Springtime fashions are exciting, playful and bright, combining colour, texture and style. But I’m not talking about the clothing coming down the spring runways. No, I’m talking about window fashions.

Texture is vital in window fashions, as the natural light hits it and really adds depth, while colour can really enhance the feeling of a room, making it look bigger, or alternatively, warmer and more intimate.

This spring Hunter Douglas, a leader in window fashions, has introduced brand new offerings for three of its products—Pirouette window shadings, Vignette Modern Roman Shades and EverWood Collection blinds. These deliver a range of colour and texture for every interior, from casual to the most formal.

Pirouette shadings, have a classic look with modern elements. With five different fabric options to choose from, from shimmering metallic to natural bamboo and flax, you can get the exact look you want.

Vignette shades, which have no exposed rear cords for a clean exterior appearance have been updated with enhanced child safety and now include new reed looks in natural tones and textured silks.

The EverWood Collection of alternative wood blinds, which provide the warmth and style of real wood blinds with the advantages of modern engineered materials, have new textured looks: grass weave, leather and linen.

Find these products at Excel Shades Hunter Douglas Gallery in Ajax/Whitby. Their wide selection of Hunter Douglas shades, sheers, honeycombs, blinds, shutters and custom drapery will ensure you find exactly what you’re looking for. Visit their online showroom at www.excelshades.com or call them at 905-683-9235 (toll-free at 1-800-503-9235).

When the topic of adding value to your home arises, many projects come to mind – painting, bathroom and kitchen renovations, installing new floors etc. But one of the best ways to increase the value of your home is to upgrade your home’s window coverings.

Hunter Douglas, a leader in window fashions, has a wide array of functional and stylish options, like the Palm Beach polysatin shutters with the DuraLux finish. These shutters offer a classic, refined look. Their durability, low maintenance and the affordability of polysatin make them a great choice and one that you’ll be satisfied with for a lifetime.

Palm Beach shutters come in a selection of stylish valances to suit every home, from contemporary to traditional. Distinctive frame options will fit any window—even those with specialty shapes.

Palm Beach shutters provide style and substance. They will also never warp, crack, fade, chip, peel or discolour as long as you own them and Hunter Douglas guarantees that.
Hunter Douglas ensures maximum comfort in the Palm Beach shutters by ensuring that their products are Greenguard Indoor Air Certified and Greenguard Certified for Children & Schools.

Excel Shades Hunter Douglas Gallery in Ajax/Whitby offers a wide selection of window treatments from Hunter Douglas Window Fashions. From shades, sheers, honeycombs and blinds, to shutters and custom drapery, plus lots of professional decorating advice, Excel Shades has the right window fashion for you. Visit their online showroom at www.excelshades.com or call them at 905-683-9235 (toll-free at 1-800-503-9235).

Sunlight is essential to any home. For its warmth. Its charm. Its cheerfulness. It is an extremely important decorating element. And one you should not sacrifice simply because you need privacy and light control. Excel Shades offers Silhouette window shadings  from Hunter Douglas. Two sheer fabric facings with fabric vanes suspended between them. When the vanes are open, the view outside is preserved, and your home’s natural light is gently filtered. Closed, the fabric vanes allow you privacy while maintaining the soft, elegant style Silhouette window shadings create. The vanes adjust to further soften incoming light and help protect your furnishings from the sun’s damaging rays. “ A mere touch of a button on the remote control, or the flip of a wall switch, is all it takes to lighten things up, tone them down, or give you all the privacy you need”  says Excel Shades owner Gabriel Hashoul.

Silhouette window shadings sold at Excel Shades Hunter Douglas Gallery are available in a beautiful palette of designer colours and a wide variety of applications. From arches and angles to tilt-only operation for smaller windows and motorization for hard to reach windows, Silhouette window shadings are a welcome addition to any room. Silhouette window shadings are available in two-inch, three-inch or four-inch vane sizes that tilt to give you precision light control and protection against harmful UV rays. And, if you’re looking for room darkening in your home, ask about Silhouette Bon Soir™.

Hunter Douglas has led the window coverings industry in safety at the window. Silhouette window shadings keeps cord loops safely taut without interfering with smooth operation. And the PowerRise® system not only makes shades easy to operate, it completely eliminates the need for control cords.
Excel Shades offers the perfect window covering solutions. Purchasing top quality innovative window fashions has never been more affordable, not to mention the fact that these shades are backed by an exclusive Lifetime Guarantee.

