Are you looking to spruce up your living space with new window treatments? Roman Blinds are an elegant and versatile option that can instantly transform the look and feel of a room. But before you can enjoy your new blinds, you will need to measure your windows accurately.
Don’t worry – it’s simpler than you might think! With our easy measuring guide below, you’ll be able to get the perfect fit for your made-to-measure Roman blinds. So grab a tape measure, and let’s get started!
Measuring for standard windows
Read on for our super easy measuring instructions for recess fitting (fitting the blind inside the window recess) and exact fitting (fitting the blind onto the wall around the recess) for standard-shaped windows. At the end of each section, you’ll also find our handy video guides that will walk you through all of the measuring steps
If your windows are a little more unusual (bay windows, or recesses that are partly tiled for example), keep scrolling down!
How to measure for Roman Blinds inside the recess
First, let’s define what a recess is. Put simply, a recessed window is one that is set back into the wall. Fitting the blind inside this space means that it doesn’t stick out into the room, resulting in a neat and tidy finish.
If this is the look you’re going for, then measuring is super simple, just follow these steps and you’re ready to order!
- Measure the width and height of the recess in three places each, and use the smallest measurement for both dimensions.
- Don’t worry about making deductions – we’ll deduct 10mm from the width to ensure the blind and fittings don’t scrape against the wall and the panels hang beautifully.
- Be sure to use a metal tape measure for accurate results – cloth ones can stretch and give you inaccurate readings.
- Finally, don’t forget to check that your recess is deep enough to fit the blind into, taking into account any obstructions such as handles. For Roman Blinds, you’ll need at least 45mm of depth space in front of any obstructions to fit the blind.
How to measure for Roman Blinds outside the recess
So, what is ‘exact’ fitting? This is mostly used when you want your blind to fit outside the window recess. It might be that you do not have a recess, or that you need a blind that sits outside of the recess and therefore are ordering a blind with extra width and drop to overlap the recessed space.
If this matches what you’re after, follow these simple steps:
- Measure the full width and height of the recess (the size of the
hole if you like) and add a little extra to each side. - To minimize light leakage we recommend that the blind overlaps the window recess by at least 70mm at the top and 50mm on each side.
- The overlap at the bottom is up to personal preference, but keep in mind any obstacles, such as radiators.
- We will then make the blind to the size you specify with no deductions.
Measuring for Other Windows
What if your windows are a little more unusual? Not to worry, we’ve got you covered.
If you have tiles part-way up your recess, the narrowest point is most likely the space between them. In that case, measure between the tiles to ensure your blind will fit and order in recess fitting. The same rules apply if you have a picture rail, skirting board or other items on the inside of the recess.
If you already have the perfectly sized blind up at your window and want us to make a new blind exactly the same size for you, just measure the blind (including its fittings) and choose the exact fitting option – easy-peasy!
How to measure for Roman Blinds in an angled bay window
Measuring in a bay window is slightly more complicated as you need to ensure there’s enough space for the blinds to go next to each other, but fear not, we’ve broken it down into super simple steps for you to follow!
First of all, grab everything you’ll need to measure:
- 2 pieces of A4 or A5 sized paper or card.
- A pencil.
- A metal tape measure.
- A Ruler.
- Next, there’s a little bit of maths to do. The head rail for our Roman Blinds protrudes by 50mm. If you have window handles or vents that stick out from the window frame, measure how far these protrude and add this to the headrail depth (50mm). This will be used as measurement A.
- Once you have this measurement, place the 2 pieces of paper edge to edge and mark both of them at the required measurement A using the ruler.
- Now to start measuring the windows. At the angle of each part of the bay, slide the two pieces of paper towards each other along the window sill until the marks that you made on each piece of paper meet up.
- Using a pencil, make a mark on the window sill at the point where the paper meets the window frame.
- Then, measure from one mark to the next, this will establish the width of the blind for each section of the bay.
- Finally, measure the drop from where the top of the blind will sit down to where you want the blind to end (typically the window sill). All of the blinds should then be ordered as ‘Exact Fitting’. And that’s it, you’re all done!
How to measure for Roman Blinds in a square bay window
Roman blinds are a perfect choice for square or box-bay windows. As the material hides the mechanics of the blind, all you see is the fabric that you selected. By following this guide, the blinds will almost meet in the corners without overlapping, and all three blinds operate smoothly.
When measuring the width, take the measurements directly into the corners of the bay for the front and the sides. Then, reduce the corner-to-corner measurement by 90mm for the blind for the front. For the widths of the side blinds, reduce the corner-to-corner measurement by 45mm.
It’s key for bay windows to always check the widths in three places as you would for a recessed window. Bay windows are prone to movement so the widths can vary even if at first glance the windows look even. And as with recess windows, it’s always the smallest of three measurements that you should be working with.
For the drop, we recommend using the same measurement so all three blinds sit level when lowered. The measurement will be from the point where the blind is being mounted down to the window sill. Remember that you will need a flat space of at least 30mm (3cm) to mount the brackets securely. Measure the drop for all three windows and use the smallest of the three.
Once you have your width and drop measurements, order the blinds as exact fitting so they’ll be made precisely to these sizes. And that’s it, you’ve measured your square bay window perfectly!
So there you have it – measuring for Roman Blinds doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Just follow our tips, double-check everything, and set aside some time to do it right. Before you know it, you’ll have perfectly fitted blinds!
If you have any questions that aren’t answered here, get in touch with our friendly customer service team who know all of the expert tips to get the best fit for your windows!
