Window treatments in New York, answered
Questions we are asked most often, answered for New York apartments specifically. Every one of these came from what people actually typed into Google before contacting us.
Buildings, boards and getting approved
Will my co-op or condo board let you into the building?
Yes, and the paperwork is our job rather than yours. New York co-op and condo boards require a Certificate of Insurance before any contractor enters the building. It has to name the corporation and the managing agent as additional insured, spelled exactly as the board specifies — a generic certificate from an insurer is usually rejected.
Insurance paperwork is the single most common reason a building turns a contractor away. Give us your managing agent’s name when you book and we file the certificate before we arrive.
Do I need board approval to install shades or blinds?
For window treatments mounted inside the apartment, almost never. Approval is about work that touches the building’s structure, windows or facade — replacing a window, changing anything visible from the street, or a landmarked facade. Shades, blinds and curtains fitted inside your own window openings are treated as furnishing, not alteration.
Buildings still ask for the Certificate of Insurance before letting an installer in, which is a different thing from board approval and much faster.
I rent. Can I have custom window treatments?
Yes, and it is common. Brackets fix into the window frame or the wall above it and leave small screw holes that patch and paint over in minutes. Tell us at the consultation that you are renting and we will mount in the least invasive position and keep the hardware reusable, so the treatments come with you to the next apartment.
Blackout and sleep
Do blackout curtains have to be black?
No. Blackout comes from the lining, not the colour of the fabric you see. A pale linen or a soft grey blocks light just as completely as a dark fabric, because the blocking layer sits behind it.
Why does light still come in around my blackout shades?
Because most of the light was never coming through the fabric — it comes around the edges. In a New York apartment the usual culprits are the gap at the sides of an inside-mounted shade, and streetlight coming over the top.
Real darkness needs side channels, an outside mount that overlaps the opening, or a cornice across the top to close the light gap. This is the most common reason people replace shades they bought online.
Will blackout treatments help with street noise?
They help, but do not expect silence. Heavy interlined drapery hung wide and floor-length absorbs a noticeable amount of street noise — the mass of the fabric is what does the work, not any acoustic claim on the label. A thin “soundproof” curtain from a box will not do much. Real noise reduction in New York comes from the window itself; drapery softens what gets through.
Heat, cold and drafts
Can window treatments keep heat out in summer?
Yes, and this is where solar shades earn their place. A solar shade blocks solar heat before it enters the room while still letting you see out — the tighter the weave, the more heat blocked and the less view retained. West-facing New York apartments feel the difference most.
What helps with a drafty pre-war window in winter?
Cellular shades. The honeycomb cross-section traps a layer of air against the glass, which is the same principle as double glazing. Fitted close to the frame, they make a real difference against the cold radiating off old single-pane and steel casement windows.
Skylights
What can I put on a skylight to block the sun?
A skylight shade fitted to the frame itself. Because a skylight faces upward, the treatment has to be held against the glass along its whole length rather than hanging free — a normal shade will sag away from a sloped or horizontal window.
Skylight shades run on side tracks or tensioned cables. Cellular fabric is the usual choice, because it blocks heat as well as light, which matters when the sun is directly overhead. Anything out of reach should be motorised.
Are there shades for angled or sloped skylights?
Yes. Sloped, pitched and even fixed-angle skylights are all measurable and fittable. Each one is templated individually — the angle and the exact opening decide the hardware, so there is no standard size.
Motorisation and smart home
How are motorised shades powered?
Two ways. A rechargeable battery motor sits inside the roller tube and charges every few months with a cable — no wiring, so it suits a finished apartment or a rental. A hardwired motor draws from mains power and never needs charging, but needs a wire to the window, which is straightforward during a renovation and disruptive afterwards.
For most Manhattan apartments where nothing else is being opened up, battery is the right answer.
Will motorised shades work with Alexa or Google Home?
Yes. We set up the app, the room groupings and the voice control, and we test it with you before we leave. You get a working system rather than a box and a QR code.
Are motorised shades safe around children?
They are the safest option available, because there is no cord and no chain to reach. This is also why motorisation is worth considering for tall windows regardless — a 12-foot window in a pre-war apartment is not reachable by hand anyway.
Measuring, fitting and cost
What does a custom shade or blind actually cost?
It depends on the size of the opening, the fabric, and whether it is motorised — those three decide almost all of it. A small kitchen window in a simple fabric and a floor-to-ceiling motorised drape are different orders of magnitude, so any single number quoted online is meaningless.
We measure and quote free, in your apartment, with no obligation. You will have the price before we leave.
Can I measure my own windows?
You can, and we would rather you did not. Custom treatments are cut to the measurement given, so a measuring mistake is not returnable. New York apartments make it harder than average — out-of-square pre-war openings, steel casement handles that foul a bracket, radiator covers, and mouldings that change where a bracket can sit. We measure as part of the free consultation, and we carry the risk of getting it right.
Do you repair shades you did not supply?
Sometimes. A restring, a broken mechanism or a shade that will not hold position is often repairable, and it is worth asking before replacing. Send a photo and we will tell you honestly whether it is worth fixing.
How long should curtains be?
To the floor, in almost every case. Curtains that stop above the floor make a ceiling look lower and read as an off-the-shelf size. The standard finish just brushes the floor; a slight break of an inch or two looks softer and more relaxed. Hanging the rod high and wide — above the opening and beyond it on both sides — makes a window look larger and lets the whole opening clear when the curtains are drawn back.
Working with us
What happens at the consultation?
We come to your apartment with the fabric samples. You see the material in your own light, against your own walls — which matters, because a colour that looks warm in a showroom can read grey in a north-facing room. We measure every window, talk through what suits the space and how you use it, and leave you with a quote. There is no cost and no obligation.
What if I do not know what I want?
Most people do not, and that is what the visit is for. We look at the windows, the light and how the room is used, then show you what works and what does not. You are not expected to have decided anything before we arrive.
Book a free in-home consultation
We bring the samples to you, measure precisely, and leave you with a quote. Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the surrounding boroughs.
Schedule your free consultation212.222.8288
500 7th Avenue, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10018 · Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm