I love top-down bottom-up roman shades that I just got for my bedroom and master bath. I just moved to a condo complex with neighboring buildings so privacy is important especially in bedroom. But natural light is too. The TDBU option gives you best of both worlds. I keep TD until dressed in morning and sometimes even put the TD at night so I wake up to some daylight. However, its not a budget option! At least the hunter douglas ones that I got. Most of the shades mount on the "ceiling" of the window opening, so there is usually a little more mounting opportunity than the side jambs. The specs of each shade will give you the exact clearance you need. Graywings' picture of the outside mount is very helpful. It also reminds me that it measuring to the nth degree on an outside mount is not so critical as an inside mount. You have more fudge factor on height and on width which is important in DIY mode. Outside mount profile may be more of a concern based on the view in the particular room. Looking head on at the window won't matter much. At my last place I had wood blinds outside mounted and you entered the room from the side of that window. I wasn't crazy about the profile gap, but I didn't stress over it. I'll see if I can find a picture. [update: Actually on further reflection, what bothered me was the gap created from the curtain rod and drapes that had to extend past the blinds valance. but only an issue from the side view. something to think about.] Here I reluctantly spent the big bucks for the TDBU Roman Shades for Hunter Douglas for the bedroom/bath, but I have other rooms and will probably buy online for those, so I am interested in what responses you get on that part. This post was edited by wendyb on Fri, Jan 3, 14 at 12:30

We have a patio door w/cordless, cellular shades (Graber brand). The look is similar to a French door but the panel on the left side is stationary. Consequently, the door part (on the right) opens toward the stationary panel on the left. The problem w/the cordless cell shades is that they stuck out too far from the stationary panel and from the door. This meant they would hit each other whenever the door was opened too far (it couldn't open all the way due to the shades). This happened a lot, unfortunately, because it was the door to the backyard and we go outside frequently. We've had the shades about four years; in the last six months or so, one of the cords snapped on the shade on the door so the blind would no longer stay up. We opened and closed these shade a lot b/c I liked them open but DH wanted privacy. Another thing about these shades is that they clanked against the door whenever it was opened or closed. I found that very annoying. I'm looking to replace these shades with panels on flush mount rods. Incidentally, we have a window with a corded cellular shade purchased at the same time and it's working great.

Practigal, Sorry I did not see your link at first. Probably trying to read too fast. I took a look at your link and Graywing's link, and the idea of enclosed blinds is quite intriguing. I would have to see how they look in person and how well they would coordinate with my other blinds, not to mention finding out the cost. However, it probably won't work in my case, as the site only lists their product availability for full length or 1/2 length windows. We have ordered 3/4 lite windows, so one would be too long and the other too short. Thanks to both of you, though, for providing the links. Annztoo, I'd never heard of Luminettes. Not sure I totally understand them. Are they panels? I wonder how completely you could open up a window wall if they are? They are attractive, but I suspect they also will be quite spendy. I'm looking for not too expensive alternatives, as we are building our future retirement home and watching our budget very carefully. This is a modest (but I think very nice) build, and we haven't hesitated to choose less expensive finishes to keep costs down. Erinsean, I like the grommet top drapes, too, and didn't realize they're not in style anymore. Not that it would matter to me if I like them, which I do. We have some good sized windows facing the front, and I thought the blinds would provide a more cohesive and cleaner line from the outside than drapes. Also, I would like the drapes to be lined so that on the outside they would all be the same. That will add to the cost, as well. I have considered adding some grommet top drapes later to the blinds, but I need to be careful adding much fabric, as I have severe allergies/asthma. 2pups4me, What kind of blinds would you switch out your wood and faux wood blinds for? Wouldn't they present the same challenge to clean?

"like not having a cord dangling down" I have several Hunter Douglas corded cellular shades, and the cords don't dangle. They are fixed onto a small pulley installed at about my shoulder-height into the window frame which keeps the cord taut and contained and unobtrusive. I actually recall the installer told me they aren't permitted to install shades with dangling cords due to the choking hazard for children. I don't know if that requirement he mentioned is just for that installer, or a city Code, or a Hunter Douglas requirement. I've had my Hunter Douglas cellular shades for about 12 years, and did have to re-string the very large one once. It was not a big deal, and the shade was as good as new. I was told that the larger cellular shades will have the strings break sooner, just cause they are required to pull so much weight up and down. The smaller shades that I have, which have less stress on the cords, have not need re-stringing in 12 years. I don't know about the cordless shades, but I can tell you the corded ones I have seem like they will last longer than I will be in this house.