HUNTER DOUGLAS Silhouette: Design and Operation

Silhouette window shadings combine the light control of a blind, the function of a shade, and the softness of a curtain in one proprietary design. The soft, adjustable fabric vanes are suspended between two sheer fabric facings going beyond traditional shades with an infinite range of light filtration. Completely open, the view of the outside world is subdued. Partially to completely closed, there's a softly diffused glow with opalescent translucency. When raised, the entire shading disappears into a sleek headrail.

A closer look at Hunter Douglas Silhouette® Window Shadings.
Originale™ - 2" 33 colors with classic woven vanes.	Originale - 3" 12 popular colors with classic woven vanes. Larger vane size gives a wider, more dramatic view of the outside world.
Bon Soir™ - 2" and 3" 12 designer colors with light-dimming fabric vanes that provide light control and privacy by reducing the transmission of direct sunlight.	Toujours™ - 2" and 3" 6 soft, neutral colors with linen-textured vanes. Adds a classic, yet casual dimension to any room.
Naturelle™ - 2" and 3" 6 designer colors, from soft pastels to midtones, with crinkle-textured vanes. Presents a casual appearance	Jolie™ - 3" 3 soft vane colors (blanche, créme and almonde) with textured facings. Accommodates any style from casual to traditional.
Nuance™ Matte - 3" 9 designer colors, in solid tones	Nuance Motif - 3" 9 popular colors with embossed-textured vanes.
APPLICATIONS In addition to manually operated, standard rectangular shadings, Silhouette window shadings can be ordered to fit specialty shapes, narrow openings and motorized applications.

Silhouette: Design and Operation:

CORD LOOP
OPERATION
Manual shadings are operated using a continuous cord loop. As shown in the illustration below (Fig. 1), from the fully raised position [1], pulling down on the rear half of the cord loop lowers the shading [2, 3]. After it is fully lowered, continue to pull down on the cord. This pivots the bottom rail and opens the fabric vanes [4]. When the vanes are wide open [5], two limit stops in the headrail prevent further cord movement in that direction.

With the fabric vanes wide open, pulling down on the front half of the cord loop first closes the vanes [6, 7] and then raises the window shading [8]. When it is fully raised [1], the limit stops again halt cord movement, preventing the bottom rail from being retracted too far into the headrail.

Light Control
With the shading in the fully lowered position, the continuous cord loop is used to adjust the fabric vanes from open to closed, and anywhere in between. Light control is at your customer's fingertips. (Note: The degree of maximum vane closure varies slightly from the top to the bottom of the shading.)

Tilt-Only Shadings
Tilt-only shadings are available to cover narrow window openings, from 6" to 11 7/8" wide. The vanes are fully adjustable using the continuous cord loop, but the shading must remain in the completely lowered position. Hold-down brackets are used to anchor the bottom rail.

Two Types of Limit Stops
Different limit stops are used for standard and oversized headrails. These limit stops are not interchangeable. If a limit stop needs to be replaced, it must be replaced with the correct design for a standard or oversized headrail.

Shown below are the principal visual differences between the two types of limit stops (Fig. 2).

VANE OPERATION
Opening
Vanes on all Silhouette® fabrics open to slightly different degrees. Consequently, there are variations in visibility through the shadings when the vanes are tilted to their maximum open positions. The variations among the products are shown (Fig. 3) when looking through the shadings at eye level.

Closure
When the vanes of a Silhouette shading are closed, they overlap each other, blocking the view. However, the vanes do not contact each other along the full length of the shading - they do not form a perfect seal against light leakage. This is most visible toward the bottom of the shading.

Vane closure is measured as the distance between the front and rear fabric facings 6" up from the lowest point of the bottom rail, with the shading fully lowered and the vanes closed (Fig. 4).

For all two-inch fabrics, except for Bon Soir shadings, the vane closure is 5/8" for shadings under 60" in length and 7/8" for shadings over 60" in length. For Bon Soir shadings, the vane closure is 5/8" regardless of length. For all Silhouette 3" fabrics, the vane closure is 1".

Side-By-Side Alignment
When manual Silhouette window shadings are installed side by side, vane alignment can be guaranteed within 1/4" only if:

The ordered height measurements are exactly the same.

The shadings are the same color and ordered at the same time.

OPTIONS
Dust Cover
An optional dust cover can be attached to the top of the headrail (Fig. 5) to protect the fabric and internal operating mechanisms. The entire cover is used on outside mounted units. For inside mounted applications, the dust cover can be sized to fit only the portion of the headrail that protrudes from the window casement.

Back Cover
With inside mounted shadings, an optional back cover may be used to conceal the open rear side of the headrail. This provides a more uniform exterior appearance. The back cover is secured in place by a back cover bracket attached to the installation bracket . Use of the back cover adds 1/4" to minimum inside mounting depths.

SHADING ADJUSTMENT
Shadings should wind evenly and not skew to one side.

A balance weight on the bottom rail can easily be adjusted if the fabric winds unevenly on the roll when the window shading is raised. Uneven winding can cause damage to the edge of the Silhouette fabric.

If skewing does occur:

- Ensure headrail was installed level; shim if necessary.

- Adjust placement of weight in bottom rail, 1" at a time, toward side where fabric is gathering.

See Installation Guidelines section for detailed adjustment procedures.

Silhouette® Window Shadings