Blog – Page 7

Ten Ways to Use the new Japandi Interior Style at Home

November 17, 2022 by Carol S Leave a Comment

By now, you’ve probably heard about the new Japandi Interior style, which combines two of the best styles–Japanese and Scandinavian. But did you realize that with just a little bit of planning, you could use Japandi style at home?

Canyon Ridge is a calming color that would work well with Japandi Style

Use calm, soothing colors

To really get the best out of Japandi Style, you need to choose colors that soothe. We enjoy talking about color, and if you don’t believe us, you might like this: Ten Best Colors of the year 2023. Of these colors, Canyon Ridge is very calming. Rustic Greige is another one that’s a warm neutral. Both would work with a Japandi interior style.

This beautiful Live Edge Teak Table (from Wayfair) would work well with Japandi Style

Natural wood furniture

Natural wood in soothing tones is best for the Japandi style. For instance, wood tables with live edges work well. For more ideas, here’s an article you might like: What is Japandi Style and How to Incorporate Into Your Home.

This 3M Fasara Washi (rice paper) window film is a staff favorite

Window Film and Japandi Interior Style

All the Obscure Opaque window films work with the Japandi Style. We also love the 3M Fasara Washi film which is the rice paper style. All of the new styles, even the darks & blacks could be Japandi. We’ve written about the dark window films and how to use them before. You might like dark and moody interior glass.

Upcycle and reuse what you have

Thrifting and reusing has become trendy lately. Why not join in? Go to your local thrift store (or shop in your own closet), but go with an open mind and see what you can find that’s Japandi style.

Use natural elements

Bring nature into your home by using a branch or flowers from the garden. Even during the colder months, there’s sure to be something you can bring inside.

Consider this beautiful Lamp from Etsy by Locaali

Lighting

Soft, soothing lighting is all the rage in Japandi circles. (It would have to be a quiet rage, though. More of a whisper rage.) The light fixture itself could be made from natural materials. Bamboo is great for Japandi style!

Simple linens and accessories

From bed linens to plants, all your accessories should be simple, functional, and calming. So that means saying no to pointy pointy leaves, but rather beautiful and healthy plants. Organic shapes are the best.

Consider framing a watercolor card. We love this one from Maricards on Etsy

Artwork

Don’t choose artwork that is jarring or friends say would “keep them awake.” Use the same soothing colors that you’d use for your walls and furniture. You could always find something you love on Etsy and have it framed!

Wallpaper

Scrolling around the interwebs, there are some terrific wallpapers that showcase the Japandi style. They’re peel and stick, so very easy to use!

Sustainability is key

Sustainability is the element that is woven through all the Japandi style examples we’ve seen.

Contact us for help with your window film needs

Ready to incorporate Japandi style? We’d love to talk to you and answer all your questions! We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the Peninsula and Marin. Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

Can Technology Save Billions of Birds with Window Film?

October 27, 2022 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Did you know that many, many birds die each year from crashing into windows? According to Portland Audobon, up to one billion birds die each year from window strikes! Not only that, but “54-76 percent of window collisions are fatal.” What’s a bird lover to do? If you’d like to know, read on.

It’s that time of year

At this time of year, millions of birds are migrating. According to the National Audubon Society, birds migrate mostly during spring and fall. The National Audobon Society has a first-of-its-kind digital migration platform where you can see the path that migrating birds take. So even if you don’t get that window film up this fall, you could try installing it by spring.

How and why do birds fly into glass?

According to Collide Escape “Collisions are most commonly caused by the reflective characteristics of glass. Because the outside of glass reflects the environment around it, birds do not recognize it as a barrier.” Even people have been known to walk into glass, so it’s not so strange that birds would see glass and assume there’s a clear flight path. Unfortunately, many birds are injured or die when they fly into glass.

Our Custom Bird Film, installed during construction

Why do birds suddenly appear?

If you’re a fan of the Carpenters, you already know the answer to this question! But on a more serious note, birds do seem to come careening out of nowhere at all times of the day, just to smash into your windows. Sometimes they’re looking for bugs, or they’re in a hurry to get to their nests. Other times, they seem to just be stretching their wings for the sheer joy of it.

