Los Angeles housing types behind the measurements
LA multi-family housing evolved in distinct waves. Bungalow courts and romantic 1920s–30s courtyard apartments (Spanish Colonial Revival, Monterey, and related styles) center on landscaped courts with French doors and wood casements — West Hollywood, Los Feliz, and Silver Lake have dense examples. Postwar garden apartments (late 1930s–1950s) spread low-rise courts across larger sites. Then the dingbat — a two-story stucco box over wood framing with ground-level tuck-under parking and a fanciful street-facing nameplate — blanketed the flatlands from the 1950s through the mid-1960s and remains the everyday rental type most Angelenos live in.
- 1920s–30s courtyard walk-up: stucco, tile, wood balconies, U-shaped or linear courts — often casements and French doors opening to private patios
- Bungalow court (1910s–20s): detached or paired bungalows around a shared garden — smaller openings, wood double-hungs
- Garden apartment (1937–1955): modest two-story blocks on landscaped sites; entrances face courts, parking at the perimeter
- Dingbat / stucco box (1950s–1960s): two-story walk-up, tuck-under carport, minimal side elevations — the dominant LA rental archetype
- Fourplex and small stucco walk-up (1970s–80s): dingbat successors with similar shallow jambs and rear sliders
- California habitability requires working windows — window coverings are owner/PM choice, not a state-mandated furnish like some Northeast markets
Products Los Angeles turns reorder most
Faux wood leads many PM specs for a finished line on stucco trim. Vinyl mini covers budget turns; vertical handles dingbat patio sliders.
2" faux wood blinds — LA PM favorite
White cordless faux wood — heat-stable PVC, steel headrail. What many Los Angeles property managers specify for living rooms and bedrooms on courtyard and dingbat turns.
1" vinyl mini blinds
Budget turns, rear bedrooms, and bath openings — custom width and length, ship to California.
3.5" vertical blinds
Dingbat rear patio sliders — 68×84 and 78×84 reorder sizes.
Typical opening → blind size
Typical reorder bands for shipped Los Angeles turnover orders — measure each opening before ordering:
| Opening (approx.) | Order size | Room |
|---|---|---|
| 26"–30" | 25.5"–29.5" | Dingbat bedroom / bath |
| 32"–36" | 31.5"–35.5" | Living / primary bedroom |
| 48"–60" | 47.5"–59.5" | Wide courtyard living room |
| 68" × 84" slider | 68" × 84" vertical | Dingbat rear patio slider |
Mounting by material & situation
Stucco-over-wood framing is the norm on dingbats and many courtyard buildings — bracket into the wood window liner or solid trim, not loose stucco at the jamb edge. Confirm depth before inside-mounting a 2" faux wood headrail.
2" faux wood blinds
View product line →Frequently specified on Los Angeles turnover programs — white cordless 2" flat slats, steel headrail, heat-stable PVC that handles sunny exposures better than real wood. Deeper than vinyl mini; verify jamb depth on shallow dingbat returns.
Inside mount — adequate wood or vinyl jamb depth
Measure width at top, middle, bottom; use narrowest. Measure height left, center, right; use longest. Dingbat replacements often use vinyl double-hungs with adequate returns — older wood casements in courtyard stock may be shallower. Needs roughly 1½"–2½" clear before ordering inside mount.
- Min depth:
- ≈ 1½"–2½"
- Hardware:
- Heavier brackets; #8 wood screws into solid trim or jamb liner
Outside mount on shallow stucco returns
Pro often usedDingbat side elevations and many courtyard bedroom openings leave under 1½" of flat depth once stucco ears and sash stops are counted. Face-mount on the wood trim board or build out with spacer blocks. Overlap 1½"–2" per side on street- or court-facing rooms.
- Min depth:
- N/A — mounts on trim face
- Hardware:
- Extended brackets or spacer blocks when trim is proud of stucco
French doors and grouped casements (courtyard units)
Pro often used1920s–30s courtyard apartments often have multiple casements or French doors opening to a private patio. Measure each opening separately — do not assume one width per wall. Leave clearance for crank hardware and door swing when inside mounting.
