In-Home Consultations Only
PowerView® Automation
Program your window treatments so that they adjust themselves automatically, creating the perfect room ambiance morning, noon and night.
Sheer Shades
Learn more about Hunter Douglas custom window sheers, including our shadings and privacy sheers. Innovative, light-diffusing sheers. Your trusted source for window treatments.
Cellular Shades
Cellular honeycomb shades from Hunter Douglas. An energy-efficient design that traps air in distinct pockets to help keep your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Roman Shades
Custom-made fabric Roman Shades by Hunter Douglas, combining the look of soft folds with the ease and convenience of a shade. Custom-crafted.
Roller Shades
The Hunter Douglas roller shades & solar screen shades collections offer excellent light control and a clean, stylish look in a range of fabrics and materials.
Woven Shades
For a warm, natural look our Hunter Douglas Woven Wood Shades collection of window treatments transforms sunlight into captivating design statements. Choose yours today.
Vertical Shades
Find the right custom vertical shades for any room in your home. Search our most popular window shades.
Wood Blinds
From controlling light to their stylish, sleek look, wood blinds have been a favorite among homeowners for decades.
Metal Blinds
Find the perfect metal blinds for any room in your home. From controlling light to their stylish, sleek look, metal blinds have been a favorite among homeowners.
Vertical Blinds
Discover Hunter Douglas customized vertical blinds featuring elegant styling and translucency in a large selection of colors, treatments, and textures. Lifetime guarantee.
Shutters
Hunter Douglas custom window shutters provide superior light control and privacy with classic styles, long-lasting finishes, and exceptional craftsmanship.
Drapery
Choose from timeless and on-trend fabrics, including lofty textures and alluring jacquards, artisanal embroideries and luminous sheers.
Light Enhancing
Enjoy the beauty of natural light and make any space more captivating, with the following light-enhancing shades.
Room Darkening
Want a darker room for better sleep or optimal movie binging? These shades and drapes help block light at the window.
Energy Efficient
Live comfortably and save energy with these shades. Designer to keep a room warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Door Coverings
Manage natural light and add privacy with these window treatments that work well for sliding-glass and patio doors.
Sound Absorption
Create a quieter, more relaxing room with these window treatments, which help absorb sound, reducing exterior noise.
Top-Down Bottom-Up
For privacy and natural light, position shades from the top, bottom or both. These shades have this feature available.
Products
Motorized Window CoveringsMotorized Window Coverings
Enjoy the convenience of motorized window coverings.
Window Covering Measuring & Installations
Our measuring and installation service will ensure an exact fit for your window coverings.
About Us
Benchmark Shutters & Shades is a family owned, locally operated business specializing in interior window coverings for your home or business.
Raleigh, NC
For almost two decades, Benchmark Shutters & Shades has brought exceptional window treatments to homes across Raleigh, NC, and the surrounding communities.
Durham, NC
We all come to a point with our homes when we decide that the window treatments need to be updated.
Chapel Hill, NC
At Benchmark Shutters & Shades, we can’t wait to help you transform your home by upgrading your window treatments.
Apex, NC
Since 2005, Benchmark Shutters & Shades has brought superior window treatments to homes and businesses throughout central North Carolina.
Blinds & Shades by Room
Bathroom Bedroom Home Office Kitchen Living Room Media Room Nursery & Kids RoomBlinds & Shades by Window Shape
Angled Windows Arched Windows Bay, Bow, Corner Windows French Doors Sidelights Sliding Glass Doors Skylights Large Windows Panel-Track Blinds Picture WindowsBlinds & Shades by Function
Automated Blackout Energy Efficient Light Filtering Child and Pet-Friendly Cordless Energy-Efficient ShadesAll Design Ideas
See current and past decorating ideas from our 'Fresh Ideas' Newsletter.
Bathroom
See window covering solutions for privacy and moisture-resistance.
Bedroom
See window covering solutions for privacy and room darkening.
Home Office
See window covering solutions for light filtering and glare control.
Kitchen
See window covering solutions for a variety of needs and kitchen styles.
Living Room
See window covering solutions for light filtering and UV protection.
