Best Blinds for Shallow Windows: Privacy and Light Control for Every Home

Shallow windows can make it challenging to find the right blinds because there’s not much space inside the frame to fit a mount. Most traditional curtains are mounted on the outside of the frame, but blinds can be placed within. However, when you have limited space or want to place curtains, external mounting is a sub-optimal choice. Rather than cluttering up your space unnecessarily, I’ll help you find a solution for those shallow frames. 

Curtains have many styles, from simple to ornate, and they bring a sense of stylish coziness to a room. However, blinds are meant to make space feel more open. Since they fold out of the way easily, blinds take up less space when you have them pulled. Additionally, when closed blinds present a slim profile. This is ideal for leaving any room feeling wide open. In smaller rooms and small homes, this is a significant advantage. 

Options for Internal Mounted Blinds

Fitting blinds within a very shallow window frame might seem improbable, but you’d be surprised at how little space you need. You will have to measure the space’s depth to determine whether it is possible to fit a mount for blinds. If the depth is at least three-quarters of an inch, you have space for slim blinds. 

The smallest blinds, by width, that you are likely to find are about an inch wide. While this means the mount may slightly stick out of your shallow frame, this is not a concern. Once mounted, your one-inch slat blinds will only be a fourth of an inch outside the frame, which is a reasonably small margin. Fortunately, this shouldn’t make your space feel smaller. 

Another way to mount an incredibly slim blind is by using a fabric roller style. While we often see these in a generic plastic sheet, it is also simple to trade that pull-down vinyl for the actual fabric you want to match your decor. Furthermore, you can add designs or use glue and a sheet of patterned cotton fabric over the surface for a more stylish look. Fabric roll blinds are a versatile space saver that offers more decorative choices. These also require about an inch of space to mount and may fit in a slightly smaller space. 

Roller shades also come in a blackout variety. Depending on your needs, these can block light and even help prevent heat exchange through the windows. Best of all, for night workers, the blackout option is a superb way to ensure you get the sleep you need. 

Like roller blinds, the cordless single cell style is best for homes with wild pets and small children. With no cords to get tangled up, you don’t need to worry about injuries to your little people and fur friends. Corded blinds are better left to the adults. 

Cellular or honeycomb shades also make an excellent option for shallow framed windows. The unique shape of these blinds gives a modern feel and an interesting look to your window treatment. Meanwhile, it provides you with light-diffusing and privacy like any blind should. 

External Mounting For Blinds

Not all blinds need to be mounted inside the frame of your window. Some homes have windows flush with the inside wall or otherwise have such narrow frames that you cannot possibly hope to mount blinds on the inside. For these windows, you must use an external mounted blind. However, external mounting is also an option for other shallow frames when you want a slightly different look, more options, or wider blinds. 

An External mount is when you place the blinds above and around the window instead of within the framed area. By opening up your options, you can change the whole look of your space. Plantation shutters offer a stunning finished look that can enhance your space and bring either light or privacy to your home. 

Any blind you prefer has an external mounting option. Resultantly homeowners who want thicker bamboo roll up blinds can mount them above a window for that classic and sustainably eco-friendly look that never goes out of style. Likewise, zebra sheers with alternating light and dark fabrics or roman shades can mount on the outside of thin-frames for a beautiful fabric look that doesn’t require a rolled look when you want them open. 

External mounting can be the only option for some windows, but even frames that could fit an inside mount may look nicer with an outside mounted blind. Moreover, many external mount styles don’t need curtains to look finished and bring style to your home. Choose your mounting style based on the finished look you desire and the space you have available. 

Top Five Best Blinds for Shallow Windows

Once you’ve measured the available space and you know whether you’re planning to mount your blinds inside the frame or externally, you can select the best blinds for those shallow windows. Make sure you consider how much light and privacy you want with the blinds open and closed before you start planning. It’s easier to narrow down the choices when you know what matters most to you. For example, a blackout blind isn’t a great choice if you want natural light in the daytime, but it’s ideal for day sleepers and those who want perfect privacy inside their homes. Likewise, a sheer light-diffusing option gives excellent daytime light, but some fabrics are easy to see through at night, which cuts into privacy. Below are five of the best blinds you can get for shallow windows. 

