Inside Mount vs. Outside Mount Shades: How to Choose

For every window in your home, your designer will ask one quiet but important question: should the treatment be mounted inside the window frame or outside it? It sounds like a small detail. In practice it changes how the window looks, how much light gets in, which products will fit and how the room feels.

Inside mount

An inside-mounted shade or blind sits within the window opening. The headrail is tucked up inside the top of the frame, and the trim around the window stays fully visible.

Why people choose it:

• A clean, built-in look that shows off nice window trim and woodwork.
• Nothing sticks out from the wall, which feels tidy and modern.
• It leaves room for drapery on the wall over it.
• It keeps window walls simple in rooms with lots of windows close together.

Things to know:

• The window needs enough depth for the headrail. Shallow windows may not allow it, or may only fit certain products.
• Small gaps at the sides let some light in, which matters most in bedrooms and media rooms.
• Window cranks, alarm sensors, locks and handles can get in the way.
• When raised, the shade’s stack stays in the top of the window and covers a little of the glass.

Outside mount

An outside-mounted treatment attaches to the wall or trim above the window and overlaps the opening on all sides.

Why people choose it:

• Blocks more light around the edges, which is ideal for bedrooms and media rooms.
• Can make a small window look larger by covering more wall.
• Solves shallow windows, out-of-square frames and obstructions like cranks and handles.
• Lets the shade raise fully above the glass for the clearest view.

Things to know:

• It covers some or all of the window trim.
• The shade becomes more of a design element in the room.

A quick comparison

	Inside mount	Outside mount
Look	Clean, built-in	Bolder, makes windows look larger
Light gaps	Small gaps at the sides	Fewer gaps
Shallow windows	May not fit	Works
Shows window trim	Yes	Covers some or all
Clears the glass when raised	Stack stays in the window	Can raise fully above it

Designer tip: If you love your window trim, inside mount shows it off. If you love your view, outside mount mounted a little higher can lift the shade completely off the glass.

Special cases

Bedrooms that need darkness

Outside mount, or an inside mount with a system that closes the side gaps, like the LightLock® option for Duette® Honeycomb Shades. See bedroom window treatments for better sleep.

Shutters

Shutters are mounted on a frame, which can sit inside the opening or around it depending on depth and the look you want.

Doors

Door handles and the way a door swings often decide the mount. See our guide to sliding glass doors.

Layered windows

When drapery goes over a shade, the shade is usually inside mounted and the drapery hangs outside. See How to Layer Drapery and Shades.

Arches and odd shapes

Specialty windows have their own rules. Our guide to arched and specialty-shaped windows covers them.

Mixing mounts in one room

It’s fine to use different mounts in the same home, and even in the same room. A bedroom might have an outside-mounted shade for darkness while the bathroom next door uses an inside mount. Your designer will keep the overall look consistent.

Leave the measuring to us

Mount style and measurements go hand in hand, and a fraction of an inch matters. A shade measured for an inside mount won’t fit as an outside mount, and vice versa. During your free in-home consultation, your designer checks the depth and condition of every window and recommends the best mount for each one, and our installers take care of the rest.