What the workroom knows, written down.

Inside mount sits the shade within the window opening. It reads architectural, keeps casing and trim visible, and is the default for deep, square openings with at least 2½" of usable depth on roman and roller programs. The trade-off is light gap — roughly 3/8" per side after deductions — which matters in bedrooms and media rooms.

Outside mount covers the opening entirely. It is the right call for shallow returns, out-of-square openings, tile or stone surrounds you cannot drill into cleanly, and any room where light control is the primary brief. Add a minimum of 2" of overlap per side and 3" above the opening so the headrail and stack conceal the frame.

Measure the width in three places — top, middle, bottom — and the height in three places, and record all six. On inside mount we build to the narrowest width and the longest height; on outside mount we build to the finished dimension you specify, without deduction. Note out-of-square conditions greater than ¼" on the order so the workroom can plan the bottom rail.

One rule that saves remakes: never combine an inside-mount headrail with an obstruction — crank handles, alarm sensors, tilt-and-turn hardware. Move it outside and let the treatment do its job.

Natural shades are woven from plant fibers, and the fiber sets the personality. Bamboo slats give crisp horizontal rhythm and the tightest weaves. Ramie and flax linen soften the light and read closer to textile than timber. Jute adds warmth and irregular slub. Reed and grass sit in between, with a fine vertical grain that catches low afternoon sun.

Openness is the second variable. An open weave will glow and cast pattern across the floor; a tight weave holds a flatter, more even light. Neither is better — but specify openness deliberately, because it determines whether a liner is optional or mandatory.

Expect variation. Natural fibers are dyed in lots and woven by hand, so color and grain shift panel to panel. This is the material behaving correctly, not a defect. For multi-window rooms, order all panels together so they are cut from adjacent runs.

Where privacy or room darkening is required, add a liner rather than chasing a tighter weave. A fixed light-filtering liner keeps the texture legible from inside; a movable blackout liner lets the same window switch roles from day to night.

Light filtering softens and diffuses daylight while keeping the window luminous. Silhouettes remain readable from outside at night. It is the right default for living spaces and kitchens.

Privacy lining blocks the view without blocking all light. The window still reads bright; shapes are no longer legible. This is what most clients actually mean when they say blackout.

Room darkening substantially reduces transmitted light but accepts halo around the edges from mount gaps. True blackout requires the fabric, the liner, and the installation to work together — outside mount, generous overlap, or side channels on roller programs.

Layering solves the rest. A dual sheer shade moves between view, filter and darkening in one product. A woven shade with a movable liner does the same in two positions. Draperies over a shade give the deepest control and the best acoustics.

Cordless is the child-and-pet-safe default and the cleanest visual. It suits shades within easy reach and moderate widths and weights. Above certain sizes the spring assist becomes heavy, and the workroom will recommend an alternative.

Continuous cord loop (clutch) handles large, heavy shades with a smooth, repeatable pull, and it is the workhorse for tall commercial openings. It requires a tension device fastened to the wall or jamb — never leave it unsecured.

Wand control is the quiet answer for vertical and vane products, and for sliding-door applications where a cord would sit in the traffic path.

Motorization is no longer a luxury upcharge conversation. DC battery motors retrofit without electrical work and run whisper-quiet; AC motors suit hardwired new construction and large runs. Both integrate with the major smart-home hubs, and grouped scenes are where clients feel the value — a whole elevation moving on one command.

Dust weekly with a soft brush attachment on low suction, working top to bottom and following the weave or fold direction. Compressed air handles pleated and cellular structures without crushing them.

Spot clean only, with a barely damp cloth and neutral soap, and blot rather than rub. On vertical sheer vanes, individual vanes can be removed and washed gently — one of the practical advantages of the Curvers construction.

Ultraviolet exposure fades every textile eventually. South and west elevations age fastest. Rotating usage patterns, adding a liner, or specifying a solution-dyed fabric all extend the life of the visible face.

Have hardware checked annually: brackets tighten, cord tension devices loosen, motor batteries drain. Ten minutes of inspection prevents most service calls we receive.

Give us the room, not only the numbers. A photo of the opening, the mount surface and any obstruction lets the workroom catch conflicts before cutting. It costs the dealer thirty seconds and saves weeks.

Specify finished dimensions explicitly and state whether deductions have already been taken. The single most common source of a remake is an ambiguous width on an outside-mount order.

Confirm fabric direction, repeat and railroading on patterned goods, and order yardage from the same dye lot for a shared elevation. On draperies, confirm the header, fullness and return before hardware is ordered.

Finally, sequence the site. Treatments are the last trade in — painted, cured, floors protected. A shade installed against wet trim is a service call waiting to happen.