Visit Excel Shades Hunter Douglas Gallery 1965 Salem Rd. Ajax or call to set up a FREE IN HOME CONSULTATION @ 905 683-9235 or 1-800-503-9235.

For decorating ideas visit www.excelshades.com

Shutters are a timeless choice for your windows. They originated centuries ago in order to let cool air and sunlight in, and cold wind and storms out. Their functionality has ensured they remain a great option today. Shutters are fantastic for sun protection, light control, privacy and a great alternative to black-out blinds if you or yours are particularly light sensitive. They minimize heat from the sun and add more insulation to a room during cold months.

Whether you’re looking for interior or exterior shutters, they provide a classic look and feel. Shutters generally come in either vinyl or wood varieties.

Wood shutters are made from a variety of wood types – poplar, oak, maple, basswood – and are known for their strength and durability. They provide a rich, elegant and beautiful look, and are often environmentally friendly in their make. Wood shutters by Superior Shutters feature solid wood construction, made from top-grade North American hardwoods, and they are kiln dried for optimal levels of strength and durability. They come in 2 1/2″ , 3 1/2″ or 4 1/2″ louvre sizes, a full range of frame choices with bi-pass track system and optional tilt bar placement.

Vinyl shutters are long lasting as they can withstand extreme levels of heat and moisture. They’re easy to clean and maintain, and they are resistant to warping, fading, chipping and peeling. Hunter Douglas specializes in a range of vinyl shutters, like their Summerwind Polysatin shutters, which are backed with a lifetime warranty. They add beauty to your home while also offering reliable durability and easy maintenance.

To learn more about shutter installation in your home, discover Excel Shades Hunter Douglas Gallery in Ajax/Whitby. They have custom styles coordinated to your decor and provide professional decorating advice, trained and certified installers and quality products. Visit their online showroom at www.excelshades.com or call them at 905-683-9235 (toll-free at 1-800-503-9235).

As children head back to school after summer days spent outdoors, their lives begin to be focused on the indoors with hours spent working on homework and playing with friends in their rooms. Along with a fresh pack of crayons and pristine notebooks, your children will likely appreciate a fresh look for their rooms.

Sally Morse, director of creative services at Hunter Douglas, Canada’s leading manufacturer of custom window fashions, has some suggestions:

A special place—It is important for your child to have a special space in his or her room dedicated to schoolwork—even if your school boy or girl does not have a room of their own, you can use moldings, a screen or even a curtain to separate the space from the rest of the room. A closet may even be converted into a study area with storage transferred to an armoire or under-the-bed containers. Wherever the study area is, make sure it is equipped with a good work surface and outlets for a computer and task lamp.

Peace and quiet—Noise from the outdoors can be a real distraction to all of us, and most especially children. All Hunter Douglas window fashions are rated for sound absorption. Duette Architella honeycomb shades and Vignette Modern Roman Shades have especially high ratings with several fabric styles absorbing up to 70 percent of reflected sound.

Cozy and comfortable—You want to make your child’s room as warm and welcoming as possible. Yet with skyrocketing fuel prices, cranking up the heat becomes a costly option. Duette Architella honeycomb shades provide great energy efficiency at the window thanks to their unique patented honeycomb-within-a-honeycomb design that can significantly reduce heat loss at the window.

Create an appealing atmosphere—Take a cue from your child’s special interests to select a theme for decorating their room and creating an inviting setting they’ll look forward to spending time in. Whether it’s a room bedecked with pennants and trophies for the sports enthusiast of either gender, an animal-lovers paradise with wallpaper, posters and prints featuring a favourite four-legged imaginary playmate or planets and shooting stars for the night owl, there is a design scheme for every interest.

Be safe—Above all else, you want your child’s room to be a safe haven. Use window guards and safety netting to help prevent falls, corner and edge bumpers to prevent injuries from sharp edges, and outlet plugs to prevent electrical shocks. Help minimize the safety hazards posed by window covering cords with the LiteRise cordless operating system or other innovative Hunter Douglas lifting systems for enhanced safety at the window.

More information is available online at www.hunterdouglas.ca or toll-free at 1-800-265-8000.

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