Finding Peace and Quiet in A Noisy World

FINDING PEACE AND QUIET IN A NOISY WORLD
~ Hunter Douglas Can Help ~

Oh for a little peace and quiet. There is noise everywhere we go. Boom boxes 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 noise-related resources, (www.nonoise.org), “Noise is among the most pervasive 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 the quality of life at home by providing privacy, climate and noise control. In fact all its 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
its 20th anniversary this year, Hunter Douglas has added a significant line extension built 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:
Pay attention to the noises around you and whenever possible, turn down the volume.
Limit exposure time to loud noise sources in the home.
Wear adequate hearing protection such a foam ear plugs or ear muffs when using loud equipment.
Buy quiet products. Contact the Consumer Products Safety commission and the manufacturer of noisy products.
Try not to run all appliances in your kitchen at the same time.
Make your home acoustically sound by following recommendations of the National Bureau of Standards:
Place vibration mounts under major appliances and foam pads under small appliances.
Install padded carpeting, vinyl tile or thick linoleum to absorb sound.
Seal holes or cracks in doors and windows with caulking or a minimum expansion foam sealant.
For even greater noise control, many Hunter Douglas products, such as Silhouette window shadings, are ideal for use in combination with drapes. Combined they will provide maximum sound absorption – a lullaby for your windows!