BLINDS FOR TRADE LIMITED

What BLINDS FOR TRADE LIMITED does

BLINDS FOR TRADE LIMITED, trading as Intelligent Shading, is a family-run UK window-treatment business founded in 2019 and headquartered in Wythall, Birmingham (Midlands). The company designs, supplies, and installs bespoke made-to-measure blinds, shutters, curtains, and automated shading systems, with the majority of blinds handcrafted in its own Midlands-based factory. It operates the largest smart blind showroom in the Midlands (4,000 sq ft at Becketts Farm, opened 2019) and holds registered dealer/specialist relationships with premium brands including Lutron, Silent Gliss, Somfy, Luxaflex, and Louvolite, alongside a partnership with Blindspace for patent-pending concealment solutions.

Revenue is generated through three streams: one-time sales of made-to-measure products (with installation included in the quote unless a supply-only option is requested), bespoke supply-only orders where customers self-measure, and commercial project services delivered by a dedicated B2B team. Customers pay a 50% deposit with the balance due prior to installation; lead times are 2–4 weeks for blinds and 12–16 weeks for shutters, and pricing is quote-based rather than publicly listed. The go-to-market is sales-led and direct: walk-in showroom traffic, free home surveys within a 30-mile radius, phone/email enquiry handling, and a dedicated commercial team for offices, hotels, leisure, student accommodation, education, and NHS/healthcare projects.

The primary customer segment is residential homeowners seeking light control, privacy, thermal insulation, and smart-home integration, with secondary segments in commercial, education, and healthcare. The company differentiates through in-house bespoke manufacture (supporting non-standard and shaped windows), motorisation expertise integrated with major home-automation platforms, warranties of up to 25 years on certain products, and a regional Midlands-focused service footprint. It is independently owned, with no disclosed external investors, funding, M&A, or leadership changes on record.

Name

BLINDS FOR TRADE LIMITED

Legal name

BLINDS FOR TRADE LIMITED

Website

https://intelligent-shading.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Intelligent Shading (BLINDS FOR TRADE LIMITED) is a family-run Midlands-based installer that designs, manufactures, and fits bespoke blinds, shutters, curtains, and motorised shading systems for residential homeowners and commercial clients within a 30-mile radius.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Window Coverings

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Smart Window Shades & Motorized Treatments Retail (CRAIAMAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Custom Window Blinds Retail (Wood, Faux Wood, Aluminum, Vertical) (CRAIAKAA), Shutters Retail (Plantation, Interior/Exterior) (CRAIAKAE), Motorized Shades, Blinds & Curtain Automation (HSAHADAD), Window Treatments & Shading Systems (Blinds, Shades, Awnings) (IMADAIAN)

Keywords

• Custom window blinds
• Motorised shading systems
• Bespoke shutters curtains
• Home automation integration
• Made-to-measure window coverings

Headquarters

HQ city

Sutton Coldfield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (Blinds, Shutters, Curtains): Sale of bespoke made-to-measure blinds, shutters, curtains, and external shading solutions. Products are manufactured in-house or sourced from branded partners. Installation is included in the quote unless supply-only is requested.
2. Supply-Only: Customers may opt for supply-only orders where they are responsible for their own measurements and installation.
3. Commercial Project Services: Bespoke shading solutions designed specifically for the commercial market, including offices, hotels, leisure facilities, student accommodation, and educational buildings. Covers surveying, project planning, and installation through to completion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

BLINDS FOR TRADE LIMITED (trading as Intelligent Shading) designs, manufactures, supplies, and installs bespoke made-to-measure window blinds, shutters, curtains, and automated shading systems for residential and commercial customers. The majority of blinds are handcrafted in the company's own Midlands-based factory, with motorisation options integrated with leading home automation brands (Lutron, Silent Gliss, Somfy, Luxaflex). Installation, free home surveys within a 30-mile radius, and warranties of up to 25 years are included in the quote unless a supply-only option is requested.

