The Innovative Openings Blog

Hunter Douglas Architectural Shades Transcend Rollers and Romans

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The First Hybrid Roman/Roller Shade Delivers the Best of Both Worlds! Who doesn’t want a beautiful and functional home that enhances your mood and your daily life? Window treatments affect our daily lives much more than we realize, controlling and even improving light, temperature, and privacy. Sometimes we end up compromising though, between window shades that look almost the way we want and shades that offer the ease and functionality we need. Can you ever have it all? We think so, and Hunter Douglas has made it achievable with their introduction of Alustra Architectural Shades. Balancing Elegance and Function The Best of Roller Shades What makes Architectural Shades so different? The smooth reliable functionality and modern look of a roller shade combined with the soft horizontal panels of a roman shade. No stack of fabric folds at the bottom of the shade as it lifts like traditional roman shades. No…Read More

Silhouette® Duolite™: Best of Both Worlds!

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One thing I think everyone is looking for when purchasing new window treatments for their bedrooms is privacy. Probably the second thing would be something that can keep the room dark when they need some extra sleep. In the past, it has been difficult to find a single product that fills both of those needs, and that is also a beautiful addition to your room. The new Silhouette Duolite is the gorgeous accent to your room that you have been looking for; a perfect combination of room darkening and privacy shading. Want more validation that this product is awesome? Hunter Douglas’s Silhouette Duolite was awarded Window Coverings Manufacturers Association 2015 Product of the Year! This product offers a solution to a variety of common dilemmas. If you work the graveyard shift, and are somewhat nocturnal, the room darkening shade keeps your bedroom dark enough to sleep through the bright, daylight hours….Read More

Oasis 2900 retractable insect screen

Patio Season Spotlight!

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Have you ever considered that the exterior elements of your house might be in need of some shades too? I know what you are thinking, window treatments are for the inside, right? Well, I’m here to tell you about the different exterior shading options that you may have never realized you needed! Retractable Patio Awnings Many people are indecisive about how much shade they want in their backyards, and when guests are over, there will always be a split decision for people sitting under shade or in the sun. Well, with retractable patio awnings you are provided the versatility that you need! You can keep the awning extended, retracted, or anywhere in between. What’s even better? For motorized retractable patio awnings, they have automatic wind sensors. So when you live in a place as windy as the Front Range, you have back up for days you forget to retract your…Read More

Vignette dining room thanksgiving

Holiday Lightscapes: Window Treatments and More Create Magic in Your Dining Room

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We all want to spruce up our dining area for the holidays, right? For entertaining, creating memories, and just reveling in life and the festive season at hand… Everybody’s got their take on how to create the perfect holiday atmosphere, and you don’t need one more blog on decorating your table or how to pull your dining room together. There is one thing, though, that makes a holiday setting festive and memorable, above all others, and that is lighting. I like to think of it as creating a holiday lightscape.  And the foundation of any lightscape in a room is what we at Innovative Openings do best- window treatments. Whether you are hosting, or just enjoying your own space for the holidays, your lightscape helps create an atmosphere where friends and family want to linger and relax. You’ll talk and laugh… you’ll trade stories and memories, passing along the history and culture of your family to the next generation….Read More

Black Bear photo

Bear vs. Window Shade- Shade Wins!

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Hunter Douglas Vertiglide window shade from Innovative Openings keeps bear from entering home; homeowners grateful for sturdy, quality window treatment product from Innovative Openings.

baby on climbing on chair

“C” is for Child Safety… and Cordless Window Treatments!

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October is Child Safety Month, and there are three things you really need to know when it comes to window treatments: Cordless, cordless, cordless! Cordless is really the only way to go with window treatments where small children will be present. Happily, there are plenty of options for keeping your home safe and your windows beautiful!   Cordless window treatment choices Hunter Douglas LiteRise Operator Hunter Douglas’ LiteRise® cordless shade operator is a beautiful cordless window treatment choice… easily raise or lower blinds and shades by pushing up or pulling down. Simple! The shade stays right where you put it, and not a cord in sight. Available for most of Hunter Douglas’ most popular products, including: Duette Honeycomb Shades Applause Honeycomb Shades Silhouette Window Shadings Vignette Modern Roman Shades Everwood Blinds Parkland Wood blinds Solera Soft Shades     Quiet Spring Roller Shade by Insolroll Insolroll’s Quiet Spring Roller Shade…Read More

Boulder County Gold’s Best Place to Buy Window Treatments… Again!

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  The votes are in, and Innovative Openings has been chosen by the people of Boulder County as the “Best Place to Buy Window Treatments” again for 2014!   Dictionary.com defines gold as A precious yellow metallic element, highly malleable and ductile, and not subject to oxidation or corrosion.” It lists a secondary definition of gold as something likened to this metal in brightness, preciousness, superiority, etc.   At IO, we’re proud to be associated with a standard like that, and pleased to know that our customers think highly of our product and service. When it comes right down to it, we make your window treatment shopping experience not only as smooth as it can be, but enjoyable and rewarding.   The Innovative Openings Philosophy We could go on and on about ourselves, but that’s not our way at Innovative Openings. Instead, let it suffice to say that we rely on…Read More

Autumn Time Under the Patio Awning

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Today, on September 19th here in beautiful Colorado, I know I can look ahead to plenty of nice days left this season under my patio awning. I am giddy just thinking about ways to “autumnize” my patio space, and then be able to sit outside in the milder, beautiful weather and enjoy the rich hues and natural textures of the season. It’s a favorite time of year for me… maybe it’s because I have a fall birthday, and lots of positive associations with the season. Or maybe it’s just because it’s a beautiful time to be outside! Pumpkins on the patio Fall is a perfect time to find outdoor decor accents in your garden or yard, with beautiful reds, oranges, golds and browns that get us in the mindset for cozy nesting! Pumpkins and gourds, berries, dried seed pods and grasses all provide wonderful color, texture and shape. And don’t forget…Read More

A Vignette Modern Roman Shades Love Letter

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By Susan Williams for Innovative Openings Yes, I’ll admit that I’ve earned the name “Vignette Queen” from our family here at Innovative Openings, because of my known love affair with the Hunter Douglas Vignette product.  Not only is it a beautiful window covering, with lots of lovely and contemporary fabric options, but Vignettes provide a lot of functionality similar to a honeycomb, but with a softer, fabric look! Vignette is a contemporary type of Roman Shade, so it gives you the soft look of fabric without the weight or volume of draperies.  The Vignette operates with ease, is light weight, and has nice, neutral lining options that can be seen from the street. The cords tuck neatly between the fabric and lining, so you don’t see any lift cords from the outside. Vignettes come with many combinations of fabric styles and options. You can select soft fold pleats that stack…Read More

silhouette ultraglide 1 operating system

Silhouette UltraGlide 2 Operating System- Convenience and Elegance- Click and go!

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Click it and walk away! Today’s Silhouette window shading is easier to operate than ever, thanks to Hunter Douglas’ new UltraGlide® 2 operating system. This really is a huge improvement- lowering the shade used to be a process, but now, after a simple, single motion, the shade gracefully lowers itself and opens the inner vanes with ease. It’s a beautiful thing, and can bring just a little bit of simple elegance to your home. The Window Coverings Manufacturing Association agreed, giving the UltraGlide 2 an honorable mention nod in the best new technical innovation category of the 2014 WCMA Product Awards. What sets Silhouette UltraGlide 2 apart? What makes this operating system so much easier is a retractable cord system. This is especially useful for windows that sit above counter tops and bay window seats where regular window shade cords would otherwise get bunched up at the bottom when the…Read More