YES! Absolutely!! Think of the Yeti or Hydro Flask technology. The pockets or “cells”, formed by the fabric, trap heat and cold reducing the heat exchange rate. When surrounded by the right material, air pockets are a highly effective insulator. The more cells the better!

Bonus: Room darkening material is more efficient than a translucent or light filtering material.

Well…yes, but…DON’T. We highly advise you leave that to a professional. Measuring for window coverings is a relatively simple process BUT, the type of product will dictate how those need to be taken. For instance, Roller Shades often (not always, and a professional will know) just need the top of the opening where the headrail will be mounted measured and the height of the opening. Horizontal slat blinds, however, require a top, middle and bottom measure where the narrowest width is recorded so the blind doesn’t get caught up when pulling it down. Then there are factors such as window depth, frame, sill, inside or outside mount that need to be considered. These things play a part in the mounting of the product, therefore the person measuring needs to be aware of these influences. A mistake on one window could cost FAR MORE to replace the product than it costs to hire a pro to measure in the first place, not to mention what it would cost if you make the same mistake on 20 windows!

Side note: Some coverings need to be measured to the nearest 1/16” and if you have ever used a tape measure to get an accurate measurement of the inside of an opening, you know how tough that can be!

It isn’t just where the headrail will be mounted! While the simple answer is, “Inside” fits on the inside of the window opening and “Outside” mounts to the wall on the outside of the window opening, there are other things to consider when choosing which mount type is best for you and for the room they are intended for.

Inside: This is the cleanest look and the measurements need to be accurate and precise. The fabric is closest to the window and the product can get caught in a gap (if not measured correctly) that is narrower and can essentially disable your window covering.

Outside: This opens up nearly all product options but, it uses more material which can translate into more cost. Also, trim has to be taken into consideration when mounting.

Light Gap: Another consideration is the light gap. While both an outside and an inside mount will have a light gap (unless channel is used such as with Hunter Douglas’ “LightLock”), the light that is bleeding into the room can be dramatically different. With Inside mount, the light is bleeding into the room directly. With outside mount the light is cast onto the wall.