blare in our parks. People yell into cell phones on public transportation and on our

streets traffic roars, machinery drones, planes zoom overhead and pedestrians scream

at one another and into their cell phones to be heard above it all. According to the

Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, a national non-profit organization with extensive online

pollutants today…Noise negatively affects human health and well-being. Problems

related to noise include hearing loss, stress, high blood pressure, sleep loss, distraction

and lost productivity, and a general reduction in the quality of life and opportunities for

tranquility.”

More than ever we yearn for our homes to be peaceful sanctuaries but too often

noise from the outside imposes on even our most personal spaces. Not only are our

cities noisier than ever, but also, our suburbs, where even large houses are being built

closer to their neighbors.

Hunter Douglas, the nation’s leading manufacturer of custom window coverings,

can help. Its products provide great style at the window and are engineered to improve

products are rated for sound absorption and all their window coverings are custom made

to your window’s specific sizes for maximum light and privacy control as well as

sound absorption.

Duette® honeycomb shades, whose construction mimics the inside of a

honeycomb, have especially high sound absorption ratings with several fabric styles

absorbing 55 and 60 percent of reflected sound. Duette shades in Phenomena™ fabric

with three layers of honeycomb pleats absorb an impressive 65 percent of reflected

sound. And now the most comprehensive offering of honeycomb shades on the market

has even more varieties from which to select. In honor of

around its proprietary 1 ¼-inch pleat size, which speaks to the trend for larger-scale

window coverings. This offering consists of two new fabrics and three lifting system

extensions, including PowerRise® battery powered remote control motorization, an

ideal option for large windows, especially for bedrooms and media rooms where sound

and light control are high priorities.

Most of the popular Silhouette® window shadings that softly diffuse light through

two sheer fabric layers and gently curved fabric vanes absorb 30 percent of reflected

sound. This window covering also has the unique ability to diffuse light protect against

the sun’s harmful UV rays, while still revealing the view out the window. Hunter

Douglas has recently introduced three new fabrics for this product – The Matisse

Collection™, which features colored sheer fabrics as well as fabric vanes, Lumiere™

and BonJour™ – and the new fabric-covered headrail designated Palette™.

Luminette® Privacy Sheers, a similar concept to Silhouette window shadings that is

oriented vertically, provides up to 50 percent sound absorption with most fabrics.

For those who prefer a window covering with the timeless beauty of a Roman

shade and the practical functioning of a totally modern window covering, Hunter

Douglas has made Vignette® window shadings available with the PowerRise® easy,

affordable motorization option. Offering billowy layers of fabric folds, Vignette window

shadings with EveScape™ room-darkening fabrics absorb 60 percent of reflected

sound.

Hunter Douglas continues to innovate with window coverings that combine high

style with practical performance. New Alouette® LightLouvers feature 2 ¾-inch wide

elliptical fabric louvers that seem to magically float at the window because there are

only two support cords, no matter how wide the product, and because the headrail,

which is also elliptical in shape, tilts with the louvers to virtually disappear. Alouette

LightLouvers offers the timeless look of a shutter with the light control of a blind and the

softness of a shade, and with “Clair” fabric they provide

45 percent sound absorption.

Window coverings can make a big difference in bringing peace and quiet to a

home. Hunter Douglas is pleased to share some additional tips from the Noise Center

of the League for the Hard of Hearing:

volume.

using loud equipment.

manufacturer of noisy products.

National Bureau of Standards:

small appliances.

expansion foam sealant.

Silhouette window shadings, are ideal for use in combination with drapes. Combined

they will provide maximum sound absorption – a lullaby for your windows!