Insights from a Leading Hunter Douglas Product Developer

Wendell Colson, vice president of research and development at Hunter Douglas, plays a central role developing new products for Hunter Douglas. He sat down with us recently to talk about the subtleties of light diffusion and the importance of energy efficient window fashions.

Q: When we caught up with you last, you talked about the importance of window coverings that diffuse and soften the light as it enters a room...

A: Right, we talked about the benefits of diffused lighting in a room, how the light scatters when it hits the layers of fabric, how the harsh shadows of bright daylight are reduced. But what many people don't think about when they consider a window covering with multiple layers of fabric is how it also diffuses the light on the window covering itself.

Here's the example I like to use to illustrate what I mean. Let's say you have a streak on your glass window—a dead bug, for example. Now when the sun hits that window, you're going to see a perfect projection of that bug on a traditional window shade (with only one layer of fabric). But with any Hunter Douglas product that has multiple layers of fabric, such as Silhouette® or Duette®, what is otherwise a perfect projection becomes a soft shadow. And no one can tell what that soft shadow is! That's what I call magic, pure magic.

Q: Is diffusion any more important today than it was 10 years ago?

A: Definitely. Because increasingly we're building our houses closer together, packing ourselves in, and so you lose a lot of privacy when you're living so close to your neighbors. So we need privacy with light more than ever, because, among other things, light brings airiness into a space, a softness. That's what you want in your home, not a feeling of being closed off from the world and boxed in.

Q: Aside from diffusion, what else do you look for in a quality window fashion?

A: Energy efficiency is certainly critical. And it will be increasingly so because I don't think energy prices are going to come down. Already Americans are thinking more and more about energy conservation—just look at the popularity of these new gas/electric hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius. Hunter Douglas shadings and shades, in particular, offer excellent benefits in terms of retaining heat in winter and reflecting heat in summer.

Q: What is one of the most beautifully lit interior spaces you've ever seen?

A: Two places stand out in my mind. First, the main terminal at the Denver International Airport—honestly! The entire roof is translucent, double-layered fabric—it's a giant tent—and it has the most incredible daylight space I've ever seen. The light is soft and diffused. Just amazing.

The second place is a small gothic chapel in the heart of Paris on the Ile de la Cité called Sainte Chapelle. It's famous for its magnificent, towering stained glass windows, which essentially surround the entire upper floor and are supported by only thin ribs of stone. When the sun passes through the colored glass, it creates the most beautiful light I've ever seen.

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