Shades Blinds
Shades Blinds is a Scotland-based manufacturer and retailer of made-to-measure window blinds and shutters, serving residential homeowners across 16 Scottish towns via in-house production, shop-at-home consultations, and two retail showrooms, with over 150 employees and 30+ years of operation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersCumbernauld, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Shades Blinds does
Shades Window Blinds Limited (trading as Shades Blinds) is a Scotland-based manufacturer, supplier, and retailer of made-to-measure window blinds and shutters serving residential consumers. Founded in the early 1990s by Phil Lewis and headquartered in Cumbernauld near Glasgow, the company operates from in-house production facilities and employs over 150 staff across manufacturing, field sales, installation, and two physical showrooms (Parkhead Forge Market in Glasgow and Livingston Shopping Centre).
The product portfolio spans twelve core categories — roller, vertical, venetian, wooden, faux wood, roman, blackout, velux, conservatory, perfect fit, day & night blinds, and shutters — all custom-made to measure and priced per square metre fitted, ranging from £22.57 for vertical blinds to £199 for shutters. Distribution is hybrid: a "shop-at-home" sales team visits customers across 16 Scottish towns/cities with samples and takes measurements, supplemented by telephone sales (0333 and freephone 0800 lines), an instant online price calculator, and an appointment-booking system on the company's e-commerce website.
Revenue is generated entirely through one-time fitted product sales bundled with professional measuring and installation services, supported by a 5-year product guarantee and a "double the difference" price-match promise. The company operates exclusively within Scotland with no disclosed international footprint, no external funding, no parent company, and no disclosed acquisitions or partnerships — it is a founder-owned, organically-grown regional business.
Shades Blinds firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shades Blinds
- Legal name
- Shades Window Blinds Limited
- Website
- https://shades-blinds.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Shades Blinds is a Scotland-based manufacturer and retailer of made-to-measure window blinds and shutters, serving residential homeowners across 16 Scottish towns via in-house production, shop-at-home consultations, and two retail showrooms, with over 150 employees and 30+ years of operation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shades Blinds industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Window Blinds and Shutters
- NAICS
- Window Treatment Retailers (449122), Blind and Shade Manufacturing (337920)
- SIC
- Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700), Miscellaneous Furniture & Fixtures (2590)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Window Treatments & Shading Systems (Blinds, Shades, Awnings) (IMADAIAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Window Shades Retail (Roller, Roman, Cellular/Honeycomb, Solar) (CRAIAKAB), Custom Window Blinds Retail (Wood, Faux Wood, Aluminum, Vertical) (CRAIAKAA), Shutters Retail (Plantation, Interior/Exterior) (CRAIAKAE), Curtain, Blind & Shade Installation/Repair (HSAGAAAG)
Keywords
Where Shades Blinds is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cumbernauld
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Shades Blinds business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Blind Sales: One-time sale of made-to-measure blinds including roller, vertical, venetian, wooden, faux wood, roman, day & night, blackout, perfect fit, and conservatory blinds. Also includes shutters. Price is per square metre fitted.
- Measurement and Fitting Services: Professional measuring and installation services included with product purchases. Shop-at-home service where consultants visit customers to take measurements and present samples.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Shutters - £199.00 per M² fitted |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Faux Wood Blinds - £95.08 per M² fitted |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Roller Blinds - £27.78 per M² fitted |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Vertical Blinds - £22.57 per M² fitted |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Day & Night Blinds - £85.69 per M² fitted |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Real Wood Blinds - £64.13 per M² fitted |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Perfect Fit Blinds - £85.00 per M² fitted |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Velux Blinds - £75.00 per M² fitted |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Conservatory Blinds - £199 to £999 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Shades Blinds product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shades Blinds manufactures, supplies, and installs made-to-measure window blinds and shutters for residential customers across Scotland. The portfolio covers roller, vertical, venetian, wooden, faux wood, roman, day & night, blackout, perfect fit, conservatory, and Velux blinds, plus wooden plantation shutters, all custom-produced in-house. Sales are delivered through retail showrooms, a shop-at-home consultation service, phone ordering, and the company website, with professional measuring and fitting included in the per-square-metre price.
Product overview
Shades Blinds is a made-to-measure window blind and shutter retailer serving residential customers across Scotland. The company operates as a manufacturer, supplier, and retailer with in-house production facilities. The product portfolio centers on twelve core blind types: Roller Blinds, Shutters, Vertical Blinds, Wooden Blinds, Blackout Blinds, Venetian Blinds, Roman Blinds, Velux Blinds, Conservatory Blinds, Day & Night Blinds, Faux Wood Blinds, and Perfect Fit Blinds. All products are custom-made to measure and include professional installation. The company offers a 'shop at home' service where consultants bring samples to customers' homes. Key differentiators include a price-match guarantee, factory-direct pricing, and a 5-year guarantee on all products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Roller Blinds Personalizable made-to-measure roller blinds customized with various colors, patterns, and fabrics to add style and elegance to any room. Fully fitted at £27.78 per square metre.
- Shutters Wooden plantation shutters with adjustable louvres providing light control, privacy, and thermal insulation. Available from £199.00 per square metre measured and fitted.
- Vertical Blinds Tailor-made vertical blinds available in various colors and styles with adjustable slats for light and privacy control, suitable for rooms of any shape or size. Priced at £22.57 per square metre fitted.
- Wooden Blinds Made-to-measure wooden venetian blinds available in soft grain, perfect grain, and gloss wood options, suitable for kitchens and bathrooms. Real wood priced at £64.13 per square metre fitted.
