Arctic Freeze or Warm Breeze, Levolor Offers Beautifully Efficient Shades

ATLANTA, Feb. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- With the recent cold snap setting record low temperatures across the country and blanketing many homes with heavy snowfall, staying well-insulated is a key concern for homeowners, especially since the loss of energy through windows can account for up to 20 percent of a home's total heating and cooling costs.(1) One of the easiest ways to reduce overall energy loss and transform a space into a cozy, stylish yet energy efficient haven is by adding cellular shades to the windows. Levolor^®, a leading manufacturer of custom blinds, shades and drapery, announces the launch of Accordia^™ Cellular Shades, offering homeowners not only relief amongst frigid temperatures, but also a year-round, beautifully-efficient, total window solution. With more than 200 fabrics to choose from and ingenious options such as cordless and Levolor's exclusive Energy Shield^™ technology, Accordia shades are not only fashionable, but can save homeowners up to $180 on their annual energy bill. Levolor is the first to offer Energy Shield, a clear, additional layer of insulation hidden inside of the cellular structure, making Accordia the only cellular shade to increase energy efficiency on sheer and light filtering fabrics.

"Through talking to our customers, we learned that homeowners rank having a shade that reduces annual energy bills as the number one priority when shopping for shades, but they are not willing to sacrifice style for energy efficiency," said Monica Tyler, Levolor Window Fashions brand manager. "Accordia offers homeowners an unbeatable combination of energy efficiency, beautiful fabrics and innovative privacy and light control, so they don't have to settle for less. In addition, Accordia's exclusive Energy Shield provides added insulation that no other product on the market offers. The shades will pay for themselves over time because of the energy savings."

A Shade More Efficient

Levolor's Accordia Cellular Shades are the most energy efficient shade solution available and with Energy Shield it is possible to reduce heating and cooling costs by up to $180 annually. Cellular shades, known for their crisp, clean appearance and unique cell structure, help insulate windows by trapping pockets of air within. When choosing a cellular shade, both R-value, which refers to the shades' ability to block out temperature differences, and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC), a measure of how much solar energy passes into your home, should be considered. Only Accordia Cellular Shades offer an Energy Shield that works to address both by offering additional insulation and eliminating air flow through the shade while providing filtered light. In warmer months, Energy Shield helps to eliminate air flow through the shade, blocking cooled air from escaping. In colder months, Energy Shield eliminates air flow through the shade while providing additional insulation and allowing warmth and filtered lights from the sun to naturally heat interiors.

Levolor offers Accordia Cellular Shade solutions for homes in any climate:

• Northern Climates: Accordia Sheer Efficiency^™ or Light Filtering with Energy Shield options are cold climate approved, allowing natural, filtered light to enter the room and the warmth of the sun to help heat the home while the Energy Shield works as a barrier to keep internal air from escaping through windows.
• Central Climates: Accordia Transformations^™ are the pinnacle in performance, especially in Central Climates, by pairing two fabrics to maximize energy efficiency. On cold days, the Light Filtering Fabric captures sunlight while blocking cold air to help heat the home. On hot, sunny days a Room Darkening fabric can block 99 percent of light, reducing heat. Together, the two fabrics in one shade provide versatile light control and maximum insulation.
• Southern Climates: Accordia Room Darkening options available in Designer Textures and Designer Colors accommodate Southern Climates, blocking the sun from heating a room.

Energy Shield comes standard in Levolor's Accordia Sheer Efficiency collection and can be added to Light Filtering, Designer Textures and Designer Color Collections.

A Shade More Fashionable

Levolor Accordia Cellular Shades blend fashion with function by providing the largest breadth of superior quality fabric on the market including exclusive woven textures specifically designed to blend, enhance and complement wall coverings, furniture, flooring and accessories. Available in beautiful textures and colors that will last for years to come, all Levolor woven fabrics offer a consistent palette for window-to-window coordination in both Light Filtering and Room Darkening options as well as in other Levolor collections, including Perceptions^™ and Roman Shades. Exclusive Levolor fabrics that offer beauty and insulation include:

• The Linen Collection: Elevating both casual and formal rooms with a refined, yet subtle ambiance, this uniquely woven fabric expresses a clean visual motif crafted with a sophisticated, crisp texture and a contemporary style.
• The Translucence Collection: Perfect for homeowners and designers seeking luxurious fabric that offers a new take on traditional elegance, the Translucence Collection has a whispery texture and distinctive sheen that seamlessly lets light softly enter a room.
• The Designer Textures Collection: Comprised of Levolor's premier woven fabrics that retain rich colors even with sun exposure, this collection features crisp pleats that hold their edge, keeping the fabric looking newer longer. The Designer Textures Collection is available in both Light Filtering and Room Darkening options in a wide variety of rich vibrant colors, including new on-trend favorites such as sangria, espresso, sage, slate, petal, terra cotta, denim, lavender, celadon and sterling.

"Textured linens and energy efficient designs that look and feel luxurious, have emerged as a major decor trend as homeowners and designers mix and match textures to create a one-of-a-kind statement," said Tyler. "It's easy to tell by simply touching the fabrics, that the exclusive woven fabrics Levolor offers with its Accordia Cellular Shades are superior to others on the market."

A Shade More Ingenious

How a shade operates is just as important as how beautiful it looks, so Accordia offers a variety of smart and convenient solutions. As an easy-to-use cordless shade, Accordia utilizes a patented spring motor system allowing the shade to raise with a simple push to the bar. For complete light and privacy control, the Top Down/Bottom Up option allows shades to be lowered from the top and raised from the bottom. Levolor also offers Accordia made-to-fit specialty shapes and accommodates multiple shades on one head rail.

About Levolor Window Fashions

Since 1914, Levolor, a part of Newell Rubbermaid's global portfolio of brands, has set the standard in window fashions, design innovation, product quality and customer satisfaction. Revolutionizing the industry by being the first to offer cordless custom blinds, as well as being the first to bring color to blinds, Levolor continues to pioneer window decor and remains the most recognized name in the industry. Keeping the consumer first and foremost, Levolor offers easy-to-use shopping tools such as an online design studio, free swatching, and a 1-2-3-order process to reduce category complexity. Products, including custom, stock and sizable blinds and shades, basic and decorative drapery hardware and custom drapery, offer consumers more options than ever to complete their windows.

Levolor offers up to 10 free fabric swatches of any product on Levolor.com. For more information on the company, Accordia Cellular Shades or style ideas and tips on how to best measure windows visit Levolor.com or call 1-800-752-9677. For media inquiries, contact Mandy Meszaros at (312) 946-6004 or e-mail at [email protected].

(1)United States Department of Energy

SOURCE Levolor Window Fashions