Want to achieve perfection is a part of human nature. Take the great show-woman Marilyn Monroe for example, who designed her dresses all by herself and later had them sawn directly onto her so they could fit as tightly as she liked. She wanted to wow people with a unique and perfect look. I am like that too but with lesser ambitions that mostly relate to home improvement. The prefect fitting set of blinds was one of my latest home design ambitions. And like Marilyn Monroe’s good looks depended on precise measurements, so did the immaculate look of my windows.

Although it’s an easy task and everyone can do it, even butter fingers me, it’s important to correctly measure for blinds because every millimetre counts. Even a tiny, microscopic mistake in the dimensions can make you end up with draughty and ill-fitted blinds. But before getting down to measuring you need to decide whether you want an inside or outside mount. Your choice of mounting will be what dictates how to measure a window for blinds.

Inside Mounts

Inside mount blinds have smaller dimensions since they are installed on the inside of the window casing. They are a great option for windows with decorative woodwork that you want to show off. When you’re installing inside mounts, remember to measure the length and width inside the window frame. Measure the width at three different points – the top, middle and bottom of the window. If the numbers don’t match, take the lowest figure and write it down. Then, measure the window’s height at both ends and in the middle starting from the headrail to the sill. If you end up with different numbers, this time take the largest figure as a reference.

Outside Mounts

Outside mount blinds are a bolder statement since they are mounted on the exterior of your home, thus being a design feature for all to see. They are also great at providing window protection against the outside elements. The same window will have bigger dimensions for an outside fit than and inside one. Therefore, if you’re considering to replace your old interior blinds with exterior ones, do not in any case use the same dimensions. An outside fit takes into account the whole window trim and can extend beyond the actual window in length, height, or both depending on the type of blinds. Measure the area you want to be covered by the blinds.

Additional tips:

• Ask the shop assistant how to measure a window for blinds they are selling.
• Always measure left to right, and top to bottom. It really makes a difference in accuracy!
• Even if you think all of your windows are identical, measure to check. Measuring is easy, requires tools you already have in your kitchen cabinet and can be done in under 5 minutes.
• Always double check the dimensions you got!