Some say that “Love is blind.” For me, love is Blinds by Design.  I was recently coming to the end of the “ugly phase” of my home remodeling adventure. I called in 3 custom window-treatment vendors.  I needed options for 5 windows, including my master bedroom window which faces the street and a streetlight.

The first 2 vendors came, wrote up estimates, and opened their hands for a ½ deposit check! Then Ellen Stevenson visited, toting a wide selection of samples, colors, options, styles, fabrics...she listened while remaining cool & composed throughout our meeting.    She helped me resolve my interior design needs with odd sized windows and allowing window trim to stay in focus.  She recommended the top down/bottom up blackout shades for my bedroom which has been a treat, letting in the light in the morning without sacrificing my privacy. 

Ellen won my customer loyalty. I give her special thanks for bringing me temporary blackout shades so I could sleep for the 2 weeks while I waited for my order to be installed. She not only listened to my problem, she acted on solving that problem! For the first time since moving into this house I slept soundly.

This is why I wholeheartedly recommend that you hire Ellen Stevenson of Blinds By Design. She knows her products, loves what she does, and delivers a flawless installation.

Debra Halborn: Down/Bottom Up Blackout Shades

“It was wonderful to have Ellen come to my home and see the challenges I faced in finding the right solution for the sliding glass doors in my den.  Her recommendations were helpful and I trusted her judgments on products and the installation.  I am very happy with the results.  I would definitely use Blinds By Design again!

BJ Koonce: Vista Vertical Blinds

I have been dreading getting new blinds even though we badly needed them. I clearly remembered that last shopping trip with my husband and then the "fun" we had hanging them together. I had no idea that getting beautiful custom blinds could be so affordable. Being able to select swatches right in the rooms with the exact lighting and fabrics was so wonderful. I was also pleasantly surprised with how many beautiful and unique options you offer. I am so glad that I chose Blinds By Design. The process was completely stress free. I look forward to using your services in the future; it is a joy to know I never have to hang another blind! Thank you, Ellen, for bringing the store to my door!

Stacey Lemmond: Vista Panama Fauxwood Blinds & Serenade Roller Shades by Comfortex

I found Ellen and Blinds by Design through Google while looking for roman shades.  Ellen was the first person who called me back.  I'm so glad I found her because working with her has been a pleasure.

As the mother of a 2-year old, time is valuable and I loved the fact that Ellen just came to my house and brought me samples and ideas - I didn't have to go anywhere.  Besides the ease of "bringing the store to me," Ellen is just so personable and easy to work with.  It took two trips to my home to complete the project and I just love the blinds we picked! 

Ellen's personal service is exceptional.  There were some problems with the mechanism on the three smaller roman shades in the living room, and Ellen had to send them back for repair/new mechanisms.  Although that was of course not ideal, Ellen handled it so nicely and made sure my needs were met temporarily during the repair process.  I highly recommend working with Blinds by Design.

Susannah P.

We found Ellen at the Home and Garden Show.  We have a 2-story foyer that has two huge windows "stacked" above the front door.  I was looking for a way to block some of the heat during our hot summers, but that I could still open to let in light on cloudy days and when it's cooler outside.  Ellen did a great job at helping me solve this problem.  She installed a motorized cell shade on the top window and another shade on the lower (second story) window that I can open using a pole device.  It has REALLY helped with the heat this summer. 

Ellen was easy to work with and always got everything done in a timely manner.  She also did a great job at making sure everything worked correctly.  Beyond that, she followed through to be sure I was pleased with both the products and the work, which I appreciated because what I wanted was to just tell someone what I needed and have it all work - without having to "fiddle with it."  Thanks Ellen!

Kathy T.

My husband Charles and I met Ellen at the Home Show last year when we needed to replace some vertical blinds on our French doors, and we were also interested in Roman shades for a window over the sink.  I made most of the window treatments in our house over the years, and had some other blinds I'd purchased quite a long time ago, so it was time for some changes.  Ellen came to our home and brought many samples and ideas.  One of the things I liked about Blinds by Design is that there was a large selection of materials, styles and valences.
 
Ellen measured our windows and doors and we picked out style, color and decided on how much light the blinds should let inside (day and night).  After everything was ordered, she scheduled the installation.  We have been very satisfied with the both the products and Ellen's service.  The pricing at Blinds by Design is competitive, particularly given the level of service you receive.  We do a lot of home improvement on our own, but we felt like this would have been a challenge.  It was easier and more professional having Ellen do it.