Product overview

Intelligent Shading is a family-run business with over 35 years of experience in the manufacture, supply, and installation of bespoke blinds, shutters, and curtains. The company operates the largest smart blind showroom in the Midlands and offers a comprehensive portfolio of window covering products across 25+ distinct product lines. Their offering includes core blind products (Allusion Blinds, Awnings, Day & Night Blinds, External Blinds, Intu Blinds, Louvred Roofing, Luxaflex Pirouette & Silhouette Blinds, Panel Blinds, Perfect Fit Blinds & Shutters, Pleated Blinds, Retractable Roofing, Roller Blinds, Roman Blinds, Rooflight Blinds, Venetian Blinds, Vertical Blinds, Blackout Blinds, Shutter Blinds, Verandas), curtain products (Curtains, Curtain Tracks & Poles), complementary products (Soft Furnishings, Blindpace concealment systems), and services (Motorisation for smart home integration, Commercial Services, Bespoke Measurement & Installation). The company supplies premium blind and shading brands including Lutron, Silent Gliss, Somfy, Luxaflex, Louvolite, Eclipse, and Blindspace.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Allusion Blinds

Quantifiable outcome

• Warranty of up to 25 years on certain blind types
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• LutroncoreTechnology or IntegrationA leading brand in automated lighting and shading control. Intelligent Shading specialises in Lutron motorised blind systems integrated into home automation setups. Lutron products are part of the company's premium automated shading offering.
• Silent GlisscoreTechnology or IntegrationPremium brand for curtain tracks and motorised systems. Intelligent Shading offers Silent Gliss curtain tracks and motorised solutions as part of its automated shading range. Featured on the Curtain Tracks & Poles product page.
• SomfycoreTechnology or IntegrationLeading motorisation and home automation brand. Intelligent Shading works with Somfy motorisation solutions for blinds and curtains, including integration with home automation systems.
• LuxaflexcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIntelligent Shading stocks the full Luxaflex product range and is a registered Luxaflex dealer in the UK (luxaflex-dealer.co.uk/intelligent-shading). Luxaflex products include Pirouette and Silhouette blinds, Duette/cellular blinds, and other premium window coverings.
• LouvolitecoreTechnology or IntegrationLouvolite is the manufacturer of the Perfect Fit blind system, which requires no drilling or screwing during installation. Intelligent Shading is a specialist installer of Louvolite Perfect Fit blinds across roller, pleated, venetian, and day & night styles.
• BlindspacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlindspace products offer patent-pending solutions to conceal blinds in any type of window, gable, or skylight. Intelligent Shading features Blindspace products on its Blindpace (Blindspace) product page and in project planning guidance, promoting these as future-proofing solutions for buildings.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Apollo Blinds: UK franchise network offering made-to-measure blinds, shutters and awnings with local showroom presence. Direct competitor on bespoke supply-and-fit, premium products and regional showroom model.
• Thomas Sanderson: UK specialist in bespoke blinds, shutters and conservatory shading, with a home-visit sales motion and premium positioning. Closely comparable to Intelligent Shading's bespoke, surveyor-led model and premium brand mix.
• 247 Blinds: UK online retailer specialising in made-to-measure blinds and curtains. Competes with Intelligent Shading on made-to-measure products and brand partners (e.g., Louvolite Perfect Fit) via a primarily digital channel.
• Blinds2go: Large UK online made-to-measure blinds retailer covering most blind categories. Competes with Intelligent Shading on product breadth, made-to-measure and pricing, although without the showroom-led, full-service installation approach.
• Hillarys: One of the UK's largest specialist made-to-measure blind, shutter and curtain retailers, operating a national showroom and at-home survey model. Directly comparable to Intelligent Shading on product range, custom manufacturing and free in-home consultation.

Broad incumbents

• Lutron: Premium manufacturer of automated lighting and shading control systems, and a core technology partner to Intelligent Shading. Competes in the smart shading category globally, with overlap at the high end of motorised blind integration.
• Dunelm: UK mass-market home furnishings retailer with a significant ready-made curtains, blinds and shutters range. Competes with Intelligent Shading in window coverings at the value end, though without the bespoke and motorisation focus.
• Hunter Douglas (Luxaflex): Global window coverings manufacturer and the parent of the Luxaflex brand that Intelligent Shading retails. Overlaps in product category and premium positioning but operates at manufacturer/dealer-network scale rather than as a regional retailer.
• Somfy: Global leader in motorisation for blinds, awnings and curtains, and a key technology partner to Intelligent Shading. Overlaps on the motorised shading category and home automation integration but operates as an equipment manufacturer rather than a retailer.

Emerging players

• Web-Blinds: UK online made-to-measure blinds specialist. Comparable on made-to-measure blinds, child-safe systems and certain premium brand partnerships, though competing primarily through digital channels rather than showrooms and installation services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/intelligentshading
• Instagraminstagram.com/intelligentshading
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/intelligent-shading-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 BLINDS FOR TRADE LIMITED