Why should you care?

The loss of birds through window strikes is a huge loss to our biodiversity. The “canary in the coal mine” concept is one that relates to humans, too. Losing birds means losing some of ourselves, too. Not only that, but our own personal health is at risk. The North American Bird population is down some 2.9 billion birds, according to a study discussed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (quoting an article in Science).

What can you do?

Window technology can help reduce the numbers of bird strikes. According to Mongo Bay, window tech could save billions of birds, and it’s already here. For instance, bird safety window films “engineered specifically to allow birds to see reflective windows that otherwise appear invisible, preventing injury or death for the birds, as well as preventing potential damage to your property” according to Solyx, maker of Bird Safety WIndow Films. Scottish Window Film has an excellent article that outlines all you can do: Bird Strike Prevention. Check it out!

Want to know more?

We’d love to protect the birds in your neighborhood with window film! Give us a call at 415.623.8700 when you’re ready to save the birds! We’d love to talk to you and answer all your questions! We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the Peninsula and Marin.

Ten Best Colors of the Year 2023

October 18, 2022 by Carol S 1 Comment

We’ve seen so many Color of the Year posts so far this year that we’ve put together a few you might like. Here they are, in no particular order. And by the way, we’ve covered the color of the year before:

Benjamin Moore color of the year: Raspberry Blush

Architectural Digest covers Benjamin Moore’s color of the year by saying this: “The Benjamin Moore Color of the Year 2023 is Raspberry Blush, an unapologetically brazen yet warm hue. Described by Magno as a “charismatic” color that “enlivens the senses,” it evokes its namesake’s fruity notes alongside trace elements of both radiant red and orange coral.” What do you think–is it fruity enough for you?

Dunn Edwards Chooses Terra Rosa

Dunn Edwards’ color of the year blends brown and burgundy for a rosy pink that works as both a grounding neutral and a delicate and delightful color. We all like this one a lot. As in a lot a lot!

Walmart’s color of the year? Canyon Ridge

Canyon Ridge is an orange-meets-pink paint color that acts as a near-neutral when applied to walls. The trendy spin on terra-cotta couples well with bright blue, its opposite on the color wheel. We can imagine this one in any new construction in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Beautiful.

Do you prefer a blank canvas as a color of the year?

Behr’s Blank Canvas is their color of the year

Think of a stretched frame about to be painted, and you’d have Behr’s Blank Canvas. It’s a creamy white that goes with everything. Although if you click on the link, it seems to lean more towards the yellow end of the spectrum.

Glidden chooses Vining Ivy

A soothing blend of blue and green, Vining Ivy could work well in a bedroom, living room, or office.

Dutch Boy Paints picks Rustic Greige

Neutrals still are wildly popular, so this Rustic Greige works well. It’s warm and envelopes you and your room in a soothing hue.

Backdrop Homes Color of the Year? It’s called Color of the Year!

We absolutely love this! In fact, a quote from backdrophome says it best: “This yellow-orange color is inspired by Bottega Veneta boots and rubber bands. In a world where balls of rubber bands are disappearing, it’s time we start honoring them. We set out to create the best color in the whole wide world and we sure did.”

Sherwin Williams settled on Redend Point

Redend Point seems very similar to Dunn Edwards’ Terra Rose, doesn’t it? Soulful, they say.

Valspar opts for a whole palette

Valspar has an entire palette of colors for 2023, including a home you can walk through so you can get a feel for them.

Do you like a color that makes a statement?

Pantone’s color of the year? Digital Lavender!

From the people who probably started the whole color of the year comes Digital Lavender: “Serenity, balance, and healing infuse the Pantone color,” say Twin Cities interior designers. Designers are calling it more restful than the darker shade Pantone picked last year.

What’s your favorite color of the year?

Are you going with a more neutral tone, or do you like something that makes a statement? Do let us know in the comments!

This is What Happens When You Attend the Santa Clara NorCal Facilities Expo

September 29, 2022 by Carol S Leave a Comment

The Window Works Booth (and that’s Atlas Copco right behind us!) at NCFE!

