Looking for Custom Window Shades? 10 Things You Should Know

Buying custom window shades is a significant investment in your home’s comfort, privacy, and energy efficiency. Unlike off-the-shelf options, custom shades are manufactured to your exact specifications, ensuring a perfect fit and a professional look. However, the process requires attention to detail to avoid costly mistakes.

Use this guide to navigate the technical and aesthetic choices involved in ordering custom window treatments directly from the factory.

1. Define Your Primary Function

Before browsing fabrics, identify the specific problem you need to solve in each room. Window treatments serve four main purposes:

• Privacy: Essential for bedrooms and bathrooms.
• Light Control: Reducing glare in home offices or blocking light in nurseries.
• Heat Management: Solar shades reflect UV rays to keep rooms cooler.
• Aesthetics: Adding texture or color to complement your interior design.

Prioritizing function first prevents you from choosing a style that looks good but fails to perform. For example, a sheer fabric may look elegant in a bedroom but will not provide the privacy required at night.

2. Understand the Different Shade Types

Each shade type offers unique mechanical and visual benefits. Selecting the right one depends on your functional needs and the window's location.

• Zebra Shades: These feature alternating bands of sheer and solid fabric. They allow you to transition between privacy and an open view by simply adjusting the alignment of the bands.
• Solar Shades: Designed specifically to reduce glare and heat while maintaining your view of the outdoors. They are ideal for living rooms with a view or sun-drenched sunrooms.
• Light Filtering Roller Shades: These soften incoming sunlight, creating a warm glow while providing complete privacy. You cannot see through them, but they keep the room bright.
• Blackout Roller Shades: These use opaque fabrics to block 99% of light. They are the standard choice for bedrooms and media rooms.

3. Light Filtering vs. Blackout: Choose Wisely

Opacity is the most common point of confusion for buyers.

• Light Filtering fabrics allow light to pass through but obscure shapes. Use these in kitchens, dining rooms, and living areas where you want natural light without the "fishbowl" feeling.
• Blackout fabrics stop light from passing through the material itself. Note that on an inside-mount shade, light will still peek through the small gaps on the sides (light gaps). For total darkness, consider adding side channels or choosing an outside mount.

4. Decide Between Inside and Outside Mount

The mount type determines how the shade is installed and how it covers the window.

Inside Mount

The shade is installed inside the window casing.

• Pros: Provides a clean, built-in look; highlights decorative window trim.
• Cons: Requires a minimum window depth (usually 2–3 inches); results in small light gaps on the sides.

Outside Mount

The shade is installed on the wall or the window trim.

• Pros: Can make a window appear larger; provides better light coverage by overlapping the frame; works for shallow windows.
• Cons: Covers the window trim; projects further into the room.

5. Precise Measurement is Non-Negotiable

Custom shades are made to the 1/8th of an inch. A small error can result in a shade that is too wide to fit or too short to cover the glass.

1. Use a metal tape measure. Cloth tapes stretch and provide inaccurate readings.
2. Measure every window individually. Even windows that look identical can vary by half an inch.
3. The Width-First Rule. Always record your measurements as Width x Height.
4. Measure in three places. For width, measure the top, middle, and bottom. Use the narrowest width for inside mounts. For height, measure left, center, and right. Use the longest height.

6. The Advantage of Factory-Direct Pricing

Most retailers act as middlemen. They buy from a manufacturer, add a markup, and sell to you. Buying factory-direct from Factory Direct Shades eliminates these extra costs.

• Lower Costs: You pay for materials and labor, not retail overhead or brand licensing fees.
• Quality Control: We oversee the entire manufacturing process, from fabric selection to the final assembly of the lift mechanism.
• Faster Shipping: Your order doesn't sit in a distributor's warehouse; it ships directly from the production floor to your door.

7. Always Order Free Samples

Colors on a computer screen are rarely 100% accurate. Factors like screen brightness and color calibration can distort the true shade of a fabric.

• Check the Texture: Some fabrics have a smooth finish, while others have a woven, tactile feel.
• Test the Opacity: Hold the sample up to your actual window during different times of the day to see how the light interacts with it.
• Match Your Decor: Compare the sample against your wall paint, furniture, and flooring in your home’s specific lighting.

We offer hundreds of options, including the Bliss Smoke and Aurora Linen samples, to help you make an informed decision.

8. Consider Customization Details

The "custom" in custom shades goes beyond just the size. You can personalize several technical aspects:

• Lift Systems: Choose between cordless (child-safe), continuous cord loop, or motorized systems for hard-to-reach windows.
• Headrails and Cassettes: A decorative cassette or fascia hides the roller mechanism at the top for a more polished appearance.
• Hem Bars: The weight at the bottom of the shade. You can choose a fabric-wrapped hem bar for a seamless look or an exposed metal bar for a modern touch.

9. Bulk Discounts and Trade Programs

If you are outfitting an entire home or working on a commercial project, look for volume savings.

• Bulk Discounts: Buying multiple shades at once often triggers lower per-unit pricing.
• Trade Accounts: We offer dedicated accounts for interior designers, builders, and contractors. These accounts include specialized pricing, priority support, and commissions. This is ideal for professionals who need reliable, high-quality treatments for their clients.

10. Don’t Forget the Street View

Window shades affect your home's curb appeal. For a cohesive look from the outside, consider the color of the "street side" (the back) of the shades.

• Uniformity: Many homeowners choose shades with a white or neutral backing. This ensures that even if every room has a different colored shade inside, the house looks uniform from the street.
• HOA Requirements: Check if your Homeowners Association has rules regarding the color of window treatments visible from the exterior.

Buying custom shades doesn't have to be complicated. By focusing on accurate measurements, understanding your light control needs, and taking advantage of factory-direct pricing, you can upgrade your home with high-quality, perfectly fitted treatments.

Explore our full range of Custom Roman Shades and Drapery to find the perfect match for your space.