messages. Spend time with your family or friends in a quiet way, without over planning your activities. 

Achieving a calm and simple home environment can help you find peace of mind every day. 

Design For The Future

Great design comes to the forefront through the beautiful textures and vibrant colors of Hunter Douglas Window Coverings. It is also equally important in the unique operating systems including the most recent innovation, PowerView Motorization and its artfully designed controls. Design carries through to the installation of these products in your home. Well-designed window fashions do more than simply cover a window. At Hunter Douglas, form and function are inseparable. Great design is beautiful to live with, provides variable light control, insulates rooms against heat and cold while saving energy, protects your furnishings from damaging UV rays, and even absorbs sound improving the acoustics in a room. Our advanced operating systems make using Hunter Douglas products a pleasure everyday. Now that’s artful window dressing. 

April 2016 Launch of the newest Hunter Douglas Products.

Recently we attended the 2016 premier of Hunter Douglas' new products launch. (Check out the new Hunter Douglas Logo!) There are many new products, new fabrics, new colors, and new lift systems. This is a time when we always get excited because of the new products and we see so many possibilities. We have already received our new books and have many of the new products installed in our displays. Above all our favorite new product is the Silhouette DuoLite.

Silhouette DuoLite.

Light diffusion and room darkening together in one extraordinary product. This product offers the best of both worlds when it comes to managing light. Silhouette DuoLite shadings seamlessly combine a Silhouette Shading together with an independently operated room-darkening roller shade that nestles behind it in the same headrail. The addition of the roller shade enhances the room darkening and privacy benefits of Silhouette, while still allowing you to enjoy the softly diffused light and view through that the Silhouette shadings are known for.

Variable Light Control

Once the Silhouette shading is down with the vanes open, the room-darkening roller shade can be positioned in the window at any height to allow maximum flexibility when determining your light control and privacy needs. The shade can even be completely recessed into the headrail and out of sight for maximum light and view.

Room Darkening

When completely lowered, the roller shade significantly reduces the amount of light entering the space, creating the perfect setting for sleep time, movie time, or any other time when room darkening in desired. The Silhouette DuoLite can be ordered with the UltraGlide Lift system as well as the New PowerView Motorization.

Stop in to see the new Silhouette Duolite

Stop in Read Design Plano or Read Design Southlake to see this exciting new product and all of the new products from Hunter Douglas. We have all of the new samples and are excited to show them to you. Most of the New products can be automated with the PowerView Motorization. We can help you with any residential or commercial project. This is also a time when we are getting our new fabrics and wallpapers. If you want, call either store set up an in home appointment and our Mobile Showrooms can come to you. Our Designer would love to show you the new style and trends that are out today.

We service all of these areas: Fort Worth, Keller, Westlake, Robson Ranch, Denton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Grapevine, Southlake, Northlake, Coppell, Colleyville, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Carrollton, Farmer’s Branch, Dallas, Park Cities, Preston Hollow,  Highland Park,  Plano,   Richardson, Murphy, Garland, Allen, Prosper, Celina, Frisco, McKinney and all areas in between.

Silhouette Window Fashions - Light Perfected

A Room is more beautiful when you design with light. Light speaks to you, it makes you happy. A room filled with light feels like home. When light flows through Hunter Douglas Silhouette window shadings, with the Signature S-Vane, the light and the room are transformed.  Harsh rays from the sun are softened and diffused into stunning lightscapes, enhancing the beauty of your surroundings.

For over two decades, Silhouette window shadings have been engineered and refined to create beautiful, pleasing light. No other sheer window treatment can match our attention to detail, fabric selection, exclusive operating systems and lifetime limited warranty.  Silhouette window shadings let you see your home in a more perfect light.

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HARSH GLARE WITHOUT SHADES

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INFINITE VARIATIONS OF LIGHT

Throughout the day, light moves. It gains strength and depth as it washes across a room, changing your needs for privacy or protection from harsh rays. Fortunately, Silhouette Windows Shadings are designed for optimal living with light. Simple tilt the vanes to reduce glare, add privacy or create a mood. Regardless of vane position, when the shadings are lowered the sheer fabric provides UV protection for your furnishings.

Silhouettes can be ordered with all of the lift systems including the NEW PowerView Motorization. This advance motorized operating system controls your shadings with the artfully designed Pebble Remote or your mobile device via out PowerView App. Easily adjust your Silhouette window shadings at will or schedule them to operate automatically.

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A recent Customer from The Keller area contacted us. We scheduled an appointment via one of our Mobile Showrooms. She wanted a New Look for her Family and Breakfast Room which faces southwest. We suggested 4” Silhouette in the Nouveaufabric.  The 4” louver size will maximize the back view which is beautiful and the Silhouette will control hard west UV rays.   This fabric has a little texture which I thought was needed. We had her walls painted a soft Gray and the Candy Coconut color provides a beautiful contrast. We also added PowerView Motorization with the Smart Phone Hub. Because she works late some evenings we thought this would make it easy to control .

