Measurement Guides

Here you will find everything you need on how to measure your windows for your drapery and roman shades. Our approach is always “keep it simple” from start to finish so we have put together a simplified DIY step by step guideline to make the process as easy as possible!

How to Determine Your Drapery Width

At White Cottage we start with professional drapery 54 inch drapery fabric. Once gathered for pleats and hemmed the final width for a single panel pleats down to approximately 26 inches, 1.5 width down to 36” and double width down to 48” (these are averages).  Most windows require 2-2.5 times the width of the window in drapery panels to fully cover the window when closed.  If you are just hanging decorative panels, single width should almost always do the trick as we recommend 1.5 X the width of the window.

Use this chart as a guide when determining how many widths you need to purchase for your window.

# of Panels

# of Widths

Pleated Panels

1

Single Width

24"-30"

1

1.5 Width

34"-38"

1

Double Width

46"-50"

Pleat Styles

PINCH PLEAT

TRIPLE EURO PLEAT

DOUBLE EURO PLEAT

FRENCH PLEAT

Measuring for Roman Shades

Why choose an Outside Mount Roman Shade?

  • This is a great option if you have a narrow window depth.

  • You want your window to appear larger or higher by hanging above the top of the window frame.

  • The window already has an inside mounted cellular shade or blind and are looking for something decorative to enhance the look of the window while at the same time hiding the blind while not in use.

Why choose an Inside Mount Roman Shade?

  • This is a great option if you have detailed woodwork and would like to keep woodwork exposed.

  • You don’t have clearance above or on sides of window to mount board.
  • Need some help with your measuring? We have that covered too! We’ve put together a trusted network of professionals that can help with your measuring and installation needs! Please contact us for a list of referrals.