Sunny exposures and long drops
South- and west-facing dingbat units see heavy sun. PVC faux wood resists warp better than real wood on hot jambs. For drops above 72", confirm length against sill and any AC sleeve below the window before ordering.
1" vinyl mini blinds
View product line →Budget turnover line — rear bedrooms, baths, kitchens, and high-volume programs that prioritize cost per opening over the faux-wood look.
Inside mount — shallow secondary openings
Slim headrail fits some dingbat jambs faux wood cannot. Still measure depth — under 1" may need outside mount on stucco trim.
- Min depth:
- ≈ 1" clear
- Hardware:
- Included box brackets
Carport-side and rear-court bedrooms
Dingbat bedrooms facing the tuck-under carport or rear walkway are often narrower than street-facing living rooms. Match white spec to faux wood units elsewhere in the building for a consistent turn.
3.5" vertical blinds
View product line →Rear patio sliders on dingbats and 1970s stucco walk-ups — the standard spec when the opening is aluminum slider glass, not a double-hung.
Wall-mount track above slider
Pro often usedFace-mount when the header is stucco over wood or uneven after decades of paint. Standard 68×84 and 78×84 pairs — measure glass width, not the surrounding stucco opening.
Security door clearance
Ground-floor dingbat sliders often have a security screen or gate outside the glass. Confirm stack direction and handle clearance before ordering vanes and track length.
- Hardware:
- Masonry or wood anchors depending on header substrate
When to hire a pro in the Los Angeles area
First-floor dingbat turns are often handyman work. Outside mount on shallow stucco, security bars that block bracket access, courtyard casement walls, and upper-story walk-ups without elevators push many owners toward a local installer — especially during summer make-ready before fall leases. We custom-cut and ship blinds nationwide from Texas; in-home installation is available in the Dallas–Fort Worth metro only. For California properties, order by SKU and send our measuring guide and mount notes to whoever is on site.
Frequently asked questions
Do Los Angeles landlords use faux wood or mini blinds?
Both. Many PMs specify 2" white cordless faux wood for main rooms — it reads more finished on stucco trim and handles sunny exposures better than real wood. Vinyl mini remains the budget default for high-turnover dingbat programs and secondary openings. There is no single city-wide spec; match your price tier and reorder habit.
What is a Los Angeles dingbat apartment?
A two-story stucco walk-up from the 1950s or 1960s — wood framing, tuck-under parking at street level, and a decorated façade with the building's name in script. Units are typically side-by-side with separate entries. Window sizes often repeat per floorplan, but vinyl replacements and rehab work create variation unit to unit.
How are LA courtyard apartments different from dingbats?
Courtyard buildings from the 1920s–30s (and garden apartments through the 1950s) center on landscaped outdoor space with romantic Spanish or Monterey styling — wood casements, French doors, and balconies. Dingbats maximize units on a single lot with minimal ornament except the street face. Courtyard units tend toward more varied window groups; dingbats tend toward standardized sliders on the rear and double-hungs or vinyl replacements on the street side.
Do you install in Los Angeles?
We install in the Dallas–Fort Worth metro and ship custom-cut blinds nationwide. Los Angeles landlords and property managers typically hire a local installer for turnover work; we supply sized product and SKU lists.
Do you ship to Los Angeles and Southern California?
Yes — custom-cut blinds ship nationwide from Texas. Transit time depends on carrier service to your ZIP. Measure each unit; dingbat floorplans repeat but decades of window replacements do not.
Related guides
- Seattle craftsman & courtyard guide
Pacific Northwest courtyard walk-ups — comparable romantic court stock.
- Chicago flat & courtyard guide
Courtyard apartments and flat-type buildings — Midwest mounting patterns.
- Eugene craftsman & fourplex guide
Working fourplexes and UO-area bungalow rentals — Willamette Valley stock.
- Blinds for rental homes
Landlord specs and whole-building ordering.
- Shipping info
Lead times and delivery to California.