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5/6 11 WF-VISION.COM VISION11:IWCE SHOW REVIEW A VIEW OF WINDOW FASHION. DETAILS, MATERIALS & INSPIRED DESIGN.

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Each issue of VISION brings you the latest new products, trends, designs, business tips and information to help you grow. If you are a window covering professional, interior designer or retailer selling and specifying custom window coverings, Window Fashion VISION is your magazine for inspiration and industry education.

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: WFV May/Jun 2011

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Page 2: WFV May/Jun 2011

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Page 3: WFV May/Jun 2011

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Page 4: WFV May/Jun 2011

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© Copyright Somfy Systems, Inc 5/24/2011

Somfy innovates with TaHomA™, a simple yet intuitive home automation solution that enables users to control,

schedule and supervise motorized window coverings, lighting and HVAC systems from the Internet via a computer,

touchpad, or iPhone. And with remote access and automation, TaHomA offers these significant energy saving

opportunities either automatically or at the touch of a button.

Please visit www.somfytahoma.com for more details.

Page 5: WFV May/Jun 2011

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Page 6: WFV May/Jun 2011

4 | VISION

5/6.11VOLUME 32 / NO. 3

THIS ISSUE / VISION11:IWCE LAS VEGAS SHOW REVIEW

16 WhyILoveWindows:TheValueofPartnership

Debra Ruffell of Ruffell and Brown discusses how working with others makes for a better business.

40 EffectiveE-mailTarget Marketing Easy steps to develop your own client e-mail lists. By Tamara Coalwell

42 (Pre-)SummerCamp A review of Design Camp 2011

and look ahead to 2012. By Susan Kostelecky

44 EnvisionDesignCompetition2011

A first look at some of the winning entries, including the Award of Excellence, the Creativity award and first-place designs in all other categories.

A new Creativity category was introduced to the 2011 Envision Design Competition and the first winner was talented Japanese designer Yasue Ishikawa. For details on this installation and more of her work, go to page 58.

20 VISION11:IWCEShowReview

The Las Vegas location, the co-location with KBIS and a West Coast audience hungry for product information made for a fantastic show.

26 TheConstructionZoneatVISION11:IWCE

Hands-on training draws attendees to the show floor.

28 SpecialEventsat VISION11:IWCE Keynote speakers, book-signings,

award ceremonies and more.

28 WCMAAwardsat VISION11:IWCE Product innovation is recognized

and rewarded.

32 2011NewProductDirectory Some of new introductions

made at VISION11: IWCE.

EVERY ISSUETHIS ISSUE SPECIAL IN THIS ISSUE

6 Viewpoint: WhatWe’reLovingNow Comments from contributors

8 Viewpoint:OurView President/CEO Grace McNamara

9 Viewpoint:InfoBar Some results and comments

from our “Regional Trends” reader survey.

10 Viewpoint:WFCP WFCP throws a party! Photos

from Wine & Design Las Vegas. 16 Viewpoint: I’mOfficiallyObsessedWith Timothy Corrigan on antiques. 62 ProductShowcase

64 What’sNext

Onthecover:One of the design submitted by Barbara Elliot with Jennifer Ward-Woods that resulted in the 2011 Award of Excellence.

Page 7: WFV May/Jun 2011

www.personashades.comwww.comfortex.com

PERSONAA New

PERSONA™ is the design breakthrough in cellular shades you’ve been

looking for! Available in two cell sizes in light � ltering and blackout

fabrics, PERSONA Cellular Shades feature striking patterns, many

of which can be custom designed using our DYO palette of 24 colors.

for Cellular Shades!

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Spheres and Tuscan Scroll Designs only.

Attach this coupon to your Comfortex invoice and deduct its value off the face of the invoice upon remittance. Print the account number and invoice number on the front of the coupon. Valid only when paid in full within 45 days from date of invoice. Comfortex has the right to withdraw the promotion at any time. Coupons cannot be combined with any other offer. Expires August 31, 2011.

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6 NEUTRALS COLORS AND 24 DYO COLORS

DESIGNER HARDWARE OPTIONS

Oil Rubbed Bronze Hardware

Brushed Nickel Hardware

NEW! Fabric Wrapped Hardware

PERSONA “DYO” DESIGNS

Customizable PERSONA patterns include Gradients and exclusive Anna Cote Designer Collection.

POPULAR PATTERNSExclusive Spheres and Tuscan Scroll Patterns

6 stunning colors in each!

Page 8: WFV May/Jun 2011

6 | VISION

WINDOW FASHION VISION MAGAZINEPresident & CEO • Grace McNamara • [email protected]

Vice President/Circulation Director • Peggy Yung • [email protected] Director • Susan Schultz • [email protected]

Managing Editor • Tracy Powell • [email protected] Design • Beth Hansen • [email protected]

WFCP Director & Trend Specialist • Deb Barrett • [email protected] Manager • Anne Will • [email protected] Manager • Amy Hall • [email protected]

Special thanks to Nichole Day Diggins for her assistance with this issue.

SALESSenior Account Executive • Shannon Leclair • [email protected]

Publisher’s Representative • Kerri Caldwell • [email protected] Classified Advertising • Paulina McNamara • [email protected]

IN THIS ISSUEContributing Writers • Deb Barrett, Tamara Coalwell, Timothy Corrigan, Susan Kostelecky

2011 Envision Design Competition Winners: Mary Susan Bicicchi, Joanna Braxton, Tiffany Cassidy, Ruth Delf, Barbara Elliot, Karen Essary, Deborah Getta, Kathy Hoffman, Yasue Ishikawa, Tomomi Sasaki,

Barbara Taback and Jennifer Ward-WoodsSpecial thanks to:

Debra Ruffell and all the WFCP members who assisted in Las Vegas.

2011 EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDDonna Elle, Donna Elle Seaside Living

John Fitzgerald, ComfortexNeil Gordon, Decorating with FabricSusette Kubiak, Drapery Connection

Rory McNeil, TechStyles Window Covering Products Inc.Tom Perkowitz, B&W Window Fashions Inc.

Jane Shea, Blinds Unlimited

CIRCULATIONNCS Fulfillment Services • 877/344-7406 • [email protected]

Window Fashion Vision® (ISSN 0999-7777; USPS 708930) is published six times a year,

by AIM Communications LLC, 4756 Banning Ave., Suite # 206, White Bear Lake, MN 55110;

NEW NUMBERS: Tel 651/330-0574; Fax 651/756-8141. Visit our website at www.wf-vision.

com. Periodicals class postage paid at St. Paul, MN and additional offices. Postmaster:

send address changes and subscription correspondence with mailing label to Window

Fashion Vision, 4756 Banning Ave., Suite # 206, White Bear Lake, MN 55110. Allow 60 days

for address change. Subscription rates: $22/yr. U.S. and possessions; $29/yr. Canada; $90/

yr. Foreign (includes airmail postage). Single copies/back issues $6 each, except for special

issues, which are individually priced. (Payment must accompany order.) Copyright ©2010

by AIM Communicaations LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permis-

sion prohibited. Canadian Publications Agreement Number: #40036514. Canadian Return

Address: Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ONT N9A 6J5

WF-VISION.COM

Window Fashion Vision magazine makes every attempt to credit each person involved in

the process of creating a window covering and will not be responsible for crediting any

person whose name, company or participation did not surface during the information-

gathering process. Crediting disputes between parties other than Vision magazine are

solved at the discretion of those involved.

WHAT WE’RE LOVING NOW …

Karen (Colorfull)In my spring garden this year, I am enjoying the flowers that have just exploded with color. The bright hues of pink, or-ange, yellow, lavender and purple made me forget all the dreariness of this past winter. While I enjoy this

view, in contrast, I am also drawn to the serene design of sev-eral rooms we have recently completed that have an abun-dance of cream and neutral fabrics, set against dramatically dark walls. Just like the flowers outside, the interiors seem to speak "come, relax and enjoy your surroundings.

Joanna (Warming Up)Because I live in a cold climate, I’m especially thankful when the weather finally warms up. In order to take full advantage of the inspiration I receive from the outdoors, I moved my workroom into the two-car garage attached

to the house and installed a 16' wide screen on the door which zippers open and closed. It motivates me to see the beautiful roses in full bloom, hear the birds singing, feel the warmth of the sun and yet be protected from pesky bugs.

Debra (Young Love)We have recently hired two new young women to work with us. I love the new energy and outlooks they bring and their eagerness and excitement to be part of our industry. It feels good to be able to

share all of the years of knowledge and experience we have carefully acquired. Their readiness to adopt new technologies and build their own relationships with new customers is exciting.

Design ProfessionalsEmpowered by Education

Barbara (Mod-Trad)The Modern Traditional look has become more prevalent. and I love the mix—clean lines with smooth curves, the pair-ing of cool hues such as gray with vibrant tanger-ine, and of course, a little bling. Swarovski crystals

are showing up on drapery hardware, wall coverings, area rugs and tufted furniture.

We’re on Facebook twice!facebook.com/wfvisionmagazine and facebook.com/vision.iwce

Keep up with all the VISION11: IWCE Las Vegas tweets attwitter.com/VISION’11IWCE

Page 9: WFV May/Jun 2011

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Page 10: WFV May/Jun 2011

8 | VISION

ongratulations to thoseof you that took the timeand energy to attendVISION11:IWCE™ in Las

Vegas! I know that if you came, youwalkedawaywithnewideas,businessrelationships,knowledgeandinspira-tion.We saw many dealers from theWestCoast thatwehaven’tseeninalong time and many new faces look-ing for ways to increase their busi-ness.There was a lot of energy andoptimismflowingthroughthehallsofthe LasVegas Convention Center, aswellasastrengthtocontinuetogrowregardless of the state of the econo-my. The attendees and exhibitors atVISION11:IWCEweretheretomakeadifferenceintheirbusinessesandtheyaccomplishedjustthat.

The co-location with the Kitchen &BathIndustryShow(KBIS)wasaplusfortheprofessionalsthatwerelookingfornewsourcesofinspirationandtoseewhat’snewinanotherinteriorde-signsegment. I’mdelighted to reportthatwewillbeco-locatingagainwithKBISnextyear,AprilinChicago!Chi-

cago provides easy access from mostpartsofthecountrysoI’mcountingonseeingmanymoreofyouthere.

WhatIloveabouttheindustry’sannu-alshowistheopportunitytovisitwithold friends—some of us have knowneach other for more than 25 years!It’salsogreattomeetnewfriendsandforgenewbusiness relationships.Myabsolutefavoriteexperienceisthecel-ebration and recognition of the bestdesignsand fabrication in the indus-try:theEnvisionDesignandIngenuityWorkroom competition awards! Thisyear’s entries and winners were ab-solutely magnificent!You’ll see theminthenexttwoissuesofVISIONandon our website: www.wf-vision.com.Thecreativityandpassion that theseprofessionals share is so inspiring. Icould go on forever about how greattheshowwasandhowdelightedIwasto see so many professionals cometogether to learn,shareandnetwork.The professionals who participatedare definitely the ones that will con-tinue to make improvements to theirbusinessandwatchitgrow.

Somethoughtsandideasforyouthissummer:

1.If you are not a Window FashionsCertified Professional (WFCP), wehave an exciting new Fast TrackProgram that you can complete on-line in the comfort of your homeor at the beach or the lake. Visitwf-vision.comandclickonEducation.

2.BesuretosignupforourBusinessNewsletter on our website to stayinformedaboutthelatestnewsandopportunitieseverytwoweeks!

3.Tell us about your projects, whatyou want to see in the magazine,and let us know if you want tocontribute news, design ideas orevents inyourarea. Justshootusanemail:[email protected]@spacedowntown.com

4.Visitourwebsiteregularlytokeepup to date on what is happeningaroundthecountry.

