Camper RV Roman Shades: Tips & Ideas to Blend Style with Function

Getting a house on wheels road-ready will invariably involve maximizing your RV’s insulation capacity to brave the extremes, and window coverings are a big part of that agenda. While pre-fitted blinds are spot-on at meeting this functional goal, too often, they miss the mark on aesthetics, faring poorly at softening a ‘steelhouse’ into something that feels like home. This is precisely where RV camper roman shades prove their genius, offering function and personality in the right measure. Claiming no more space than the window itself, the fabric shades don't just prove space-efficient for this tiny home but are also loaded with homey charm. If this sounds like the upgrade your rolling house deserves, this blog is for you. We’re about to share all the tips and tricks for choosing and styling your RV camper roman shades that are ready for the trip:

The Mounting Debate: Position the Shade with Purpose

The first step to installing roman shades starts with deciding whether you want to keep the built-in blinds of the camper or replace them. And to this is tied the pertinent question of how to mount your roman shades. You can mount them inside the window’s frame - the inside mounting position, or outside the frame - the outside mounting position. Both positions come with advantages and related trade-offs and considerations:

INSIDE MOUNTING: Here, the roman shades are mounted within the window frame. If there are pre-fitted blinds, uninstall them by unscrewing their valance, and then mount the roman shades. Tucked neatly inside the frame, such inside-mounted roman shades will offer you the most practical solution for window seats that need space-saving dressings and windows without a wall surround.

OUTSIDE MOUNTING: Here, the roman shade is mounted above the window, letting you keep the pre-fitted blinds, and bringing you some advantages when affixed thoughtfully. Position the shade high enough to accommodate its stacking room on the wall, preventing it from blocking the glass. Secondly, extend the shade a few inches on all sides, minimizing light leaks from the side gaps. This little extension and careful placement camouflages the window’s petite frame, maximizes light in this small space, and enhances room-darkening in the sleeping area.

HOMESEWN HANDBOOK: Inside Mount Vs. Outside Mount Roman Shades

Braced for Adventure: Choose Fabric & Lining that Work Overtime

Enjoying a road trip starts with making sure you’re not driving with chattering teeth or sleeping with cold feet. But that’s quite a dream, with even the most well-insulated campers often falling short in maintaining warmth while thermal energy leaks through their windows. This is where the role of window shades assumes greater importance, and the choice of fabric and lining becomes more function-driven. 

‘Blackout’ is the way to go - whether with face fabric, lining, or both - because they have these impressive offerings:

ROOM DARKENING: Whether day or night, blocking light is a big challenge in this small space. Fleeting traffic lights, blazing neon signs, and high-pitched noon glare come in the way of a blissful shuteye. Blackout fabrics are designed to change this narrative with their foam-coated, multi-layered,  thick weave that prevents almost 70-95% of light from penetrating.

INSULATION: Blackout roman shades are also a reliable defence against harsh weather. Acting as a strong barrier between the interior and the exterior, they assist the heating/cooling system in maintaining the desired temperature within the camper. So, when you’re parked on the lofty mountains, you can worry less about freezing because your roman shades will keep your space warm by not letting hot air escape. And when riding through a searing desert, you can ease your AC’s load, as your shades actively prevent hot air from entering. This also means you’re saving your battery’s juice for other purposes, and in the long run, extending its life and cutting your costs.

ACOUSTICS: Neither the buzz of a local market by day nor the ribbiting choir of frogs at night can interfere with your sleep with blackout roman shades muffling shrill noises and quietening the interiors. And the other side of this good story is that your movie nights will also not disturb local campers and wildlife, enhancing your privacy and safety, and improving your chances of being a camper no one minds having next door.

These traits of blackout roman shades make them a natural fit for your globe-trotting tiny home. So, whether you choose a cotton, linen, or poly blend, always bolster it with the insulative powers of a blackout lining.

Unfurling of the Design Story: Blend Aesthetic with Function in the Folds 

At Sewn, customization goes beyond size. The fold style of your roman shades, which influences both the looks and functionality of the shades, is a decision that falls within your domain of choice. We provide our roman shades in three versatile fold styles: the front-slatted plain fold, the back-slatted flat fold, and the European relaxed fold, described in detail in our Roman Shades Fold Style Guide.

Both the front-slatted and the back-slatted fold styles feature straight bottoms and even folds. Both styles offer fuss-free operation; however, depending on your chosen fabric, one style might look better than the other. The front-slatted plain fold style shows the raised silhouettes of slats on the frontage, lending an architectural quality to shades in plain fabrics that may otherwise look too unadorned. The back-slatted flat fold style, in contrast, shows no sign of slats on the front, offering the perfect clean slate where a pattern can shine like a work of art.

The European relaxed fold style features gently curved folds and a scalloped bottom, lending a quiet note of laid-back ease and a touch of personality that will make your automobile-turned-home feel more comfortable and lived-in. 

Optical Illusions in Design: Choose Palette & Pattern Wisely

This is where custom roman shades may excite the creative in you. Palette and pattern are the two design choices where your decor style can manifest itself fully. So, don’t miss the opportunity to do so, especially because the 2000+ rich collection at Sewn makes it so easy to bring your wildest imagination to life. 

In case you’re opting for blackout fabrics, let’s assure you that you don’t have to settle for drab, dark roman shades - our choice galore brings you everything from glossy plains and textured neutrals to dreamy florals and modern abstract prints. But, if you choose to go with a blackout lining instead, the spectrum of choice flares up, lending you even more leeway to curate your aesthetic. Whichever route you wish to navigate, here are a few points to bear in mind when choosing the colors and prints:

• Light colors naturally filter in more light, while dark colors tend to absorb and block more light. So, choose the colors carefully, depending on whether the window is close to your bed, kitchen, or living area.

• Light neutral tones tend to recede into the background, and more so if they match the color of the walls. Use this trick to blur the silhouettes of the shades, taking away attention from the modest size of the window. Further, minimizing contrast serves to make the space feel like one large whole, instead of breaking it into several smaller visual units, emphasizing the smallness of the little camper.

• Avoid busy motifs that will shrink the space by bringing in visual clutter. Also, keep away from large patterns that will get cropped abruptly at the edges, highlighting the petite frame of the window.

• Look for striped roman shades that, by wooing the eye upward or sideward, elongate the window optically.

HAUL 'EM HOME: Striped Roman Shades | White/ Cream Roman Shades

Shop RV Camper Roman Shades at Sewn

RV camper roman shades are compact, but their impact is anything but small. They not only equip you for your life on the road but also keep the spirit of home alive in their gentle folds. Silently working behind the scenes, they tame light, heat, and noise at will, lending a little magic all the way, transforming a vehicle into a sanctuary of comfort. So, explore Sewn’s collection today and find that roman shade that will make your tiny home on wheels adventure-ready and beautifully at ease.