Visit our updated website! August/September/October 2012 Vol. 2, Issue 4 In This Issue Design Elements Meet Window Treatments Upcoming Training Seminar Thank You! Tip of the Month-How to Get Great Kitchen Windows Windows Palooza Welcome to our fourth edition of 2012! In this issue, we will discuss the design elements of window treatments, the mission of MWT, an upcoming Training Seminar and more! Be sure to also check out our "Tip of the Month!" and take advantage of the current promotions! As you enjoy the start of Fall, we wish to say "thank you" to all of our customers for your business and support. Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns regarding your new window treatments. Remember we are always here to help and our concern for you doesn't end when we leave your home or business. We would also like to thank you for your referrals and remind you that they are in good hands! Whenever your friends and neighbors compliment your new window treatments, feel free to send them our way! Thank you again. We appreciate your business. Be the first to know the latest in industry news...Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and/or become a friend on LinkedIn! Thank you for taking the time to read. Enjoy! The Mission of MWT MWT-Monthly Savings To Schedule a FREE In-Home Consultation: Phone: 847-732-4104 Email: [email protected] Visit us at: MotorizedWindowTreatments.net Design Elements Meet Window Treatments Window treatments are about more than just shades and blinds... There are four design elements of style responsible for creating a certain atmosphere and interest to an area. The ability to customize each of these four design elements provides control on how your window treatments make an impact. The four design elements of window treatments are... Fabric. Fabric is the most important and defining part of any window treatment. It has three main aspects: color, weight and pattern. Color defines your design. If you want to add warmth, try earthy shades. If you desire a "crispness" to the room, try cool tones. Weight defines the feel of the room. If you want to frame an area, try heavy curtains. If you desire a light, airy feel, try curtains that billow. Pattern defines the boldness of an area. If you want something subtle, try plain, textured fabrics. If you desire to make a statement, try a bold pattern or striking color. Support. Support is a vital component to window treatments. It is important to consider how your attachments will be supported and how they will impact the design of an area. Support may be purely aesthetic or purely functional. Analyze your fabric and verify that its weight and design matches the support. For example, wool curtains might be too heavy for a thin track while a heavy pole can carry attention away from delicate sheers. Also, consider if you would like hidden tracks and curtain rods which are generally less noticeable for support, or if you prefer poles which can be quite decorative, especially with the addition of end finials and curtain rings. Heading. The heading controls how your fabric hangs while concealing the support. For example, stiff pencil pleats and French pleats can be gathered across a curtain rod to give an area a fancy formality while a simple slot heading allows a curtain to slide easily across a rod. Embellishments. Embellishments give your window treatment design that extra bit of uniqueness and style. From simple drapes and folds in the fabric to fanciful hand-made lace borders and dangling charms, embellishments give an area that final touch. Visit... Discover... Design d'Vision MWT's Oct. Savings (1 MWT savings per customer) 30% off all Somfy sun sensors, wall switch times and/or Universal Interface devices (Discount on product only) 20% off all blinds and shades retrofitted with Somfy motors (Discount on product only) 10% off all shutter orders (Discount on product only) TaHomA Promotion: One FREE Motion Sensor per installed system (A savings of $170!) MWT will match all HD rebates! National Oct. Rebates (Can be used with above promos) Hunter Douglas $100 Consumer Mail-in Rebate with purchase of: 4 units-Duette® Architella® honeycomb shades ($25 off each add'l) 2 units-Duette® Duolite™ honeycomb shades ($50 off each add'l) 2 units-Pirouette® window shadings ($50 off each add'l) 2 units-Silhouette® window shadings ($50 off each add'l) 2 units-Vignette® Modern Roman Shades ($50 off each add'l) Luminette® Privacy Sheers & Modern Draperies ($100 off each add'l) 1 unit-Skyline® Gliding Window Panels ($100 off each add'l) Springs/Graber 50% off Cordless Lift SystemsAluminum, Faux Wood, Wood, Solar/Roller Wood FREE Cordless Lift System on all Graber Cellular & Pleated Shades Drapery Resource Seminar Wednesday, October 10, 2012 Schedule of Events B&W Horizon's Soft Treatments10% off side panels (Discount on product only) Horizon's