3 minute read
Hamptons talks to Blinds & shading expert Alex Stoian.
Broken Blinds, Director: Alex Stoian
Tell us a little about how you got started with your business?
My business partner and I started the business in 2011, as a motorized blinds maintenance service only, from a little garage in Battersea. We wanted to follow a niche trade that would also be green and socially responsible. We grew slowly but sustainably every year and we are currently operating from a 300 sqm workshop in Herne Hill, with the latest blind manufacturing machinery that allows us in-house production with full control of lead times and rigorous quality checks.
What are the key advantages of blinds over curtains?
There is no obvious advantage to one over the other, every place is unique and requires unique bespoke treatments. We assess every client’s needs and share bespoke solutions to tick all of the requirements, with a fine balance between practicality and interior design. There are so many aspects to determine what system would work best based on the interior design, a theme, if any, the purpose of the treatments, size and shape, performance requirements etc.
How does your customer process work?
We discuss every new customer’s requirements following the first contact, we share some preliminary examples and based on the following feedback, we prepare the right demos and fabrics for a site meeting. From there, following in-detail talks, we explain the possible solutions and help the client filter towards the one that suits them best. On the maintenance side, a few pictures and a brief description of the problem enable us to share options and costs.
Do you have a particular style that you’re known for or can you adapt to anything?
I can say our style is to respect and give our full attention to every project, regardless of size or complexity. There are over 2000 customization options in our productbuilding software, and we add new ones monthly, sometimes weekly. We can adapt to most requirements, as long as they are backed by the laws of physics of course.
What do you love most about running your business?
We meet new people every day, and we share stories and opinions about the requirements of the project but also about life in general. Then, from meeting to completion, it gives us the opportunity to offer them a smooth service and a quality bespoke product that will improve their life at least by a tiny bit, which for us is a good enough purpose.
www.brokenblinds.co.uk www.decoshade.co.uk