Enjoy!V

GraceMcNamaraPresidentandCEO

A Celebration ofStrengthViva Las Vegas!

VIEW

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Yes, that’s me on a Harley, with Jay Helser at the Helser Brothers stand at VISION11: IWCE™. For more photos from the show see our coverage on pages 10-13 and 20-31, plus the Envision Design Competition coverage starting on page 44.

Page 11: WFV May/Jun 2011

WWW.WF-VISION.COM

ONLINE PARTNERS

www.somfysystems.com

www.vertilux.com

www.rowleycompany.com

www.ironartbyorion.com

www.belgianshade.com

www.shuttersmart.com

www.insolroll.com

www.helserbrothers.com

www.roc-lon.com

www.uspolymersinc.com

VReader “Product Trends” SurveyIn our most recent survey we asked who was selling what and where. Here’s

some more information that we weren’t able to fit in the March/April issue of Vision. Plus some of your signature treatments, coast to coast.

We asked for your signature treatments

Linen panels with swagged valances.—Carol M. Cyr, Conn.

And here’s a glimpse at some of the responses …

InfoBar

What are your top selling fabric shade styles?** Respondents ranked all choices from top-selling to second-ranked, etc.

48.6%Flat Romans

20.2%Hobbled/Waterfall

Romans

29.7%Relaxed Romans

1.5%Austrian Shades

Roman shades with side panels on decorative rods. No more swags and fluff.—Judith Clark, Calif.

Sheers under stationary panels.—Rissi Cherie, Fla.

Stationary panels on decorative rods over a blind or shade.—Kim Lyon, Ohio

Euro-pleated operative panels on custom decorative hardware, usually wrought iron.—Maripat Powers, Texas

Tailored valances over a hard treatment.—Jennaver Brown, Ill.

Page 12: WFV May/Jun 2011

10 | VISION

WFCP Throws a Party

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Wine & Design

As a kick-off to VISION11: IWCE™ in Las Vegas, WFCP hosted Wine & Design, a social networking evening sponsored

by Helser Brothers, Greenhouse Fabrics and Almedahls. In a penthouse suite high above the city, guests sampled

eight different wines, nibbled on snacks, caught up with old friends, met new friends and watched the sun set and

the Strip light up. Everyone agreed it was a great way to start a week in Vegas.

ABOVE: The evening’s hosts including Marianne Eklop of Almedahls, Jay Helser of Helser Brothers, Grace McNamara of Vision magazine, Kyle Gifford of Greenhouse Fabrics and Tom Morrisey of Almedahls.

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: Tami LeNair of L'Interieur Le Nair, Ephrata, Pa., with Valerie Kile, The Thread Said, Wesley Chapel, Fla., in the penthouse solarium at sunset.

OPPOSITE PAGE, CENTER: Tami Coalwell, a VISION11: IWCE™ speaker gives an enthusiatic thumbs up for the red wine tasting, a companion behind her isn’t quite ready to offer his opinion!

OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM: The casual event allowed plenty of opportunity to meet and mingle, and within minutes of open-ing the party was in full swing.

Page 13: WFV May/Jun 2011

WF-VISION.COM | MAY/JUNE 11 | 11

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www.castec.com

EST. 1973

© 2011 Fabritec, LLC. All rights reserved.

»Custom Fabric Treatments

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»Custom Roman Shades »Custom Drapery

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there is no substitute for 40 years experience

crop/trim marks

Note: WE WANT THE FRAME IN THE AD.The live area is 3.6” x 9.75”. Crop/trim marks are an additional 0.125” from the sides of the live area.

THIS AD TO gO INTO THE MARCH-ApRIL INDuSTRy SHOW ISSuE: VIVA LAS VEgAS MAgAzINE.

crop/trim marks

Page 14: WFV May/Jun 2011

12 | VISION

THIS PAGE, TOP: The Helser Brothers team, in their party finery, introduced a new collection at the event, a hardware collaboration with Jackie von Tobel. From left to right: LeeAnn Fernald, Juliette Bennett, Heather Quinn, Jay Helser and Anita Boetsma of Helser Brothers, with Jackie Von Tobel.

ABOVE, BOTTOM: An unexpected guest dropped by the party near the end of the evening, keynote speaker Kathryn Ireland, shown second from left, with VISION11: IWCE™ staff Anne Will, left, Grace McNamara, second from right, and Amy Hall, right.

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: Jennifer Fagalde, Fagalde Interior Design, Folsom, Calif., chatted with WFCP advisory board member Michelle Eaton, of Eaton Interiors, Rancho Cordera, Calif.

OPPOSITE PAGE, CENTER: Anita Boetsma of Helser Brothers met up with Susan Kostelecky, SK Designs, Houston, Texas; Gillian Wendel, of The Wendel Works, Houston, Texas, and Laurie Buell, Designer Resources, Glendale, Ariz.

OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM: Debbie Roberts, Elegant Facbrications, Keller, Texas sat down with Lesa Berryhill, Berryhill Custom Drapery, Round Rock, Texas, to catch up and compare notes.

Page 15: WFV May/Jun 2011

WF-VISION.COM | MAY/JUNE 11 | 13

Page 16: WFV May/Jun 2011

14 | VISION

Timothy Corrigan on Antiques

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I’m Officially Obsessed With

Okay, I admit it, I am an Antique-aholic! I think that the two greatest misconcep-

tions about antiques are that they are crazy expensive and that they are just for

your grandmother’s house. Wrong! Antiques have so many virtues…let me tell

you about a few of them.¶ Sure, you can blow a whole year’s salary on a single

antique table, but you can also find terrific antiques that fit just about every

budget. You can buy an early 20th-century reproduction of a 17th-century piece

for less than what you would pay for a new table from Pottery Barn. And unlike

new furniture that loses most of its value the second it leaves the store, antiques

tend to retain their value so you can actually think of them as an investment. ¶

Antiques can be used in just about any design scheme. For example, mixing an

antique piece with contemporary art can be a terrific way to create a contrast

that allows you to look at both pieces in a whole new way. Antiques are all one of

a kind and add character to any space that you use them. Antiques also have the

added benefit of being the ultimate green product—think about it, no new trees

or natural resources are used to create them. ¶ Whenever I travel anywhere in

the world I look for antiques to buy. It got to the point that I had bought so many

antiques that I had no place to put them all. That’s when I started my own web-

site to sell antiques (www. Timothy-Corrigan.com/antiques). This way I can justify my obsession without feeling quite

so guilty. The alternative would be to seek out a chapter of Antiques Anonymous! V

Sure you can spend a fortune on a museum-quality antique, but antiques can often cost less than a brand new piece. Here are some examples. On the left is a museum-quality Louis XV commode, circa 1760, worth approximately $25,000. In the center is an antique Louis XV-style circa 1890, valued at approximately $5,000. On the right is a contemporary Louis XV reproduction, priced at nearly the same at the musuem piece, approximately $19,000. There are hundreds of similar examples to be found, once you start comparing high-quality antiques vs. contemporary reproduction furnishings.

Page 17: WFV May/Jun 2011

WF-VISION.COM | MAY/JUNE 11 | 15

TOP: In this otherwise clean, contemporary space, an antique desk provides a wonderful, grounding contrast.

ABOVE, LEFT: This photo shows a mix of styles and cultures with a 20th century stone table together with a 19th century French painting, an 18th century Indian sculpture turned into a lamp and an African tribal sculpture—all of the pieces work together to create a story about the owner of the home.

ABOVE, RIGHT: Here’s an example of an antique sideboard mixed with a painting by Sam Francis, a 20th-century master. Pairing the two together makes you look at them both in a new way.

Timothy Corrigan Timothy-Corrigan.com

CLOSER LOOK

Page 18: WFV May/Jun 2011

16 | VISION

The Value of Partnerships

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Why I Love

aving started as friendlyrivals,DebraRuffell andNigelBrownarecurrent-lycelebrating25yearsas

businesspartnersintheirself-namedfirm,Ruffell&BrownInteriors,basedinVictoria,BritishColumbia.

“When I graduated with an interiordesigndegree,myfirstjobwaswithacompanythatsoldafullrangeofinte-riorproducts,everythingfrompainttofloorcoverings,tileandwindowtreat-ments,” Ruffell said. “It was a greattraining ground as the group whoworkedtheretaughtmeaboutallas-pectsoftheindustry,boththeprocessofdesignandthebusinessofdesign.”

After five years, Ruffell moved to acompany thatdidmostly commercialwork,andhertimewasspentbiddingjobsfromdrawings.Thisiswhereshefirst encountered Nigel Brown, whowasdoingthesametypeofworkforadifferentcompanyinthearea.Thetwobecame used to hearing the other’snameinnegotiationsandwhenproj-ectsweredetermined.

Partnering Up “In the mid-1980s, Nigel and I bothchanged companies and worked to-gether for the first time,” Ruffell said.“Butwithinaboutayear,wedecidedwewantedtosetupourowncompany.WestartedRuffell&BrownInteriors,usingournamestobuildonourcontacts.”

The company currently has sevenshop-at-homesalespeople,afullretail

Debra Ruffell with her business partner Nigel Brown, of Ruffell & Brown Interiors in Victoria, British Columbia.

showroomwithfiveadditionalsupportstaff.Draperyandupholsteryservices,aswellas installation,arehandledbylong-termsubcontractors.

“Our main focus is window treat-ments,” Ruffell said. “Ninety percentof our business is from drapery andblindsales, andof that80%arehardwindow treatments. In recent years,25-30%ofthehardwindowcoveringsales had been from large contractsfor new construction, although thishas decreased significantly with thechange in theeconomy.”Thebalanceof thecompany’ssalesare incustomupholstery,beddingandfurniture.

Serving a Unique MarketGiven Victoria’s amazing scenery—from oceanfront to snow-cappedmountainsinabouttwohours—thereis a significant second-home market,a mix of U.S. and Canadian citizens.Ruffellestimatesthatthereareabout350,000 home owners within a one-hourdrivefromtheshowroom.

“Victoria’sappealisverymuchbasedontheoceanfrontlocationandnaturalbeauty of the area,” Ruffell said.“Forourbusiness,itmeanspeoplelookforwindow treatments that provide sunprotectionandprivacywhereneededbut do not cover significant parts ofthe window and obstruct the views.Forthisreason,shuttersareasmallerpartofoursalesthanyoumightthink,eventhoughourclientstendtoprefersimpler,cleaner,morecasuallinesandlooks.We rarely design formal swagswith layered treatments,andspecify-inglotsoftrimisnotcommoneither.”

Connecting with CustomersRuffell and Brown committed yearsago to maintaining a consistent top-of-mind advertising presence in theirmarket.Tothatendtheyrunadsthreetimes a week in the local paper. Butthey recognized years ago that staticmarketing, like print ads, is only partof a successful communcications ef-fort.Anolderwebsitewasrecentlyre-vamped to provide more information

Page 19: WFV May/Jun 2011

WF-VISION.COM | MAY/JUNE 11 | 17

anddetailstovisitors.“Weidentifiedatrendwhereagrowingnumberofcli-entsspenttimeonthesitebeforecom-ingtothetheshowroomorcallingforanappointment,”Ruffellsaid,“andwewantedtomakesuretheyfeltthetimespentonthesitewaswellworthit.”

The company also recently hired amarketing specialist. “Her job is to

The combination of traditional side panels and hardware compliments the functional Silhouette Shadings that protect the hardwood floors and dining set from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays.

help us understand what is workingforusandhowtotracktheeffective-ness of every marketing dollar wespend,”Ruffellsaid.“We’reusingdes-ignated phone numbers for differentsites and tracking closing rates witheachsalesperson.Sheisresponsibleforkeepingusintouchwithourexist-ingcustomerbaseandimplementingoursocialmediamarketingstrategy.”

