ROAR Social House

The Background

The client was looking for a way to shut off an open space on the mezzanine level for private functions and to help absorb sound.  They were looking to add sheers to help soften the space and operable drapes to allow them to completely enclose the space.

The Challenge

There is no ceiling above the mezzanine to hang the drapery rods from – only the roof located approx. 25 feet up.  There are also many HVAC ducts to work around.

Our Solution

We had the general contractor on site place a solid steel pipe with a 5″ diameter from wall to wall.  By utilizing a system of pipe clamps, threaded rods, and specialty fabricated brackets, we were able to use the pipe to support the rods and drop it below the duct work.  In order for the drapes to be operable, we needed special rings to bypass the support brackets.  We also needed clearance between the sheer rod and drapery rod to allow them to operate properly.  The end result was stunning and added to the overall ambiance of the restaurant.

Bear Creek Mountain Resort

Stoned Crab

Surgery Center

LVHN

Moravian Hall Square Common Area Is Attractive and Functional

The Background 
Moravian Hall Square is a highly desirable retirement community in Nazareth, PA. The facility recently expanded, adding both a new library and a “hub,” a common space for the residents.

The Challenge 
The space needed to be both attractive and functional. The top priority was for the residents to have a place that felt homey, comfortable, and inviting. All of the furnishings were to be kept with that theme, and the window treatments had to follow suit. When we first met with the Moravian Hall Square executives and the project architects, the addition was still under construction. The windows were just holes in the wall, so the planning took some creative imagining.

Our Solution 

We chose to use decorative fabric valances with fabric shades underneath for light control. For variety and interest, we used different color schemes for the two spaces. The residential-looking drapery style that we chose is inviting and homey, specifically avoiding a commercial look. In everything they do, Moravian Hall Square exhibits a very high attention to detail; it was our pleasure to ensure that the window treatments matched the level of excellence of the rest of the facility.

Keystone Villa Fleetwood - Independent Living and Personal Care

The Birches at Newtown Senior Living

The Watermark at Logan Square Assisted Living

PPL Building Lights Up the Lehigh Valley

The Backstory
When the PPL Building is lit up in red and green on Thanksgiving Eve, we all know the holidays have begun in the Lehigh Valley. What many people don’t know is that K&H plays a special part to usher in this holiday tradition.

The Challenge
Many years ago, PPL started the popular display using light bulbs and a colored cellophane wrap in each window. Then, after an 18-year hiatus, they turned to K&H to re-institute the holiday light tradition in 1990. Sandy Kuhns, K&H president, remembers, “We were given only a few weeks to come up with a method for projecting the color outside the building.” After noticing several businesses with lit awnings, Kuhns realized that back-lit awning fabric could be used to produce the color effects here as well. Now — all they had to do was plan the designs, buy the fabric, manufacture, and install all those shades — in two weeks! To complicate further, the solution required numerous multi-part shades, designed with both black and color portions to define curves and other graphic details when seen from a distance.

Our Solution
Originally, K&H used roller shades made of back lit awning fabric; now PPL has devised a special system of lights and a plexiglass casing to enhance the color of the shades. The entire process is computerized and set to turn on at a scheduled time each evening–as long as employees remember to pull down their shades each night!

We are grateful for our part in this special Lehigh Valley holiday tradition and hope you enjoy it all during the holidays.

Butz Corporate Center

Leeson Law Office

Lehigh Valley Educators Credit Union

C.F. Martin & Co. Inc.

Window Coverings Improve Acoustics in Kutztown University’s Old Main

The Backstory
Old Main, considered to be the centerpiece of Kutztown University, is the University’s most historic building. Built in 1866, the stunning construction hosts many tours, gatherings and classes, and it houses roughly 180 students. In 2015, the University invested in updates and improvements to this prized building, including the window coverings.

The Challenge
The building’s magnificent reception hall, the Georgian Room, features 16 windows, each measuring 15 feet tall, paired with tall ceilings and wood floors. Because the room is used for many musical performances, acoustics were a primary concern for the space. Additionally, the University wished to accentuate the architecture of the windows with dressings, preserve the period and style of the room, and eliminate invasive, direct sunlight.

Our Solution
Using precise measurements and a template of the curved arch, K&H fabricated lined operable draperies and an upholstered cornice to follow the shape of the window. The fabric was a 32-ounce velour, recommended by the acoustical engineer, specially used for acoustics and noise control. The material is thick, highly porous, pleated, and mounted at a specific position for optimal noise control. The design fit the bill, with period-inspired hues and meticulously curved cornice and drapes that matched the arched windows. Additionally, the drapes can traverse closed for light control.

The University was pleased that the curtains enhanced the windows’ architecture, that the treatments significantly improved the room’s acoustics, and that the staff could close the curtains when necessary.

Lafayette College

East Lansdowne Elementary School - Gym divider

Controlling Glare Creatively at Easton City Hall

The Background 

At K&H, we enjoy working with contractors that we know we can rely on, so we were thrilled to win the bid with Boyle Construction to work on the newly-relocated Easton City Hall. The new offices, which were built as an addition onto the city’s transportation center, feature industrial architecture that mimics the style of the city’s landmark bridge.

The Challenge

The sleek, three-sided addition features industrial architecture with exposed steel beams and open floors at the windows, making the placement for the shades tricky. Light control and glare were a challenge for the space, especially with employees experiencing glare on their computer screens.

Our Solution

Because of the unique style and layout of the rooms, we had to be creative with the shade placement. We mounted some behind beams, some in pockets, and some shades actually went from one floor or another. This was a large-volume job; we used manual clutch-operated roller shades on 88 windows, each measuring between 8- and 13 feet tall. Specially-made charcoal gray mesh shades help control light and glare. We got the job done so the city hall employees could do their jobs.

Nativity Lutheran Church Allentown

The Background

Imagine yourself on a summer Sunday morning, sitting in your usual pew listening to the sermon. You’re trying to pay attention, but the sunlight through the high windows is so glaring you have to move to the other side of the sanctuary. Fast forward six months, and the winter sun in your eyes now forces you to move yet again. Such was the story at Nativity Lutheran Church in Allentown as they watched their members seasonally migrate from one side of the sanctuary to the other to avoid the sun’s glare.

The Challenge

After researching many options on their own, the church approached us for a budget-wise solution for their trapezoid windows.  We recommended Draper Flexshade fixed-frame panels as the ideal solution for skylights, sloped windows, or odd shaped windows.

The Solution

The panels are made of woven mesh fabric stretched tightly over an extruded aluminum frame, and provide solar filtration at lower cost than operable solutions. Panels can be surface mounted or mounted inside the frame with clips (the clips allow for easy removal of the shades for cleaning)

We chose fabric from swatches of varying openness, depending o the amount of light and heat control desired. Then we installed matching operable shades on the lower windows.

The new panels filter the sun, cut the glare and heat, but don’t block all of the light. They are aesthetically pleasing, and ended the congregation’s need to shift with the seasons.

Crayola Experience Easton