National Window Shade

What National Window Shade does

National Window Shade is a privately held, family-owned manufacturer of custom window treatments founded in 1900 and headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, with a secondary location in Willowbrook, Illinois. The company operates a direct-to-consumer model serving residential homeowners in the Chicago metropolitan area, sending representatives to customers' homes to develop bespoke design plans for window coverings. Its core offerings are custom window shades (available in blackout or mesh materials with 1%-25% openness, in manual or motorized configurations), custom plantation shutters (in 2½", 3½", and 4½" louver sizes, paint- or stain-matched, including specialty shapes such as arched windows), and a broad catalog of other treatments including Woven Woods, Silhouettes®, Luminettes®, Duettes®, Vignettes® (Roman fold), Panel Tracks, and Wood Blinds.

The company's underlying technology is built around Somfy motorization systems: the firm holds Somfy Expert certification and integrates Somfy motors, controls, and the Somfy myLink mobile application, with smart-home connectivity through Amazon Alexa and IFTTT for scheduling, sensor-based, and weather-based automation. Manufacturing appears to be in-house and custom-configured rather than mass-produced. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time sales of custom window treatments plus installation services, with motorization and smart-home add-ons acting as higher-margin upgrades on top of the base product line. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, requiring direct customer contact, which is consistent with a project-based, low-volume, high-touch sales motion rather than an e-commerce or transactional retail model.

The company employs 11-50 people across its two Illinois locations, has no public funding history or institutional investors, and operates without subsidiaries or disclosed parent-company relationships. There is no evidence of multi-state expansion, franchise operations, or commercial/contractor channels; marketing is conducted primarily through the company's own website. In short, National Window Shade is a long-tenured, regionally focused custom window-treatment manufacturer whose competitive position rests on brand heritage, in-home consultation service, and a Somfy-certified motorized product offering within the Chicago market.

Name

National Window Shade

Legal name

National Window Shade

Website

https://nationalwindowshade.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

National Window Shade is a privately held, family-owned manufacturer of custom window shades, plantation shutters, and motorized window treatments serving residential homeowners in the Illinois/Chicago metro area through in-home design consultations since 1900.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Window Treatments

NAICS

Blind and Shade Manufacturing (33792), Window Treatment Retailers (449122)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMADAIAN

Window Treatments & Shading Systems (Blinds, Shades, Awnings)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Building Materials & Products/Doors, Windows & Architectural Openings

SECONDARYCRAIAKAA

Custom Window Blinds Retail (Wood, Faux Wood, Aluminum, Vertical)

Consumer Products & Retail/Home & Furniture Retail/Window Treatments Retail (Blinds, Shades, Curtains)

SECONDARYCRAIAKAB

Window Shades Retail (Roller, Roman, Cellular/Honeycomb, Solar)

Consumer Products & Retail/Home & Furniture Retail/Window Treatments Retail (Blinds, Shades, Curtains)

SECONDARYCRAIAMAL

Smart Window Shades & Motorized Treatments Retail

Consumer Products & Retail/Home & Furniture Retail/Smart Home & Home Security Retail

SECONDARYHSAGAAAG

Curtain, Blind & Shade Installation/Repair

Home & Personal Services/Home Repair, Maintenance & Handyman/General Handyman & Minor Repairs

Keywords

• Custom window shades
• Plantation shutters
• Motorized blinds
• Window treatments
• Residential window coverings

Headquarters

HQ city

Willowbrook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Window Covering Sales: Revenue generated from manufacturing and selling custom window shades, plantation shutters, and other window treatments including Woven Woods, Silhouettes, Luminettes, Duettes, Vignettes, Panel Tracks, and Wood Blinds. Sales occur through in-home consultations and direct customer engagement.
2. Motorization and Smart Home Add-ons: Additional revenue from Somfy motorization upgrades, smart home integration components, and related controls. Many products are offered with motorization options.
3. Installation Services: In-home installation services provided as part of the customer experience for custom window treatments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

National Window Shade is a custom manufacturer of residential window treatments, producing made-to-measure shades, plantation shutters, woven woods, silhouettes, luminettes, duettes, vignettes, panel tracks, and wood blinds. The company sells directly to homeowners via in-home design consultations in the Chicago metropolitan area and offers optional Somfy-powered motorization with smart home integration, followed by professional in-home installation.

Product overview

National Window Shade is a manufacturer of custom window treatments serving the Chicago area since 1900. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of window covering products centered around three core offerings: Custom Window Shades (available in blackout or mesh materials with 1%-25% openness), Plantation Shutters (in 2½", 3½", and 4½" louvers with custom paint/stain matching), and Motorized Shades powered by Somfy motorization systems. The product lineup is complemented by additional treatments including Woven Woods, Silhouettes®, Luminettes®, Duettes®, Vignettes® (Roman Fold), Panel Tracks, and Wood Blinds. Many products are available with motorization options for enhanced convenience. The company provides in-home design consultation services to help customers develop customized window treatment solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Window Shades

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SomfycoreTechnology or IntegrationNational Window Shade is a Somfy Expert, certified to provide motorized shading solutions powered by Somfy systems. This partnership provides access to Somfy's motorization technology including motors, controls, and the myLink smart home app. Somfy offers a 5-year warranty on all motors and controls. The company integrates Somfy solutions with Amazon Alexa and IFTTT for smart home connectivity.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Direct peers

• 3 Day Blinds: Direct-to-consumer custom window covering manufacturer and installer offering shades, blinds, shutters, and drapery with in-home consultations. Mirrors National Window Shade's field-sales and custom-manufacturing model across a broader US footprint.
• Smith & Noble: Custom window treatments retailer specializing in shades, blinds, shutters, and curtains with measuring guidance and custom-fit products. Competes directly in the made-to-measure DTC category.
• Budget Blinds: Franchise-based custom window covering franchise offering in-home consultations for shades, blinds, shutters, and motorized treatments. Comparable in consultative sales motion and motorized product offering.
• The Shade Store: National custom window treatment retailer offering made-to-measure shades, blinds, shutters, and drapery with in-home and showroom consultation. Closely comparable in custom product mix and white-glove service model, though operating at far greater scale.

Broad incumbents

• Levolor: Established manufacturer of custom blinds, shades, and motorized window treatments sold through retail and dealer networks. Comparable in product category and custom-manufacturing orientation.
• Hunter Douglas: Largest North American manufacturer of custom window treatments including Duettes, Silhouettes, Luminettes, Vignettes, and PowerView motorization. National Window Shade's broader portfolio appears to carry Hunter Douglas product lines, making it both a supplier-adjacent peer and competitor.
• IKEA: Global home furnishings retailer offering readymade and some custom window treatments including cellular shades and blackout panels. Sets a low-price competitive benchmark in the residential window covering market.
• Home Depot (Window Treatments): Major home improvement retailer offering an extensive assortment of readymade and custom blinds, shades, and shutters online and in-store. Competes on convenience and price for the same residential customer base.

Emerging players

• Blinds.com: Pure-play online retailer of custom blinds, shades, and shutters. Competes for the same residential customer but through a self-service, lower-touch model versus National Window Shade's in-home consultation approach.
• SelectBlinds: Online direct-to-consumer window treatment retailer offering custom blinds, shades, and shutters at value price points. Pressures National Window Shade from the lower-priced end of the custom category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NWSCompany
• Facebookfacebook.com/nationalwindowshade

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Window Shade