Inthemeantime,Brownhastakenonanotheraspectofthecompany’smar-keting,helpingestablishacooperativebusiness group called Island HomeConnection, with Ruffell and Brownoneof10membercompanies.

“The concept is that each companyworks with the same customers—people building or renovating their

Page 20: WFV May/Jun 2011

18 | VISION

Dramatic floor to ceiling side panels frame the architectural detail of the arch window and draw your eye to the fabulous waterfront view. Interior design by Colleen Buker, CB Designs.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Several views of the Ruffell & Brown showroom complete with custom drapery, furniture and upholstery selection areas.

homes—and so each company willactively refer its clients to the othermembers,” Ruffell explains. It’s a wayof partnering without competition orcannibalization, an important movewhenconsumersarestillholdingrath-ertightlytotheirdiscretionaryincome.

Ruffelladdsthatthecompanyhasalsoestablished relationships with homeautomation companies in order tohelpincreaseitsmotorizedblindsales.

“Many of our clients today are bet-ter informed about their choices forcustomwindowtreatmentsthantheyused to be,” Ruffell said, adding thathomeautomationisoneoftheareasclientsareincreasinglyaskingabout,especiallygiventhenumberofvaca-tion homes in the area. Ruffell seesbuilding partnerships with thesetypes of specialty companies as an-otheraspectofmarketing.

“Intoday’seconomy,weworkhardtopromotetheideathatweareawell-established, locally-owned businesswith a large showroom and experi-enced staff,” she said. “Because somuchofourjobistobuildtrustwithourclients,wefeelthatthesetypesofpartnershipsareextremelyimportant.Wearenotjustaphonenumberandatrunkfullofsamples.”

Building for a Better BusinessRuffellisalsoquicktoattributemuchofthecompany’slong-termsuccesstoasolidemployeefoundation.“Wehavebeenfortunatetoattractexperiencedsalespeopleandhavethemstaywithus long term,” she said. “Our staff isvery supportive of each other andwe encourage people to rely on theexpertise of their co-workers whendealingwithnewsituationsandprod-ucts.Ourpolicy is that ifyouhaven’tdoneitperfectlyatleast10times,askforhelp!Forexample,ournewestem-ployeeisbeingmentoredbyourmoreexperienced staff and both sides areenjoyingtheexperience.”

Ruffellnotesthatthecompanyalsoat-temptstotakeadvantageofanytrain-

ing offered in the area by suppliers,andalwaystriestohavethefullstaffpresent when reps come in to shownewlines.ThecompanyalsorecentlysentsomestafftoDenvertocompletetheHunterDouglasmotorizationcer-tificationtraining.

“It’simportantthattheyhavethemostup-to-date information from thesesources so that when talking to theclienttheybuildonourreputationforbeingtopofourfield,”Ruffellsaid.

RuffellandBrownalsoencourageem-ployeestosharestoriesofhowtohan-dlevariouscustomerservicescenarios,laughinglyaddingthat thosesessionsarealwaysthemore interesting!“Be-ingabletoreadpeopleandunderstandthe right way to deal with differentpersonalitiesisahugepartofbeingasuccessfulsalesperson,”shesaid.

Why Do You Love Windows?“We believe that beautiful, custommade window treatments are one ofthe most important finishing touchesinanyroom.Whenbuildingorreno-vating,obviouslyitisimportanttobuygood quality products—whether it isroofing, insulation or plumbing fix-tures—butnoneofthesearegoingtoprovidethe"WOW!!"factorwhenyouhaveyourfriendsandfamilyoverfordinnertoshowoffyourhome,”Ruffellsaid. “We like to think that the wayyoudressyourwindowsisjustasim-portantasthewayyoudressyourself.Weworkinanindustrywherepeopleinvite us into their homes becausethey’ve already decided they want tomake itabetterplace to liveandwegettohelpthem.Wemeetnewandin-terestingpeopleeverydayandallbe-causewelovewindows.”V

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the new name in metal hardware

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Exceed expectations with Aria™ Metal Hardware. Stunning modern decor is simple with our bold 1 1/8" metal poles in 9 eye-catching finishes.

Design options abound with our 8 finial styles, holdbacks, rings and complementary metal grommets. Quality, beauty, value.

Ruffell & Brown Interiors Ltd. Ruffell-Brown.com

CLOSER LOOK

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VISION11: IWCE Declared a Winner

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An Industry-WideStory

ISION11:InternationalWindowCoveringsExpo™,held April 26-28, 2011, atthe LasVegas Convention

Centerwasconsideredasuccessbybothparticipatingexhibitorsandattendees.

“ThemovetoLasVegas(afirstfortheshow) and co-location with KitchenBath Industry Show (KBIS) was theshotinthearmthattheindustryand

the show needed,” said Grace Mc-Namara, producer of the show andpublisher of Window Fashion Visionmagazine.Nearly4,000attendeesandexhibitorsparticipatedinthewindowcoveringindustry’snationaltradeshowandconference,triplinglastyear’sat-tendance.TheoverflowfromKBISandthe energy that attendees shared allcombined to makeVISION11 a hugesuccessforallparticipants.

A True Industry EventIndustry associations, including the

WindowCoveringManufacturer’sAs-sociation, gathered to present theirannual Product Design Awards anddiscuss critical issues such as safetyandregulations.KeynotersTimCorri-ganandKathrynIrelandcharmedandinspired the audience about the im-portanceofthewindow.Heavy-hittingbusinesspanelsandsessions,includingtheFutureoftheIndustryPanelhostedbyExcitingWindows!andSteveBurst-

en,ledadaylongsessionofCEOround-tablesandbusinessseminars.“TheexcitementofLasVegasandtheneed for us to gather and move for-wardafterthelasttwoyearsinspiredmanyfirsttimeattendeesandalargeinfluxfromtheWestCoast,”saidGraceMcNamara. “We are hearing positiveinformation from dealers and manu-facturers that the first quarter of theyearshowssignsofupwardsalesfromcompaniesthataretakinganaggres-sivemarketingapproachandinvesting

inprogramslikeVISION11tobeseenandheardbypotentialcustomers.”Openingdaysawlinesattheregistra-tioncounter,longlinesreminiscentofyearsgonebyasmorethan1,000at-tendeesregisteredatthedoor.Attend-eescamefrom37countriesandall50statestoseethelatestinwindowcov-ering products and services. HoldingtheshowtheweekafterEasterandin

themiddleof theweek—bothdrasticchanges for the show—did not affecttrafficorparticipation.Exhibitors re-portedthatVISION11attendeeswereserious buyers looking for new sup-pliers—the exact audience exhibitorshopetoattract.Positive Commentary“Thegeneralbuzzandenergythatlin-gersaftertheexpoisalwaysgoodforbusiness,”saidTravisStorchofStorchInternational-WintecKorea.“Moreso,VISION11allowedustoconnectwith

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our customers and major and inde-pendent fabricators. Equally impor-tant, it allowed us to reach the sale-end-point with designers and withconsumers. These attendees give uscritical feedback to new product de-velopmentsandhelpdrivethe adoption of our newproductstoourcustomers.Thiscreatesacyclethatisatrue‘win’forallinvolved.”Mark Rhoda-Reis, Partnerat Top Window CoveringLLC,joinedahostofothersinagreeingwithStorch.“Theshowwasasuccess,”Rhoda-Reis said. “Thereis a hunger among thedecorators, designers andretailers with whom wespokeduringtheshow,andthereweremany.Themes-sagerepeatedbyeveryonevisitingwas,‘Weare look-ingforsomethingnew.’Wefeltanenergyandsenseofoptimismthathasbeenab-sentforthepastfewyears.Some fabricators are alsomoving from being pes-simistic and protective tobeing optimistic and pro-active.We look forward tonext year’s event and thecontinuingmomentum.”“The VISION11 expo wasa big success,” said Excit-

ingWindows!PresidentSteveWish-now.“Notonlydidwemeetmanynewbusinessowners,but theownersweworkedwithwereveryseriousabouttheir businesses and were lookingfor ways to achieve greater success.

OPPOSITE PAGE: An overview of the VISION11: IWCE™ show floor near the end of the first day, still lots of business to be done.

LEFT: Long lines were com-mon the first day, as attendees flooded the regstration area to sign up for the show floor and seminars. Processing everyone went smoothly, but thanks all the same for your patience.

BELOW: Everyone agreed it was a business-focused show, with attendees eager to discover new products and sources.

Photos: Brandy Stoesz

For ExcitingWindows! we were abletoachieveasignificantlyhigherlevelofawarenessatthisexpo,andwearecommittedtobeinganexhibitorintheyearstocome.”

“There is no question thatthe overwhelming attitude ofbusiness owners this year isone of optimism,” Wishnowcontinued.“Theshowofferedtheopportunitytobuildbacksalesandprofitslostoverthepast years and to move for-ward. Being at the expo wasafabulouswaytomeettheseowners and to develop newprogramsthatwouldbeben-eficial to them and our com-pany.Iwouldrecommendthatany window coverings busi-nessbepartofthisprogram.”Kevin Keenan, Business De-velopment Manager for BTXWindow Automation, Inc.noted that the “Vegas venuewas a great choice for thisyear’s show, and for sure itdrove more to come than inpastyears.ForBTX, thiswasagreatshow.Wewereabletosee long standing customersas well as pick up new onesthatwerejustexposedtomo-torization for the first time.Weareexcitedfortherestof2011!”V

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The attendees flocked to the show floor, especially on the first two days of the show, and vendors in all categories were thrilled with the response. The overall comment was that attendees were serious. They were committed and ready to buy, focused on new products, lines and sources. The result was a significant amount of business transacted at show. V

THIS PAGE: The stands on the showfloor at VISION11: IWCE were busy with custom-ers ready to buy. Clockwise, from top left, Lassen Window Fashions, Orion Orna-mental Iron, Inc., Aurora Rubber & Distributing, Diamond Head Upholstery Tacks and Legacy Window Coverings.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Clockwise from top left, Cantania Silks, B&W Manufacturing, Kon-nect International, Roma Deco Inc., Top Window Coverings, and Expo International.

Photos: Brandy Stoesz, Ania McNamara, Susan Schultz

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OPPOSITE PAGE: Some of the friendly faces from the show, clockwise from top left, a representative from Sani; Steve White and Michelle Lee of San Benito shutters with Grace McNamara; Gordon Wuthrich, COO of Homerun Holdings with Ben Kutell of QMotion; the team from SmartRoll Shades; Pat Porter and Jim Lingenfelter of Yunlong USA; Jeff Marcell and Sandy Drum of United Supply Co.; Seong-Ryong Jang, President of Wintec Korea with Travis Storch. THIS PAGE: Attendees took their time to closely examine all the new prod-ucts to be found on the show floor, including new systems from RollEase, left; Somfy’s full home automation touch screen system, top; and new designs from Faux Iron Solutions, directly above.

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The Construction Zone—Consistent Crowds and Constant Education.The amazing professionals at the Custom Home Furnishings Academy once again produced three days filled with dozens of sessions. From workroom productivity to basic in-the-field repair tips, to innovative techniques for creating almost any type of soft furnishing item you could think of, the ideas were non-stop. And those pink Construction Zone caps were probably the most popular give-away at the show! Special thanks to Terri Booser of CHF for her tireless adminstration and organization efforts to coordinate The Construction Zone, which was produced in conjuction with WFCP. V

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TOP LEFT: Part of The Construction Zone team work force in their popular pink Construction Zone hats. From left to right: Cathy Tucker, Jeanelle Dech, Cheri Mulhare, Terri Booser and Mi-chele Williams. They're in front of one of CHF alumni showcase designs that were also part of The Construction Zone presenta-tion.

