Behind Hunter Douglas' New Design

alˇouˇette \ ah-LOU-ette \ n 1. French word meaning lark or song. 2. Proprietary Hunter Douglas window treatments that combine the features of a shutter, shade and blind.

Several years ago, Hunter Douglas gathered together a team of specialists dedicated to creating a window fashion unlike anything homeowners had ever seen. The team was charged with developing a window treatment that looked like a shutter, functioned like a blind, but also softened and diffused light like a shade, shading or sheer. It had to be lightweight, yet durable, and provide exceptional light control.

The result is a product so unique it defies categorization. It's not a shutter or blind. Nor is it a shade, shading or sheer. We call it a light louver—specifically, Alouette™ Light Louvers. True to our original vision, this window fashion looks like a shutter, with elliptical-shaped vanes. Like a shutter or blind, the vanes can be raised, lowered and tilted to reveal a crystal-clear view of the world or complete privacy from that world. But unlike a traditional shutter or blind, Alouette Light Louvers are constructed of soft, translucent fabric vanes. So even when the vanes are closed, a soft, warm light enters the room.

Alouette Light Louvers are also distinctly different because the headrail and bottom rail mirror the elliptical design of the vanes. The headrail and bottom rail also function like a louver, pivoting as the vanes open and close.

The seamless design between the hardware and vanes "provides an entirely new look for the window," says Kim Kiner, vice president of product design at Hunter Douglas.