Window Treatments in Vancouver
Every window covering decision starts with one question, and getting it wrong makes everything afterwards wrong: does the covering sit inside the window recess or on the wall around it? Inside and outside mount are measured differently, and the measurements are not interchangeable.
Inside vs. outside mount
Inside mount sits within the recess. It looks neater, shows off the window trim, and requires a recess with enough depth for the brackets and headrail — and a recess that is reasonably square, since the covering will not adjust to a window that is not.
Outside mount fixes to the wall or the trim above the window and overlaps the opening. It is the answer where the recess is too shallow, too far out of square, or where you want maximum blackout, because overlapping the opening is what closes the light gaps down the sides. It also makes a window look larger.
How to measure each type
For inside mount, measure the width at three heights and the height at three widths, and use the smallest width and the longest height. Older Vancouver windows are commonly out of square by more than people expect, and using the largest width gives you a blind that will not go in.
For outside mount, decide the overlap first — usually at least 50 to 75mm each side and above — then measure the opening and add it. Measure to the nearest millimetre and note which measurement is which. Most manufacturers cut to your figures with no recourse, so a transposed width and height is an expensive mistake.
Light control and privacy trade-offs
These are separate requirements and are commonly confused. A translucent shade gives daytime privacy while passing light — but at night, with lights on inside, it silhouettes the room to anyone outside. That is the single most common privacy surprise.
Top-down bottom-up shades solve the street-level case neatly: cover the lower half for privacy and let light in over the top. For bedrooms, genuine blackout needs an outside mount or side channels, because a perfectly opaque fabric still leaks light around all four edges of an inside mount.
Strata rules on street-facing windows
Many strata buildings specify what the exterior-facing side of a window covering may look like — commonly white or off-white backing — so the building presents consistently from outside. It is one of the more frequently enforced bylaws because it is visible from the street.
Check before ordering, particularly for anything custom or coloured. This applies to what faces out rather than what you see from inside, so a lined treatment usually satisfies it. It is a five-minute question that prevents a bespoke order that has to be redone.
What this costs
$110 per window installed · $290 minimum
Measured, mounted and levelled. Motorised blinds start at $260 a window because of the power and pairing work. Hardware supplied by you or sourced at cost.
Materials are always separate from labour and passed on at cost. Quotes are free and written, and the full rate card is published rather than given out on request.
Common questions
Inside or outside mount — which is better?
Inside looks neater and shows the trim, but needs a recess with enough depth and reasonable squareness. Outside mount overlaps the opening, which is the answer for shallow or out-of-square recesses, for maximum blackout, and when you want the window to look larger. The recess dictates it more often than taste does.
How do I measure my windows?
For inside mount, measure width at three heights and height at three widths, then take the narrowest width and the longest height — older windows here are out of square more than people expect. For outside mount, decide your overlap first, then add it to the opening. Note which figure is which; transposing them is expensive.
Do stratas restrict what shows from outside?
Frequently, yes — many specify a white or off-white exterior-facing backing so the building looks consistent from the street. It is one of the more actively enforced bylaws because it is visible. Check before ordering anything custom or coloured; a lined treatment usually satisfies it.