ABOVE AND LEFT: A full view of “Camelot,” the window treatment designed by CHF alumni Monique Becker of Becker Window Fashions, featuring smocked, beaded panels and an arched cornice with the same treatment. The panels also feature a godet insert with beaded detail. Special thanks to sponsors Trend and Rowley Company.

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THIS PAGE, TOP: Ann K. Johnson, owner of Sew Easy Windows, Avon Lake, Ohio and a popular CHF instructor, was a fixture at The Construction Zone, demon-strating panel and swag fabrica-tion techniques.

THIS PAGE, CENTER: Taking a page from television food com-petition, Emily Pettit, left in pink, went head-to-head with Janelle Dech, right in blue, in one-hour silpcover race, complete with cheering crowds!

THIS PAGE, LOWER LEFT: Another of the CHF alumni designs, this one titled “Victoria’s Other Se-cret,” designed by Sheri Stouffer of Finishing Touches and Debra Martin or Debra Martin Designs. Black and white flocked damask panels with pink silk godet inserts have silk petal toppers. These hang over a pink silk Austrian shade and an arched cornice with nail-head detail. Special thanks to sponsors Fabricut, Trend, and Rowley Company.

THIS PAGE, LOWER RIGHT: What attendees love about the dem-onstrations in The Construction Zone is the depth of instruction and detail each presenter brings to the floor—fabrics are mea-sured and cut, pleats are shaped and hems are stitched, all right there, with copious explanations throughout the process. Photo: Ania McNamara

Top photo of hats: Brandy Stoesz

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Keynote Speakers, Special Events and Seminar Instructors Wow The CrowdsKeynote speakers Kathryn Ireland charmed attendees with an overview of her life in design, while Timothy Corrigan inspired with his passionate conviction on the power of window treatments. Later that day, the Envision Design and Ingenuity Work-room 2011 award ceremony was once again a full house, as there were gasps of awe and admiration as some of the winning designs were revealed. And, over the course of VISION11:IWCE™, a wide range of speakers shared their knowledge and expertise with attendees. V

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TOP: Kathryn Ireland spent time after her luncheon seminar signing copies of her new book Summers in France. Special thanks to all the WFCP mem-bers who helped out with this event.

ABOVE: Gillian Wendel of Wendel Works reprised her popular Imagineer-ing presentation to a standing-room only crowd.

TOP: Timothy Corrigan captured “hearts and minds” with his kick-off event Tuesday morning, speaking compellingly on the significance of custom window treatments in a complete design project.

ABOVE: Afterward Corrigan shared stories and swapped ideas with at-tendees before taking a quick review of the show floor.

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I just wanted to let you know what a great time I had at the VISION11 Expo. It was the first one that I have attended and I was able to bring back valuable information as well as some possible new vendors to work with. There were three great classes that I attended that were excep- tional: Color Confidence for the Professional, the Business Building Workshop Series and What Makes This Window Treatment Work. I would highly recommend those classes for future expos. Thanks again for hosting the event. —Shannon Scarrella, Hirshfield's Window Treatment Division, Minneapolis, Minn.

TOP ROW: At the 2011 Envision Design and Ingenuity Workroom award ceremony, there were a number of multiple winners, several repeat win-ners from last year and great number of new faces. Congratulations to all. Shown at right, a detail of the “Gracies,’ the first place award.

BOTTOM ROW: At most of the seminars a camera was a necessary tool to capture ideas, techniques, product details and more. Many of the speakers with samples allowed attendees time after the presentation to examine the goods up close.

Photos: Brandy Stoesz

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WCMA Awards Celebrates the Industry’s Leading EdgeGrace McNamara, VISION 11: IWCE show producer and publisher of Vision magazine, along with Joe Jankowski, vice presi-dent at Hunter Douglas, welcomed the engineering and product development teams from across the industry to the WCMA awards, and then turned the event over to Ralph Vasami, executive director of WCMA. “In a year of challenges to the window covering industry—and to all manufacturers—WCMA sets aside one night to honor all of the participating companies,” said Vasami. ¶ He then thanked the judges for the 2011 awards: Susan Hirsh, North American manager for decorative programs, Benjamin Moore & Co; Susan Huckvale Arann, interior designer and president, American & International Designs, Inc.; Leonard Mozer, window fashions editor, LDB Interior Textiles, and Samantha Nestor, interior design expert and author of Living with Wine and The Luxury Bathroom. ¶ For a complete list of winning products, with photos and descriptions, go to wcma.org/PIA_2011. V

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ABOVE LEFT: Joe Jankowski and Grace McNamara raise a glass of champage to all the individuals involved in new product development for the window treatment industry. The introductory presentation was based on the association's 20 year his-tory, with retro photos of many industry players, including one in the background that looks suspiciously like Madonna!

ABOVE: Jankowski, along with others from the Hunter Douglas Vignette team came back on stage later in the evening to accept the product of the year award for the Vignette® Traversed™ with Verti-glide™ Modern Roman Shades.

LEFT: Ralph Vasami, executive director of WCMA, introduced the winning products in each category and welcomed the win-ning teams to the stage.

Photos: Brandy Stoesz

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ABOVE LEFT: Most of the com-panies with winning products had representatives on hand to accept their award and provide additional commentary on the development of the specific design. Congratulations to all the WCMA 2011 award winners.

Photo: Brandy Stoesz

The shutter that won [from Masterpiece Shutters]…was nothing short of awesome. They have a rack and pinion system to rotate the vanes, which are flat with simple beveled edges allowing it to close very tight. Because the vanes are flat they can be engraved. At their stand they had a shutter with Plexiglass vanes printed with an art scene. The display had light behind it, illuminating the shutter. It was stunning! —Steve Dale, Blind Brokers Network, Lake Forest, Calif.

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2011 PRODUCT DIRECTORY

Ball ChainLeading blind and shade manufactur-ers specify Ball Chain Mfg. products because they know our chain delivers the precision pitch, flexibility and speci-fications needed to work faultlessly in their sprocket and clutch systems. Made in USA since 1938. Visit us at www.ballchain.com

CalhookSupplier of hangers, hooks, and displays for fabric samples, and complete retail store equipment and supplies. 5205 S. 231st Street, Kent, WA 98023800/422-4665, e-mail: [email protected], www.calhook.com

CastecHigh-end window treatment manufac-turer specializing in fabric treatments, solar shadings, custom roll shades, and natural woven shades for both the resi-dential and commercial markets.

7531 Coldwater Canyon Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91605, 818/503-8300, fax: 818/503-8360, toll-free: 800/828-2500, e-mail: [email protected], www.castec.com

Comfortex Window FashionsThe Comfortex complete line of cellu-lar, Roman, roller and pleated shades, wood alloy blinds, plantation shutters, sheer window shadings, sunscreens and verticals are distributed in every state in the United States and in over 70 coun-tries on five continents worldwide. 21 Elm Street, Maplewood, NY 12189, toll-free: 800/ 843-4151, e-mail: [email protected], www.comfortex.com

dofix No-Sew Inc.Marketer of the dofix system, a work-room system for making soft window treatments without sewing. Products are manufactured in Germany. 1947 Ironway Drive, Sanford, MI 48657, 989/687-7999, e-mail: [email protected], www.dofix.com

döfix No Sew, Inc. • 1947 Ironway Dr • Sanford, MI 48657 • Tel 800-962-8983; 989-687-7999 • www.dofix.com

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Drape and Blind SoftwareDrape and Blind Retail Software pro-duces customer quotations quickly and easily for a large range of window cov-erings including shades, Roman blinds, drapes, cornices and shutters.

[email protected], 786/871-6757www.drapeandblindsoftware.com

Draperies.comDraperies.com is the manufacturer of drapery hardware for the commercial, residential and healthcare industries. We carry all kinds of aluminum drap-ery tracks, hardware and workroom findings. Visit us at www.draperies.com, call 888/266-1238 or e-mail [email protected].

Eclipse ShuttersGREENGUARD® Certified, Eclipse Shut-ters combine a fashionable, clean look with superior durability making them the perfect choice for residential or commercial applications. Designed for quick installation and easy care, Eclipse Shutters have a durable finish that never needs painting or sanding. With superior energy efficiency, child safe design and a 25-year warranty, Eclipse Shutters are the clear choice.

877/874-8877, www.eclipseshutters.com

Gaby’s ShoppeManufacturer of wrought iron drapery hardware and furniture. Look for our new decorative shelving line coming soon!

Gaby’s Shoppe, 1311 Dragon Street, Dallas, TX 75207, 800/299-4229, lo-cal: 214/748-6644, fax: 214/748-7701, www.gabys.com

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Golden Tassel LLCIf you’re in home fashions, let us help you with your decorating needs. Golden Tassel, LLC, is a wholesale distributor of TRIMLAND products, and we sell to the trade only. Please call Najda or Jackie at 631/249-3023.

176-4 Central Ave., Farmingdale, NY 11735.

Insolroll Window Shading Systems Insolroll Interior Solar Screen and Black-out Shades; Oasis® Patio and Exte-rior Window Shades; Digital Printing for Roller Shades Insolroll fabricates specialty roller shade systems for commercial and resi-dential markets. Our prices are competi-tive, contract quantity quotations are returned within 24 hours, lead-time on most orders is six working days and when you call us the phone is answered by a knowledgeable, helpful representa-tive. Our complete product line includes Oasis® Patio Shades and in-house digi-tal printing on roller shades. Contact us at 800/447-5534 or [email protected]

Merrill Y. Landis, LTD COM workroom and distributor of nine hardware companies, four fabric/trim companies and Lite Touch Shades. We have pricing levels to fit all your cus-tomers’ needs. Merrill Y. Landis, LTD, 20 N. Third St., Telford, PA 18969, 215/723-8177, www.mylltd.com

Ona Drapery HardwareWholesale manufacturer of decorative iron drapery hardware. Products and services include name brand drapery hardware and decorative fabrics. Ship to all 50 states. 5320 E. Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, CO 80303, toll-free 800/231-4025, e-mail [email protected], www.onadrapery.com

Orion Ornamental Iron Orion Ornamental Iron presents 3 new products: Somfy Motor, Bohemia Crys-tal, Tuscany Traversing. Bohemia Crystal —22 beautiful finials at a low price point., Tuscany Traversing—11 designs on embossed metal rods. Tuscany rods can be motorized with Somfy.

PIC Business Systemse-PIC-One is a fully integrated, web-based ERP for fabricators, distributors, dealers, and franchises. Key features include order processing, production management, bills of material, pur-chasing, inventory, CRM, AR, AP, GL, financial reporting, configuration tool, online dealer center, EDI/XML, payment processing, shop floor control, iPad and iPhone access. 5119 Beckwith Blvd. #106, San Anto-nio, TX 78249, toll-free: 800/742-7378, e-mail: [email protected], www.picbusiness.com

Rowley CompanyNow available, the Aria metal collection from Finestra® Decorative Hardware. Choose from eight sleek-looking fini-als, in nine fashion finishes. Our line of 1 1/8” drapery rods offers great quality, style and value. To request a catalog or place an order, please call 888/443-8182.

SM Automatic Model 400 Series Drapery MotorAfter five years of development, we are proud to bring you the most advanced drapery motor available. Retaining the power of the 300 series motor, and showcasing advanced electronics. Contact us at 800/533-3040 or [email protected].

Solstice ShuttersSolstice solid wood shutters transform any room in your home into a state-ment of elegance. Our beautiful planta-tion shutters are hand-crafted from the finest quality materials for years of en-joyment. The timeless Solstice collection offers a variety of traditional and con-temporary designer options to express your personal style. For the natural warmth of premium wood shutters, Sol-stice is preferred. Contact your regional Solstice Shutters fabricator:

Century Blinds 800/281-3013 www.centuryblinds.comFashion Tech Window Coverings 800/444-8822 www.fashiontech.comTimber Blind & Shutter 800/871-2051 www.timberblinds.comVista Products 800/888-6680 www.vistaproducts.com

S LS T ICE

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Trend FabricsAdded to the Fabricut Family in 2006, Trend is aimed to accommodate design-ers’ and decorators’ more value ori-ented projects without compromising beauty, style, form and function. Trend encompasses product styles ranging from traditional to contemporary and is the comprehensive source for decora-tive fabrics, linings, trimmings and hard-ware at an affordable price.

