Leaders In Innovation

Duette® Honeycomb Shades

The first cellular shade

Introduced in 1985

The Backstory

Duette® Honeycomb Shades were the brainchild of Wendell Colson, Vice President of Research and Development at Hunter Douglas. But the creation of Duette shades began long before Colson had even heard of us.

Back in the mid-70s, Colson was a college grad with an architecture degree. And like many young adults during that time, he didn’t aspire to work for a corporation. “It was much cooler to do something counter-corporate. I certainly felt that way—so I bought an old house in Virginia, renovated it, sold it, made some money, and then bought a run-down Victorian house in Boston.”

Colson moved into the house, which had south-facing single and double pane windows, while he renovated it.

“In the middle of winter you’d bask in the sun; at night, you froze,” commented Colson. “I thought, ‘We need something that will insulate these kinds of windows.’”

“In the middle of winter you’d bask in the sun; at night, you froze,” commented Colson. “I thought, ‘We need something that will insulate these kinds of windows.’”

Not only did Colson have drafty windows—this was also the time of the 1970s energy crisis—which made the idea of energy-efficient window coverings even more opportune.

Always an entrepreneur, Colson went to work in his attic, designing a product and putting together equipment to make it. He fabricated a machine out of wood, with a motorcycle transmission and electric drills parts, and built the first model of a honeycomb shade using Mylar and cardboard stiffeners.

That was in 1977.

Always an entrepreneur, Colson went to work in his attic, designing a product and putting together equipment to make it. He fabricated a machine out of wood, with a motorcycle transmission and electric drills parts, and built the first model of a honeycomb shade using Mylar and cardboard stiffeners.

In the following 8 years, Colson and his honeycomb shades took a circuitous route from his Boston attic to Broomfield, Colorado. There, he ended up at Hunter Douglas. Recognizing the need for such an innovative product, we acquired his company and technology in March 1985—and launched the product as Duette Honeycomb Shades.

From the onset, Duette shades were a huge success. Colson continued to invent—and in the 1990s, he turned to developing wall insulation using honeycomb material instead of fiberglass. He focused on creating a multi-layered Duette, which in turn, became Duette Architella®, providing even greater insulation than Duette shades.

From the onset, Duette shades were a huge success. Colson continued to invent—and in the 1990s, he turned to developing wall insulation using honeycomb material instead of fiberglass. He focused on creating a multi-layered Duette, which in turn, became Duette Architella®, providing even greater insulation than Duette shades.

What Makes Duette Unique?

In addition to being the first honeycomb shade on the market, Duette shades also have a variety of distinctive features and benefits:

Superior Energy Efficiency

Duette and Duette Architella shades are the most energy-efficient shades available—and both have received AERC ratings for interior window coverings. (Hunter Douglas was the first company to receive such ratings for window coverings.) The Duette and Duette Architella shade collections also have the most eligible products available for the Federal Energy Tax Credit.

Outstanding Design

Not only does the shade itself boast an outstanding design, but the manual control options do, as well. Both the LiteRise® system and UltraGlide® wand are ergonomically designed for a comfortable control that’s easy to use, feels good in your hand, and looks good, too.

Outstanding Design

Not only does the shade itself boast an outstanding design, but the manual control options do, as well. Both the LiteRise® system and UltraGlide® wand are ergonomically designed for a comfortable control that’s easy to use, feels good in your hand, and looks good, too.

Beautiful Fabrics

We evolved Colson’s original Mylar concept to create Duette shades that are as beautiful as they are functional, with fabric options using premium, globally sourced woven materials and simulated woven fabrics with lots of texture, naturals fibers and yarn—all available in a wide range of colors.

Color Coordination

We offer a full range of colors to complement any design aesthetic, with color-coordinated products in 34 colors. Meaning, if you order a green Duette shade, it will come with a color-matched green headrail and color-matched green handle. We mix our own custom colors from scratch in Colorado for printing our honeycomb fabrics, based on the latest color trends.

