Window Fashion VISION
My sewing career started with creations for my Barbie dolls. That led to enrolling at Kansas State University in Fashion Design—which lasted one semester. I did get some basic training in art and interior design, but in the end graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture Management.
Fifteen years later, I left my greenhouse and floral shop to install draperies and custom window treatments for Carolyn Ellenz. In 1968, along with her husband Dave, she started their flooring and custom window coverings business with the principle of giving quality products and personalized service to their customers. In April of 2000, I bought Ellenz of Tipton, and in 2014 my daughter, Alexis, joined me with her interior design talents.
With the business nearing the 50 year mark, we’ve been busy clearing out the cobwebs and updating the store, but not the traditions though! Visit us on the web to get a quick tour today!
WFCP Education:
This past March, I attended the FastTRACK Workroom Specialist Certification program at the International Window Coverings Expo in Charlotte, North Carolina. This has heightened my quest to find the perfect window treatment for each individual customer. Our designs can be found in homes that may have been built in the early 1900s or in new constructions finished last week. The diversity of creating a window treatment for a log home or selecting sheers for a wood-framed, century-old farm home makes our job interesting and fun!
Project Showcase:
Specialist Advice:
On customer service:
“Our customers become our family, as we see them at community activities, sports events, and sometimes at heartbreaking funeral services. We don’t take customer service lightly. We live to serve our customers because if they aren’t happy with our product we lose not only a customer but also a friend.”
Fun Facts:
Lanette is a mother of four and the grandmother of four. She and her husband live 40 miles from the geographic center of the United States and about 10 miles from the geodetic center of North America.
“We aren’t kidding when we say we live in the Heartland! Our store, Ellenz of Tipton is in the small community of Tipton, KS—population 250. That’s not a typo! Our customer base is from a radius of 90 miles but the scenery is beautiful and the traffic is non-existent except for a few tractors and combines. Come see us on Highway 181 North of I-70, enjoy the view but forget the GPS or you will end up in one of our neighbor’s farmyards!”
