Window Field Guide · Seattle Craftsman & Courtyard Apartments

Seattle craftsman and courtyard windows: what landlords actually reorder

Puget Sound rental stock is Craftsman-heavy — bungalows subdivided into duplexes and fourplexes, missing-middle buildings in Wallingford and Ballard, and 1920s–30s courtyard walk-ups on Capitol Hill built for light and cross ventilation. Wood double-hungs and grouped casements dominate. Many property managers standardize on 2" white cordless faux wood for a finished look that handles damp rooms; vinyl mini still shows up on budget turns and back bedrooms.

Common in: Seattle · Bellevue · Capitol Hill · Ballard

Quick answer

What owners and PMs standardize on across Seattle, Bellevue, and inner-ring neighborhoods:

  • 2" faux wood — common PM spec for living rooms and bedrooms (moisture-resistant, cleaner line than mini)
  • 1" vinyl mini — budget turns, ADU rear units, and bath/kitchen openings
  • Measure converted craftsman units room by room — subdivided houses rarely repeat sizes
  • Outside mount when Craftsman trim is too shallow for a 2" headrail
  • Shipped from Texas — hire a local installer for multi-story walk-ups and casement-heavy units
  • Ships nationwide from Texas
  • Custom cut to measured size
  • Mini, vertical & faux wood lines
  • Mount notes by material

Seattle housing types behind the measurements

Craftsman is the Pacific Northwest's most common architectural style — low gabled roofs, deep eaves, tapered porch columns, and detailed interior trim. Much of Seattle's missing-middle rental stock is Craftsman-era housing adapted into duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes, sometimes with the exterior left as a single-family façade. Capitol Hill and adjacent neighborhoods also have Spanish Eclectic and courtyard walk-ups from the 1920s–30s (including Frederick Anhalt–era buildings) with U-shaped plans, walk-up entries, and many windows per unit.

  • Craftsman bungalow (1900s–1930s): often double-hungs with wide interior trim; many were later split into upper/lower or side-by-side units
  • Missing-middle fourplex: small stacked or side-by-side units that fit single-family street scale — common in pre-1957 neighborhoods
  • Converted large house: interior floorplan chopped into apartments with mismatched windows — measure every unit separately
  • Capitol Hill courtyard walk-up: brick or stucco U-shaped courts, French-pane casements, six+ windows per unit
  • Northwest Contemporary (mid-century and later): larger glass, sliders on rear decks — vertical on true sliders, faux or mini on double-hungs
  • Seattle does not require landlords to furnish blinds — but habitability rules require working windows; treatments are owner/PM choice

Products Seattle-area turns reorder most

Faux wood leads many PM specs for a finished craftsman-appropriate line. Vinyl mini covers budget turns; vertical handles deck sliders.

2" faux wood blinds — Seattle PM favorite

White cordless faux wood — moisture-resistant PVC, steel headrail. What many Puget Sound property managers specify for living rooms and bedrooms on turns.

Shop faux wood blinds
Cordless 2 inch faux wood blind — white

1" vinyl mini blinds

Budget turns, ADU rear units, and bath/kitchen openings — custom width and length, ship to Washington.

Shop vinyl mini
1 inch cordless vinyl mini blinds on a bedroom window
Close-up of vinyl mini blind slats and headrail
Vinyl mini blinds installed in an apartment unit

Typical opening → blind size

Typical reorder bands for shipped Seattle-area turnover orders — measure each opening before ordering:

Opening (approx.)Order sizeRoom
26"–30"25.5"–29.5"Bedroom / secondary
32"–36"31.5"–35.5"Living / primary bedroom
40"–44"39.5"–43.5"Wide Craftsman front window
68" × 84" slider68" × 84" verticalRear deck slider

Mounting by material & situation

Pacific Northwest moisture makes material choice matter — PVC faux wood resists warp in kitchens and baths better than real wood. Confirm depth before inside-mounting a 2" headrail on Craftsman trim.

2" faux wood blinds

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Frequently specified on Seattle-area turnover programs — white cordless 2" flat slats, steel headrail, moisture-resistant PVC. Deeper than vinyl mini; verify jamb depth first.

  • Inside mount — adequate Craftsman jamb depth

    Measure width at top, middle, bottom; use narrowest. Measure height left, center, right; use longest. Needs more return depth than 1" mini — confirm roughly 1½"–2½" clear before ordering inside mount.

    Min depth:
    ≈ 1½"–2½"
    Hardware:
    Heavier brackets; #8 wood screws into solid trim

  • Outside mount on wide bungalow trim

    Pro often used

    When tapered trim, sash horns, or shallow returns block inside mount, face-mount on the flat trim board. Overlap 1½"–2" per side on street-facing rooms. Common on front rooms in Wallingford and Queen Anne fourplexes.

    Min depth:
    N/A — mounts on trim face

  • Grouped casements (courtyard walk-ups)

    Pro often used

    1930s Capitol Hill units may have multiple casements in one room. Measure each opening separately — do not assume one width per wall. Casements need clearance for crank hardware when inside mounting.

1" vinyl mini blinds

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Budget turnover line — rear ADU windows, 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 jambs faux wood cannot. Still measure depth — under 1" may need outside mount.

    Min depth:
    ≈ 1" clear
    Hardware:
    Included box brackets

  • Moisture-heavy rooms

    Bath and kitchen openings in older craftsman units benefit from vinyl's easy wipe-down surface. Match white spec to faux wood units elsewhere in the building for a consistent turn.

3.5" vertical blinds

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Rear deck sliders and post-war additions — not typical on original craftsman casements.

  • Wall-mount track above slider

    Pro often used

    Face-mount when the header is wood trim or uneven. Standard 68×84 and 78×84 pairs — measure glass width.

When to hire a pro in the Seattle area

First-floor craftsman turns are often handyman work. Third-floor walk-ups, outside mount on thick trim, courtyard casement walls, and fourplex make-readies push many owners toward a Puget Sound installer — especially during spring lease season. We custom-cut and ship blinds nationwide from Texas; in-home installation is available in the Dallas–Fort Worth metro only. For Washington properties, order by SKU and send our measuring guide to whoever is on site.

Frequently asked questions

Do Seattle landlords use faux wood or mini blinds?

Both. Many PMs specify 2" white cordless faux wood for main rooms — it reads more finished on craftsman trim and handles bathroom humidity better than real wood. Vinyl mini remains the budget default for high-turnover programs and secondary openings. There is no single city-wide spec; match your price tier and reorder habit.

What about roller shades and cellular shades?

Homeowners and upscale renter upgrades often choose rollers or cellulars for aesthetics and insulation. Multifamily turnover programs more commonly standardize on faux wood or vinyl mini because of cost per opening and easy window-for-window replacement. We stock faux wood, vinyl mini, and vertical — not cellular or roller on these guides.

What is a Seattle courtyard apartment?

Often a U-shaped walk-up from the 1920s–30s — brick or stucco, private court, multiple windows per unit for cross ventilation. Capitol Hill has many examples. Measure each opening; casement groups vary wall to wall.

Do you install in Seattle?

We install in the Dallas–Fort Worth metro and ship custom-cut blinds nationwide. Seattle landlords typically hire a local installer for turnover work; we supply sized product and SKU lists.

Do you ship to Seattle and the Eastside?

Yes — custom-cut blinds ship nationwide from Texas. Transit time depends on carrier service to your ZIP. Measure each unit; converted craftsman buildings rarely share one size per floor.

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