MONDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE FALL SEASON that is especially suited for a bout of nostalgia. Maybe it’s childhood memories of going back to school in your favorite autumn sweater. Or perhaps it’s sitting in front of a cozy fire with your family under an heirloom quilt. Reflections of autumn’s past seem to creep up on us with that first touch of chill in the air and that first leaf turning orange-red and dropping. Nostalgia, defined as a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations, is the cornerstone of Max Humphrey’s design philosophy and his new Fall21 Collection by Hartmann&Forbes.

We sat down with Humphrey to discuss his process, inspiration, and what it was like designing his first collection with Hartmann&Forbes.

H&F: What’s your design process? What inspires you?
MH: I’m inspired by things I remember about my childhood growing up in New England. In my case, it was plaid sofas in the living room, antique stores on the weekends with my parents, and a sort of New England country preppy look. My aesthetic life has been about creating that as an adult. For my creative process, a lot of it is product-based; I like to go shopping to get the juices flowing. It could be finding a little vintage paint-by-numbers painting that inspires the color palette of a room. 

H&F: What inspired you to want to do a window covering collection? 
MH: There is such a disparity between good and bad quality window coverings. I think it’s a category where you get what you pay for – invest in quality, and you’ll see a return on that investment. It’s also something that has a real mix between aesthetic and function. They serve a function to block the light because it's a TV room or a kid’s bedroom but also have to look great. 
I wanted to design a product that wasn’t out there in the market already. Which is an interesting pattern and design that isn't boring but can be layered into other parts of the room. And made by a locally owned company using sustainable materials.

H&F: How would you describe your style?
MH: Modern Americana. 

H&F: How would you describe modern Americana?
MH: Design rooted in nostalgia. It’s something that’s left open a little bit for people to interpret in their own way, but for me, it’s ginghams, plaids, vintage quilts, things that you remember from growing up but maybe can be made modern in new ways but still rooted in the past. 

H&F: Are there particular colors or patterns in your designs that you find yourself returning to often?
MH: Blue is my favorite color. I think it’s everybody’s favorite color. I think a lot about clothing when I think about design – it’s all about blue jeans. Forever in Blue Jeans. And black and white goes with everything; modern, traditional, glamour, deco, farmhouse. It’s a color palette that can be applied in different ways.

H&F: What was it like working on a collaboration with H&F?
MH: A lot of the original inspiration was based on things like blankets and old sweaters and random vintage textiles.  I’m very visual and initially, I had no idea how my little sketches and swatches of fabrics and cut-out pieces of graph paper would translate into a grassweave. It was so exciting to see the first round of actual samples come back from the weaver.

H&F: How important was it to use natural fibers to create the design versus doing something like a screenprint? 
MH: Super important. It’s all about texture. These are patterns, but the most important thing is that they all have texture, giving a softness to them. These could look very harsh if they were screen-printed fabrics. You can find similar designs in the screen-printed fabric world, and I’m not interested in that. But you can’t find these in a grassweave world. Product design for me is developing things that aren’t there – that you want.

H&F: How did you feel when you saw the designs for the first time?
MH: Instantly like, "this is exactly right." It felt very easy. From the first set of samples, it was “yep, even if nothing changes, this is great.” This collaboration just clicked and it never felt like work.

H&F: How did you decide which designs you wanted to use for this first collection? 
MH: I wanted everything to be immediately recognizable. For people to see it and associate it with me and be like, “yes, of course, he’s going to do that.” Like music, I wanted to play my greatest hits.

H&F: What is great about these designs is that anyone can look at them and have some sort of connection to them – a grandmother’s well-loved quilt, a favorite gingham check shirt, a favorite cable knit sweater. 
MH: Yes! Yes, there’s something comfortable and comforting about them. And it’s also really well made and custom. Really high-end, high quality. If I had to define luxury, it’s not the stuff you can’t touch; it’s stuff that’s well made that gets better with time. Timeless.

H&F: How important are window coverings in the overall design of a room?
MH: Window coverings are always the first thing I pick for a room along with the rug. They go hand-in-hand and have to talk to each other. If they’re bold, they can set the tone, or if everything else is bold, they can sort of be worked in. You’ll notice there are no solids in my collection – Hartmann & Forbes didn’t need me for that. But some of these subtle patterns can work as solids. The Gingham can be used as a neutral, Quilt is a solid to me, Cableknit is a solid.

H&F: You have specified projects with other window covering companies in the past. Why did you decide to work with Hartmann&Forbes?
MH: A big part of my design philosophy is working local and shopping local, supporting local businesses and communities. There are artistic aspects of what an interior designer does, but the bottom line is that it’s a service industry. I rely heavily on customer service from the brands and manufacturers that I work with. That’s why it’s super important to work with a local company that is design trade-focused, just from an industry standpoint that’s not retail-focused or direct to consumer. It ensures quality and makes things more special and unique. It encourages people to respect the process, which is you hire an interior designer who then provides the service and materials and works with the showrooms. I’m old school in that way.

