Fitting your blinds – inside vs. outside the frame

Once you’ve decided to transform your windows with a set of blinds, or even if you’re still considering it, while the type of blind (eg. roller, Roman, Venetian, etc) is a key decision it’s important to also think about whether they’ll be mounted inside or outside the window frame. It’s more than just a matter of preference because some styles work better depending on where they’re mounted, and sometimes the size of your windows will make the decision for you.

What is an inside mount, and when does it work best?

As you can imagine, inside mounted blinds are hung inside the window frame itself. They provide the cleanest look, but an important measurement to make with inside mounts is the depth of the window recess. You need to make sure there’s enough space for the blinds to fit in snuggly. Anything less than 7.5cm won’t be enough. With a deep enough recess you can sometimes choose where the blinds will drop too, deciding the clearance between the bottom of the blind and any latches on the window. The biggest disadvantage with mounting on the inside however, is that they let in less light when they’re up because they cover a portion of the window itself.

What are the benefits of an outside mount?

Fitting blinds outside of your window frame is very practical and flexible when it comes to the style you choose. By fixing the blinds just above the top of the sill, outside mounts cover your entire window frame. As a result, they can be fitted to any frame regardless of the recess’ depth, and when they’re up you can expect more light to be let in than their inside mounted counterparts. As you can expect, this also means that when they’re down or drawn they’ll block light really well. And because they cover the sill you can keep items there (eg. knick knacks or utensils in the kitchen) without anything being knocked over by the bottom of the blind.

No matter the style of blind, there’s an inside or outside mount we can find to fit just about every window. It could be a matter of taste or function, but If you’re unsure or would like to see how either mount could look in your home feel free to get in touch. Our style consultants come to your home so they can see your windows and they’re experts at finding the best solution for your home.