918/945-3838, www.trend-fabrics.com,[email protected]

Solstice ShuttersTaHomA™ is an affordable and easy-to-use system that allows users to save money through increased energy effi-ciency, to feel more comfortable in the home, and to experience the simplicity and enjoyment of total home automa-tion. Please visit www.somfytahoma.com for more details!

U.S.A. World PlasticsVerticals in a FLASH! Buy direct from USA Mfg—Legacy in plastics for over 25 years: embossed, wood grain, com-modities, two-inch, custom cuts, compo-nents, piece program. Always in stock programs—guaranteed! Nationwide and Export. Fabricators get discounts on commodities. Always free samples, call 877/USA-9876 or email: samples@ usaworldplastics.com

Vertilux, USAQuality fabrics and components for window coverings. Manufacturer and distributor of fabrics and materials, alu-minum coils, and wood slats. Machinery and tools. Brand names: Vertilux Col-lection, Vision, Rollux, Evolution, Lou-verlux, Louverwood, Bambu, Le Plisse, Touch of Wood, Bolero, Romance, Sim-plicity Motors.

800/356-8837, 7300 NW 35th TerraceMiami, FL, 33122, www.vertilux.com

WoodMart Window CoveringsWe offer traditional and plantation shutters with louvers from 1¼ inch to 5½ inch plus a full line of exterior shutters. All of our shutters are 100% American made in Southern California. Visit us at www.woodmart.com, or call 818/785-1528.

2011 PRODUCT DIRECTORY

What’s NEW at Mariak Window Fashions?

575 West Manville Street, Rancho Dominguez, CA 90220

800-562-7425 www.MARIAK.com

Patented Cords Free

Roman Shade!

Cords Free Operation assisted mechanism smoothly lowers and lifts the shades with no exposed cords or cord shrouds.

Double window treatment allows for added privacy and better insulation.

Large selection of fabrics from the Caslan Collection are available for the front of the Roman Shade.

9/16” Single Cell Spunlace fabric in 4 colors available for the back of the Roman Shade.

Hidden snap-in brackets allow for easy installation.

Enclosed wrapped hembar. 5-1/2” Valance included with all

shades. Outside mount with returns. U.S. Design Patent D 636,204

Other New Products include:

Roller Shade Cassettes Econoline Motor Platinum Roller Shade Clutch Motorized Bottom Up Shade Standard Skylight Premium Motorized Skylight

Patented Cords Free

Roman Shade Now Available!

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www.exusshutters.com

14455 Ramona Ave, Unit D • Chino, CA 91710 • (877) 228-EXUS (3987) • Fax (909) 248-2298

Your Source For Quality Wood Shutters.

Inc.

• Exus shutters are made from 100% natural Basswood harvested and processed in North America.• We are a quality focused company with reliable distribu-

tion throughout the country, making us an exceptional alternative to your current supplier.

• Exus offers a standard selection of 12 painted, 18 hand rubbed stain finishes and as a true custom product manufacturer we will also match any custom color .

• Large variety of inside and outside frames, café style, multi- fold and double hung panels, hidden tilter and hidden hinges are some of the many options available to you.

• Arches, eyebrows, French door cut-outs plus many other specialty shapes can be ordered without any need for templates.

• Make your customer presentation look professional with the Exus color and frame sample box, available at a low cost.

• Also introducing “�e Pacific Woven Wood Collection”, a large selection of patterns, sold by the roll from our California warehouse, made from bamboo and grasses. Order your sample books today!

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2011 PRODUCT DIRECTORY

Amoré Drapery Hardware

The award-winning Crown Masterpiece collection of-fers a wonderful selection of medallions, centerpieces, sidepieces, and holdbacks to create style-forward win-dow designs. Choose from 28 hand finishes over the

all-metal designs. The collection coordinates with Amoré’s rod and finial line. Amoré has become an important resource for designers seek-ing high-fashion drapery hardware. Call toll-free for catalog/color chips.

Contact: 877/440-0123, website: www.amoredraperyhardware.com.

Theatrical and Drapery Supply (TADS)

Theatrical and Drapery Supply (TADS) is proud topresent Steel “Dumpling” and “Ribbon Weights.” Theweights are 1.00" x 1.00" and made from rust-resistantsteel, not lead. This product is non-toxic, unlike lead.Our product is 100% green, recyclable and American-made.

The weights are encapsulat-ed in a flame- retardant fabric. The “Ribbon Weights” will be in 25-yard lengths and the individual pieces will be the “Dump-lings.”

Contact: 877/705-8237, www.TadsUSA.com

Draper Inc.

Draper’s Exterior FlexShades offer protection for your windows, while preventing most solar energy from

entering the building for maximum so-lar heat gain reduction.Exterior FlexShades are available with motor-ized, clutch or crank operation. Heavy-duty

cable guides or side channels secure the shade fabric against wind and weather, with a weather- and insect-resistant solid aluminum headbox.

For more information, visit http://draperinc.com/go/Mo-torizedExteriorShades.htm

Exciting Windows!

Free 30-second Exciting Windows! self-test:Should you, or should you not, grow your business? There may be good reason to stay at your current level, or, with just a few changes, achieve even greater success. A better business might be yours! To take our 30-second test, go to the following web site: www.ewSelftest.com

F o r T h e N a t u r a l W a r m t h O f P r e m i u m W o o d S h u t t e r s ,

S o l s t i c e I s P r e f e r r e d .

S LS T ICE

S LS T ICE

S LS T ICE

www.timberblinds.com

1.800.871.2051

www.vistaproducts.com

1.800.888.6680

www.fashiontech.com

1.800.444.8822

www.centuryblinds.com

1.800.281.3013

S o l s t i c e F e a t u r e s

Solid Basswood ShuttersBeautiful Paint ColorsRich Stain FinishesMultiple Design Options

Arches & Archtop PanelsPatented Tilt Bar ConnectorPatented Clearview® “Hidden” Rear TiltLifetime Limited Warranty

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F o r T h e N a t u r a l W a r m t h O f P r e m i u m W o o d S h u t t e r s ,

S o l s t i c e I s P r e f e r r e d .

S LS T ICE

S LS T ICE

S LS T ICE

www.timberblinds.com

1.800.871.2051

www.vistaproducts.com

1.800.888.6680

www.fashiontech.com

1.800.444.8822

www.centuryblinds.com

1.800.281.3013

S o l s t i c e F e a t u r e s

Solid Basswood ShuttersBeautiful Paint ColorsRich Stain FinishesMultiple Design Options

Arches & Archtop PanelsPatented Tilt Bar ConnectorPatented Clearview® “Hidden” Rear TiltLifetime Limited Warranty

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Ambassador Industries

The patented Pinmaster II Pingun is an advanced Drapery Pinner with a pistol design. It has a handle and trig-ger, which accommodates effortless ejection of the pins, without any hand fatigue. Operating it is easy, and it im-proves and speeds up pinning opera-tion. The Pinner and Pins are economi-cally priced. Also available: full line of drapery hardware and supplies.

Contact: 213/383-1171, US: 800/334-9667, CA: 800/334-9668, Fax: 213/383-3003, e-mail: [email protected]

Davis Drapery Hardware

Wholesale distributor to the trade pro-viding stock inventory for various drap-ery hardware, expert technical support for all products listed below, full fabri-cation service, and excellent customer service.

Brand Names: Kirsch/Levelor, Iron Art, Finial Co., Paris TX, Forest Group, Rollease, Stroheim/JAB, Bradley Col-lection, JL Anthony, Select Drapery Hardware, Hunter Douglas, Comfortex, Mariak, Somfy, BTX, Makita, Fabricut, Conso, Workroom supplies, Lining- trims-fabrics.

Contact: 1675 Rollins Road, Ste C, Burlingame, CA 94010, 650/692-0360, Fax: 650-692-5166, e-mail: [email protected]

Konnect International

This continuous flexible curtain track can be easily bent to fit any wall or ceil-ing curvature, such as bay and corner windows. No more custom fabrication or splicing. After using the product, one architect sent a testimonial stating that “this is a God-sent product.”

Contact: www.konnectinternational.com, 714/961-8883

Orion Ornamental Iron

Orion Ornamental Iron now offers Somfy motorization on iron, wood, and Tuscany Traversing rods with sin-gle or double motorization. Choose rod, then choose any finial. Shown: Somfy Motor on Tuscany Traversing rod with Bohemia Crystal finial from expanded collection.

Xentric Drapery Hardware

Xentric Drapery Hardware is your one-stop shop for custom, unique drapery hardware, contemporary and tradition-al Collections in Wrought Iron, Wood, and Glass. From finials, tiebacks and brackets to rods and rings our quality products speak for themselves; custom bending rods available for most rod styles. Traversing systems and motor-ized options available. New customers get an extra 10% off first order. Men-tion Promo Code: XEN10A

Contact: 866/493-6874, e-mail: [email protected], www.myxentric.com

2011 PRODUCT DIRECTORY

Sinclair Equipment Co.

NEW: The Sinclair Impulse Sealing System. Choose from 4.25’ and 8.5’ welding seam length. Precise weld-ing control from special electronics. Easy to use. Seam widths: ¼”, ½”, 1”. Options: laser guide light, side tables, automatic pocket folder. Single phase electrical connection.

Contact: 800/[email protected], www.sineqco.com

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Pullits Div., Strategic Brands, Inc.585 Stewart Avenue, Suite 620Garden City, NY [email protected]

Style is in the details.Pullits are what blindsand shades have been

waiting for.

www.pullits.comwholesale and retail

B L I N D A N D S H A D E C O R D P U L L S

The decorative alternative to wood and plastic tassels.

Top Window Coverings

The New Top TwinLight Eclisse™, a hit in Vegas!

Thanks to all who visited us at VISION11:IWCE. For more informa-tion on our TwinLight™ double shade, eco-friendly screen, decorative black out and our full line of roller, panel and vertical fabrics, and shade compo-nents visit: www.TopWindowCovering.com, 800/762-6211, e-mail: Randy@ TopWindowCoverings.com

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Understanding Opt-in List Building

Effective E-mail Target Marketing

neofthebestwaystodriveconsistenttraffictoyourwebsite,trafficthatisinterestedinandengagedwithyourservices,istoofferregularproductupdates,promotionaloffers,tips,and

otherinsiderinformation.Todothisyouneedaguaran-teedtargetaudiencee-maillist.

Yes,youcanalwaysrentorbuylists,butthisisn’tusu-allythebestsolution.Why?It’softenexpensivewithnoguaranteethatthee-mailaddressesareactive;plusyoumaynotknowifthee-mailaddresseswereacquiredlegiti-mately(wewilldiscussthislater),whichcouldopenyouuptoaccusationsofspammingandpossiblygetyourURLbouncedfromdeliveringfuturee-mails.Buildingyourownlistisabettersolutionforyourlong-termmarketingpuposes—you’reguaranteedatargetaudiencespecificallyinterestedinwhatyouhavetooffer.Todothis,youneedtodevelopanopt-inopportunityforyourpotentialclients.

Thismayseemlikemoreworkthanbuyingalist,butaswithmostthings,thegreatertheeffort,thegreaterthereward.Herearesometipsonhowtogetstarted:

Offer Valuable ContentPeopledon’tlikegivingourtheiremailaddresses,butifyouofferthemvalueinreturntheywillmorelikelysubscribe.Whatcanyouoffer?Howaboutaninformativenewsletter,afreeebook,freesoftware,tiportricks,re-sources,designideas,inspiration,thelistisendless.Peoplegoonlinetolearnandgetinformation,soprovidethemhigh-qualityinformationtheycanuse.