Judy R., Greenville, SC

I have a 1970s ranch style home and decided it was time for some major renovations.  Part of that renovation was upgrading from my old plantation shutters to something new that matched the new look.  I called Ellen at Blinds by Design and she brought a whole truckload of "stuff" for me see...

I'm not a very creative person, but when I see something, I know what I like and if it fits, so having many samples of styles and fabrics and colors was great for me.  Ellen's suggestions and ideas really helped me see how things could look in my "new" home.  And when all was said and done, we'd picked out the perfect window treatments for my house, including cordless cellular shades for my double front doors.  (I did not want them covered, but my husband did. What we ended up with was a great compromise because during the day when the shades are up, they are hardly noticeable at all and I've gotten loads of compliments on them.)  I've also gotten compliments on the roller shade in my jazzy new bathroom!

Another thing I just loved about working with Ellen was that the installation was a breeze and the person she brought to do the installation was very nice and efficient.  Having strangers in your home can be uncomfortable, but with Blinds by Design the whole experience was both easy and professional.  I would recommend Ellen and Blinds by Design to anyone!

Sharon Duncan, Greenville, SC

A massage therapist referred Ellen to us and I am so glad she did.  Ellen is a great listener and on her first visit to our home, she spent a lot of time going through the house with us and making suggestions and asking questions based on our taste and what she saw.  On her second visit, she brought us lots of samples and books and just left them for us to peruse at our leisure.  We really appreciated not being pressured at all and instead being given plenty of time to look and think about what we liked most. 

Once we let Ellen know the things we most liked, she prepared a quote and emailed it to us so that we could discuss it before she came back over.  She was so patient here, too.  As it goes with decorating, sometimes the quote you get is more than you want to spend for certain things.  Ellen did not get frustrated at all, but instead she went the extra step to try to figure out a way for us to get as close to "the look" we wanted without completely ignoring our budget, even if that involved looking at new ways to do things or new fabrics or other options. 

The installation process was professional and easy - and Ellen makes sure appointments are always on time, which is great.  No waiting around a "time frame" of between this hour and that hour - like a lot of other companies.  She makes sure things go smoothly, even if there is a problem.  We had one blind that was not cut to the proper size, but Ellen just handled that without any problems for us at all.  Ellen wants her clients to be happy about the whole process and she wants to be pleased with the outcome, too.

We would definitely recommend Blinds by Design and have referred Ellen to several people. 

Dawn and Lee Lucas, Greenville, SC

I found Ellen at Blinds by Design through a service call.  The previous owners of the company installed blinds in my house, and my son broke the mechanism that opens and closes the blinds. I needed to replace the mechanism and called Blinds by Design only to find out that it had been sold and the previous owners gave me Ellen's name and number and said that she was the new owner.  I called Ellen and explained my situation and that I'd like to purchase a few of these mechanisms and needed a lesson on replacing them myself so that I wouldn't have to keep calling her.   Ellen came out to my house and replaced and showed me how to change the mechanism and brought several replacements for me to use in case of any future problems.  She took care of everything I needed, and mentioned that she was now doing window treatments.

Having just completed a major renovation in my house, I wasn't ready to take on additional expenses, but told Ellen I would call her when I was ready.  About a year later, I called her to talk about window treatments.  We made an appointment for her to come talk with me.  When she came to my house, Ellen was so patient and helpful in picking out materials and worked with my husband in selecting the right material for the topper over his office window.  I didn't really need full treatments because I already had blinds, but needed toppers and also a solution for a window in my kitchen above the sink.  I didn't want blinds because I liked the natural light and being able to see out.  I also have plants that sit on the window ledge.  Ellen came up with a see-through screen that just shades the top area where the sun comes in and is very bright in the late afternoon during the Spring and Summer months - perfect!

One of the things I liked about working with Ellen is that she was always prompt and she kept me posted on where things were in the process as we went along.  She was very involved and always on top of things.  When all the materials and pieces were in, she called to arrange for installation.  The installer was quick, efficient and high quality.  I have been so pleased both with her service and with the quality of the products I've ordered from her as well as the installation.
 
Ellen was easy to talk to and listened to my ideas and made suggestions based on what she thought I was looking for.  She had many fabric selections to choose from and also told me that if I had a fabric in mind or wanted to shop around, it was ok.  I chose fabrics from her books and she ordered larger samples to make sure this is what we wanted.  The end results were fantastic.  Ellen is a really nice person who works only with professionals in her business.  I've worked with Interior Designers in the past and have NOT been as pleased with the results or quality - even though I paid a lot more.  I give Ellen's business cards to my friends and neighbors because I've just been thrilled with her service.

Brenda Tallon, Greenville, SC