What Can I Do If My Blinds Aren’t Wide Enough?
It is always a good idea to ensure that any blinds you buy are the correct size for the window they are intended for. To hijack an old saying, when it comes to blinds, it always pays to ’measure twice, cut once’.
But, what happens if you come into possession of a set of blinds that aren’t wide enough for your window?
Obviously, if your blinds don’t completely cover your window, this will allow light to enter at inconvenient times, as well as greatly diminish any sense of privacy that may come from closing the blinds. In addition to this, blinds that don’t cover the entire window can appear unsightly and disorganised.
In these cases (and if replacing the blinds isn’t an option), the best option is to add drapery panels to the sides of the windows, thus covering up the space not already being covered by the blinds.
Drapery can be expensive. However, it is possible to make your own drapery and window treatments relatively simply. As an option, this is highly cost-effective, and allows you to indulge your creativity.
Beyond this, there isn’t much you can do, sadly. If the blinds are really small (or the window is quite big), you could try hanging 2 sets of blinds in the same window frame. This is a reasonable option, but only if both blinds fit the window. If they don’t, you may need to adjust one or both blinds (we recommend adjusting both equally instead of just one).
In the event that your blinds are too wide for the window, they can be cut down to size. Some blinds are designed to be easy to cut down, if need be. For the ones that aren’t, making such an adjustment can be both tricky and slightly time-consuming, but shouldn’t be too difficult.
A precise measuring device and a power saw will be required to measure how much needs to be removed, after which, you must cut carefully along the slats (ideally placed into the ‘up’ position) while avoiding damage to the strings or internal mechanism.
By far the best option, of course, is to ensure that the blinds are a good fit before purchasing them. Most retailers will offer a money back guarantee in the event that the blinds are still packaged (and proof of purchase is offered to the retailer). However, it’s worth noting that some retailers will not offer refunds or replacements simply because the blinds don’t fit.
So, measure, measure, measure – and be absolutely sure that the blinds you’ve selected will fit the window you wish to hang them in (or over).
Blinds that don’t fit their window are as impractical as they are unsightly. However, as we’ve hopefully demonstrated, there are ways around this unfortunate situation (and, crucially, these are options that won’t cost you the Earth). All that’s required is a little bit of creativity, know-how, and a ‘can-do’ attitude, and you should be fine.
Come and Talk to us today to see what we can do