Eventually we will be adding Drapery Panels and will be helping her with Reupholstery.

Call Read Design for all your Interior Design Needs including Hunter Douglas Shades and Motorization. Read Design Southlake and Read Design Plano have been Dallas / Fort Worth leaders in Window Covering and Interior Design for over 26 years. Stop by either of our Hunter Douglas Galleries to see all of our working samples including the New PowerView Motorization. Our Designers have been to the January Market and are excited to show you all of the latest trends. Or give us a call and we would be happy to send out one of our Mobile Showrooms.

Read Design provides service to Dallas, Highland Park, Park Cities, North Dallas, Plano, Frisco, Prosper, Celina, Richardson, Murphy, Rockwall, Garland, Allen, McKinney, Little Elm, Southlake, Keller, Trophy Club, Grapevine, Arlington, Flower Mound, Robson Ranch, Denton, Colleyville, Fort Worthand everywhere in between

New Year.... New Look

Start the new year right by updating your window treatments.  We can help you find your new look with Hunter Douglas Window Fashions including the Popular Luminette, Silhouette, Pirouette, Duette Shades and even the exclusive Alustra Collection. These beautifully designed window fashions can help you save energy in winter and summer, control light and privacy,  provide enhanced child safety and more.

Call Read Design Window Fashions

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Read Design Window Fashions is a local family owned and operated business and have 2 Hunter Douglas Galleries. One is conveniently located in Plano and the other in Southlake and in 2016 we have added 2 mobile showrooms. One services Highland Park, Park Cities, Preston Hollow, and North Dallas and the other services Fort Worth and surrounding areas. Of Course we will travel anywhere to help you. Besides Hunter Douglas Window Fashions, we can also help you with any of your design needs from Draperies, Custom Bedding, Reupholstery, and Wallpaper. We also have a small amount of Furniture and Furnishings in our showrooms and available to order. Soon we will have a Rustic Urban line that will be a lot of fun. This next year will be full of new and exciting ideas for your home!!!!

Hunter Douglas - Beyond Beautiful

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Beautiful windows are as much about what you don’t see as what you do see. Hunter Douglas engineers exceptional quality and modern functionality into timelessly, stylish, versatile designs for your windows. From industry-leading innovation to the finest materials to assembly here in the United States, their commitment to the very best custom designs is unrivaled. Enjoy Hunter Douglas quality and innovation, with beautiful materials and expert craftsmanship designed into every style. Here at our Hunter Douglas Galleries in Southlake and Plano, we can show you the newest designs and technological advancements, such as the energy-saving cell with in a cell honeycomb construction of our Duette Architella Shade or the PowerView operating system with the latest technology in home automation including the smartphone App. Knowing the extremely high quality of our window treatments, Hunter Douglas confidently offers a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

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Duette Architerra Honeycomb Shades

Exclusive fabrics, energy-saving innovations. The state-of-the–art, patented design for these attractive shades incorporates three insulating air pockets reducing heat loss at the window by 40%. Duette Architella honeycomb shades offer luminous colors and crisp, consistent pleats.  Lower them for privacy, or raise completely for maximum light and view-through - they’re beautiful either way. Also consider our Arthitella Trielle Elan Shades. Their five insulating air pockets make it our most energy-efficient design yet. And also important, Duette Architella Honeycomb Shades can be used with every lift system including the New PowerView Motorized lift system.

Let Read Design Help you

Read Design Plano and Read Design Southlake have been Dallas/Fort Worth leader’s in Interior Design and Custom Windows treatments for Homes and Offices for over 30 years. The Designers at Read Design are committed to bringing you the latest styles, current trends, and innovative technologies. Stop by either of our Galleries to see over 65 displays. Or Call and we will send out one of our Hunter Douglas Mobile Showrooms.

Read Design Plano - 972-608-4999

Read Design Southlake - 871-416-7164

Read Design Provides Hunter Douglas Window Fashions, Custom Drapery, Reupholstery and more 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!

Client Work: Custom Bedding & Interior Design - Dallas, TX

Lori lives in a high-rise condo in up town Dallas TX

Lori wanted her bedroom to be a retreat. What I learned about her is that she loves chocolate browns and pillows, and lots of them! We started with a rich color scheme of brown and a soothing blue green. The walls were painted a soft spa blue from Benjamin Moore.  We had an upholstered velvet headboard added to her poster bed. And then layered on the pillows using fabrics in velvets, silk, and a rich tapestry.  On the window we used a 4″ Silhouette from Hunter Douglas. Beautiful!

Providing Services 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!