Hunter Douglas Honeycomb Shade Skylight Options

Number 248 | April 7, 2006
© 2006 Designer Blinds

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Don't Leave Skylights
Up In The Air!


Duette Simplicity®	Duette PowerRise® Skylight	Duette SkyRise®

Designer Blinds features three honeycomb shade systems for covering skylight windows, Simplicity®, PowerRise® for Skylights and SkyRise®. All three systems look great and each will provide important year-round comfort and energy-saving benefits.

As warmer weather approaches, homeowners will like they have to do something about their skylight windows. Even with air conditioners working full-time a room with an uncontrolled skylight still may not be comfortable until the sun goes down. Compared to escalating electric bills, covering the skylight window becomes the truly economical option.

Fabric Selection: A Kinder Gentler Light —Or Completely Opaque?
Honeycomb shades are often selected as the perfect solution for skylights. Choose a semi-opaque fabric and skylights retain their charm by allowing a kinder, gentler light to be filtered into the room. Or choose an opaque fabric to completely block the light in bedrooms or media rooms. Whichever fabric is chosen, the room is instantly more comfortable from the moment the installation is complete.

The Operating Systems
There is a choice between three systems that enable Hunter Douglas honeycomb shades to function on skylight windows, SkyRise®, Simplicity® or PowerRise® for Skylights. For energy savings, you won't find much difference. All three products are equally impressive. The fabric selection will have the most impact on energy. As you can see from the pictures above, once they're installed it's hard to tell the difference at a glance. But there are some real differences —in components; in pricing; in options; in assembly, installation and adjustment; in limitations and so on. Here's a comparison to help you discern which product is best-suited to your customer's needs.

	Simplicity®	PowerRise® Skylight	SkyRise®
Availability	Available for use with all 3/8", 3/4", double or triple honeycomb fabrics in Applause® or Duette® (also available on Brilliance Pleated Shades)	Available for use with all 3/4" fabrics in Duette® only	Available for use with all 3/8", 3/4" or triple honeycomb fabrics in Applause® or Duette®
Price	Affordable! The price of Simplicity Shades can fit nicely into any budget.	Affordable Motorization! Like all other PowerRise products, the PowerRise for skylights is well within the reach of most homeowners	Cost-Effective! While SkyRise® shades are more expensive than the other options, the energy saving nature of the product still makes it a great value.
Build	Simple! That's where it got the name. Simplicity® uses a special cording technique with standard rails and hardware. The only additional components are the side rails, a simple spring, the handle and a couple of washers.	Simple & Sophisticated PowerRise for skylights is a sophisticated system that provides the latest technology. Familiar PowerRise control is easy to understand.	Highly Engineered! SkyRise® shades are comprised of specially configured rails, coated aircraft cable and a complex system of pulleys. The end result is a skylight shade that is incredibly easy to assemble and install.
Installation & Adjustment	Easy Simplicity® shades are installed with standard brackets at the headrail. The bottom rail and side rails are screwed into place. Tension is adjusted by tightening a slip knot, already in place. The moving rail is leveled and a cord is clamped to hold it in place. Some shimming may be required on windows that are extremely out of square (common with skylight windows) All assembly, installation and adjustments to Simplicity® shades are made at the window.	Easy PowerRise for skylights is assembled into a frame and most adjustments are made before placing it into the window frame. Installs with a unique clipping system that helps the shade self-adjust to windows that are out of square.	Easy SkyRise® Shades are assembled on the floor —away from the skylight window into a four-sided frame. Preset factory adjustments rarely need further attention. If further adjustment is needed, only a Phillips screwdriver is required. SkyRise shades simply click into place with clips at each of the four corners. Some longer shades may require an additional screw in the side rails. The soft foam edges of SkyRise® shades allow it to always fit, even in windows that are extremely out of square.
Stacking Options	• Stack Top • Stack Bottom (Does not need to be specified, Simply install the headrail at the lower end of the window) • Side-to-Side (Transpose height and width measurements when placing order)	• Stack Top only	• Stack Top • Stack Bottom (MUST be specified when ordering. Requires additional components and fabrication methods) • Side-to-side (Transpose height and width measurements when placing order)
Orientation	Can be oriented for any slope from flat to vertical and any where in between.	Can be oriented for any slope from flat to vertical and any where in between.	Can be oriented for any slope from flat to vertical and any where in between.
Limitations	Fits Most Skylights. Simplicity will fit most typical skylights. Consult the Reference Guide for complete details	Fits Most Skylights. PowerRise for skylights will fit most typical skylights. Consult the Reference Guide for complete details	Expansive! SkyRise® shades will fit even extremely large openings. Limitations vary with differing fabric selections. Consult the Reference Guide for complete details.
Manual Operation	Operated with a detached telescoping pole and hook. The moving rail is pulled to the desired position and can be stopped and held in any position from fully opened to fully closed.	Manual operation not available.	Operated with a detached telescoping pole and hook. The moving rail is pulled to the desired position and can be stopped and held in any position from fully opened to fully closed.
Motorized Operation	Not Available	Battery-Powered system requires no additional wiring. Uses Infrared remote control. Custom battery provides power for an estimated average of three years.	Hard-wired system. Available with either Infrared Remote Control or Wall Switch operation.

Choose Simplicity:

• For most typical skylight windows.

• For manually operated Simplicity® is a great choice.

• To fit into a budget

Choose PowerRise for Skylights:

• For most typical skylight windows.

• To provide motorization with no special wiring

• Excellent for windows that are extremely out-of-square

• To fit motorization into a budget.

Choose SkyRise:

• For extremely large skylight windows (manual or motorized operation)

• For extremely distant hard-to-reach windows

• When hard-wired motorization is required (or desired)

• To provide multiple channel operation for a bank of skylight windows

• With windows that are extremely out-of-square