Choosing a Window Treatment Company in Bloomington-Normal
Custom window treatments are an investment you’ll live with every day for many years, so the company you hire matters as much as the product you choose. If you’re comparing window treatment companies in Bloomington-Normal, here’s an honest checklist of what to look for, and the questions worth asking before you sign anything.
We’re a little biased, of course. The Well Dressed Window started right here in Bloomington-Normal in 2008. But this checklist works for anyone you’re considering.
1. Can you see the products in person?
Photos and small swatches only go so far. Before you choose, you should be able to raise and lower a shade, tilt a shutter louver and see how a fabric glows with light behind it.
What to look for: a local showroom with full-size working displays and a fabric library, not just a catalog.
Our showroom at 309 Veterans Pkwy in Normal is a Hunter Douglas Gallery® store, with working displays of shades, blinds and shutters, a color wall and live PowerView® Automation demonstrations. Walk-ins are welcome, or call ahead and a designer will set aside time for you.
2. Will someone come to your home?
Fabrics look different in your living room at 4 p.m. than under showroom lights. A good company brings samples to you, looks at how each room is used and measures every window.
Ask: Is the in-home consultation free? Do you bring samples of every option, or just a few? Will I get a written quote?
Our in-home design consultation is free, and your designer brings samples so you can compare them in your own light.
3. Who measures and who installs?
This is the question people forget to ask, and it matters most. Custom treatments are made to the fraction of an inch, so a measuring mistake means a shade that doesn’t fit.
Ask: Who measures? Who installs, and how experienced are they? Are the installers trained on the products they’re installing?
Our installers include Greg Mote, a master carpenter and installer who has been part of the business from the start, along with Hunter Douglas certified installers who work with our team across Central Illinois. Meet them on our team page.
4. What happens after installation?
Shades get used every day for years. Eventually you may need an adjustment, a repair or help with a motorized shade.
Ask: Who handles warranty service? Can I call a local person? Do you repair products you didn’t sell?
Hunter Douglas products carry the Hunter Douglas Lifetime Limited Warranty, and we handle service locally. We also repair window treatments, including Hunter Douglas products bought elsewhere.
Tip: Ask how long the company has been in business locally. A warranty is only as useful as the people who will still be around to honor it.
5. Do they help you choose, or just sell?
The best designers ask how you use each room before they recommend anything. A bedroom, a sunny family room and a guest room that’s rarely used need different things, and not every window needs the most elaborate option.
What to look for: a designer who explains the tradeoffs, offers choices for different rooms, and is comfortable saying when something simpler will do.
6. What do local reviews say?
Reviews from neighbors tell you how a company handles the whole experience: scheduling, installation day, and what happens when something isn’t right.
What to look for: many recent reviews that mention specific people and products, and how the company responds to feedback.
Our Bloomington-Normal showroom is rated 5.0 on Google, and The Well Dressed Window has been named a Pantagraph Readers’ Choice winner in Bloomington-Normal every year from 2022 through 2026. You can read what clients say on our reviews page.
7. Can they handle the whole house?
Many homes need different solutions in different rooms: shutters in the living room, room-darkening shades in the bedrooms, something for the sliding door, motorization for the tall windows. Working with one company keeps the look consistent and the service simple.
What to look for: a full range of shades, blinds, shutters, drapery and motorization, plus experience with new construction if you’re building.
We work with homeowners, builders and interior designers across McLean County, on everything from a single bedroom to a whole new build.
A quick checklist to bring with you
- Local showroom with working displays
- Free in-home consultation with samples
- Experienced, trained installers
- Local warranty service and repairs
- Designers who ask before they recommend
- Strong, recent local reviews
- A full range of products for every room
Come see us
We’d love to be on your list. Stop by the showroom on Veterans Parkway, call (309) 275-3165, or book a free in-home consultation. We serve Bloomington, Normal and the surrounding towns, plus Washington and the Peoria area.
Common questions
Do window treatment companies in Bloomington-Normal offer free consultations?
Many do. At The Well Dressed Window, the in-home design consultation is free: a designer brings samples to your home, measures every window and gives you a written quote.
What is a Hunter Douglas Gallery® store?
It's a dealer recognized by Hunter Douglas with a dedicated showroom of its products, including full-size displays and fabric libraries. Our Normal showroom is a Hunter Douglas Gallery® store.
Who measures and installs the window treatments?
Ask every company this. Our designers measure, and installation is handled by our own installers and Hunter Douglas certified installers who work with our team.
Which towns near Bloomington-Normal do you serve?
Bloomington, Normal, Towanda, Hudson, Downs, Heyworth, Le Roy and El Paso, plus Washington and the Peoria area.