Media Room
See room darkening window treatments for your media room.
Nursery & Kids Room
See child-safe window coverings for baby nurseries and kids rooms
Angled Windows
See blinds and shades for angled, sloped, and triangle-shaped windows.
Arched Windows
See blinds and shades for arched, half-circle or half-moon windows.
Bay, Bow, Corner Windows
See blinds and shades for bay, bow and corner windows.
French Doors
See shutters, blinds and shades for French Doors.
Sidelights
See blinds and shades for sidelight windows.
Sliding Glass Doors
See blinds and shades for patio and sliding-glass doors.
Skylights
See blinds and shades specifically suited for skylights.
Automated
See all options for automated blinds and shades.
Blackout
See our options for blinds and shades that best control light.
Energy Efficient
See blinds and shades that help save energy at the window.
Light Filtering
See blinds and shades for light filtering and UV protection.
Child and Pet-Friendly
See blinds and shades that are safer for children and pets.
Hunter Douglas Products
More Products & Services
Products
Inspiration & Solutions
Interior Design Ideas
Blinds & Shades by Room
Blinds & Shades by Window Shape
Blinds & Shades by Function
How To Layer Window Treatments
Homeowners benefit from layered window treatments for their North Carolina residence, from improved light control and insulation to a more personalized style with deeper design depth. These features are why our team at Benchmark Shutters & Shades is here today looking at how homeowners can craft these elevated layered looks with Hunter Douglas window treatments and five easy-to-follow tips from our design team:
Tip 1: Play Hard Against Soft
Textures often work best in design when you pair them with a contrasting texture, which is why we like to play hard against soft in our layered window fashions. For example, the hard textures of wood shutters under layered drapery have a flowing and firm look. Use the graceful stylings of the drapery fabrics to create the eye-catching top element of design with the solid-colored shutters as the root of the window fashion color palette.
Tip 2: Think About Layers in Terms of Style and Performance
The benefits of layered window fashions come from the cumulative total of all its components. When crafting new layered window designs, it’s essential to have a clear intention, with each additional layer being aesthetic, functional, or both—for instance, combining cellular shades with layered drapery. The base layer of cellular shades might improve insulation for the benefit of lowered energy bills year-round, while the top layer of drapery uses its broad range of fabric options to create a one-of-a-kind look.
Tip 3: Individualize Installation for a Unified Aesthetic
How you install a window treatment can drastically affect its final look. Think about the different looks of drapery when it’s hung floor-to-ceiling versus drapery fit to the size of a window. In layered treatments, we like to mix installation styles, such as mixing textures to add interest and depth to the design. For a mix of harmonious installation styles with Hunter Douglas window treatments, we might layer drapery hung floor-to-ceiling with wood blinds that fit precisely.
Tip 4: Add Custom Accents
With Hunter Douglas drapery, homeowners can purchase many of the fabrics by the yard to create custom accents. We love making throw pillows to complement the layered drapery. Not only are throw pillows an incredibly affordable option for custom design, but you can also layer them by matching, coordinating, or contrasting fabrics. And since throw pillows are easy to change and replace, it’s one way homeowners can keep their interior design feeling fresh all year round without having to make significant modifications to their home decor.
Tip 5: Value Yourself by Investing in User Convenience
Motorized blinds are incredibly easy for homeowners to use and a great way to elevate performance and improve efficiency with automated operation. With PowerView® Automation, there’s no more fumbling with knotted cords or putting up with the messy, unseemly look of loose lines as PowerView® eliminates the need for cords. In their place, PowerView® offers modern options for control, including a handheld remote, online app, compatibility with home assistant programs, or full integration into select smart home programs.
Find Layered Drapery near Apex, North Carolina
Follow our tips for layered window treatments for your North Carolina home, and contact our design team at Benchmark Shutters & Shades with any questions about Hunter Douglas window treatments. We can help you customize one-of-a-kind treatments with layered drapery, cellular shades, shutters, blinds, and motorized shades. Benchmark Shutters & Shades serves Raleigh-Durham, Chapel Hill, and Apex, North Carolina. Request a consultation to work with our design team on your custom layered window treatments today.