We have been in our house thirty years. We had awful aluminum windows for about fifteen years and then we got vinyl. We have no wood trim around the windows. We have always done inside mount blinds screwed to the drywall. It would have never occurred to me to screw into the vinyl and my guess is doing that could nullify your warranty.....I would certainly ask.

Thanks, Joanie. The way I am seeing it, any inside mount would screw into the vinyl - which of course, I don't really want to do.
Good point about the warranty.
I am thinking your windows might be like my sister's --she definitely has room in the drywall. With the double-hungs I am not sure.

Just an example of two treatments on one window. This is our pub/media room/man cave. The window you see faces west and watching TV from 4-8 PM is tough. Too much glare! The wood-look vinyl blinds are mounted inside. The room darkening (not completely dark) shade is hung outside with a valance to tie it all in. Our other rooms have this same treatment except that they are all white. This one just shows it better.

Suzi, I don't think I can do an inside mount - but I like the wood valence - is that something you purchased? I wouldn't mind having something like that over the wood casing. I feel I am going to lose the roman shades - which is okay. They are a few years old - but I made them and it was a very long process.
I do like that valence. A friend just put up some shades - kind of a honeycomb thing - I just don't like that they sit right on top of the top casing.

We purchased the valences from a window treatment company in town. They were custom built and they all have a little shelf on top. We don't use the shelf except for the pub because it's a good place for trophies. If you are handy, you could probably make it yourself. I could take a photo of the inside if you like.

The room darkening shades come in different % of letting light in. Ours darkens, but not completely. It just prevents glare. If I was doing the blinds again in the pub, I'd choose the ones with tape. The sun kills shining through the string holes!

Thank you - this gives me someplace to start. If you get time for a photo, that would be so appreciated.
In the master bathroom, I have a roller shade and I can just top mount that. My decorator had suggested a bottom-up shade - they wanted over $400 for that. With hairspray and such, I just like to replace it every few years. I have a window valence there - but don't want valences in the two bedrooms. Obviously a fabric valence would cover any shades, but I just want panels on each side of the windows, therefore the problem with trying to figure out how to do it without having it look stupid.
I think a wood-type valence such as yours would cover whatever I put there and look nice. Thanks for the idea.

Our windows are double hung and we have about 1 1/2" of drywall at the top and sides. The inside mount blinds do stick out a little beyond the drywall when open but this has never bothered me.

Nobody ever looks at the inside of a valance, but I see how they did it.

It will definitely be one of the questions I ask this afternoon. Thanks.

Thanks, Suzi. I can see how this can be done - and I can stain to match the rest of the woodwork and the hardware would be hidden for whatever kind of blind I use. It would just blend in with the rest of the casing.

Our house is now 29 years old. We have had Pella windows since then....metal outside but wood on the inside. There are 21 double hungs.

All of my window treatments are attached to the wooden window trim. I have never lived anywhere that it was done differently. We have cellular shades in the bathrooms. They are up all day and are pulled down at night. When they are up they are covered by the curtains. I have no other shades.

We recently purchased a second home. There was a 2 inch brown wooden blind at the large master bedroom window. I could not get it down fast enough!! I abhor those blinds!! Since we needed privacy at night, I got a decorative rod and grommet topped blackout panels. They are so simple to open and close...they work/look great!

Vinyl windows don't necessarily have vinyl returns. My new house has vinyl windows. We did drywall returns on the top and sides, and a lacquered MDF sill.

Even if you do get vinyl returns, it'll be a vinyl wrap around wood framing. Assuming you've got wooden studs. So yes, you can drill through the vinyl to hang blinds.

I wouldn't screw into the wall plane, though. You can hang brackets into the trim around the sides and above the window.