Make it EasyPlaceyoursubscriptionboxinaprominentarea,don’thideitormakeviewerssearchforit.Websiteusabilitystudiesshowviewerslookintheupperleftandrightsidesofwebpages,sothisisanaturalareatoplaceasmallboxthatsays“subscribetoournewsletter”or“downloadafreepattern.”Anddon’tof-ferthisononlyyourhomepage;placesimilarcallforactionlinksthroughoutyoursite.

By Tamara Coalwell

Assure Their PrivacyWhenapersonsignsupwithyoutheywillwanttoknowhowyouwillkeeptheirinformationprivate.Postasimpleprivacystatementdirectlynexttotheformyou’reaskingthemtofillout.Examplesinclude:“Wekeepyourinfor-mationprivate,wewillnotshareorsellorotherwisedis-closeyourdetails…period“or“Yourprivacyisimportanttous.Wewillneversellordiscloseyourpersonalinforma-tion.”Therearemanyexamplesofprivacystatementsoutontheweb,chooseonethatfitsthetoneandattitudeofyoursiteormodifyoneaccordingly.Andthen,ofcourse,sticktoit!

Don’t Require Too Much InformationSomesiteswon’tallowyoutoentertheirsitewithoutgiv-inginformation…andmostpeoplewillleave;IknowIdo.Insteadmakethesubscriptiontheirchoiceandwhenaskingforinformation,keepitsimple:firstname,lastname,email,andmaybetheirphonenumber.Don’taskfordemographicinformationoranythingelseatthisstage.You’renotconductingmarketresearch;youarecreatinganinitialcontactandbuildingyouronlinerelationship.

Give Them a Gift Everyoneenjoysreceivinggifts!Offeranextraincentivetosignupinadditiontothepromisednewsletter,freepattern,etc.Thegiftcouldbeawhitepaper,freee-book,abonus,orevenanautomaticentrydrawingforaprizedrawing,perhapsaninitialcolorconsultation.Givingawayfreegiftswillincreaseyoursubscriptionrequests.Aswithyournews-letter,besuretoupdateyouroffersonaregularbasis.

Ask Them to “Pass it on”Askthosewhoreceiveyournewslettertoshareitwithpeopletheyknowwhomightenjoyreadingorgettingyourinformation.Thisiscommonlyreferredtoas“viralmarketing,”youaregettingthosepeoplewhoalreadycommittedtoyourlisttospreadthewordforyou.Thisstepmeansthatwithineverye-mailmessageyoudelivertoyourtargetaudiencelistyouincludea“subscribe”link

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iEditWebiEditWeb.com

CLOSER LOOK

ora“wanttoknowmore”option,invitingthemtoyoursitetosignup.

Give Them ChoicesIalreadymentionedhavingsign-uplinksonpagesthroughoutyourwebsite,butnotalloftheseneedtobeforthesameoffer.Youmayhavesomevisitorswhoarenotinterestedinanewsletter,butwouldsignuptoreceivespecialcouponsordiscounts.Orspecialalertswhennewmerchandisearrives.Thinkaboutthedifferentproductsandservicesyouofferandwhatmightmotivateyourtar-getaudiencetowanttoknowmore,thencreatethespecialsubscriptionoffersontherelevantpageinyoursite.

Use ProtectionIncreasingyouropt-inlistofpotentialclientsisaveryimportantstrategy;itprovidesaveryvaluableresourceandneedstobetreatedappropriately.Remember,youpromisedyourclientsyou’dprotecttheirinformation,andyouneedtoprotectyourinvestment.Somakesureyourlistsarepartofyourregulardataback-upandthatacopyisalsopartofyouroff-sitebackup.You’redoingbothoftheseveryimportanttasksalready,right?

Byfollowingtheabovetips,youwillseeyoure-maillistgrowwithhighlytargetedcustomerswhowanttohearfromyou.Inthenextissuewe’lladdresshowtowritemeaningfule-mailcopy,soyourlistwillbeeagerforyournexte-mail.V

Tamara Coalwell, co-creator and co-owner of iEditWeb, Inc. has 14 years of experience in helping challenged business professionals with their internet marketing needs. With iEditWeb, Tami gives business owners the tools to tell the story their audience wants to hear and search engines love, resulting in increased web traffic. The suite of iEditWeb tools also provides the power and flexibility to allow for easier self-management of a website, significantly reducing or even eliminating webmaster fees.

Golden Tassel, LLCFarmingdale, NY

Tel: 631/249-3023 • Fax:631/249-3027Email: [email protected] • Website: www.golden-tassel.com

• Tassel Tie-Backs• Key Tassels• Cords• Chair-Ties

• Tassel Fringes• Bullions• Rosettes• Brush & Scallop Fringes

• Tassel Tie-Backs• Key Tassels• Cords• Chair-Ties

• Tassel Fringes• Bullions• Rosettes• Brush & Scallop Fringes

Distributor of Quality Trimmingsat Reasonable Prices

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A Relaxed Atmosphere EncouragesLearning, Sharing and Fun

(Pre-) Summer Camp

edicatedtohands-onlearning,theannualCreativeCamprunbyTheCustomSewingInstitutewrappedupitssuccessfulfifth-yearses-

sion,sendingattendeesbacktotheirwork-tableseagertoputtheirnewskillstouse.

Inordertofocusonthetechniquesandgetthemostoutofeachclass,attendeesarenotrequiredtobringanymaterialstocamp,asallclassmaterialsarepreppedinadvance.Forexample,fortheheadboardclassallofthewoodpieceswerecuttosize,holesweredrilled,fabricwascuttoapproximatesizesandcordingwasmade.Theattendeesspenttheclasstimelearninghowtofabricatetheheadboardindetailinsteadofdoingthebasicprepwork.

The2011sessionincludedmorethan24hoursofclasscontent,almostallofwhichincludedsometypeofhands-oncomponent.Eachat-tendeealsoreceivesone-on-onetimewithinstructorstoensurethetechniquesarefullyunderstoodandcanbeappliedoncethestu-dentsreturnhome.V

By Susan Kostelecky

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THIS PAGE, TOP: Candace Kling, author of The Artful Ribbon had dozens of her gorgeous ribbon projects on display for inspiration in her class on deco-rative ribbon techniques. Each student created a sample board of several ribbon projects showcasing a variety of design that could be used on pillows or drapery panel leading edges.

THIS PAGE, BOTTOM: To announce the 2012 Creative Camp dates and sched-ules, attendees received an encrypted note that could only be deciphered using “decoder” glasses resembling the 3D glasses worn in movie theaters. Everyone had fun with it!

The Sixth Annual Creative Camp event will be held March 9-11, 2012 at Camp Allen (www.campallen.org) in Navasota, Texas. As always, this will be a small group event (maximum 50 regis-trants) for medium- to advanced-level workrooms.

Instructor ClassLesa Berryhill Social Marketing for WorkroomAnn Johnson Hands-on Arched Pleated PanelsKenneth D. King Hands-on Specialty TechniquesMissy Martin Machine Feet and Workroom ToolsGillian Wendal Hands-on Embellishments and Fine Details

In addition, a hands-on photography class will also be offered in which attendees will learn to take and adjust window treat-ment photos for portfolios and marketing.

For more information, go to www.csisews.com

Creative Camp 2012 Information

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: Rebecca Day, of Merrick & Day, was the featured presenter and enthralled the attendees with photos of her projects. She also taught a hands-on class—Trumpets, Coronets & Decorative Knots—demonstrating her specialty techniques. Here Rebecca, in the pink sweater, works with attendee Mary Ford.

OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM: Gillian Wendel’s Shaped and Tufted Head-boards class was very successful, with each student completing a headboard using fabrics from Greenhouse Fabrics, linings from United Supply and workroom supplies from Rowley Company while learning how to tuft, apply buttons and cording, and how to work with shaped headboards. Gillian holds a “speech bubble” created for the camp this year, a shaped board finished with chalkboard paint that was a big hit with attendees.

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things up a bit. She instructed the judges to select the Award of Excellence winner of the Envision Design competi-

tion and the Workroom of the Year winner from the Ingenuity entries based on the scope of work submitted. It made

for a fun and surprising awards ceremony, and gave us plenty of wonderful windows to showcase!

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DETAILSCREDITS: Designer: Barbara Elliottand Jennifer Ward-Woods, Decorating Den Interiors, Stone Mountain, Ga. Work-room: Finest Design, Norcross, Ga. In-

staller: Jon Kemmerer, Tucker, Ga. Photography: Randy Foulds, RD Foulds Pho-tography, Yarmouth, Maine.

SOURCES: Window treatment fabrics: Kasmir silk 1080 and Kravet fabrics 15249 C404 and 24640 C35. Tieback: Fabricut. Silhouette: Hunter Douglas in Seclusion White. Duvet fabrics: Eastern Accents, Hepburn and Tracy. Dust ruffle: Eastern Accents, Kate.

DESIGN CONCEPT, COMBINATION TREATMENTSFor this master bedroom revamp, the clients asked for a little magic, or least some magical thinking. They want to swap their queen-sized bed for king without the room feeling crowded, and they wanted the same amount of storage with fewer pieces: The wife wanted some 1940s Hollywood glamour, while the hus-band asked for dark finishes and an overall relaxing feel.

The color palette of champagne gold and robin’s-egg blue is accented with touches of silver and dark merlot. Lush jacquards and embellished silks were used for the bedding, the accent pillows and the window treatments. Custom designed cornices, inspired by billowing movie theater curtains, add movement and pick up the curvy tops of the mirrors and the headboard. Custom holdbacks in a bonze/gold combination with accents of silver relate to the treatment used on the stepped, recessed ceiling, where the reveals were finished in bronze/gold and the bevels in silver leaf.

BARBARA ELLIOTT, WITH JENNIFER WARD-WOODS

DECORATING DEN INTERIORS

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

FIRST PLACE,COMBINATION TREATMENTS

FIRST PLACE,CURTAINS & DRAPERIES

SECOND PLACE, (TIE)SPECIALTY WINDOWS

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DESIGN CONCEPT, CURTAINS & DRAPERIES, FIRST PLACEIn this master bedroom nearly one entire wall was windows, so light control was obviously a key issue. But the client also wanted something more than “just blinds” and expressed a desire to be able to “change out” the bedding if she wanted. The wall behind the bed had already been custom painted by the husband, so El-liott and Ward-Woods created a window treatment inspired by the colors and the gridwork. Three colors of duppioni silk were pieced together in a way that meets up with the top gridline while window shadings replaced faux wood blinds. Soft gold was used through-out to warm up all the blues and greens used in the room—a soft gold is one of the duppioni fabrics, a subtle gold pattern is part of the window shadings and the understated decorative hardware was selected in a brushed gold finish.

DETAILSCREDITS: Designer: Barbara Elliott and Jennifer Ward-Woods, Decorating Den Interiors, Stone Mountain, Ga. Workroom: Finest Design, Norcross, Ga. In-staller: Jon Kemmerer, Tucker, Ga. Photography: Randy Foulds, RD Foulds Photography, Yar-mouth, Maine.

SOURCES: Window treatment fabrics: Carole Window Treatments silk douppioni in mint, pi-geon, and raffia. Drapery Hardware: Seabrook. Window shading: Alta-Kathy Ireland Window Shading in slub shoreline.