Recently, a few of the Window Works Crew attended the Northern California Facilities Expo in Santa Clara. This Expo was September 20 – 21, 2022. Now, in case you were wondering, it wasn’t our first time at the rodeo! We’ve been before, and we’ll be going again. In fact, we even wrote about our previous visits! You might be interested in a couple of our recent trips:

We also attended in 2019 in real life, plus the virtual event in 2020, and you can read about it here: Visit the Virtual California Facilities Expo 2020 November 18-19. We started going around 2015–if you can remember that far back!

That’s Donna Dris up in friend Sunbelt Rental’s lift!

Friends near and far

By now, we’ve attended so many of these expo’s that we’ve made a lot of friends! So it’s great to see familiar faces when we go, along with new friends, too! Some of our friends include Sunbelt Rentals, who’ve had the booth across from us for years, David, below, who serves drinks, and of course our pals at Atlas Copco!

The ever-friendly David, serving beer (and more) at Happy Hour!

Happy Hour Hosting

As we’ve done in the past, we sponsored the beer and snacks right by our booth, along with our neighbors and best buddies from Atlas Copco. This year, we had a make-it-yourself nachos bar, with ground beef, cheese, different salsas, sour cream, chips, cookies, and bottled water (for our non-drinking buddies). We loved seeing all the smiling faces and meeting new friends as well as neighboring booth people.

The swag!

Look at that cute little red shot glass from R&S Doors Gates and Docks, above (it lights up, too)! Atlas Copco also did some top-notch branding with their giveaways–the tool card blueprint, webcam cover, and bottle opener were excellent! Pumpman Norcal had those huge markers that won’t get lost since 1. they’re huge, and 2. they’re fluorescent! And Restoration Management Company’s giveaway of wipes in a travel bag? We’re hooked! We love having all these reminders of our time at the Expo! They’ll have a special home in our office. And maybe even our travel bags.

And another thing!

Yes, we even got to talk about window film during the show! Luckily, we’re all very familiar and comfortable talking about window film. Many people don’t know just how many things window film can do these days. We fielded lots of questions about applying window film for different situations, and of course, one of the newest applications will be the anti-bird strike window film. We’ll be writing about that very soon!

Next time come join us!

While we’re happy to attend the Facilities Expos, we’d be even more happy if you’d join us next time! So keep a watch on the Northern California Facilities Expo’s website for more info about 2023!

Will Window Film Make My Life Better?

September 14, 2022 by Carol S Leave a Comment

We get questions like “will window film make my life better?” all the time! Believe it or not! And our answer, without hesitation, is “it sure does!” Because what other product blocks UV light (which causes skin cancer), provides privacy, holds glass together in case of earthquakes, etc., and keeps you cooler? None that we know of! So there. Pretty soon, you’ll feel like the guy in the picture above. The guy in the middle–not the guy over on the end.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways

We can only say we love window film because it’s true. We all use it at home as well as at work and on our car windows, too. Once you’ve had window film, you can’t go back to not having it. And if Bob Vila thinks it’s great stuff, then who are we to disagree? You might like Bob Vila’s The Best Window Films of 2022. Bob Vila says “A significant consideration when shopping for the best window film is functionality. Determine what’s important in terms of privacy, decor, light/darkness, UV light blocking, and energy saving.”

Stop the sensory overload

The world keeps getting noisier and noisier–both in terms of actual noise, but also loud colors, ads, etc. If you get sensory overload, window film can certainly help give you that moment of zen you need. And speaking of zen, we’ve talked about zen before. You might like: How to Have a Zen Experience with Window Film. Because if you see your neighbor’s ugly backyard every morning, that’s not a good way to wake up! So why not block that view with window film?

Decorative window films make you an insta-decorator!

That’s right, there are decorative window films. There are many of them. So not only can window film provide you with privacy, but you can get a beautiful effect at the same time. Some of them are incredibly beautiful–we love the Japanese washi paper ones, for instance. Want to know more about 3M glass finishes? Check out the dichroic glass on the 3M site, too! By the way, Window Works is a certified 3M dealer, so we can help you choose one (or more) glass finish to prettify your space!

