Top Trend for 2008: Top-Of-The-Line Tastes Drive Demand
JELD-WEN® custom windows and doors offer endless ways to express personal style

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. February 13, 2008 —

Even though the new home market is sagging, luxury building and remodeling continues its steady climb toward the highest spending ever.

High-end remodeling activity has reached record highs in the past five years because there is no shortage of homeowners willing to pay for the best. Whether it’s honed granite countertops or hand-rubbed copper windows, these products mark the many ways homeowners express their high-style taste.

The rise in luxury remodeling activity goes hand-in-hand with rising costs, according to REALTOR Magazine’s “Cost vs. Value Report,” the industry standard for home resale values. For example, a minor kitchen remodel costs about 20 percent more than it did five years ago, and it is not uncommon for homeowners to spend upwards of $17,000 on new wood windows, REALTOR reported.

“Homeowners want to feel like they’re getting the most for their money. Opulent details such as copper cladding and mahogany wood are the payoffs,” said Rod Clark, product marketing manager for JELD-WEN® Windows & Doors. “We’re able to offer custom options that cater to this craving for luxury and also satisfy the universal need for reliability and convenience.”

Here is a brief overview of JELD-WEN product categories with the luxurious look that appeals to homeowners and custom options that satisfy designers.

First impressions at the front door
When it comes to evoking an air of luxury at home, nothing beats the first impression made by the front door. Unique door system combinations are available at JELD-WEN for a variety of tastes. For instance, the cherry blossom etched glass in a JELD-WEN® Custom Fiberglass door was originally developed from the inspiration of the cherry blossoms in Washington D.C. Now this unique design is a standard glass offering.

“We’re experiencing increasing interest in entry doors with all the bells and whistles — larger sizes, custom glass, grilles and hardware,” said Elizabeth Souders, product marketing manager for JELD-WEN doors. “Homeowners with top-of-the-line tastes are very focused on their front doors, and others seeking an upgrade see this as a good place to invest in making a statement.”

Homeowners are also finding that increased door widths deliver a “wow” factor. Patio doors that open up whole walls and entry doors with expanded widths, heights, added transoms and sidelights are all increasingly popular with the luxury living set.
 
Those who desire the beauty of real wood without the maintenance can take advantage of the latest in fiberglass technology for their elaborate front entries. JELD-WEN Custom Fiberglass doors are visually indistinguishable from wood and offer exceptional durability and performance.

For the ultimate in curb appeal, JELD-WEN® Custom Wood windows are the first choice for many designers working on high-end residential projects. That’s because JELD-WEN artisans can create virtually any size or shape, as well as call upon a library of wood species, custom textured glass and jewel-like cladding options.

That means homeowners can indulge with beautiful windows throughout their projects and can exercise unlimited creative flexibility, even matching wood species with custom millwork in the home.

“Dream up the most elaborate mahogany window with textured glass and handrubbed copper cladding and we can make it,” Clark said. “JELD-WEN offers a broad selection of materials that satisfies the high-end customer.”

Perfect match – Phantom Screens® Technology
Matching wood species, even in built-in options, is a telling detail when it comes to lavish home design. Non-coordinating woods can be a signal that someone scrimped on the details, while coordinating woods gives an air of understated luxury.

JELD-WEN answers this demand with a revolutionary new option for Custom Wood windows: built-in Phantom Screens technology. True to their name, Phantom Screens retract out of sight when not in use.

When an insect screen is needed, Phantom Screens easily slide into place. The housing for each screen blends seamlessly with the window frame, and several woods are available, including mahogany, red alder, Douglas fir and pine.

“This option offers total integration of Phantom Screens into the custom window, rather than adding on the screen at a later time with materials that may not match,” Clark said.

A place for storage and style
The garage is an often forgotten space within the home. However, as homes increase in size, the garage brings more value and attention to the house. To emphasize its luxury status, homeowners are demanding more stylized garage doors that coordinate with the architectural design of the house.

JELD-WEN’s Wood Composite garage doors present a variety of designs to complement different architectural styles of homes. For instance, the Estate Series garage doors replicate an Old World style with decorative hardware and multi-planked, grooved designs. The doors may have an Old World, antique style but they are developed using industry-leading technology. JELD-WEN’s Wood Composite garage doors are made from the same durable material throughout, providing superior insulation and exceptional performance benefits — they won’t crack, sag, separate or shrink, even in extreme temperatures.

From blockbuster entry doors to show stopping window details, JELD-WEN offers the right product mix for the luxury lifestyle.

About JELD-WEN
JELD-WEN, inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of reliable windows and doors. Based in Klamath Falls, Ore., JELD-WEN began as a small Oregon millwork plant in 1960 and has grown into a company with nearly 150 divisions and more than 20,000 employees worldwide. JELD-WEN is the official window, door and millwork provider of the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour, Proud Partner of THE PLAYERS and title sponsor of the JELD-WEN Tradition. Since 1998, JELD-WEN has been an ENERGY STAR® Partner with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. Eleven JELD-WEN® product lines and all windows and doors constructed with AuraLast® wood have earned the Good Housekeeping Seal. JELD-WEN® windows and doors have been honored by numerous consumer and industry publications. In 2005, JELD-WEN® IWP® Aurora™ Custom Fiberglass exterior doors received a Consumers Digest Best Buy rating. For more information about the exceptional value and reliability of JELD-WEN products, or to find a dealer near you, please visit www.jeld-wen.com or call 800-877-9482.

Sources:
“Remodeling activity and spending has reached record highs in the past five years.” REALTOR Magazine’s annual “Cost vs. Value Report,”2006.

“A minor kitchen remodel costs about 20 percent more than it did five years ago.” REALTOR Magazine’s annual “Cost vs. Value Reports,” 2001 and 2006.

“It’s not uncommon for homeowners to spend upwards of $17,000 on wood window replacements.” REALTOR Magazine’s annual “Cost vs. Value Report,” 2006.