The Shade Store alternatives: roller shades and shutters
Love the look of The Shade Store? Explore beautiful Norman roller shades and shutters with Riser's factory-direct pricing. Choose the fabrics, finishes, and professional help that make the room feel right.
Quick answer
Start with the look you love, then compare fabric and finish samples in your room. Riser offers high-quality Norman products and factory-direct pricing, with design help if you want it. Different brands use different materials, so samples matter more than matching color names.
Factory-direct pricing
See pricing for your window sizes and chosen options online. Add the services you need to compare the full project cost.
Quality from an award-winning manufacturer
Norman earned 2026 WCMA recognition for both shades and shutters: AquaShield Shutters won Best New Technical Innovation, Skylight Normandy Shutters received the Judges' Award, and Premium Hardware for Soluna Roller Shades received an Honorable Mention for Style. Explore Soluna roller shades and Woodlore shutters through Riser, an authorized Norman dealer. The shutter awards recognize AquaShield and Skylight Normandy, separate collections from Woodlore.
DIY or let us help
Order and install them yourself, work with your builder, or ask us for design, measuring, and installation help. We'll confirm availability and service charges for your project.
Already have a quote?
Upload your roller shade or shutter quote to compare your window sizes with current Riser base product prices. Features and included services may differ. The upload tool is available when JavaScript is enabled.
The Shade Store vs. Riser Shade
Compare the materials, finish, price, and installation—not just the brand name. Riser Shade offers factory-direct pricing, but that does not mean we will have the lowest total for every order.
This comparison is written by Riser Shade, an authorized Norman dealer, using the official sources linked below. Ask each company to confirm what is available and what your quote includes.
| What matters | The Shade Store | Riser Shade |
|---|---|---|
| Roller-shade quality | Its own custom fabrics and hardware. Compare physical samples, light control, and operating systems. | Norman Soluna: smooth, one-touch PrecisionLift cordless operation with Best for Kids certification; sheer, light-filtering, solar, and room-darkening fabrics; optional smart motorization. |
| Shutter quality | Ask The Shade Store about its current shutter options. Wood blinds and shutters are different products. | Norman Woodlore: reinforced engineered-wood stiles for strength, an easy-clean polypropylene finish that resists cracking, chipping, and yellowing, and optional InvisibleTilt for a clean look and smooth louver control. |
| Price | Price depends on the selected shade and services; include installation and other project charges. | Factory-direct pricing. Configure product pricing online or request a quote with services; include shipping, tax, and service charges. |
| Installation | Installation available at an additional charge; confirm coverage and terms. | Install yourself, work with your builder, or use Riser Shade's installation service. |
| Best fit | Shoppers who want its particular fabrics and consultation experience. | DIY customers, builders, and homeowners who want design, measuring, and installation services. |
Start with the look you like
Note what you liked about the original shade: the fabric texture, a soft white rather than a bright white, a slim cover at the top, or being able to see outside with the shade lowered. Use those details when comparing other shades.
The Shade Store presents made-to-measure roller shades with a range of materials. Riser Shade's roller shop offers Norman Soluna configurations. A similar color name or room photograph does not establish the same material, construction, or performance.
| Service / buying option | The Shade Store | Riser Shade |
|---|---|---|
| Measurement service | Yes | Yes |
| Design consultation | Yes | Yes |
| Installation service | Yes | Yes |
| DIY ordering / self-installation | Yes | Yes |
| Builder project support | Confirm locally | Yes |
| Factory-direct pricing | No | Yes |
Compare samples in the actual window
Look at samples against the wall paint and trim, then hold them near the glass at different times of day. A warm neutral may read differently beside cool-white trim. A screen weave can look more transparent when the exterior is brighter than the room.
Solar and sheer fabrics are not automatically privacy fabrics. For bedrooms or street-facing spaces, decide whether nighttime privacy or stronger light reduction matters more than preserving the daytime view. Room-darkening fabric still leaves possible gaps around a standard roller shade.
| Detail | What to compare |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Actual sample, opacity, texture, and available openness |
| Top finish | Open roll, valance, or cassette and their dimensions |
| Bottom finish | Hem-bar profile and available finish |
| Control | Cordless, continuous loop, or the exact motor system |
| Coverage | Mounting position, fabric width, and edge gaps |
Separate product price from professional services
The Shade Store's consultation information describes professional measurement services and installation available at an additional charge under its program terms. Confirm current coverage and charges for your address directly with the provider.
