In 1978, Ardy began making custom drapes out of the home. She was trained by a friend’s mother who had been making custom drapes for JC Penney and for many United States Navy ships that were built and serviced at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton Washington. The custom drape business quickly expanded with the addition of the sale of mini-blinds, verticals and woven wood shades.

Ardy’s Mini-Blind Service Inc. was established in 1985. She further expanded her business with the purchase of an ultra-sonic cleaning machine. This purchase led to the opening of her first store front. Once in the cleaning business there was an immediate need for window covering repairs. She attended trade shows to make contacts and buy parts. She opened accounts with many window covering suppliers and established a presence in the window covering repair business.

The next step in the expansion of Ardy’s window treatment offerings was the purchase of a drapery workroom in 1994. Under her leadership and dedication to quality, Custom Workshop for Designers Inc. established itself as one of Phoenix’s premier drapery workrooms. As a part of that accomplishment Custom Workshop became a major supplier to the trade and the model home industry in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

In the late 1990s, a 10,000 square foot facility was purchased to house the growing businesses. In the early 2000s, Hunter Douglas introduced the Gallery dealer concept where every Hunter Douglas product is available on display. This enables the customer to see, touch and operate the broad Hunter Douglas portfolio of products, fabrics, colors and lifting systems. The Gallery is open to the public and is available for designers to bring their clients and use the showroom and its sample book library. Ardy immediately embraced this concept and opened her 2,000 square foot showroom, doing business as Ardy’s Gallery of Window Coverings. The Gallery showroom is further complemented by a fabric and drapery rod display where hundreds of fabrics are available to view and select from for custom drapery work. On staff at Ardy’s is a design interface manager who is available to work with the design community to turn their ideas into firm designs that can be fabricated by the drapery workroom.

Since the addition of the Gallery, growth and success in retail, to-the-trade and commercial businesses has continued. The future looks rosy. Ardy and her staff are enthusiastically pursuing new products and technologies. She salutes the future!

Ardy’s Gallery of Window Coverings offers the design community a broad portfolio of capabilities:

Thirty-two years of experience in the window covering industry Support Trade Accounts Expert staff available to consult on hard window covering needs (blinds, shades and shutters)

• Hunter Douglas Gallery showroom available for you and your customers
• Hunter Douglas product books available on loan
• Hunter Douglas Gallery Dealer
• Hunter Douglas Authorized Service Center
• Motorization of Hunter Douglas products
• In-house ultrasonic cleaning service
• In-house repair service

Expert staff available to consult on soft window treatments (Design and yardages for drapes, swags, cornice boards, pillows and bedding)

• In-house Drapery Workroom through sister company Custom Workshop for Designers Inc.
• Design Interface Manager to assist with soft window treatment design, yardage calculation and fabric selection
• Fabric room available with hundreds of fabrics to choose from and check out
• Motorization of drapery products
• In-house quilting service available

What our Clients are Saying About Us…

“I have been a loyal and satisfied client of Custom Workshop for Designers for over 12 years. Ardy and her exceptional staff are committed to quality. Their attention to detail and talents are reflected in the beautiful custom soft window treatments and bedding they make. They are the best!”

— Carol Mickey, President Carol Mickey Designs, Inc.

“As customers of Ardy’s Mini-Blind Services for many years, we have consistently been very pleased with the quality of their products and their timely and courteous service. They have always had great design suggestions. We always call them first for window coverings.”

— Kathy Jamison AccuPro Accounting, Inc. ~ Tempe AZ

“I have been working with Ardy’s Custom Workshop for over 15 yrs. and have only positive things to say. Not only is the quality of their work beautiful, all those I come in contact with are friendly and professional. I highly recommend Ardy’s for anyone in need of the best workroom in town!”

— Paula Abbey Abbey’s Windows and More

Ardy’s Gallery of Window Coverings is a Home & Design Idea Center vendor located at Vignette 2038 & 2039.
For more information on Ardy’s Gallery of Window Coverings visit www.ardysgallery.com.