Our history

Hillarys has been a feature in British homes since 1971 – when Tony Hillary fitted his very first made-to-measure blind in Nottingham.

In those early days, Tony was responsible for everything from advertising to selling to manufacturing to fitting and was only able to offer customers a choice of Venetian blinds … or Venetian blinds.

His hard work made sure the young enterprise became a success and soon the company was hiring staff, expanding into new areas – and extending the range of available products!

Today, more than 40 years on, we measure and fit blinds, curtains and shutters in homes up and down Britain and the Republic of Ireland. And while the scope has changed, our in-home service and personal finishing touches have stayed the same.

At our three manufacturing centres, two in Nottingham and one in Washington, we’ve invested in staff and technology, allowing us to finish every product to the highest standard. We also have a dedicated testing studio, where all new designs are developed till we’re happy they’re ready for the home.

Such commitment to quality has been recognised. We were named Nottinghamshire Company of the Year at the Nottingham Post Business Awards in 2014, as well as consistently ranking in the Top 50 Companies for Customer Service programme.

Our history and development. Our stylish range and durable products. Our in-home service and customer care. It’s why you’ll love what we do.

Find out more about Hillarys

Our service

Our service is tailored to make sure your hopes and expectations are not just met, but exceeded

Hillarys advisor and a customer enjoying a cup of tea in the customers home

Your local Hillarys

Our network of expert local advisors stretches across the UK, offering you a complete showroom experience all in the comfort of your home.

Visit us in your area

View our full range at a Hillarys stand or shop, located in the best UK shopping centres.

Our history

Find out how a small made-to-measure blinds business, founded by Tony Hillary, grew to become the nation’s favourite window dressing specialist.

Price Promise

Same product, same service. We'll match the price.
Our Service

Expert measuring and fitting included.

From humble beginnings

It was back in 1971 in the city of Nottingham that Tony Hillary fitted his first made-to-measure blind.

As a sole trader, Tony was responsible for everything from advertising and selling to manufacturing and fitting, all from the garage of his home.

1990

Hillarys becomes the first blinds company to introduce minimum standards of quality assurance in manufacturing and service.

an old black and white image of the Carlton Mill on Burton Road in Nottingham

Growing the business

In those early days, Tony was only able to offer customers a choice of Venetian blinds … or Venetian blinds. But with Tony’s hard work, the business grew and it wasn’t long until the company expanded the product range and hired staff, recruiting the first self-employed advisors in 1976.

Our business might have changed in many ways since the early days, but our essential values of offering quality, value for money products and outstanding service in the comfort of a customer’s own home remain at the core of what we do today.
John Risman, Hillarys CEO

Behind the scenes in the factory with lady sewing curtain lining

Production boom

After a successful six years, in 1977 production moved from garage to factory with manufacturing facilities opening in Nottingham and Washington, Tyne and Wear.

As volume and range increased, bigger premises were needed. Washington moved in 1982 and in 1985, a new factory and our head office opened in Colwick, Nottingham.

1999

Hillarys embrace new technology to help keep track of appointments and orders. The millionth order on the new system was taken in 2002.

2011

Hillarys celebrates 40 years of trading and raises £40,000 for charity. We also exhibit at Grand Designs, the Ideal Home Show, Hampton Court and Tatton Park Flower Shows.

orange curtains paired with brown faux wooden blinds on large bay window in cosy living room with two people chatting on the sofa

Spot us on TV

As our reputation grew, Hillarys was appearing in homes all over the UK not just at windows but across the airwaves with the mid-nineties seeing our first local TV and radio advertising and the memorable ‘Hillarys Blinds and Curtains’ jingle.

We've also enjoyed being proud sponsors of ‘Homes on 4,’ the ultimate location for the nation’s favourite Homes programming, from George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces to Love it or List it.

Most recently, you might have seen our clever owl on your TV screens. Voiced by the legendary Jennifer Saunders, this stylish ornament knows that it’s a wise choice to call Hillarys for a fit that’s right first time, every time.

A hillarys pop up shop that is located in the Highcross shopping centre in Leicester

Bringing Hillarys to your area

In 2012, it was time to say hello to a new experience in home interiors as we opened our first concession stand in Highcross, Leicester.

This was followed by more concessions and pop-up shops opening in major shopping centres across the UK. Customers had the opportunity to see our extensive range of styles and chat to our expert team.

A world of inspiration

In 2017, we opened our first ever showroom, offering a world of inspiration with our entire range of stunning curtains, blinds and shutters to explore. We now have showrooms in Cheltenham, Harrogate and Guildford. See what happened when architect and TV presenter George Clarke visited our Chelternham showroom to see how the expert team help our customers.

The front window display of the Hillarys showroom in Guildford which is painted in a light brown colour

A world of inspiration

In 2017, we chose White Ladies Road in Bristol as the location for our first ever showroom, offering a world of inspiration with our entire range of stunning curtains, blinds and shutters to explore.

Since then we’ve launched four more showrooms across the country – in Cheltenham, Harrogate, Guildford, and of course where it all started, Nottingham.

2012

The Contact Centre achieve a superb ranking in the Top 50 Call Centres for Customer Services, the UK’s biggest independent benchmarking programme.

Exclusive designer collaborations

Over 50 years’ experience in our craft have attracted experts from the world of interior design to collaborate with us. From George Clarke to Pearle Lowe, we work with style partners who push the boundaries of design to help you discover a unique style of your own.

In 2013, we launched our first capsule collection with HouseBeautiful, working together to develop a fantastic range of products. In 2018, Abigail Ahern introduced coloured curtain linings and contrasting fringing with her deeply glamourous Hillarys collection and in 2020 our Livingetc collection saw bold new colours and abstract patterns added to our range.

We welcomed back Abigail Ahern in 2022 with a second collection of beautiful fabrics for Romans blinds, curtains and cushions. Taking Abigail’s collaboration with Hillarys to the next level, the collection still has Abigail’s signature feel but with a lighter palette.

2018

Hillarys sponsors the Nottingham Post Women in Business Awards.

Botanical Bayberry full length pencil pleat curtains in spring/floral themed bedroom

Sustainable choices

In 2021 we were delighted to introduce recycled fabrics to our collection for the first time with our range of recycled Roller blinds manufactured from 100% recycled polyester yarn, originating from recycled PET polyester plastic bottles.

Since then, our range of of more sustainable fabrics has grown, with exciting ranges of Roller blinds, Pleated blinds, Roman blinds and curtains made with fabrics that are kinder to the environment.

Find out more about our sustainable choices

2021

Hillarys celebrates 50 years of style and value with birthday fun from exclusive competitions to behind-the-scenes content and new exciting collaborations.

Where we are now

Over the last 50 years our company has grown and adapted. We’ve added new products to our range and our team has grown too.

Our head office is still close to where Tony Hillary started out. We’re now a major employer in Nottingham, in fact, across all our sites, we employ over 1,500 colleagues in a wide range of roles. Our dedicated network of 1,100 self-employed advisors stretches across the UK.

Everyone at Hillary cares about your home as much as you do, Proud of our company’s heritage, our shared goal is to exceed our customers’ expectations with great products and excellent service.