For an online comparison, include the shade specification, shipping, applicable taxes, and any separately arranged measuring or installation. Do not assume a competitor's measurement service provides dimensions suitable for ordering another manufacturer's product.
Riser Shade's interior roller shipping policy is $25 for one shade and free for two or more in an order. That shipping benefit does not mean installation is included, and it should not be generalized to other product families.
Which option is right for you?
The Shade Store may suit someone who values its specific fabrics and consultation experience. Riser Shade offers Norman products with flexible support: shop online as a DIY customer, work with your builder, or use our design, measuring, and installation services.
An alternative does not have to copy the original product to be useful. Choose it because its appearance, function, and total project cost meet your needs—not because a photograph suggests that two shades are identical.
Considering shutters instead of a fabric shade?
Want a different look? Norman Woodlore shutters use framed panels with adjustable slats, while roller shades use fabric that rolls up. Wood blinds are different again. Compare how each looks and works in your room rather than treating them as the same product.
Choose Woodlore if you like the look of framed shutters and have enough room for the panels to swing open and the slats, called louvers, to tilt. Choose a roller shade if you prefer fabric that rolls up above the window. Compare finish samples in your room rather than relying on photos or color names.
Woodlore is a Norman shutter sold by Riser Shade, not a copy of The Shade Store's products. Ask The Shade Store about its current shutter options; its wood blinds are not the same as framed shutters.
What to check when comparing shutter quotes
Use the same opening dimensions and configuration on both quotes. Roller fabric widths and shutter panel or frame dimensions are not interchangeable; follow the chosen product's measuring instructions and confirm any deductions before ordering.
Woodlore helps control indoor light, but it is not hurricane protection and does not guarantee a completely dark room. For damp rooms, ask whether it is suitable; a protective finish does not mean waterproof. Read what each warranty covers, including its exclusions, rather than relying on the word 'lifetime'.
The roller shipping policy described in this guide applies only to interior roller shades. Do not apply it to shutters. Review shutter shipping, taxes, and any separately arranged measurement or installation charges before payment.
| Shutter detail | Match or confirm in both proposals |
|---|---|
| Material and finish | Exact collection, construction, color, and physical sample |
| Dimensions and mounting | Opening size, deductions, inside/outside mount, frame style and depth |
| Panels and louvers | Panel layout, louver size, rotation clearance and panel swing |
| Operation | Visible or hidden tilt, split tilt and any divider rails |
| Project total | Product, shipping, tax, measuring, installation and removal |
| After purchase | Warranty exclusions, remake policy, service provider and schedule |
Frequently asked questions
- Does Riser Shade sell The Shade Store's fabrics?
- This guide compares a separate Norman Soluna buying option. It does not claim that the two sellers offer identical fabrics or hardware.
- Are solar shades a good alternative to light-filtering shades?
- They serve different goals. Solar fabrics balance glare and view through an open weave; light-filtering fabrics soften light. Choose based on the room and privacy requirements, not price alone.
- Should I compare sale percentages?
- Compare final totals for the exact products and services instead. Different base prices and promotion rules make percentages alone misleading.
- Does Riser Shade offer design, measuring, and installation services?
- Yes. Riser Shade offers design, measuring, and installation services alongside flexible ordering for DIY customers and builders. Choose the support you need and confirm availability, scope, scheduling, and service charges for your project. An online product price does not automatically include every service.
- Can I compare shutters as well as roller shades?
- Yes. Explore Norman Woodlore shutters and Soluna roller shades. Shutters have framed panels and tilting slats; roller shades use fabric that rolls up. Choose the look and operation you prefer, then compare sizes, materials, and installation costs.
- Does the roller-shade shipping or installation offer apply to shutters?
- Do not transfer roller-shade shipping terms to shutters. Riser Shade offers measuring, design, and installation services for customers who want support; request those services with your shutter quote and confirm scope and charges. Review shutter shipping and taxes separately from roller shipping terms.