Historic charm, 1800s brick, and open space combine to create the Ashton Building in Omaha, Nebraska. For years this building, as well as others in the Millwork Commons community, was left to deteriorate. But this once bustling building in Omaha wasn’t going down without a fight. As its future seemed dim, the bright lights of revitalization shone through and brought a new concept which would bring it back to life. Since its refurbishment, the Ashton building has served as a space for a variety of purposes; restaurants, shops, offices, and more. Millwork Commons has taken multi-use buildings to a whole new level and this was just the beginning.

Now you may be asking yourself, what does all this have to do with roller shade fabric? We’re SO glad you asked. With an innovative design and concept, surely the window coverings must match, right? We spoke with Kim Foster at Made In The Shade Blinds Omaha to gather some intel into this unique project and find out why window shading was an integral part of this refurbishment.

Kim shared with us that because of her previous working relationship with Flywheel (now WP Engine), one of the companies renting space in the Ashton Building, MITS Omaha was able to score the work on this project. She told us, “Our first tour of the building was unbelievable, and it was almost inconceivable that it would ever be a beautiful, vibrant space.” The building had been run down for so many years, it was almost to the point of no repair. It took impeccable vision and commitment from Lund-Ross Constructors and the team of architects at Alley Poyner Macchietto to turn this former millwork building into a masterful multi-use space for people and purposes of all kinds. 

Now to the shading, Kim shared with us that one thing was very clear when touring the Ashton building: the view-through needed to be strong. The Ashton was only part one of the Millwork Commons community project, and lots of other unique and vivacious buildings and community spaces were going to be created around it. Who wouldn’t want to witness this incredible community popping up right around you? So, MITS decided that they would work with our friends at Insolroll to produce shades with Equinox (E Screen™) with 3% openness in color Charcoal/Grey. The 3% openness and dark charcoal tones work in tandem to present the ultimate view through. Sunlight is still able to somewhat shine through, but without the pesky glare which would discourage productivity. Having some natural light and bright energy throughout the space was a priority, and our fabric was able to deliver that while providing valuable shade and occupant comfort. The Charcoal/Grey color also meshed well with the window trim, which was compliant with the historic building requirements. Who could ask for a more perfect match?

Just to give you an idea of how big this project was, we’re going to share with you the number of shades that were installed in the Ashton Building ALONE. 160 shades - 17 motorized shades hardwired with RTS motors and 143 manual shades using continuous loop cords. Now THAT’S a lot of shade fabric - 178.6 yards to be exact. Kim expressed the reassurance she felt by using Mermet fabrics. Based on her previous experience with our fabrics, Kim had the utmost confidence in the longevity, durability, and ease of cleaning of the fabric selected for this project. And with the inherently unique historical elements of the Ashton Building, the shades were able to add value to the space without distracting from its beauty and charm. Perfectly complementing the space, while bringing the best shade.

To learn more about the Ashton Building, visit HERE. To get to know our friends at Insolroll and Made In The Shade Blinds Omaha, please click on the link associated with each name.