Published this year, Humphrey’s first design book is called Modern Americana.

The Max Humphrey Collection by Hartmann&Forbes features five Woven-to-Size Grassweave Windowcovering series.

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 13, 2021


A Complimentary Concierge Service for the Interior Design Community

The best-designed interiors offer more than a comfortable or beautiful place to live – they enhance the experience of living. They are designed with an expectation to simplify life with effortless and intelligent functionality. It is for these refined interiors that Hartmann&Forbes automates handwoven natural windowcoverings.

The H&F offering has evolved naturally with the advancement of available motor technology and is designed to accommodate all levels of control and project complexity. Our Automation Specialists are available to collaborate with your team of architects, builders, installers, and integrators to help you design, specify and manage your automated windowcovering projects to ensure successful specification and installation.

 

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

Recognized as a design change-maker, Max Humphrey is a Portland-based interior designer, art director, product designer, and author. His trademark lived-in, layered look has earned accolades, including being named a “Next Wave” designer by House Beautiful and one of Country Living’s 100 most creative people. Humphrey’s new collection celebrates modern Americana with a nod to nostalgia and a fresh take on classic prints and patterns rendered in Hartmann&Forbes’ handwoven natural textiles.

“For me, design is nostalgia. I’m inspired by things from my New England childhood like gingham, plaids, vintage quilts, cable knit sweaters, and old grain sacks,” explains Humphrey. “Collaborating with Hartmann&Forbes, allowed me the freedom to reinterpret these designs in a modern, natural way.”

The Max Humphrey Collection by Hartmann&Forbes features five Woven-to-Size Grassweave Windowcovering designs. 

 

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

Welcoming JAB as our new representative showroom at the D&D Building in New York City. With a display space of roughly 2600 square feet, their stylish NY showroom presents the most exciting trends from the discriminating world of furnishing textiles. We’re excited to be partnering with this leading showroom, whose values and commitment to sustainability aligns so well with ours. 

JAB Anstoetz
979 Third Ave.
D&D Building, Suite 102
New York, NY 10022
212-486-1500
JAB Anstoetz New York

MONDAY AUGUST 9, 2021

Coinciding with the ever-increasing interest in environmental issues is a significant new design trend: biophilia, a Greek term meaning the love of nature. Based on the idea that humans are innately drawn to living things, biophilic design aims to connect our built environment more closely to the natural world. Spaces that feature such elements as plant walls, scenic vistas and natural materials, for instance, have been scientifically proven to reduce stress and enhance health and wellbeing.

With an abiding belief in the restorative effects of organic materials, Hartmann&Forbes embodies many of the concepts in biophilic design. The finest sustainable fibers from the natural world provide the foundation for our brand’s designs, making it easy to bring the outdoors in. We reimagine nature’s raw beauty in exquisite window, wall, and textile collections, transforming a home into a soothing sanctuary.

Learn More About the Making of a Natural Shade

Explore Our Bespoke Natural Windowcoverings

Explore Our Bespoke Natural Wallcoverings

MONDAY AUGUST 2, 2021

If you’re planning to install in time for the holidays, please check order placement dates below. Any orders placed after deadline dates will require pre-approval and may incur rush charges. 

Order deadline for shipment by 11/18/21
· 08/25/21 – Woven-to-Size: Roman Style, Roller Style, Draperies, Panelscreen, Top Treatments
· 10/06/21 – Tailored-to-Size: Roman Style, Panelscreen, Top Treatments
· 11/03/21 – Tailored-to-Size: Roller Style

Order deadline for shipment by 12/16/21
· 09/20/21 – Woven-to-Size: Roman Style, Roller Style, Draperies, Panelscreen, Top Treatments
· 11/01/21 – Tailored-to-Size: Roman Style, Panelscreen, Top Treatments
· 12/01/21 – Tailored-to-Size: Roller Style

Please note the following –
· Customer Provided Motor, and Special Order Motors may extend lead time.
· Large quantity orders (over 20 units) may have increased lead times
· Tailored-to-Size weaves must be in inventory
· Express shipment fees may apply depending on when you place the order, the shipping address, and the need by date
· Dates are estimated and not guaranteed without a Rush Charge
· Shades over 119”W will not be guaranteed for holiday delivery due to COVID-19 shipping restrictions. Please consider ordering multiple shades or multiple shades on one headrail
· Deadlines are dependent on production capacity. Once capacity is filled holiday deadline requests will not be accepted.

Thank you for your continued support.

MONDAY JULY 12, 2021

If you’ve ever run your hands over a natural cork wallcovering, you may have been surprised how soft and suede-like it felt; there’s something textural and tactile about it. The warmth of this natural product lends itself to just about any design style and connects the interior environment to the natural world outside. In addition to the aesthetic beauty of cork, it’s also a sustainable and renewable resource.

