We got the proof-of-concept blinds installed. It’s a really tight fit, up under the valence, but we made it work. This is a huge load off my mind, since the blinds were turning into a major project. We ordered the rest of them this morning and they won’t be here until September. So, we got some temporary blinds for privacy and blocking the sun for a few weeks.
The blinds wound up being pretty expensive. But, we are getting higher-end Levolor blinds and I think it will be worth it. They are cordless cell shades with both light filtering and blackout sections. Cordless means they go up and down with a simple pull. The cell shades act as insulation, keeping the drafts out, and with two modes, we can either have privacy with natural light or complete dark for when we’re watching a movie or trying to sleep up north, when the sun sets at 11 pm in the summer. They have a 10 year warranty and I hope they’re reliable, because I don’t relish the thought of trying to get them back out of there.
Very happy with the test install. Hope the rest go as smoothly. With 19 separate blinds, most with slightly different measurements, it’s an error-prone process. I’ll be surprised if they all fit.