- I actually tried adhesive mounts on my 1920s walls—surprisingly, they held up fine for lightweight blinds.
- For heavier custom ones, I just used anchors designed for plaster. Not perfect, but way sturdier than I expected.
- The extra weight does make me double-check everything, but I’d rather risk a small patch job than drill into the molding.
- Guess it depends how much you trust your old walls... mine have survived worse.
The extra weight does make me double-check everything, but I’d rather risk a small patch job than drill into the molding.
I get that. In my 1930s place, I went with toggle bolts for some heavier blackout blinds—wasn’t thrilled about making bigger holes, but the plaster’s held up better than expected. I’d avoid the molding too... once you mess with it, there’s no going back. Still, waiting weeks for custom sizes felt like overkill when off-the-shelf worked fine in most rooms. Sometimes the “made-to-order” thing is more hassle than it’s worth, honestly.
Still, waiting weeks for custom sizes felt like overkill when off-the-shelf worked fine in most rooms.
Totally relate. I tried the made-to-order route once—by the time they arrived, I’d forgotten what color I picked. For my old house, the “close enough” blinds from the hardware store did the trick in most windows, and I didn’t have to baby them during install. If you’re not dealing with weird window shapes, stock sizes usually save a lot of headache (and spackle). The molding, though... yeah, once you drill, it’s like a bad haircut—no going back.
The molding, though... yeah, once you drill, it’s like a bad haircut—no going back.
That line cracked me up because it’s painfully true. I’ve definitely stared at fresh holes in the trim thinking, “Well, guess we’re committed now.” Honestly, unless your windows are doing something wild, stock blinds usually get the job done. Custom’s nice in theory, but my patience (and wallet) rarely line up for the wait.
That’s the thing—once you’ve drilled into the molding, there’s no “undo” button. I’ve had a few moments where I wished I’d measured twice (or three times). Stock blinds have worked fine for most of my windows, especially the standard sizes. The only time I went custom was for an odd-shaped window in the stairwell, and honestly, it took so long to arrive I almost forgot I’d ordered it. Unless you’re dealing with something really unique, I’d stick with off-the-shelf and save yourself the headache.
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I’ve had the opposite experience with custom blinds. Yeah, there’s no going back once you’ve drilled into the trim—been there, cursed that—but for me, the off-the-shelf stuff never quite fit right. Either they’d rattle around in the frame or leave a weird gap at the edge. I tried “making do” and just ended up annoyed every time I walked past the window.
Custom took a while to arrive (not gonna lie, it was like six weeks), but once they were up, it actually looked finished—like someone planned it instead of just slapping something up. It cost more, sure, but I only did it for the main living room where it matters. Everywhere else? Cheap blinds from the hardware store. Just depends how picky you are about the fit and finish, I guess. For me, worth it in the right spot, but definitely not for every window in the house.