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DESIGN CONCEPT, SPECIALTY WINDOWS, SECOND PLACE (TIE)Elliot and Ward-Woods were asked to create a beautiful, elegant, but lighthearted design for a 14-year-old “princess” room. Not usually a problem, but in this case the room was tiny, the palladian window was awkwardly placed and the goal was keep as much light in the room as possible. The team came up with an asymmetrical swag in a cream-colored cotton sheer that has a slight feathery texture to it, which adds to the overall feeling of lightness, but is also definitely unique. A fuzzy black ball fringe is a graphic, playful ac-cent, while both sides of the swag are anchored by custom fabric holdbacks.

DETAILSCREDITS: Designer: Barbara Elliott and Jennifer Ward-Woods, Decorating Den Interiors, Stone Mountain, Ga. Workroom: Finest Design, Norcross, Ga. Installer: Jon Kemmerer, Tucker, Ga. Photography: Jeff Sanders, Accent Photography, Greenville, S.C.

SOURCES: Window treatment fabrics: Fabricut, Seth in cream and Boom Box in blackline.

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FIRST PLACE, COMMERCIAL TREATMENTS

DESIGN CONCEPTIt’s hard to believe, looking at a photo of this lovely marriage chapel, that this space was actually an underused lobby, a walkway guests used to get from a parking lot to hotel.

Designer Tomomi Sasaki was asked by the management of this spa hotel, located near Disneyland Tokyo, to figure out how this space could be re-worked so the hotel could attract more wedding busi-ness. The series of 20-foot-tall windows on both sides and the clasi-cally inspired vaulted ceiling make for a wonderful space, but unfor-tunately, those large windows look out onto the parking lot. Sasaki felt too much window treatment would overwhelm the architecture of the space, while a simple, functional treatment of blinds wouldn’t be suitable.

“I thought of a valance with an adjustable-length panel,” Sasaki said. “When used as a marriage chapel, the panel can be fully lowered, obscuring the view outside, but when the space is used as a lobby, the panel can be raised to the brackets installed below the bottom edge of the valance, creating a pleasing repeat across the span of the windows.”

The finished design is a double-sided flat valance, installed on a rod over the panel so that the look is the same from the exterior and the interior. Sasaki needed a total of 36 panel and valance sets for the room, with each panel having a finished length of 137". When raised, the panel is 59" and creates a nearly mirror image to the valance.

DETAILSCREDITS: Designer: Tomomi Sasaki, Decolab Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. Workroom: Akiko Yamazaki, Risa Braire Co., Ltd., Kobe, Japan. In-staller: Hayato Kimura, Incraft Co., Ltd. Tokyo, Japan. Photography: Taku Ishii, Decolab Co., Ltd.

SOURCES: Valance and panel fabrics: Manas Trading Inc. Panel banding: Fujietextile Japan.

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FIRST PLACE, DECORATIVE HARDWARE & TRIMS

DESIGN CONCEPTThis 22-foot span of windows presented several challenges for Joanna Brax-ton. First was the sheer size. Second was the client request to keep them as open as possible, as privacy was not an issue, while still designing something unique. And the third was that the fabrics and hardware selected for the project all needed some “finessing” in order to fit. Braxton, who also won this category in 2010, rose to the challenge.

The chenille stripe chosen for the side panels is actually a horizontal, so Brax-ton rotated it and then needed to piece it to gain the necessary height. “It could have been done with only one seam,” Braxton explained, “but then the join would have been in the middle of the panel.” Instead she camouflaged the bot-tom seam 18" up from the floor with a 6" wide contrast band, embellished with metal bead and tassel fringe. In order to make the flat braid of the fringe appear recessed, a 3/8” covered welt was added above the braid. For the second seam, a tuck was made to hide it by using a 1” doubled strip of contrast fabric inserted in the seam. To give this strip purpose and interest, 5/8” decorative nailheads were attached with a single strand of smoky topaz colored beads hanging from each nailhead.

Braxton added the fleur-de-lis embellishments to the top treatment during the fabrication process. It was originally designed to be a very simple pelmet, but at 22-feet wide, Braxton realized that would feel boring and monolithic. She con-tinued the fleur-de-lis shape around the side for a uniquely shaped return and added a contrast covered cord with a suede bead tassel fringe along the bottom.

Originally Braxton had thought to position the pelmet just below the crown molding, but there is 20" between the crown molding and the window frame, and then another 8" of molding to the window opening. This would have meant a minimum of 30" for the short point of the pelmet, which would look and feel far too heavy and disproportionate in the room. So Braxton designed for the treat-ment to be installed just above the window molding and finished the pelmet top with a 2” rope detail by slicing premade twist-rope rods in half to create a flat back. These were laid against the pelmet and the ends were mitered.

DETAILSCREDITS: Designer: Joanna Braxton, Braxton Drapery Design, London, Ohio. Workroom: Joanna Braxton. Installer: Joanna Braxton, Nate Braxton, Megan Braxton. Photography: Megan Braxton. Woodcrafting: Joe Burgess and Nate Braxton.

SOURCES: Pelmet and panel fabrics: Fabricut. Decorative trims: Award Fabrics Decorative nailheads: Dkei. Decorative hardware: C.O.M.

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RUTH DELF WITH KATHY HOFFMAN, SUSAN FREDMAN DESIGN

FIRST PLACE, GREEN DESIGN

DESIGN CONCEPT

Ruth Delf was co-hosting a networking and informational event about green design when Victoria Di Lorio, the project director for Healthy Home 2010 first approached her. “She shared with me her passion for healty interiors and introduced the Healthy Home concept" Delf said.

Healthy Home 2010 was the first designer showhouse in the nation to bridge the gap between traditional green building and healthy interi-ors. It was the first house in the U.S. to incorporate elements of the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute’s Indoor Environmental Qual-ity (IEQ) Management Plan for Residential Construction, a system for creating—from the ground up—buildings that contribute to healthier indoor air. Built by Dior Builders in the Chicago suburb of Palatine, the home was open for viewing autumn 2010.

Delf and Hoffman designed the interiors, specifying low- or no-VOC and natural products throughout the home. The overall style is transi-tional, bridging classic architecture with updated finishes and furnish-ings. “We’d done a lot of work with green design and LEED certified buildings,” Delf said, “but this was definitely a different direction for our practice in learning about toxicity and and how to determine that in specific products.”

For the master bedroom, the designers’ goal was to create a serene, luxurious retreat where the homeowners can relax and unwind using healthy products that don’t compromise luxurious design. An organic silk rug with natural vegetable dyes, organic bedding and zero VOC paint are complemented by window treatments by Hartmann & Forbes made from natural fibers that are sustainably grown and harvested.

DETAILSCREDITS: Designer: Ruth Delf with Kathy Hoffman, Susan Fredman Design, Chicago, Ill. Workroom: Hartmann & Forbes.

SOURCES: Shade and panel fabrics: Hartmann & Forbes.

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FIRST PLACE,SPECIALTY WINDOWS

DESIGN CONCEPTFor a guest bedroom with an unusual arrangement of south-facing win-dows, Karen Essary focused on enhancing the combined shape of the windows while camouflaging the odd space of the remaining wall while delivering light control, privacy and a unique design. Out of four concepts Essary presented at the follow-up meeting, the client chose the design based on distinctive scroll hardware from Orion. While Essary also had her fabric choices ready, including some additional ideas for some accent pillows on the bed that would help pull the camel and plum color scheme together, she had never worked with the Orion scroll hardware before. “I was thrilled to sell the whole project, including the add-ons for the bed,” Essary said, “but my excitement quickly changed to ‘how am I going to make this work?’”

To ensure no time was lost or fabrics wasted on the table, Essary waited until she received the special order hardware before plotting out the de-sign for her workroom. She also made sure to carefully measure and plan for where to position the hardware at the window, so that there would be no major issues at the installation.

DETAILSCREDITS: Designer: Karen Essary, Couture by Karen Inc., Monroe, Mich. Workroom: Lisa Gessner, Couture by Karen Inc. Installer: Karen Essary Photography: Bill Barnes, Shutterbug Digital, Monroe, Mich.

SOURCES: Decorative Hardware: Orion Vienna Collection Decorative Scrolls in rich gold. Trim: Stout Charisma in plum. Drapery fabric: Max-well Zelda in mocha. Coverlet fabric: Robert Allen Buenos Aires in this-tle. Euro shams and accent pillow fabric: Carole Fabrics Vixen in raisin. Blinds: Hunter Douglas Country Woods 2" classic.

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BARBARA TABAK, DECORATING DEN INTERIORS

FIRST PLACE, TOP TREATMENTS

DESIGN CONCEPT

The client was stuck. She wanted to cre-ate a home office for her husband that was comfortable and stylish, but after getting the walls painted a rich red and selecting a new black leather chair and ebonized desk, she was baffled on how to

complete the room. The windows let in too much light and glare on the computer, the accessories didn’t look right and it just wasn’t coming together. That’s when Barbara Tabak stepped in.

“The most noticable features in this small room were the corner win-dows,” Tabak said. “They had faux wood blinds on them, but they didn’t work with the mood the client was aiming for, and they didn’t do a good enough job of controlling the light for working on the computer.”

Tabak felt another rich color was needed to balance the red and black scheme, so she introduced a warm neutral she calls nutmeg. She used it for the drapery and cornice fabric, and incorporated in into a decora-tive compass rose design painted onto the ceiling (not shown.)

For the windows Tabak selected a faux suede, a fabric that suited the masculine setting, as well as being inherently light-blocking. The cor-nices were designed with a graphic nailhead pattern, introducing an-other rugged, yet stylish note to the room.

DETAILSCREDITS: Designer: Barbara Tabak, Decorating Den Interiors, Harris-burg, Penn. Workroom: Anderson Fabrics, Blackduck, Minn. Installer: Decorating Den Interiors. Photography: Paul Emberger, Harrisburg, Penn.

SOURCES: Drapery fabric: Kasmir Fabrics, Shaw in nutmeg. Nail-heads: Rowley Company.

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WF Vision Ad 2011-2bOL.indd 1 MondayMay/30/11 11:54 AM

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MARY SUSAN BICICCHI, INTERIORS BY MARY SUSAN

FIRST PLACE, WHOLE ROOM INTEGRATION

DESIGN CONCEPT

A Chicago condominium with a stunning birds-eye view of the John Hancock build-ing was in serious need of redesign. It had been 20 years since the clients had first furnished the space and they wanted a lighter, more sophisticated look. Although

the plan was to do a total rework, some key elements remained, most notably the crema marfil stone flooring, which served as an anchoring palette for the redesign.

The rich creams and mineral colors of copper, bronze and gold from the floor were repeated in a pearlescent faux finish on the walls. The exsisting dining room set was refinished and reupholstered and places found throughout the combined space for their extensive collection of Waterford crystal.

A large wool and silk rug defines the living room, picking up the color palette of cream and warm metallics. With new upholstery choices picked out and a few new pieces added, it was time to focus on the win-dows. “I wanted them to have a strong architectural presence,” Bicic-chi said. “The clients were adamant that the view be maintained and I felt I could create panels that would frame the view and maintain the clean, stylish look we were aiming for. They would also add warmth to the rooms and soften all the existing hard surfaces.”

The contractor and Bicicchi had numerous meetings on the challenge of preserving the wonderful view and Bicicchi convinced the contrac-tor and the clients that the exsisting columns in the foyer (not shown)

would provide a perfect reference for the design she had in mind.

“The contractor did a wonderful job installing crown molding to accom-modate my design. We ultimately made a hidden pocket behind the crown molding where we could mount our fabric “columns” and this further enhances the architec-tural presence my design concept required.”

In another architecture reference, Bicicchi choose to do pencil pleats at the top, playing off the finger mold-ing that is sometimes used in interi-ors. The pleats are about 8", match-ing the depth between the molding and the window frame.

The silk panels are flannel lined to add weight and presencein the space. They work exactly as Bicicchi intended—framing the view, warming the interior and integrating the dining and living room spaces into a whole room.

