This piece is sponsored by Montgomery’s.
In Jodie Fabian’s world, spring and summer days tend to bring in customers with a common need.
“They generally are looking for ways to block the glare of the sun but preserve a beautiful view to the outside,” she said. “And there are ways to accomplish this with materials that allow for both light control and visibility.”
Fabian would know. She’s the window treatments manager at Montgomery’s, where years of experience — combined with new technology — are helping customers rethink what window treatments can do.
The Sioux Falls store on West 41st Street recently unveiled a newly expanded showroom, giving customers a more hands-on way to explore everything from automated shades and shutters to layered drapery designs and modern light-filtering treatments.
“Our new displays are sharp, gorgeous and modern. It’s just a really nice, clean look,” Fabian said.
“We’re still hearing from customers who didn’t realize Montgomery’s offers window treatments — shades, blinds, drapery — and now with the expansion, it’s front and center.”
Montgomery’s offers window treatments from multiple vendors such as Hunter Douglas, Alta, Graber, Lafayette and Western Windows. These vendors offer more than 30 types of custom products ranging from roller shades and shutters to drapery and motorized systems.
“When it comes to Hunter Douglas, they have so many types of treatments,” Fabian said. “You can get roller shades that raise and lower, or you have a silhouette, which is like a sheer soft wood blind that will tilt to adjust for light.”
For larger spaces such as patio doors and sliders, she said customers increasingly are drawn to modern vertical treatments that combine function with a softer look.
“If you have a vertical treatment, think of it as a sheer drapery and vertical blind all in one,” Fabian said. “It’s a gorgeous treatment to go over a slider that can open and close and have vertical slats close or open depending on what you’re looking for with visibility to the outside.”
Technology also is becoming a bigger part of the industry.
Automation systems allows shades and blinds to be operated through remotes, smartphone apps and voice-activation technology.
“They are always improving their technology,” Fabian said. “It now allows for you to have automated shades no matter where you are, inside the home or not.”
Homeowners can schedule shades to raise and lower throughout the day or create custom settings based on lighting preferences, privacy or security.
“No one knows you’re not home if your shades are raising and lowering throughout the day,” Fabian said.
Automation options vary depending on the treatment and the stage of the homebuilding process. Some shades run on battery systems or rechargeable units, while others can be hardwired directly into a home’s electrical system.
“If you’re just starting to build, you can actually have everything hardwired so you never change batteries on the shades,” Fabian said. “And it’s often not too challenging to incorporate it with a renovation.”
For Fabian, who has an information technology background in addition to design experience, the growing technology component is especially appealing.
“There are a lot of cool things within automation, and I like it because I appreciate the technology,” she said.
“So I see the design aspect and understand the technology behind it. I especially appreciate the Powerview Automation from Hunter Douglas and the Somfy-powered Zigbee motorization from Graber.”
At the same time, many current trends are rooted in softer, more personalized design.
In the summer, solar and screen shades remain popular because they reduce glare while maintaining visibility to the outdoors.
“You’ve likely seen them in restaurants where it goes down and you can see through, but it takes away the glare of the sun,” Fabian said. “We can look at something similar for the home.”
More-modern looks also continue gaining traction, particularly banded or “zebra” shades that alternate sheer and solid materials.
“They offer that clean-line window treatment with a sheer material that allows for light control and visibility to the outside with a more-modern look,” Fabian said. “Some of our vendors that offer a large variety of choices are Lafayette and Western Windows.”
But she’s also seeing homeowners move away from stark, minimalist styles in favor of layered looks that bring warmth and softness into a space.
“People are coming back to the fact that they don’t just want a wood blind within the window,” Fabian said. “They want it to be a little softer.”
That often means pairing blinds or shades with decorative drapery panels that frame windows and tie together a room’s colors and textures.
“If I go in a home of 20 windows with wood blinds on every window, it can be a little stark,” Fabian said. “Bringing in decorative side panels to frame the window and draw in the color of the home allows a nice flow from start to finish.”
Shutters also are seeing renewed interest, she added.
“Those aren’t just a California or Florida treatment,” Fabian said. “I’ve done more shutter treatments in the last year and a half.”
Today’s shutters can include automated louvers that adjust with the touch of a button.
For Montgomery’s designers, helping customers select the right treatment goes beyond appearance.
“It’s not just a question of wood blinds or honeycombs,” Fabian said. “We ask questions to make sure it makes sense with the way you live.”
Lifestyle factors — including pets, durability needs and lighting preferences — all influence recommendations.
“There are times we will encourage the customer to consider a different approach based on what we learn about their lifestyle,” she said.
That custom approach also helps distinguish Montgomery’s from big-box retailers, Fabian said.
“If I was looking to just put something in my windows, I can go through a big-box store, but it won’t fit the way it should,” she said. “We make sure we are fitting the treatment to the window to make sure it fits.”
Customers sometimes assume custom means significantly more expensive, she added, but pricing often is comparable — with the added benefit of warranties, installation and ongoing service.
“We have a warranty,” Fabian said. “Because we measured it to fit your window, it’s going to fit your window.”
Montgomery’s also offers service support and warranties covering normal wear and tear, including automation systems.
Now is the day to take a closer look: Montgomery’s Memorial Day sale runs through Monday, June 1, and includes 20 percent off hard window treatments.
And thanks to the newly expanded showroom, Fabian said it’s easier than ever for customers to see the possibilities in person.
“There’s always trends,” she said. “But ultimately, we want to help people find something that works beautifully for the way they live.”
For information, stop in any Montgomery’s location or begin online here.