Anne BildFor Immediate Release
Contact: Danielle Myers
212.297.2105
[email protected]
Industry’s Engineering and Design Teams Celebrated
Washington, DC (April 11, 2024) – The Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) announced the winners of the 32nd Annual Product Awards which recognize the best of the window covering industry’s new products, educational and merchandising programs that were launched in 2023.
Winners were selected in ten categories including cellular and pleated shades; drapery hardware; “green” products; horizontal blinds; motorization and automation; Roman and roller shades; shadings and sheers; specialty applications and miscellaneous products and vertical/panel track products.
WCMA’s “green” category acknowledges window-covering products that increase energy efficiency or conservation of resources or employ sustainable practices in their manufacture.
Manufacturers’ marketing and merchandising programs were acknowledged for creativity and achieving projected results. This group of innovators includes marketing technology and point-of-sale displays.
In addition to the products and programs selected by the judges, this year WCMA honors all the submissions that advanced the industry’s ongoing commitment to child safety. Twenty-nine (29) products were submitted that incorporated either cordless or inaccessible cord operating systems. WCMA congratulates the following companies for their innovations and encourages them to keep investing in this important area; Calendar Enterprises Co. Ltd; Coulisse; Draper, Inc.; Glen Raven; Hunter Douglas; Lutron; Norman USA; Rowley; and Somfy Systems Inc.
Hunter Douglas’ Aura™ Illuminated Shades was selected as the 2023 WCMA Product of the Year. The Aura™ Illuminated Shades define a new category of shading products with a three-in-one design. Aura features a beautiful, custom front shade, a reflective room-darkening liner, and ambient illumination via programmable LED strips. The design merges natural and artificial lighting control, allowing homeowners to precisely balance radiance with ambience and recreate the same soft-light-magic that translucent window coverings have in daylight.
“The Aura™ Illuminated Shades submission was selected by the judges for its design and innovation. WCMA congratulates the team at Hunter Douglas and all the industry’s engineers and designers on their hard work and their vision”, said Ralph Vasami, executive director of WCMA. “You can view all of the 2023 innovations on the WCMA website: www.wcmanet.com.”
WCMA PRODUCT AWARDS JUDGES
This year’s judges included design community experts Deb Barrett, Susan Arann, and Susan Hirsh.
DEB BARRETT is a highly regarded veteran of the window coverings niche in and principal in her firm, Window Dressings. A five-time winner of the Window Fashions Design Competition, her specialty is finding imaginative solutions to challenging design problems. She is an IACET accredited speaker and a past member of the board of directors for Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC) and Women’s Professional Development Network in Home Furnishings (Withit). Most recently she was awarded the Educator of the Year award by Withit and the Industry Icon Award at the International Window Coverings Expo.
SUSAN ARANN is the principal at American & International Designs Inc., a renowned interior design firm located in New York City. With a history of achievements, the firm demonstrates excellence across various design areas. Susan’s leadership extends to her past role as president of the New York Metro chapter of the American Society of Interior Design (ASID). Additionally, she has contributed to numerous presentations and served as a judge in the residential and hospitality sectors.
SUSAN HIRSH is a décor consultant and industry expert who formerly served as North American Manager for decorative programs at Benjamin Moore & Co, as president of the International Furnishing and Design Foundation (IFDA) and as the national chair of IFDA’s Educational Foundation.
The judges recognized Coulisse for their Matter-over-Threads motors with the Judges’ Award. Coulisse’s Eve Motionblinds motors, developed with smart home specialist Eve Systems, are among the first Matter-over-Thread products to hit the market. The all-in-one motors with built-in technology Matter-over-Thread can be easily integrated into smart home platforms – all without the need for proprietary bridges, manufacturer apps, or remote controls. With a border router from any major smart home platform, like Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa or SmartThings, the setup is quick and easy. All submissions will be featured on the WCMA website throughout the year: www.wcmanet.com.
The full list of the WCMA 2023 Product Awards winners is below.
WCMA 2023 PRODUCT OF THE YEAR
Aura™ Illuminated Shades
Best New Style Concept and Technical Innovation
Hunter Douglas
JUDGES’ AWARD
Matter-over-Thread motors
Best New Style Concept
Coulisse
Reserved for a submission selected by the judges that exhibits measurable benefit or standout aesthetic appeal to end users
PRODUCT CATEGORY WINNERS
Cellular & Pleated Shades
Duette® Duolite® with ClearView® Sheer
Best New Style Concept
Hunter Douglas
Honeycomb TDBU Motorized
Best New Technical Innovation
Coulisse
Drapery Hardware
Smart Curtain Track
Best New Technical Innovation
Coulisse
Energy Efficiency & Sustainability
Sonesse® 30 24V DC Zigbee
Best New Technical Innovation
Somfy Systems, Inc.
Honeycomb New Fabric Innovation Architella ® Thea and Architella® Alexa
Best New Style Concept
Hunter Douglas
Horizontal Blinds (all finishes)
Ultimate Normandy Wood Blinds Regal Collection
Best New Style Concept
Norman USA
Motorization
Sonesse® 30 PoE
Best New Technical Innovation
Somfy Systems, Inc.
AutoWand Motorization
Best New Style Concept
Norman USA
Automation
Matter-over-Thread Motors
Best New Style Concept
Coulisse
Adaptive Shading for Eve Motorblinds
Best New Technical Innovation
Coulisse
Roman & Roller Shades
Designer Roller & Skyline Panels – New Fabrics
Honorable Mention New Style Concept
Hunter Douglas
Triathlon Roman Fabrication Kit
Best New Technical Innovation
Lutron Electronics
New Provenance™ Woven Wood Fabrics and the NEW Recessed Roman shade Style
Best New Style Concept
Hunter Douglas
Vertical/ Panel Tracks (All Finishes)
Adjustable Sliding Panels (Me Time Series)
Best New Style Concept
Calendar Enterprises Co., Ltd.
Panel track with window cleaning magnet
Best New Technical Innovation
Coulisse
Specialty Applications & Miscellaneous Products
Aura™ Illuminated Shades
Best New Style Concept and Best New Technical Innovation
Hunter Douglas
ELEMENTS® SHADE COLLECTION Decorative Textile Film
Honorable Mention – New Style Concept
Rowley
MARKETING & MERCHANDISING AWARD WINNERS
Trade Advertising, Education & Training Program
Certified Installer
Best Trade Advertising, Education & Training Program
Hunter Douglas
Best Point of Sale Merchandising
Sunbrella Custom Window Merchandising Display
Honorable Mention – Point of Sale Merchandising
Glen Raven
Draper At Home Sales Kit
Best Point of Sale Merchandising
Draper, Inc.
About WCMA:
The Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA), originally organized in the 1950’s as the Venetian Blind Council, represents the interests of the window covering industry manufacturers, fabricators and assemblers. WCMA has three membership categories: Manufacturer, Fabricator and Associate.
For the past 32 years, the WCMA Product Awards Program has bestowed more than 700 awards to window covering industry products that raise the bar on style and design innovations. For more information about WCMA and the 2023 WCMA Product Awards program, contact Danielle Myers at 212.297.2105.
