Made In The Shade

What Made In The Shade does

Made in the Shade Blinds and More LLC is a privately held franchisor of custom window treatments, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, founded in 2004 and operating a network of independently owned franchise locations across the United States and Canada. Corporate headcount is approximately 65, with field operations delivered through franchised owner-operators who run protected sales territories. The company sells custom-fabricated blinds, shades, shutters, drapery, outdoor shades and retractable awnings, and decorative grilles through a mobile-showroom, in-home consultation model under the "Made in the Shade" / "MITS" brand. Motorization and integration with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit are offered as add-ons, and products carry manufacturer-backed limited lifetime warranties.

The distribution model — branded "We Bring The Showroom To You" — eliminates retail storefronts and relies on design consultants visiting customers' homes with sample collections for complimentary, no-obligation consultations. All products are custom-measured and professionally installed by trained franchise staff. Pricing is quote-based and tiered by product complexity, ranging from entry-level aluminum, faux-wood, and vinyl blinds through mid-priced cellular shades, wood blinds, natural shades, roller shades, and pleated shades to premium shutters, custom drapes, soft sheer shades, and Roman shades. Customer acquisition channels include content marketing, organic search, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), customer reviews and referrals, and dedicated franchise-recruitment marketing.

Revenue is generated through three streams: sale of custom window treatments (one-time/perpetual purchase), bundled professional measurement and installation services, and franchise sales and ongoing system support (notably with no franchisee royalties disclosed). Primary customer segments are residential homeowners (the dominant base, served through the in-home consultation channel) and a smaller commercial/business-owner segment addressing restaurants, offices, and hospitality outdoor spaces. Core supplier partnerships with Graber Window Treatments and Norman Shutters underpin product access and pricing economics. The company is led by owners Josh and Jess Morse, has no disclosed external private-equity or venture-capital backing, and has received industry recognition including Entrepreneur Franchise 500 (#229) and the 2025 Window Fashion VISION "Best Franchise" Readers' Choice Award.

Name

Made In The Shade

Legal name

Made in the Shade Blinds and More LLC

Website

https://madeintheshadeblinds.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Made in the Shade is a San Antonio-based franchisor selling custom blinds, shades, shutters, drapery, outdoor shades, and motorization across North America via a mobile-showroom, in-home consultation model serving primarily residential homeowners, supported by Graber and Norman supplier partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Window Treatments

NAICS

Window Treatment Retailers (449122)

SIC

Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Custom Window Blinds Retail (Wood, Faux Wood, Aluminum, Vertical) (CRAIAKAA), Custom Drapery & Made-to-Measure Window Coverings Retail (CRAIAKAD), Motorized Shades, Blinds & Curtain Automation (HSAHADAD)

Keywords

• Custom window treatments
• Window blinds and shades
• Custom shutters
• Interior window coverings
• Window treatment franchise

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Custom Window Treatments Sales: Sale of custom blinds, shades, shutters, draperies, and outdoor window treatments. Products are manufactured to customer specifications and include various materials such as wood, faux wood, aluminum, cellular fabrics, and specialty materials. Pricing varies by product type, size, materials, and customization options.
2. Professional Installation Services: In-home measurement, delivery, and professional installation services included with product purchases. Each project is measured and installed by trained professionals.
3. Franchise Opportunities: The company operates as a franchise model with independently owned and operated locations across North America. Franchise investment opportunity with comprehensive training and support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Made In The Shade designs, sells, and installs custom window treatments including blinds, shades, shutters, drapery, outdoor shades, and decorative grilles for residential and commercial customers. The company operates through a franchise model with mobile showrooms that bring product samples directly to the customer's home or business for in-home consultations, custom measurement, and professional installation.

Product overview

Made in the Shade is a custom window treatment company operating as a franchise network across North America. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of window coverings organized into six main product categories: Shades (including roller, solar, cellular, Roman, sheer, layered, natural, and pleated styles), Shutters (including plantation shutters and specialty shapes), Blinds (wood, faux wood, vertical, and aluminum), Outdoor/Exterior solutions (exterior shades and retractable awnings), Drapery and soft window treatments, and Decorative Grilles. All products are custom-crafted to exact measurements and specifications. The company also offers Motorization as an add-on feature that enables smart home integration with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit. Made in the Shade brings the showroom to customers through complimentary in-home consultations, with professional measuring and installation included.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Limited lifetime warranty on most products
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Industry-Leading ManufacturerscoreOthersPartnered manufacturers including Graber Window Treatments and Norman Shutters provide superior pricing and support, allowing Made in the Shade to pass savings on to customers. These partnerships provide access to name-brand window covering products including blinds, shades, shutters, draperies, soft treatments, outdoor shades, and decorative grilles.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Hunter Douglas: Largest U.S. manufacturer of custom window coverings with deep dealer network including Gallery dealers. Sets the product, motorization, and pricing standards across the category; many franchise retailers carry Hunter Douglas products.
• Lutron Electronics: Market leader in motorized window treatment controls (Serena shades) and broader lighting/shading automation. Competes directly in the motorized shade category with a strong smart-home integration proposition.
• Springs Window Fashions (Bali): Major manufacturer of branded custom window treatments (Bali, Graber, Levelor) sold through dealers and big-box retailers. Supplies products similar to those sold through Made in the Shade's franchise network.
• Home Depot / Lowe's Installation Services: Big-box home improvement retailers offering in-store and online custom window treatment purchases with installation services. Compete on convenience, financing, and price against the mobile-showroom franchise model.

Direct peers

• Budget Blinds: Direct franchise competitor offering custom window blinds, shades, shutters, and draperies via in-home consultations across North America. Closely comparable franchise-based, mobile-showroom business model.
• The Shade Store: Premium custom window treatments retailer operating showrooms plus direct sales of shades, blinds, shutters, draperies, and motorization. Targets a similar affluent residential customer with comparable product depth.
• Smith & Noble: Custom window treatments specialist selling shades, blinds, shutters, and drapery through online configurators with free samples and professional measuring/installation. Comparable custom product lineup with national reach.
• Window Genie: Franchise-based window treatment and cleaning service provider offering residential window film, blinds, and shades. Comparable franchise model and in-home service motion, with additional service revenue streams.
• Blinds.com: Major online direct-to-consumer retailer of custom blinds, shades, shutters, and drapery, owned by The Home Depot. Competes on product breadth and convenience rather than in-home service.
• 3 Day Blinds: Custom window treatments retailer offering blinds, shades, shutters, and draperies with in-home design consultations and professional installation. Directly competes for the same residential customer with a similar consultative sales motion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCskr8vQVg57XcMxS1--5dbQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/MITSBlindsandmore
• Instagraminstagram.com/shopmadeintheshade
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/madeintheshade

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Made In The Shade