1. Radiance Cordless Roman Driftwood Blind

At a mere inch wide, these Radiance Cordless Driftwood Shades are a superb blend of stylish and safe. Using renewable, eco-friendly bamboo, these shades allow light to filter into any room, creating a beautiful cozy and natural comfort. The alternating driftwood flat stick bamboo slats are not your mother’s 1970s bamboo roll-ups. 

The rustic appeal offers semi-private light filtration for any room in your home. Available in both inside and outside mount options, you can use Radiance blinds on any window regardless of how deep or shallow it is. Measure inside window frames exactly for easy internal mounting. Alternately, if you plan an external mount, please add a half-inch in width to cover the entire window. 

You’ll appreciate how well these blinds darken a room when fully closed. Radiance Roman Blinds block more light than vinyl miniblinds yet allow more light to filter in than a blackout curtain when fully closed. The beautiful folding style of roman blinds is a classic look that gives a more upscale feel than slats, but they’re still easy to use and install. 

What really makes these Radiance blinds the top choice on our list is the safety. As a cordless blind, they are certified best for kids. There are no strings or chains to worry about tangling up. When you want a lovely finished look, with some light in the room, and a truly excellent product for a family or pet-friendly home, these are the best blinds for shallow windows. Learn more about Radiance on Amazon when you click here

2. Windowsandgarden Custom Single Cell Shades

Another superb option for cordless and safe window coverings are these Windowsandgarden Custom Single Cell Shades from Amazon. These make outstanding inside mount blinds for shallow windows at least one and a quarter inches deep. However, you can also get them in an outside mount option.

As the most customizable of all the options on this list, you will love how many ways there are to add single cell shades to your decor. To begin with, there are nine different color options. White silver and ivory offer a brighter look, while darker espresso and amber choices offer a more cozy and less brilliantly lit choice for hygge homes. 

These polyester curtains are both made in the USA and imported, so you can feel good about where you get your blinds. Some jobs go to local workers and stimulate the US economy while other parts are done overseas and strengthen our trade bonds worldwide. A company that is transparent about its business practices is always top of our list. 

To get the perfect fit on these blinds, follow their simple steps to measure what you need. Like any style, an inside mounting requires a narrower blind than an outside mount that should overlap the frame. The clear step-by-step process is explained at each stage, so you don’t have to guess and hope the blinds will fit. 

In addition to the cordless safety, the other thing that makes Windowsandgarden Single Cell Blinds stand out from the crowd is the excellent customer service practices. Some companies make it hard to contact them and work slowly if at all, to respond, but not this company. Their prompt and helpful customer service is delightful to work with. See the outstanding ratings by clicking here

3. Allbright Striped Jacquard 100% Blackout Window Blinds

If you love a dark room or work nights, choose Allbright Striped Jacquard 100% Blackout Window Blinds for your shallow windows. For those with two-point-two inches of depth, an internal mount works perfectly. However, when you have a narrower space, an external mount won’t take up much space. 

Not only will these single-panel blinds keep out all the light, but they also provide superb UV protection. With thermal insulation, Allbright Blinds will also help keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer. Blinds that block more than light are always a welcome home addition. 

Made from one hundred percent polyester, these blinds won’t fade over time the way fabrics can. You’ll have the color you choose for years to come. Resultantly, you won’t need to waste time and money replacing your blinds any time soon. Better still, these blinds come with a convenient to use and easy to understand installation manual to help you mount them properly. 

Unlike many blackout curtains, these are not weighty black curtains. Instead, you get options in grey, light grey, and beige to help give your room an open feel even when there’s no light coming in at the window. When you’re ready for some sun, use the chain to raise these blinds. 