Natural Shades10% off Twin Shade, Woven Wood or Roller Shade (Discount on product only) 9:00 Continental breakfast/browse tables set up with new products 9:30 Gary Pedersen, from the Finial Co., presentation on new hardware 10:30 Matthew from MWT available for questions on motorization and/or home automation Design d'Vision is a multi-line showroom to the Interior Design trade. They sell fabrics, trims, hard window treatments, hardware and furniture. The main hardware lines represented are Finial Co, Paris Texas, Kirsch, Trax, Gould, and JF. Hard window treatment lines are B & W, Fashion Tech and Graber. They also have designers on staff to help with the selection of hardware/blinds and facilitate the ordering process. For more information on Design d'Vision, please visit their website at: www.designdvision.com MWT Tip of the Month How to... Get Great Kitchen Windows! Sometimes -- after all is said and done -- it's not the stain color of the cabinets, or the stainless steel appliances that make a kitchen complete....It's the curtain and shade you put on the kitchen window! That's right -- the (seemingly) easiest detail of the room often gets overlooked, yet it is the one that can make a world of difference in the kitchen! A beautifully framed window treatment is your view to the outdoors! A view of children playing, a lovely garden, birds, trees, and more all depend on your choice of window treatment! Like any other element in the kitchen design, the window treatment is a player! For kitchen windows, form, function, contrast, color, and pattern/texture, need to be considered. FORM: Window treatments are the jewelry of the kitchen. Consider what feel you would like the kitchen to have. Would you like treatments that are long or short, bulky or thin, soft or crisp, formal or informal? FUNCTION: Consider if you would like your window treatments to let more sunlight in or keep more sunlight out, create privacy, have fabric lining for warmth, and what their interference/proximity is to functional areas in the kitchen. CONTRAST: A powerful piece of the kitchen design puzzle! The use and manipulation of contrast with your window treatments can add visual weight (or not) and impact the feel of the kitchen. Would you like visual "Serving the Greater Chicagoland area since 2009" If you live in or around... Northwest Suburbs (Schaumburg, Palatine, Barrington, Arlington Heights) North Shore (Libertyville, Northbrook, Lake Forest, Highland Park) Chicago (Bucktown, Lincoln Park, Wrigleyville, Old Town, Gold Coast) Downtown Chicago (600 N. Lake Shore Drive, 55 E. Monroe, Trump Tower) Southwest Suburbs (Western Springs, Hinsdale, Downers Grove, Burr Ridge, Clarendon Hills) We would love to work with you on your next window treatment, retrofit, or motorization project! To Schedule your FREE In-home Appointment: Phone: 847-732-4104 Email: [email protected] Website: MotorizedWindowTreatments.net interest or would you like to create a feeling of excitement or serenity? COLOR: The color of your window treatments can be the key, the focus, that pulls the kitchen together into a visually unified environment. It is extremely important to thoroughly think about color as color IS feeling. Would you like the kitchen to be bold, cheerful, monochromatic, complementary, not too bold, not too soft? Do you need color balance within the space? It is also important to consider all of your "layers" of materials including accessories and if you want the window treatment color to tie into a color theme or stand alone. PATTERN/TEXTURE: Pattern and texture can be an incredibly strong visual element. When thinking about pattern and texture, consider your layers ... your flooring, your backsplash, your accessories, the cabinetry...and how they will all tie in together. As with other elements, it is also important to consider the overall feeling desired. Is serenity the goal, or the contrast of one busy pattern against a very smooth and quiet texture? All materials can be of one "strength" or not, but they will all contribute to a rhythm or a balance (or unbalance) in the kitchen. It is very important to look at the weight, balance, and proportion of your textures and patterns. Connect with us! Keep in mind the above ideas and you should be on your way to creating a window treatment that completes the look and feel for your kitchen! Revealing fresh & relevant topics, new design trends, innovative products & business solutions for today's designers, fabricators & window treatment professionals! Tuesday, October 23, 2012 & Wednesday, October 24, 2012 The Stonegate Conference & Banquet Centre 2401 W. Higgins Road Hoffman Estates, IL 60169 Everyone has a chance to win a Door Prize! Visit over 30 Vendors! October 23, Day 1 Vendor Floor, Seminars, Prizes Schedule includes: Door Prizes, Raffle, Continental Breakfast, 5 Seminar choices, Lunch Buffet, Full Vendor Floor, Appetizers & Cash Bar in the afternoon! Three Professional Instructors: Donna Skufis, Ginger Thoerner, and Joanna Braxton. October 24, Day 2 Hands On! Fabricate and take home samples! 