- Blackout Blinds Blinds designed for complete privacy and light blocking, suitable for children's rooms or customers needing to block sunlight. Available in roller and vertical options.
- Venetian Blinds Classic venetian blinds in whites, blacks, creams and special finishes, with horizontal slats that rotate up to 180 degrees for light control and privacy.
- Roman Blinds Elegant blinds made from soft fabrics that form pleats when raised and hang flat when lowered, offering sophisticated styling with thermal insulation properties for winter warmth.
- Velux Blinds Specialist made-to-measure blinds for roof windows and skylights, designed to fit Velux and similar roof window dimensions. Available from £75.00 per square metre fitted.
- Conservatory Blinds Specialist made-to-measure blinds for conservatories and sunrooms designed to control light and heat levels, with high-performance fabrics providing solar protection and insulation. Currently on offer from £199 to £999.
- Day & Night Blinds Innovative made-to-measure blinds combining aspects of roller and venetian blinds with a dual-layer fabric system allowing variable light transparency control — one layer transparent and one solid, adjustable for voile, blackout, or fully open states. Priced at £85.69 per square metre fitted.
- Faux Wood Blinds Moisture-resistant alternative to real wood blinds offering stylish appearance suitable for humid environments such as bathrooms and kitchens. Available from £95.08 per square metre fitted.
- Perfect Fit Blinds Made-to-measure blinds that fit onto windows or doors without drilling, suitable for conservatories and uPVC windows. Available from £85.00 per square metre fitted.
- Shop at Home Measurement and Fitting Service Free, no-obligation in-home consultation service where sales representatives bring product samples to customers' homes, take measurements, and provide professional fitting of purchased blinds. Available morning, afternoon, or evening across Scotland.
Quantifiable outcome
- Double the difference money back guarantee if customer finds same blind cheaper elsewhere
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Shades Blinds
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Shades Blinds technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Shades Blinds partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Shades Blinds competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hunter Douglas: Global market leader in window coverings (parent of Hillarys). Overlaps with Shades Blinds through UK subsidiary competition and as a benchmark for vertically-integrated blinds manufacturing and distribution.
- Dunelm: UK's largest home furnishings retailer with a sizeable ready-made and made-to-measure blind range across physical stores and online. Competes with Shades Blinds on convenience and price for standard products but lacks bespoke in-home consultation.
- IKEA: Global home furnishings retailer with ready-made blind range at value price points, including some made-to-measure. Competes with Shades Blinds at the lower-priced end in Scotland via Edinburgh and Glasgow stores.
- John Lewis & Partners: UK department store with a national made-to-measure blind and curtain service including home consultation. Overlaps with Shades Blinds on the consultative, premium end of the market across the UK.
Direct peers
- Hillarys: UK's largest made-to-measure blind and curtain retailer with a national shop-at-home consultancy model, directly competing with Shades Blinds' core GTM. Hillarys is the closest large-scale analogue to Shades Blinds' service offering, though it operates at national rather than regional scale.
- Swift Direct Blinds: UK online-only made-to-measure blind specialist emphasising low prices and fast delivery. Direct online competitor to Shades Blinds, particularly on price for standard blind categories.
- 247 Blinds: Online UK retailer of made-to-measure blinds with broad product range. Competes with Shades Blinds' e-commerce offering across Scotland, particularly price-sensitive customers who prefer self-measure and online ordering.
- Blinds2go: UK-based direct-to-consumer online blinds retailer offering made-to-measure products across roller, vertical, venetian, wooden, roman, and shutters. Direct competitor in Scotland via online channel, undercutting on price and convenience.
Regional players
- English Blinds: UK made-to-measure blind manufacturer-retailer with similar consultative service and in-house manufacturing. Comparable vertically-integrated model to Shades Blinds but serving England rather than Scotland.
Others
- Decorquip: UK trade supplier of made-to-measure blinds, curtains, and shutters to retailers and interior designers. Indirectly comparable to Shades Blinds as a manufacturing/wholesale peer operating in the same supply chain but serving B2B rather than D2C.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Shades Blinds social profiles
Digital presenceShades Blinds financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shades Blinds leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Shades Blinds funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shades Blinds M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Shades Blinds
What does Shades Blinds do?
Shades Blinds manufactures, supplies, and installs made-to-measure window blinds and shutters for residential customers across Scotland. The portfolio covers roller, vertical, venetian, wooden, faux wood, roman, day & night, blackout, perfect fit, conservatory, and Velux blinds, plus wooden plantation shutters, all custom-produced in-house. Sales are delivered through retail showrooms, a shop-at-home consultation service, phone ordering, and the company website, with professional measuring and fitting included in the per-square-metre price.
Is Shades Blinds a public or private company?
Shades Blinds is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Shades Blinds founded?
Shades Blinds was founded in 1990. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Shades Blinds based?
Shades Blinds is headquartered in Cumbernauld, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Shades Blinds make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Blind Sales are the primary driver. The others are measurement and Fitting Services.
Who are Shades Blinds's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Hunter Douglas, Dunelm, IKEA and John Lewis & Partners. Direct peers are Hillarys, Swift Direct Blinds, 247 Blinds and Blinds2go. English Blinds is listed as a regional player. Decorquip is listed as an others.
Does Shades Blinds have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shades Blinds.
What industry is Shades Blinds in?
Shades Blinds's product category is Window Blinds and Shutters. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADAIAN, Window Treatments & Shading Systems (Blinds, Shades, Awnings), with a secondary code of CRAIAKAB, Window Shades Retail (Roller, Roman, Cellular/Honeycomb, Solar). Its NAICS code is 449122 and its SIC code is 5700.