Since Allbright Blinds are made in an  OEKO-TEX Standard 100 factory, the company guarantees their quality. The independent certification system checks all their fabrics and ensures they meet both environmental and safety standards so you can enjoy them worry-free. The hundred-percent quality guarantee also gives you peace of mind in knowing you can always contact Allbright with your questions or concerns, and they will get back to you promptly. Have Amazon deliver Allbright Blinds to your door when you click here

4.LazBlinds Cordless Cellular Shades

By far, the simplest to install on our list are these incredible LazBlinds Cordless Cellular Shades from Amazon. You won’t need any tools, and setup takes only a moment after you remove them from the package. If you don’t want to damage your window frame, these are perfect. Even renters can install and remove these blinds. 

Happily, these blinds are only one and a third inches wide so that they will fit between other curtains or inside extremely shallow window frames. They hold themselves in place with spring tension. All you need to do is put them in place, and you have blinds for privacy and light filtration. 

The premium quality LazBlinds offer three-fifths of an inch cell size. This will help prevent heat loss in winter and keep your room cooler in the summer as long as your blinds are down. However, it is important to note that these blinds only work as an internal mount and must fit within the frame.

There are three different color options to fit many decor styles. You can pick from dove grey, alabaster, or mocha to suit your taste. With these three colors, you can match or complement most decor choices easily, from sleek and modern rooms to rustic decor and more. 

LazBlinds do not have exposed cords. Like most of our list, the lack of cords means a safer and more worry-free blind. Whether you worry about pets, small children, or have a habit of tangling up those fussy strings, there’s nothing to tangle here, so you can relax and enjoy your privacy. 

These blinds have a standard two-fifths of an inch deduction to allow for a proper fit. With such a small allowance, it is important to measure properly. However, you shouldn’t need to worry about large gaps in coverage around the edges like you do with badly fitted slat blinds. 

Another nice bonus to this style is the ability to mount them over a full window or choose a lower mounting. With partial coverage on high windows, you can get lots of sun in your home without sacrificing privacy. It’s hard to get the best of both worlds, but LazBlinds found a win-win solution that’s so easy to use it’s hard to imagine going back to ponderous screwdrivers and hard to re-level options once you’ve tried these out. To order your LazBlinds, click here

5. ShadesU Zebra Dual Layer Blinds

ShadesU Zebra Dual Layer Blinds from Amazon are ideal for windows so shallow they require an external mount. These beautiful zebra blinds offer alternating diffused light and fully darkened panels to get a unique and classy look to your home. Some windows simply won’t fit any internal blinds, so choose a high quality and visually stunning solution for your external mounting needs. Best of all, you can find these pre-cut blinds in a huge array of sizes to fit any window without those excessive custom fees. 

Because of the unique dual-layer design, you can have all the appeal of a zebra blind and then keep your privacy at night as well. When fully closed, these blinds offer complete privacy. Alternately, they pull up neatly to give full sunshine from the window when you’re not in the mood for any light diffusion at all. The versatility means that these may be last on this list, but they are certainly not least. 

Unlike a flimsy plastic or bendable aluminum blind, ShadesU is a hundred percent polyester. Since this unique fabric resists fading, you get durable and lasting blinds to cover those shallow windows for years. They are quick and easy to install for DIY applications. Plus, you’ll appreciate how smoothly these blinds open and close. Order your ShadesU Blinds by clicking right here


Final Thoughts

When choosing blinds for your shallow windows, keep your space in mind. If you plan to mount curtains on the outside of the frame, then you will likely need internal mount blinds. However, if you don’t mind taking up more space visually, it is possible to mount both outside. 

Additionally, look at how your window frames are constructed. If you have very slim frames, then the drywall above may not support an external mounting. In this case, you need a slim blind to fit inside your frames or a very lightweight option to prevent wall damage. 

Whatever look you are going for, there are plenty of excellent blinds available for shallow windows. Your space will feel better and more complete once you have the perfect window treatments up no matter what style of windows you have.

Aron Blake

I am the lead copywriter on Homezesty and the Webmaster. I have a lot of experience in home renovations and the creation of style. I enjoy writing and sharing my tips on how to create the best living environment. My Linkedin Profile, My Twitter Account

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