2 Days ~ 5 Seminars ~ 7 Hands-On Topics For more information, click the WindowsPalooza logo! Visit us at: MotorizedWindowTreatments.ne The Mission of MWT How was MWT created is a question often asked. The short answer is... "by accident." Matthew T. Kandl always had a vision of owning his own company. The vision began as a home renovation business before Matthew went to work for an independent Hunter Douglas window treatment fabricator. He started off managing the Measure and Installation department, then the Customer Service department. Next, he became the company's Training and Education Manager, helping to introduce and sell new Hunter Douglas window treatments to dealers and designers across the Midwest. With this training, Matthew left Hunter Douglas to work for an independent window treatment company as their resident motorization expert. He began to measure and install most of the manual and motorized treatments he sold before branching off on his own in 2009. When Matthew branched off on his own to start MWT, he began it with the mission that providing superior customer service is the key to continued success and that small businesses need to help each other grow. That mission statement has been, is, and always will be the backbone of MWT and it has strengthened over the years. A perfect example of MWT's customer service mission is someone Matthew met recently at the Abilities Expo Chicago. The woman explained to Matthew that the blinds in her kitchen have been in the open position for the last four years because she wasn't able to reach them to adjust the tilt. The reason? She was in a car accident, had lost her legs and was now in a scooter. Matthew explained how motorization of her blinds would allow her to adjust the tilt with just the push of a button. By retrofitting her existing window treatments with hard-wired or battery-operated motors, she would be able to raise/lower her blinds, along with adjusting the tilt with a remote control! An example of MWT's mission of helping other small businesses to grow are two companies that MWT met at the Abilities Expo Chicago. MWT has aligned with these companies to help each other grow while assisting the ability-challenged. These companies are Extended Home Living Services (EHLS) and 3eLove. EHLS has been "Creating Accessible Solutions Since 1991!" They provide solutions for: Getting In/Out of the House, Going Up/Down the Stairs, Home Modifications, and Aging In Place. You can learn more about EHLS at www.ehls.com 3eLove is Igniting Conversation for Acceptance Worldwide! Their trademarked International Symbol of Acceptance (wheelchair heart logo) is the drive behind their social mission to provide the tools for others to embrace diversity, educate society, and empower each other to love life. You can learn more about 3eLove at www.3elove.com MWT's mission of customer service and helping small businesses grow is in place on a daily basis. Now, with the future of MWT still being written, Matthew is certain of one thing...his mission for MWT will only continue to strengthen! Services and Products Offered (Questions? Please contact us! 847-732-4104) We Measure...Install...Re-Install:      All treatments retrofitted by MWT New or Existing (Manual or Motorized) Blinds & Shades Drapery Treatments...When installing a motorized drapery track Cornices Shutters We Motorized Window Treatments:        Roman Shades Woven Woods Roller Shades Honeycomb Shades Wood/Faux Blinds Drapery Tracks Hunter Douglas/Comfortex/Graber brands & more We Control or Integrate all treatments by:      Hand-held or Table-top Remote Control/Remote Control Wired and/or Wireless Wall Switches Timers and/or Sun Sensors Custom Built Shade Control Boxes (These boxes integrate with home automation systems such as Crestron, Lutron, Control 4, Elan, Universal Remote Control & more) TaHomA (Somfy's Total Home Automation System...allows you to control your shades, lights and HVAC from anywhere in the world through a computer, laptop, iPad, iPhone & more!) Products Offered:        TaHomA (Somfy's Total Home Automation System) Hunter Douglas window treatments (Motorized or manual window treatments) Graber window treatments (All motorized or manual window treatments) Lutron window treatments (All motorized or manual window treatments) Somfy motors and controls We customize all ESI window treatment control boxes to your specific control needs Custom drapery treatments and roman shades Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter! We hope that you enjoy the cooler Fall days! Be sure to take advantage of the current promotions! Sincerely, Matthew Kandl & the Motorized Window Treatments Team