Smart Shades

How to measure your windows

A tape measure and ten minutes is all it takes. Work out how your shade will be mounted, follow the steps for that mount, and enter the numbers exactly as you measured them — in centimeters, to the millimeter.

Before you start

  • Use a metal tape measure — cloth tapes stretch and read long.
  • Measure every window, even ones that look identical. They often differ by a few millimeters.
  • Look for anything that sticks out — handles, window cranks, sensors — that the shade would have to clear.
  • Write each size down straight away, with a note of which window it belongs to.

Step 1

Inside or outside mount?

Measure how deep the window recess is, from its front edge back to the window frame. That depth decides where the shade can go.

Inside mount

The shade sits inside the recess, for a clean, built-in look. Needs at least 5 cm of depth — about 8.5 cm for the shade to sit fully flush.

How to measure

Outside mount

The shade is fixed to the wall above the window and covers the whole opening. Best for shallow recesses, handles that stick out, or blocking more light.

How to measure

Step 2

Measuring for an inside mount

Width — top, middle, bottom. Use the smallest.
Height — left, middle, right. Use the longest.
  1. 01

    Width: measure three times

    Measure the inside width of the recess at the top, the middle and the bottom. Use the smallest of the three, so the shade fits at the narrowest point.

  2. 02

    Height: measure three times

    Measure the inside height at the left, the middle and the right. Use the longest of the three, so the shade reaches all the way down.

  3. 03

    Enter the exact numbers

    Round down to the nearest millimeter, and don't subtract anything for the brackets — we make that allowance when we make the shade.

Step 2

Measuring for an outside mount

Measure the opening (solid lines). The dashed outline is the shade, with the overlap we add.
  1. 01

    Measure the opening

    Measure the width and height of the window opening itself — not your old shade or curtain.

  2. 02

    Don't add the overlap

    We add extra on every side so light doesn't leak around the edges. Enter the opening exactly as you measured it.

  3. 03

    Check the wall above

    Make sure there is flat wall above the window for the brackets, with nothing in the way — a curtain rail, an air conditioner, a light fitting.

Rather not measure yourself?

Choose professional installation when you configure your shade. We come to your home, take the measurements, and only price the shade once we have exact numbers.

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