DETAILSCREDITS: Designer: Mary Susan Bicicchi, Interiors by Mary Susan, La-Grange, Ill. Workroom: Kathy Ellingson, Davis Design, Downers Grove, Ill. Installer: Rick LaDouceur, Custom Drapery Installation, Lisle, Ill. Photography: Nick Novelli, Novelli, Elgin, Ill.

SOURCES: Drapery fabric: Fabricut silk dupioni in autumn. Flannel lining supplied by workroom.

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FIRST PLACE, WONDERFUL WALLS

DESIGN CONCEPT

For an avid golfer who also wanted a full service commerical bar, Deborah Getta completely reworked the basement floor plan to provide ample seating, storage and display areas.

Getta proposed a Z-shaped bar counter. This would provide additional counter seating and behind-the-bar storage, as well as creating archi-tectural interest in an otherwise plain box of a room. In the bar’s back arches, Getta had mirrors etched with a golf scene, most clearly visible in the sink arch. Each arch was accented with colored rope lighting in the reveal to highlight the mirrored surface, while extra-thick glass shelving in the other arches adds another reflective surface.

The arched sections and the front of the bar were all crafted out of honey birdseye maple with ebony cabinetry, reveals and molding. DETAILSCREDITS: Designer: Deborah Getta, Design Resources LLC, Hinsdale, Ill.

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SPECIAL AWARD, CREATIVITY

DESIGN CONCEPT, SPECIALTY WINDOWS

Formerly a waiting room, this space in a boutique hotel that specializes in weddings was redesigned to serve as a non-denominational ceremony hall. The requested concept was “Italy’s Lake Como” but with the exception of the three lighting alcoves on the ceil-ing, the space was a bland white box.

Yasue Ishikawa decided to create the necessary ar-chitecture by custom-printing images of a Lake Como palazzo on sheers installed in front of huge gold-framed mirrors. The idea was that the bride, groom and guests would see themselves “in Lake Como” from their reflections in the mir-rors through the printed sheer.

“A critical step was finding the perfect photos to use,” Ishikawa said. “There are three section and I wanted to make sure the images worked proportionally in the room and as a trypich. The left and right images are actu-ally the same, just reflected, to enhance the overall symmetry.”

What Ishikawa hadn’t consid-ered was the arched windows on the other side of the hall. It turned out to be a happy ac-cident in that those windows align perfectly with the printed sheers, adding a three-dimen-sional effect to the installation that is most apparent when the room is used during the day while at night, the views of Lake Como are more evident.

Besides of the wall design using the printed sheers and mirrors, sheer fab-ric canopies was installed in each section of the indented ceiling, adding an additional romantic touch to the room. Because the budget did not allow for chandeliers, Ishikawa made her own through the use of crystals and miniature spotlights.

To further define the new room, she installed a banquette framed by two col-umns with gold-banded sheers draped from ceiling-mounted rods.

DETAILSCREDITS: Designer: Yasue Ishikawa, Risa Braire Co., Ltd., Kobe, Japan. Work-room: Akiko Yamazaki, Risa Braire Co. Ltd. Installer: Toshitugu Goto, Proswork, Takarazuka, Japan. Photography: Katsumi Ohmoto, Suihoshoji Co., Ltd., Okaya-ma, Japan. Contributing resource: Toma Construction Co. Ltd.

SOURCES: Images: Istock Digital, Digital printing and printed sheer: Maru-takakogyo Co., Ltd. Partition sheer: Christian Fischbacher. Banding fabric: Fujietextile Japan Canopy fabric: Sangetsu Co., Ltd. Renovation work: Tohma Building Co., Ltd.

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DESIGN CONCEPT, WHOLE ROOM INTEGRATION

In this long, narrow hotel room, Ishikawa was confronted with two small and awkwardly placed windows, along with a cornice box that ran the entire length of the room. Because this was for a showcase installation, it wasn’t possible to remove this strange feature, so she needed to work with it.

The overall theme of room, part of the first-ever designer showcase held by the Japan chap-ter of IFDA, is based on water and reflection. The hotel is on Osaka’s harbor and Ishikawa’s 14th floor room had a spectacular water view. She had custom wallpaper and fabrics printed using an image of one of Bernini’s angel statues from the Ponte Sant'Angelo in Rome.

She created deeply arched cornices to provide some movement along the long wall and echoed this on the other window wall to balance and disguise the odd window placement. As the undertreatment she specified white leather covered horizontal blinds, one of the subtle hints of rigidity in an otherwise soft, flowing atmosphere. The final accent of the top treat-ment is a glass flower sewn at the tip of the arched top treatment. The cornice and panels are a linen-like fabric, accented with silver welting, the same used on the slipcovered chairs and neckroll pillows.

DETAILSCREDITS: Designer: Yasue Ishikawa, Risa Braire Co., Ltd., Kobe, Japan. Workroom and installer: Akiko Yamazaki, Risa Braire Co. Ltd. Photogra-phy: Jiro Fujiwara, Towanoei LLC, Osaka, Japan. Contributing resource: Norihiko Yamawaki, YNF Co., Ltd.

SOURCES: Images: Istock. Digital printed wall-covering: Sangetsu Co., Ltd. Other wallcover-ings: Sangetsu Co., Ltd., SG5641. Top treatment and drapery fabric: Sangetsu Co., Ltd. CK9364, and UP6002. Lounge chair and stool pholstery fabric: Manas Trading Inc., Arkona velvet. Digi-tally printed fabrics: Sangetsu Co., Ltd. Molding and casing: Mihashi Co., Ltd. Horizontal blind: Toso Co., Ltd in lizard white. Renovation work: Norihiko Yamawaki, YNF Co., Ltd.

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TIFFANY CASSIDY, LAGNAPPE

DESIGNER’S DEBUT

DESIGN CONCEPT

A new homeowner was in the final stages of a total renovation when he contacted Tiffany Cassidy. The home, which sleeps 14, would be a place for friends and family to gather together and enjoy the beautiful Carib-bean water and beaches.

”The request was to help complete the great room—keep it casual, com-fortable and simple,” said Cassidy. “Then he added a couple more points: Make sure to include plenty of seating, but there also needs to be open

space for the kids to play, people to set down their beach bags, etc. And whatever you do, don’t cover the view!”

When Cassidy took a look, she realized there were several issues: Coral stone columns were oddly placed along the window wall, and low-profile air conditioning units had been installed over some of the windows. So that meant any type of cornice or top treatment to frame the windows was out of the question. Other givens included the pale yellow wal and the large blue sectional sofa.

“I’ve always loved the classic combination of blue, white and yellow,” said Cassidy. “And with that in mind, these classic Waverly patterns seemed to be a perfect fit.” Because she couldn’t visually lengthen the windows with a top treatment, Cassidy used the stripe to add a bit of vertical interest, and accented the ring-hung stationary panels with a cuff in the coordinating coral pattern. She also sug-gested that an arm chair and ottoman be upholstered in the same print in order to break up an ocean of blue upholstery. With the small pieces that were left over she created a couple of throw pillows for the sectional.

“Design is a bit of a balancing act between asthetic appeal, function and budget,” said Cassidy. ”The client was coming to the end of a long renovation, so the bottom line for this aspect was a concern, but we all agreed that the results perfectly fulfilled all my client’s requests, and then some!”

Cassidy celebrated her 5th year in business this past spring, born out of a need she recoginized for custom home furnishings, even though getting supplies on the islands can sometimes be difficult. “I keep up with all product knowledge and information I can,” Cassidy said. The VISION shows each spring have been an amazing resource both in terms of education and resources, and of course, the response from my local community has been amazing.”

DETAILSCREDITS: Designer: Tiffany Cassidy, Lagnappe, St. Thomas, V.I. Work-room: Tiffany Cassidy, Lagnappe. In-staller: Bill Tynan Services, St. Thom-as, V.I. Photography: Tiffany Cassidy. Contributing resource: Island Empire

SOURCES: All Decorative fabrics: Waverly. Drapery hardware: Kirsch. Upholstered furniture: Lee Industries

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ANN WALLACE

Roller Shade Pulls from Ann Wallace

New, vintage-style metal roller shade pulls in classic ring and back plate design. 1 1/2" ring, 7/8" back plate in brass, antique brass and nick-el. Please visit annwwallace.com/RollerShadePulls.html, call 213/614-1757 or e-mail: [email protected].

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Ball Chain Mfg. is the largest manufacturer of ball chain in the world, and our chain has proudly been made in the USA since 1938. Leading blind and shade manufac-turers specify Ball Chain Mfg. products because they know our chain delivers the precision pitch, flexibility and specifica-tions needed to work faultlessly in their sprocket and clutch systems. With us, and only us, you get chain made totally in the USA with quality that is second to none. Contact us for info on all of our new fin-ishes and services such as endless loops

and packaging. Visit us at www.ballchain.com, call 914/664-7500, or e-mail [email protected].

CALHOOK has all the right hangers, fixtures, and racks for fabric samples. Wall sys-tems and Max-Space™ floor displays make the best use of your available space and help manage samples ef-ficiently. CALHOOK also supplies a full line of point-of-purchase supplies and equipment for retailers.

Call for a free catalog: 800/422-4665 or visit us online at calhook.com.

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“See it work” at www.htwfonline.com/cordlessPlusVideo.htmlCall 800/879-9512 for more information.

HT window fashions® introduces Cordless Plus, a new cordless shade. Building on the success of HT durable cordless system, Cordless Plus offersmore options for light control, privacy, ease of operation and more visibility than regular cordless. It rises like motorized shade, by simply tugging the tassel. You can stop it at the desired location by tugging the tassel again. It adds another dimension to a safe and beautiful shade.

“EVERYTHING CELLULAR”“See it work” at www.htwfonline.com/cordlessPlusVideo.htmlCall 1800-879-9512 for more information.

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Product Product

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U.S.-based manufacturer, whole-saler and distributor of solid wood shutter and shutter com-ponents. We are well established globally and well recognized in the industry for high quality prod-ucts, reliability, fast delivery and pricing that’s right for your bot-tom line. We provide a full service solution for your shutter business, offering shutter components of 100 percent basswood available in pre-primed, top coat, stained and sandblasted finishes. Call 888/807-6867 or visit us online at ProgressiveShutters.com, e-mail [email protected].

Exterior Shutters by Wood-Mart. Made from Incense Cedar. Available in a quick ship standard design with three louver options and/or raised panels. We also manufacture custom exteri-or shutters with a variety of louver sizes, board and bat-ten or Bahama Style. Visit us at Woodmart.com or call 818/785-1528.

WoodMart is a fully inte-grated manufacturer—from rough milling through fin-ishing and packaging. Lou-ver sizes range from 1" to 5". Visit us at Woodmart.com or call 818/785-1528.

ONA DRAPERY HARDWARE

Ona Drapery Hardware Com-pany is your source for custom made drapery hardware. From contemporary to traditional, we offer an extensive selection of styles and finishes. We manufac-ture every rod set to order using only premium heavy gauge steel, wrought iron, crystal and more. Custom curving is available for all rod profiles. Be sure to look at our new ONAVERSE™ Iron Traverse Rod and colorful new ONALUX™ Finials.We pride our-selves on quality workmanship, timely delivery and customer

satisfaction. Select Ona Drapery Hardware and order with con-fidence. For a free catalog please call 800/231-4025 or visit our website at www.onadrapery.com.

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What’s NEW DESIGNS FROM NEO-CON AND NEW YORK DESIGN WEEK: In our next issue we’ll feature great new designs from NeoCon and the ever-expanding New York Design Week, such as this color-ful new applique fabric from Carnegie. Part of the Xorel line of performance textiles, Pixie is suitable for uphol-stery, wallcovering, panel tracks and roller shades.

Page 67: WFV May/Jun 2011

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