Cork is harvested in Portugal from the Cork Oak Tree’s inner layer of bark tissue. Because only the cork is harvested, the tree remains healthy and can actually absorb three times as much CO2 as an unharvested tree. Cork Oaks are unique in that they can regenerate their outer bark, and over the average lifetime of 200 years, the tree can be harvested over 16 times. These evergreen trees grow to heights of 65 feet, increasing the amount of cork harvested with each interval over its lifetime.

Why does cork make such an excellent wallcovering? Cork is a natural sound absorber, reducing the noise within rooms, creating a quieter, cozy environment. It is also a natural insulator, helping to regulate the temperature within a room. Its surface properties are especially suited for people with allergies, in that it is antibacterial, dust-repellent, breathable, and moisture-repellent. It’s also a beautiful natural material, with its own unique variations. No two will be the same.

Hartmann&Forbes has three different specialty wallcovering series made from cork:

Made of hand-stripped cork, the ALPINE series is reminiscent of snow-capped summits, rich pine forests and glacial meadows brings home the seldom-experienced richness of a soft-to-the-touch wilderness. Available in five colorways. 

The CATHEDRAL series resembles the glossy bark of rain-soaked Aspens in the Cathedral region of the Colorado mountains, this innovative design is created with hand-sliced cork skillfully placed on metallic backing paper, then printed with a design inspired by winter woodlands. Available in six colorways. 

The radiant finish of the LAKE SHORE series is reminiscent of skyscrapers rising up from Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago. Hand-peeled cork is backed with metallic paper and hand-blocked with a metallic finish. Available in three colorways.

THURSDAY JUNE 17, 2021

For over 20 years, we have been continually seeking ways to minimize our impact throughout the harvesting, weaving, and finishing processes, as well as drive change within our industry. It’s our journey to a sustainable way of doing business, which is why we are honored to be recognized as #6 on the list of Oregon Business Magazine’s “100 Best Green Workplaces,” marking our ninth consecutive year and continuing to rise up the ranks from #21 in 2020 and #32 in 2019.

“We believe business can be a powerful platform for change, so we are honored to be recognized as a top company in the state for all of our efforts,” explains Michael Jones, Hartmann&Forbes Founder. “In spite of one of the most unusual years of our lives, we are committed to continuing to build a conscious business to drive improvements within the design industry, offering a more sustainable future for the generations that follow.”

The creation of each Hartmann&Forbes handwoven shade and wallcovering begins by choosing only the finest sustainable fibers, each rapidly renewable and grown in well-managed ecosystems – to create sanctuary through natural design.

Congratulations to all the companies in Oregon who earned this accomplishment.

LEARN MORE ABOUT H&F SUSTAINABILITY

WEDNESDAY MAY 19, 2021

THE STARTING POINT IN SMART HOME AUTOMATION

The Newton™ Smart Shade System is a sophisticated shade control option for upgrading a manual cord-lock or clutch control at an affordable price point.  

Motorize a single shade or a complete room with these internal, electric battery-powered motors. Shades are set into motion with a gentle tug of the tassel or a touch of the remote providing the ultimate in convenience and safety. Ideal for retrofit situations or when power cannot otherwise be provided at the window. 

Special features include:
· Safety by Design – safer for homes with children and pets
· Low Maintenance – rechargeable battery with a USB cable, battery life 500 cycles/approx one year
· Stylish – modern metal pull chain and tassel offered in four colorways
· Preprogrammed – shades are programmed before shipping
· Warranty – H&F 5 year motor warranty

STYLES
With over 400 weave options, the Newton Smart Shade System is available for Natural Woven Shades, Fabric Shades, and Performance Rollershades in Roman, Roller, or Rollerfold styles.

Automation simplified with our Newton Smart Shade System.

LEARN MORE

TUESDAY APRIL 20, 2021

Havana-loom

A passion for handweaving, design exploration and a love of nature continues to fuel the evolution and growth of our in-house collections. For Spring/Summer ’21 we’re thrilled to introduce updates to the following collections:



STUDIO CONCEPTS
Combinations of unique fibers, and techniques are the focus of these four new, individual, limited-edition designs.

 



ESSENCE COLLECTION
Rich jewel-tones and onyx add to this collection of Woven-to-Size Grassweave Windowcoverings. This versatile weave, now in 25 colorways, provides the design foundation for every space and style.

 




 

HANDWOVEN BORDER TRIMS
An exquisite collection of border trims handwoven in a new contemporary design. Available in five colorways coordinated to complement many of our windowcovering collections.

 



PERFORMANCE FABRICS
The solution when you need heat and glare reduction, UV filtration, and privacy. The 9000 series, with a modern textured design, is updated in the ever-popular bright white and shades of grey and brown.




 

Explore our New Arrivals >

 

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