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Editorial
Hot Enough for You?
It’s July, and chances are no matter where you are it’s hot. There are several ways to beat the heat: head for the hills (or the shore, or anywhere out of town where it’s cooler); crank up the AC (then prepare for the shock when the bill arrives); or play it smart (the right designs using the right products create interiors that are energy efficient, economical and comfortable). If you haven’t noticed it already, this is what more and more customers are looking for. It falls under the general category of sustainable design, and it’s becoming mainstream. It involves the materials used for products, how those products are manufactured, product selection, product performance and the interior design in which the products are used. It’s creating residential and commercial spaces—often using modern technology—that are efficient and respectful to our environment.
How does it all come together? Karla Nielson starts us off this month with tips on creating cool interiors (see page 28). She begins with physical comfort and follows through to emotional and economical coolness. From flooring to color selection there are many ways decorators can help their clients keep cool. Then, this month’s design Portfolio (beginning on page 32) showcases cool and breezy room settings featuring this month’s main product focus: pleated and cellular shades, long recognized for their energy-saving insulation properties. These designs play it cool when the heat is on!
Next up, leading industry suppliers help us chill out with their thoughts on whether energy efficiency demands will increase shade sales (they will). This month’s contributors also offer some ideas on how dealers can best market and display products to help consumers make the right energy conscious decision (see page 42).
And finally, a Special Report this month (page 46) tells the story of a Swiss-built catamaran that crossed the Atlantic Ocean using only solar power, not a drop of fuel. How does that affect the window coverings industry? In two ways. First, the arrival of the Sun21 in New York City in May kicked off the inaugural World Clean Energy Awards, which showcase the best projects worldwide that use and foster renewable energy and energy efficiency and shows how internationally mainstream sustainable design is becoming. Second, one of the award categories was sponsored by a top-level window coverings industry supplier.
The hotter it gets the cooler this is going to be.
Howard Shingle |
