How to Install Your Roman Shade: Inside vs. Outside Mount, Step by Step

Every Roman shade we sew leaves our Toronto workroom sized to the measurements you sent us — but the shade only looks and functions right if it goes up correctly. This guide walks through both ways to mount one: inside the window frame, and outside it (including over a door). If you haven't measured yet, start with our how-to-measure video — mounting starts with a correct measurement, not the other way around.

Inside mount vs. outside mount — which one is yours?

• Inside mount sits within the window frame itself, flush against the top and sides. It gives a clean, built-in look and works when your frame is deep enough (we recommend at least 2–2.5 inches of depth, and no obstructions like a lock or crank handle inside that space).
• Outside mount sits above and outside the window opening, brackets fixed to the wall or trim. It's the only option when your frame is too shallow for inside mount, and it's also how you'd mount a shade over a door — there's no frame to sit inside on a door casing, so the shade hangs from brackets above it, covering the full opening.

If you're not sure which applies to your window, measure the frame depth first — under 2 inches, outside mount is almost always the answer.

Tools you'll need

• Pencil and tape measure
• Electric drill with the correct bit size for your wall anchors (drywall vs. plaster vs. tile changes this — check before you drill)
• Level (a laser level makes this faster on wide multi-bracket installs)
• Screwdriver (often included in the mounting hardware kit)
• Step ladder
• The mounting brackets and screws that ship with your shade

Inside mount: step by step

1. Confirm your frame depth is sufficient (2–2.5 inches minimum) and clear of obstructions.
2. Hold a bracket at the top corner of the frame, roughly half an inch in from each side, and mark the screw holes with a pencil.
3. Repeat for the opposite side, using a level to make sure both brackets sit at the same height — this is the step people rush, and it's the one that causes a shade to hang crooked.
4. If your shade is wide, you may have a third, center-support bracket — mark and mount it level with the other two.
5. Drill pilot holes and screw the brackets into the frame.
6. Snap or slide the headrail into the brackets according to your hardware type (our kits include the specific fitting instructions for your bracket style).
7. Test the lift mechanism — raise and lower the shade fully before you consider the install done. It should move smoothly with no dragging on either side.

Outside mount: step by step

1. Decide your bracket placement — typically 2–3 inches above the window opening and 3–4 inches out on each side, so the shade fully covers the window with no light gap at the edges when lowered. For a door installation, position brackets above the door casing so the shade clears the door swing and doesn't interfere with the handle.
2. Mark and level both bracket positions before drilling anything — outside mount forgives measurement mistakes far less than inside mount, since the brackets are the only thing anchoring the shade.
3. Check your wall type. Screwing into drywall alone won't hold a heavier shade securely — use anchors rated for the shade's weight, or hit a stud where possible.
4. Drill and mount the brackets.
5. Fit the headrail into the brackets and confirm it's seated fully — an outside-mounted shade that's not clicked in all the way can come loose under the weight of the fabric.
6. Test the lift fully, and check the shade sits flush against the wall/frame with minimal light gap on the sides.

Troubleshooting

• The shade hangs crooked. Almost always a bracket-height mismatch. Re-check with a level before assuming the shade itself is wrong — we sew to your measurements, but a bracket that's a quarter-inch higher on one side will show.
• There's a gap of light around the edges. Expected with inside mount (a small reveal is normal); if it's more than about half an inch, double-check the shade width against your original order and your frame measurement — email us before you re-drill anything.
• The lift cords or chain feel stiff when new. Normal for the first few uses as everything seats in; it should smooth out. If it's still catching after a week of use, that's worth writing to us about.
• The shade doesn't sit flush against an outside-mounted wall. Usually a bracket depth issue — confirm you used the depth setting that matches your wall's projection, not the frame's.
• You're missing hardware or a bracket doesn't match what's in the video. Bracket styles vary slightly by shade type — email us with your order number and we'll confirm exactly what you should be looking at.

When to call us instead of guessing

If your window is an unusual shape, sits in a deep reveal, or you're mounting into anything other than drywall/wood/plaster (tile, metal stud, stone trim), it's worth a quick email before you drill: designer@loganovashades.com. We'd rather answer a question first than have you patch a hole afterward.

Written by Natalya, textile engineer, LOGANOVA.