Maryanne Nowacki began her business, Accent on Windows, in March of 1997. Although her educational background was in Counseling Education (M.Ed. Canisius College) and her professional career spanned over 15 years in sales and management, her passion was fashion, sewing and decorating. “For years I made my own clothes and my children’s clothes and transitioned into home décor from there. I was making drapes and valances for myself, friends and family. I just loved it,” she claims.

Having completed a one year assistantship at Elegant Designs in Buffalo, New York, Maryanne went off on her own officially launching Accent on Windows.  Partnerships were formed with Hunter Douglas, Lafayette Venetian Blinds, several fabric houses, suppliers and local workrooms.

Maryanne sold blinds, shades and fabric treatments to residential and commercial customers. Her “In-Home” business grew and flourished primarily through referrals, word of mouth, and participation in home shows. Today she’s installed window treatments in thousands of homes, offices, banks, schools, country clubs, municipal and federal buildings. In 2015  she earned an award from Lafayette Venetian Blind Inc for being the #1 dealership in the Northeast region.

Maryanne admits that she doesn’t have time to do much of the sewing anymore. She does all the sales, design and works with the customers to select that unique window treatment that suits their taste, décor and budget.

Maryanne proudly says, “I love this business, but the best part is the look on my customers’ faces when they see the finished product. The right window treatment can tie the whole room together and transform the light. That look tells me that I’ve done my job well.”