How to Fake Taller Windows With a Levolor Cellular Shades Outside Mount

I remember standing in the middle of my first 'grown-up' apartment, clutching a tape measure and staring at the most pathetic, squat windows I had ever seen. They were shallow, vinyl-framed, and had barely half an inch of depth for a mounting bracket. I tried to force an inside mount anyway, and the headrail protruded so far it looked like a shelf. That was the day I realized a levolor cellular shades outside mount isn't just a backup plan for tricky architecture—it is a secret weapon for creating the illusion of height where none exists.

• Outside mounts hide shallow window casings that can't support internal hardware.
• Mounting shades 3-4 inches above the frame fakes the look of taller, grander windows.
• Extending the width beyond the trim eliminates the 'light gap' common with inside mounts.
• Layering drapes over outside-mounted shades creates a high-end, custom look.

The Shallow Window Dilemma (And Why I Stopped Forcing Inside Mounts)

We have been conditioned to think inside mounts are the only 'clean' way to hang blinds. But if you are dealing with modern builder-grade windows or shallow 1920s casings, trying to cram hardware into that tiny space is a losing game. When the headrail sticks out, it breaks the visual plane of the wall and looks cluttered.

Pivoting to outside mount levolor blinds changes the entire dynamic. Instead of fighting the window's limitations, you are essentially drawing new boundaries for where the window begins and ends. It covers up ugly plastic trim or damaged wood, giving you a fresh canvas to work with. It is a design upgrade that feels intentional rather than a compromise for a difficult space.

Faking the Architecture: The 'High and Wide' Rule

The trick to making a standard window look like a custom architectural feature is all in the placement. I follow a strict 'high and wide' formula: mount your brackets at least 3 to 4 inches above the actual window casing. This draws the eye toward the ceiling, creating a vertical line that makes the room feel airy. If you have a low ceiling, you can even go halfway between the trim and the crown molding.

While cellular shades are great for standard walls, you might have tricky spots like skylights where you need a different approach. In those cases, Canisteo Motorized Skylight Cellular Shades Flex offers that same clean, pleated look but for flush-mount ceiling applications. For your wall-mounted shades, adding 2 inches of width on either side of the trim is non-negotiable. It ensures that when the sun hits at 4 PM, you aren't getting those annoying slivers of light bouncing off the glass.

Tackling the Rest of the Room: Sliders and Secondary Windows

Consistency is what separates a DIY job from a designer-led project. If your living room has a sliding glass door next to your cellular-shaded windows, you need to know how to install levolor vertical blinds outside mount to keep the hardware heights aligned. The levolor vertical blind headrail installation is slightly different because you need extra clearance for the vanes to rotate without hitting the wall, so don't be afraid to shim the brackets if your baseboards are thick.

For smaller secondary windows, like the one over a kitchen sink, a levolor trim and go roller shade installation is a quick way to keep the profile slim. However, if you want to maintain that high-end feel throughout the house, I often recommend Canisteo Motorized Dual Roller Shades Cordless Custom Double Roller Blinds for secondary bedrooms. They offer a sophisticated, dual-layer light control that complements the crisp lines of your main cellular shades without looking repetitive.

The Step-by-Step Trick to Getting the Headrail Perfectly Level

Here is a hard truth: your house is probably crooked. If you use your window trim as a guide for your level, your shades will look slanted. I once spent three hours installing a 72-inch shade in a 1940s colonial, only to realize the window frame sloped nearly an inch to the left. When I pulled the shade down, it looked like it was sliding off the wall.

Use a laser level. Set it to the height you want, mark your bracket holes, and ignore what the window trim is telling you. If you need a refresher on the technical mounting steps, check out the guide on How To Install Your Shades. Ensuring the headrail is perfectly horizontal prevents the fabric from 'telescoping' or bunching on one side as you raise it, which is the fastest way to ruin the lifespan of a cellular shade.

The Finishing Touch: Layering Drapery Over the Hardware

The one downside to an outside mount is the side profile—you can see the brackets and the gap between the shade and the wall. To fix this, I always layer stationary drapery panels on a rod mounted just above the shade. A 200 gsm linen blend with a 2.5x fullness is my go-to. It has enough weight to hang straight and hide the shade's hardware completely.

When you pull the cellular shade down for privacy, the drapes frame the window and hide the 'mechanical' parts of the blind. It turns a functional necessity into a layered, textured focal point. It is the difference between a room that looks 'finished' and one that looks like you just moved in. Trust me, once you see the height illusion in action, you will never go back to cramped inside mounts again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does an outside mount block more light than an inside mount?

Yes. Because the shade overlaps the wall and the window frame, it eliminates the light gaps at the edges that usually occur with inside mounts. It is a much better choice for bedrooms where you want a darker environment.

Can I install these shades on drywall without a stud?

You can, but I don't recommend it for heavy or frequently used shades. If you can't hit a stud, use high-quality toggle bolts rather than the cheap plastic anchors that come in the box. Cellular shades are light, but the constant pulling creates tension that can rip a standard anchor out of the wall.

How far should the shade extend past the window?

At a minimum, go 2 inches past the trim on each side. If you have the wall space, 3 or 4 inches is even better for light control and to make the window appear wider than it actually is.