Installing Vertical Blinds was the right choice over pleated shades for this job because of the size of the opening. Our friends had some old drapes in their front bedroom that were faded and torn. Margaret didn't want new drapes because more privacy was needed. Measuring
Measure the inside dimension of the window - both at the top length and bottom length of the inside of the opening (sometimes openings are out of square).
For the inside height, measure the left side height, middle and right side height because of out of square problems. The folks at Home Depot or (the store of your choice) will use those measurements to determine the length of the rail, and the height of the panels. They cut them for you at no extra charge.
Rail Hardware
This is easy but be sure you use all the brackets that come with the package.
Most importantly, make sure at the top where you are putting the brackets, have wood underneath the plaster.
Most window openings have header beams under the plaster that the screws will anchor in to. Drill a small pilot hole where your first bracket goes to determine. We don't want the rail to fall!