Fragment Retention

Another terrific feature of window film is that it can retain window glass fragments, as we’ve written about recently. Fragment retention window film: five reasons you need it. Large sheets of glass are more susceptible to breakage, and if you’re a homeowner or business owner, you don’t want people to get hurt.

Give Us a Call!

We’d love to provide window film for your home or office! Give us a call at 415.623.8700 when you’re ready to discuss window film and make your life better! We’d love to talk to you and answer all your questions! We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the Peninsula and Marin.

Window Film Ideas for High Tech Companies You Need to Know

August 31, 2022 by Carol S Leave a Comment

So you know some or maybe even most of the high-tech companies we support and do business with. One is a Fruit Company, another you use to search when you don’t know something, and a third is where you pin all the things! If you still don’t know what we’re talking about, you can take a look at our website! Yes, we do get around, but we don’t like to brag. Much. Anyway, if these high-tech companies use window film so much and so often, chances are good that you could also use the same ideas. Right? For example, in the image above, you can see that this space is very homey like a living room, yet is a company shared space.

Window film blocks the light

Is the sun blasting right into your eyes, or is the light simply too bright? Have a more comfortable work day with window film. You can use the same window film on your home that you do at work. And if you’re working from home, why not create a more soothing environment? Since people aren’t traveling as much, they like to have a staycation atmosphere at home. After all, you don’t want to have to wear sunglasses indoors, do you?

Window film helps prevent skin cancer

We’ve talked about window film and skin cancer many times before. Window film blocks the UV light that causes cancer. In fact, the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends window film. In their blog post, Not All UV Rays Stay Outside: How Window Film Can Help Protect You, The Skin Cancer Foundation proclaims “Those UVA rays account for up to 95 percent of the UV radiation reaching the Earth’s surface and are quite good at finding you. They can bounce off reflective surfaces like water and, most relevant during the workday, they can penetrate window glass. If you’re sitting next to a window on a sunny day, those UVA rays hitting your skin are doing damage. (Window glass filters out most UVB rays.)” Yes, we’ve discussed how window film blocks light and prevents skin cancer before.

High-tech companies use window film for privacy–you could, too!

High-tech companies are letting people work from home

Many people are working mostly from home if they can. So don’t sit at the dining room table you share while your kids do their homework and squint all the time! One of our recent blog posts was about this blending of work and home: Trend Alert: Why the Blending of Home and Work Life is the Next Big Thing.

Got questions? We’ve got answers!

Maybe you don’t know exactly what you want. We have a lot of experience working with high-tech companies! If you want to chat about your work-from-home options, give us a call! Window Works customer care is at 415.650.5200. Pick up your phone and enter our number! We really are very friendly, and we’ll answer your questions.

We work all over the San Francisco Bay Area, and would love to talk to you!

Dark and Moody Interior Glass: How to use it and why!

August 17, 2022 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Why would you want to use dark and moody interior glass? Not simply because it’s trendy, right? This trend began last year, when images showing dark interior glass starting bubbling up all over the internets. In our experience with local San Francisco Bay Area businesses, glass office fronts are all going tinted AND combining with dark patterns — so for the first time in years we are seeing dark interior window film. If you want to know why you might want to start using darker and moodier interior glass, stick around. We’ve got some ideas and examples for you!

Because it’s mysterious

We all need more mystery in our lives, don’t we? The moody and romantic sight of this dark glass will make you curious about the space. Who lives or works here? What do they do all day? Would you like to have a similar space? These are questions which may start swirling around in your mind when you see a space like this!

Magic and mystery appear side by side with this dark film against the marbled floor

The new dark Fasaras have a special magic

Last year, the new dark 3M Fasaras started to appear with the blue and gray cloud dual gradients. With this year’s patterned window films thrown in, we can see a different story line building. By the way, we’ve written about Fasara window film before. You might enjoy some of these:

As you might be able to see, we’re huge fans of 3M Fasara! And if you’re wondering what the heck Fasara is: “3M™ Fasara™ is a family of polyester, decorative films for glass surfaces that transform an interior’s ambiance with finishes that have depth, subtly, modernity, energy, precision and more. Created in collaboration with leading designers from across the globe, the new, trend-setting collection will give you even more ways to create stunning visual effects on interior glass surfaces, as well as add privacy and control light.” So there’s that.