Color Coordination

We offer a full range of colors to complement any design aesthetic, with color-coordinated products in 34 colors. Meaning, if you order a green Duette shade, it will come with a color-matched green headrail and color-matched green handle. We mix our own custom colors from scratch in Colorado for printing our honeycomb fabrics, based on the latest color trends.

Award-Winning Smart Control

The Consumer Technology Association awarded PowerView® Automation, which is available on Duette shades, automated shade product of the year in 2023. The PowerView Pebble® remote won a 2023 IF Design Award—one of the most prestigious design awards in the world.

if-designaward2023.png

Award-Winning Smart Control

The Consumer Technology Association awarded PowerView® Automation, which is available on Duette shades, automated shade product of the year in 2023. The PowerView Pebble® remote won a 2023 IF Design Award—one of the most prestigious design awards in the world.

if-designaward2023.png

Duette Gallery

Duette in Elan Bisque

Architella® Elan®

Matte Sheen Fabric in Bisque
Duette in Elan Bisque

Architella® Elan®

Matte Sheen Fabric in Bisque
Duette in Alexa Desert Sands

Architella® Alexa

Textured Fabric in Desert Sands
Duette Alexa in Desert Sands

Architella® Alexa

Woven-Like Fabric in Desert Sands
Duette in Alexa Skye

Architella® Alexa

Textured Fabric in Skye
Duette Elan with LightLock

Architella® Elan®

Matte Sheen Fabric in Black Onyx
Whitney Leigh Morrison Living Room

Architella® Elan®

Fabric in Birch Bark
Duette Honeycomb Shades in Birch Bark

Architella® Elan®

Fabric in Birch Bark
Duette Thea in Hudson Gray

Architella® Thea

Fabric in Hudson Gray
Duette Honeycomb Shades in Bedroom

Alustra® Architella®

Textured Fabric in Vintage
Duette Apollo in Reflections

Architella® Apollo

Sheer-Like Fabric in Reflections
Duette Alexa in Desert Sands

Architella® Alexa

Textured Fabric in Desert Sands
Duette in Metallic Ceti

Architella® Alexa Metallic™

Metallic Sheen Fabric in Ceti
Duette Elan in Cider

Architella® Elan®

Matte Sheen Fabric in Cider
Duette in Calypso Swell

Architella® Calypso™

Woven-Like Fabric in Swell
Duette India Silk in Temple

Architella® India Silk

Silk-Like Fabric in Temple
Duette in Classic London Sky

Architella® Classic

Woven-Like Fabric in London Sky
Duette Batiste in Bamboo

Architella® Batiste

Woven-Like Fabric in White Truffel
Duette Elan in Whisper

Architella® Elan®

Matte Sheen Fabric in Whisper
Duette in Alexa Modern Gray

Architella® Alexa

Textured Fabric in Modern Gray
Duette Elan Fabric Duolite

Architella® Elan®

Matte Sheen Fabric in Dark Chocolate
Duette in India Silk Tiger Eye

Architella® India Silk

Silk-Like Fabric in Tiger Eye
Duette Elan Metallic in Polished Pearl

Architella® Elan®Metallic

Fabric in Polished Pearl
Duette Batiste in Desert Sands

Batiste Semi-Sheer

Duette in Elan Volcanic Ash

Architella® Elan®

Matte Sheen Fabric in Volcanic Ash
Duette in Elan Julep

Architella® Elan®

Matte Sheen Fabric in Julep
Duette Elan in Revive

Architella® Elan®

Matte Sheen Fabric in Revive
Duette Thea in Hudson Gray

Architella® Thea

Fabric in Hudson Gray
Duette Batiste in Bamboo

Architella® Batiste Bamboo

Robust Sheer Fabric in Whisper
Duette Classic in Desert Sands

Classic

Woven-Like Fabric in Desert Sands

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Duette Honeycomb Shades in Bedroom

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