By PAMELA QUIRINALE
While the image of a carefree, beach-style dream home—with an endless supply of sunny windows—may be the dream of many Cape Cod residents, the fact is that homeowners will eventually need, and/or want, window coverings. This could be simply for privacy, for energy efficiency, or to filter and screen out strong UV rays, so that their furnishings, floor coverings, and artwork will not fade.
photo courtesy Cape & Island Draperies
What’s new in the window covering world today? First, for child and pet safety, most blinds do not have a cord. (Or, it may come disguised in a wand.) Many can open from the top or bottom, allowing the homeowner to control the amounts of both light and privacy. Shade designs can be accommodated to fit a number of different shapes of windows—such as arched, circular or angular—as well as sizes (tall verticals to tiny top windows).
Motorized shades, both battery operated and hardwired, are a current innovation, in which one can control the opening and closing from a stationary wall switch—or, the latest trend—programmable shades that can be controlled from a number of personal devices, such as cellphones. The traveling homeowner can even program his shades internationally.
The Upper Cape is most fortunate to have several locally owned shade and drapery shops. Cape & Islands Draperies, a well-stocked Main Street Falmouth shop, offers a multitude of shade and drapery solutions. Owner Bill Enos is a “showcase dealer” of Hunter Douglas products, which can run the gamut of honeycomb shades, window shadings, and Roman shades, to wood blinds and shutters. The possibilities seem endless. Mr. Enos added that the latest popular trend in window coverings is the Gen II home automation system, which allows the owner to program from their device.
In addition, the store sells products by Lafayette Interior Fashions, including the stunning Woodland Harvest floor-to-ceiling custom shutters, with woven wood panels. Inside Cape & Islands Draperies, I was particularly impressed with the sliding wooden doors (that can be louvered or raised-panel style) and have a woven wood covering—which serve as creative covers for an in-store office window. Locally shops like Cape & Islands Draperies offer actual samples and display models of what is available. Mr. Enos has been doing this type of work for 37 years, and this is currently his 31st year in business in Falmouth. Extremely knowledgeable about his products, Mr. Enos told me that it takes eight different measurements to do a shutter correctly. And, all the blinds have a seven-year warranty on cords; or a five-year warranty on motorization, cordless and natural lifters. During repairs, he will take away the faulty shade, and even put up a temporary one in its absence. He removes his shoes in client’s homes, and does a thorough cleanup afterward. Mr. Enos personally measures and installs all the coverings himself. Although he typically serves more than 200 customers per year, his favorite moment, still, is “…seeing each customer when they are pleased and happy with the job.”
photo courtesy The Blind Man
Marstons Mills-based The Blind Man, owned by John Pitera, also sells Hunter Douglas products, and is a “priority dealer” for its full line. He stressed the excellent quality, the immense variety of its products, and the fact that the Hunter Douglas window coverings come with a lifetime warranty. He also described the various categories of the line’s products: Silhouette and Pirouette window shadings, Luminette privacy sheers for sliders, Duette honeycomb shades, and Vignette modern Roman shades. (Just when I thought that all the categories ended in -ette, there appeared the Parkland wood blinds.) And yes, also the Designer Roller Shades.
Mr. Pitera operates out of his home, and hence, most of his business is conducted on the road. He keeps a full stock of catalogs and samples in his vehicle, so that the customer can see and visualize how the product will look in his home. He works alone and does all the measuring and installation by himself, in person.
Mr. Pitera has 29 years of experience in the window covering business. He enjoys seeing the customer’s beautiful homes, but what he likes the most are “the hands-on aspect of the business” and also the diversity, “being in a different situation every day and coming up with new creations and solutions.”
He described the latest trends in window coverings as the “EZ Rise Lift System,” a cordless lift system, and motorization using personal devices. He said Hunter Douglas has an app to put on the customer’s cellphone, so that they can control their window coverings from anywhere in the world.
Mr. Pitera works from Plymouth to Provincetown; and, like Mr. Enos, he will travel off-Cape to the Boston area and out of state—but only with established referrals.
Although the value and quality of the products sold above is unquestionable, I asked both Mr. Enos and Mr. Pitera what a customer could do if he was on a strict budget, or in a less permanent situation—and needed inexpensive solutions. Both told me that Hunter Douglas has lower-cost products, such as mini-blinds and slider covers, in which a lighter-gauge fabric is used. However, both pointed out the vast difference in quality, details, and life expectancy of the different price points.