In case you’re wondering, a faux Roman shade is a fake shade. Or, you could say it’s a Roman shade that’s stationary and doesn’t move up or down. It’s essentially a valance that’s made to look like a Roman shade.
Now that we got that out of the way, let’s talk about how a faux shade can be hung.
As an Outside Mount

Outside-mounted faux shades are hung outside of the window. You’d push the screws and anchors into the wall in this case.
There are a few things you’ll want to consider here:
Faux shades are supposed to have a modern, clean fit.
For that reason, a tight fit is important. Don’t go overboard and let your faux shade get too wide on the window.
A little goes a long way – an extra 3/4- to 1-1/4 inches of extra width on each side of the window is the right way to do this. So, if your window measures 40 inches (including the frame), that means that the faux shade should be somewhere between 41-1/2 to 42-1/2 inches wide.
If you’re worried that the window frame will be visible when viewed from the side, simply ask your workroom to add a sideflap on each side.
Outside-mounted valances are hung high.
This is especially important if your room has an 8-foot ceiling. Hang your faux shade high and don’t be afraid to let its top flirt with the ceiling line or crown molding. That’s what the professional designers and workrooms do.
As an Inside Mount

Inside-mounted faux shades are hung in between the window frame studs. Measure the space inside your window in great detail here – it’s best to get your measurement down to within one-eighth of an inch. It’s also a good idea to measure in several spots, especially if the faux shade is long.
Once you have the measurement, subtract about 1/8 to 1/4 inches from it. There has to be just a bit of wiggle room for the faux shade so the fabric can flow in between the window.
What About the Hardware?
Faux shades will typically be mounted on a board or by using a sewn rod pocket for a curtain rod. If yours has a board, then the job is mostly complete. All you need to do is screw the board into the wall (if outside mount), or into the top ledge of the window frame (if inside mount).
Rod pocket faux shades will require the appropriate curtain rod.
For inside mounts, a spring tension rod is a must. We like to recommend a 1/2″ or 3/4″ wide diameter tension rod with our 2″ rod pocket faux shades to our clients.
For outside mounts, you’ll need a curtain rod with decorative finials on each side. Pay attention to the size of the rod pocket. You want your curtain rod to have the right thickness. If it doesn’t fill out most of the rod pocket, your valance will look unprofessional. For a 3-inch rod pocket, I recommend a curtain rod with a diameter between 1 and 1-3/8 inches.