Check out this dark and moody bachelor pad!

Dark and moody glass plays well with others

As you can see in the image above, the dark, moody glass gets along with others. Look at all the different textures, such as this mottled stone in the bathroom and kitchen. It combines well with wood, tile, and many other materials, too. Color might be a consideration, as you’d want your glass have similar tones, but not be too matchy-matchy.

A space for relaxation…and more

Maybe you need a special place to unwind at the end of the day with your music and big leather chair. Or maybe you could use this room-within-a-room concept, above, in your office. You could even have an office at home that’s completely enclosed from the rest of your home.

Give Us a Call!

Maybe you don’t know exactly what you want yet. We can guide you! If you want to chat about your dark-and-moody options, give us a call! Window Works customer care is at 415.650.5200. Pick up your phone and enter our number! We really are very friendly, and we’ll answer your questions.

We work all over the San Francisco Bay Area, and would love to talk to you!

Trend Alert: Green Energy, Extreme Greens, and the Greening of America

July 29, 2022 by Carol S Leave a Comment

This long green couch kind of grows on you, doesn’t it?

What do green energy, extreme greens, and the greening of America have in common (other than the word green)? We received many new and green ideas at NeoCon2022! They’ve all had a great effect on the architecture and design world. And the three greens are just the beginning!

The Greening of America

It’s been over 50 years since the Greening of America was published. We’re sorry to say that its author, Charles Reich, passed away in 2019. According to the New York Times obit of Mr. Reich, “The Greening of America” was inspired in part by Mr. Reich’s personal encounters in San Francisco during the so-called Summer of Love in 1967.” And if Mr. Reich’s goal was to make people think, then he certainly accomplished that. He was a local San Franciscan who always felt that bell bottoms expressed “personal freedom, the delight and beauty of movement, and a rather comic attitude toward life.” We’re not sure about the bell bottoms, but are definitely in favor of personal freedom, the beauty of movement, and the comic attitude toward life.

Ahem. In 2022, the greening of America has a meaning similar to that expressed by Charles Reich. We’re still greening America and this season is no different! Green is appearing everywhere–in our language, our design, as a distinct color way, and in architecture, too.

Green is the new black

That is to say, green goes with everything, interior design wise. Of course, green is the new black could also mean fashion wise or ecology wise, too. For our purposes, we love having living greenery or other sources of green inside our homes and offices. When we were at NeoCon, we didn’t see one single green wall (of plants). So we’re officially declaring the living wall dead! By the way, we’ve written two other Trend Alerts about NeoCon. You might enjoy them: Trend Alert: Sound Attenuation and Some Ways Design Can Help, and Trend Alert: Why the Blending of Home and Work Life is the Next Big Thing.

Extreme Greens

Decorating with greens

When you use green to decorate, you create an earthy, grounded space. We love this article from the Spruce about how to decorate with green. Green has a versatility that is both energetic and calming at the same time. That is to say, green is at both ends of the energetic spectrum as it can both raise and lower the energy in a room.

We like to call this one *cactus adjacent*

Green is fashion forward

Green has been a terrific choice in fashion for a long time, but especially right now. See this article about Bottega Veneta Breaking Down the Green Trend Sweeping the Fashion World.

Green in architecture

We’ve noticed that green has made its presence known in architecture, too. The green tone “brings tranquility and balance into the environments in which it is used. Which makes it a perfect ally for bedrooms and offices.” From Color psychology in architecture.

Did we omit any of your favorite greens?

Let us know!

Trend Alert: Sound Attenuation and Some Ways Design Can Help

July 15, 2022 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Ever walk into a restaurant so loud that you wanted to leave immediately? You might have wanted to actually talk to your friends but the sound in the restaurant bounces all over and seems to get louder the longer you’re there. You think you can withstand the din, but pretty soon your head starts pounding and you can’t hear anything. You look at ways of dampening sound, but the same old same old choices are there, design wise. What to do? Hang on and we’ll show you some new ideas we came across from our recent trip to NeoCon! By the way, if you missed our last post on NeoCon, here it is: NeoCon 2022.

Soundproofing colors and shapes are fun and functional

How do you design soundproofing?

Dampening sound has been big for a long while (flat on the wall cut outs or hanging acoustic tiles), but the newest sound attenuation ideas are giving it depth, dimension, shape, and complexity in its design. Dampening sound is like using a shock absorber to dampen sound waves. The shock absorber deadens the sound and stops its amplification. Historically, acoustic panels and fabrics that hang on the wall or from the ceiling have been used. With the new designs, it’s more about dampening sound, though. It’s also about creating a beautiful and welcoming space. By the way, if you’d like to learn about how acoustic panels work, here’s a great article from Loftwall.

A combination of quiet spaces with less quiet ones gives everyone a choice

Can you create a welcoming space with design?

In the past, those who wanted sound dampened were stuck with just a few choices. Jump to today, where there are more choices and ways to create a welcoming space. Check out some of the designs we’ve highlighted from our recent NeoCon trip and you’ll see what we mean. They’re exciting, fun, and functional! And if you’d like to know more about how architects can use soundproofing, here’s An Architect’s Guide to Soundproofing, by Sound Cow.

Modular meeting spaces can easily be soundproofed and still be open

What’s the best shape for soundproofing?

While many designers choose the eggcrate because of its versatility, today there are many design choices. According to this article from Hush Echo, the strip shape offers “better sound absorption properties than a smooth shape while offering a similar low-key design.” However, we think there are so many choices out there that you might be surprised at the designs you can find that check all the right boxes.

We love the Aeonica system! With just five pieces you can endlessly model various pods

Colors and textures are braver than ever!

In the soundproofing world, Turf and Spacestor Aeonica are the superstars! We love the Aeonica system! See the five pieces you can use for an endless variety of pods! We absolutely loved seeing both Turf and Spacestor Aeonica and we think you will, too!

Trend Alert: Why the Blending of Home and Work Life is the Next Big Thing

June 29, 2022 by Carol S 1 Comment

Recently, we traveled to NeoCon in Chicago to hear all the big designers talk about trends. One trend that kept cropping up is the blending of home and work life. Why now? You might ask. Stick around for a few minutes and we’ll tell you. By the way, we’ll be talking more about trend alerts in the upcoming blog posts, so be sure to watch this space!

Curves and the softening of modern design

Before the Pandemic, modern design was all sharp edges, corners, and more black and white–both in design and in actual form. Now there are curves everywhere. From sofas to office chairs to ceilings, curves delineate the new designs. There are even entire buildings that are made of curves! While we don’t recommend retrofitting an entire building to make it curvier, you could make your office or furniture curvier–with great results!

Ahead of the curve

With the curvaceousness of new design, cocooning is the order of the day. people want to be surrounded by softness, which they have more at home. And they’ve been at home for two long years, so they’d like some of those creature comforts they have at home, but at work! People might not always be able to bring their fuzzy fuzzy pets to work with them, but they can have more of the soft and fuzzy designs.

Can you imagine how relaxing this furniture must be?

Window film is softer, too

So many designs now have the soft gradients in window film. There used to be hard lines, with bands of window film. Now there are no more bands. There is softness everywhere. Harsh lighting is gone, too. Not only are these lights curvy, but their light casts a soft glow, too. And the colors include more grays, roses, and oatmeals. All colors you associate with home and not with work.

Lines, from lighting to furniture to artwork, is softening

Modular and inclusive furniture

Furniture that includes and can expand or contract is a huge trend right now. Being able to easily add more chairs or include a latecomer to a meeting is so critical. We need flexibility in design as well as in our thoughts!

A move from the global to the local economy

People want to work from home. And if they can’t work from home, they’d like their offices to look and feel like home. There’s a socioeconomic implication to modern design. Between the Corona virus and everything else happening, certain personal accoutrements have softened up. Everything’s comfy. We need to soften our stances, too. The entire shift right now is going local. Farmers markets are big. It’s more modest, more local, and more real. There’s a huge element of comfort and sincerity, which comes out in more soulful design. Shipping is expensive. Local economies, handmade stuff, all are incorporated in design. Design is the acceptance of the collective unconscious.

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