Fabric Roman Shades—What, Why & How
Window treatments come in all sorts of shapes and types - some flowy and dressy, others sleek and minimalist - but fabric roman shades are a world apart! They are the hybrids we admit to loving because they satisfy our greed—yes, our unbridled desire for both the crisp precision of blinds and the bespoke grandeur of drapery. Soft, tailored, and effortlessly elegant, custom roman shades draw up in graceful folds, bring a custom-made finish to the spaces they adorn, and come in a variety of designs that blend into almost any decor style. But, in case you’re still on the fence, looking for those convincing reasons to introduce them to your home, this blog is just for you. We’ll walk you through the salient traits of fabric roman shades, settings where they shine, and how to style them to balance style and function.
What are Fabric Roman Shades?
Made from drapery fabrics, roman shades are perfect-fit window coverings that lift into soft, horizontal folds when raised and unfold into a smooth, tailored panel when lowered. Attached to a headrail and supported by an efficient pulley system on the rear side, the shades operate smoothly at a mere tug of the cord. They break into crisp accordion-style folds when raised, stacking together into a neat pile at the top of the window. Hence, when minimized, the roman shade continues to dress the window like a valance with sumptuous folds.
Roman shades can be stitched from any fabric of your choice - from delicate sheers to heavy blackouts, casual linens to ritzy velvets - expanding their design potential to infinity. In addition, they can be customized at various other levels, including adding a lining and border trims, and choosing your favored fold style. So, whether you wish to lean casual or formal, traditional or modern, elaborate or minimalist, your shades will assuredly be the mouthpieces of your aesthetic.
Why Opt for Fabric Roman Shades?
Roman shades are where drapery’s styling potential meets the clean, minimalist structure of blinds - no wonder, reasons to love them abound. They gracefully sidestep the common pitfalls of both window treatments while blending their best qualities, making them a true best-of-both-worlds solution. And if you’d ask us to name our top five reasons to choose roman shades, here’s where we’d start:
ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES: Roman shades can embrace any shade of the color wheel, be that soft neutral tones, bold jewel colors, or deep moody hues. The world of patterns, likewise, is wide open - whether you’re after mid-century modern sunbursts, country plaids, or shabby chic florals. Compare that to industrially fabricated blinds, whose colorways are restricted to a few neutral tones and pattern options can be counted on fingers, and you’ll see why roman shades are loved by both professional designers and decor enthusiasts alike.
BESPOKE APPEAL: The fabric making of roman shades lends them a softness and high-end appeal, matched by none except drapes. Even when raised, they continue to grace the window like a stylish valance. In contrast, plastic and vinyl blinds not only look utilitarian but also vanish into a sleek cassette, leaving the window looking bare. If you’re aiming for perfect-fit treatments that bring a bespoke appeal, count on roman shades - they do it with effortless grace.
ACOUSTICS: Roman shades come with built-in acoustic benefits. Being made of a naturally sound-absorbent material, roman shades add an acoustic layer to your privacy, something that is as important as the visual aspect in some cases. Further, they provide the most noiseless operation, so you don’t risk waking up your napping baby with clinking lift cords or being annoyed by constant rattling against the walls during windy days.
SPACE-EFFICIENCY: Being sill-length lends roman shades the valued quality of being space-efficient without sacrificing elegance. Both the teeny kitchen window and the cramped bedroom can be dressed stylishly, even though they lack the square footage required for floor-sweeping drapes.
KID-PROOFING: Since roman shades stop at sill-length and are out of reach for kids, they are already safe to use in child-friendly spaces. In addition, we provide wall-mounted anchors that secure the cord, preventing it from dangling loosely and causing potential danger to kids and pets.
How to Make the Most of Fabric Roman Shades?
Roman shades offer a stellar performance, unparalleled by most window treatments, on both the aesthetic and functional front. And yet, this only defines the potential they carry; how far you succeed in capitalizing on it depends on how you customize them to your needs and tastes. At Sewn, personalizing the shades to your home goes beyond the selection of the fabric. Ahead, we share styling tips to make the most of all the customization options so you can curate the shades to your exact mandate, without the slightest compromise.
Choose Fabric & Lining Based on the Room’s Insulation Requirements
Sunrooms revel in soft filtered light, while bedrooms call for room-darkening; accordingly, the fabric must be chosen. Opt for sheer or semi-sheer fabrics for rooms that function best with diffused light and semi-privacy, such as living rooms and kitchens. By contrast, a room facing the west, beaten by strong noon sun, calls for something more substantial, like a non-sheer or blackout fabric.
Also, take the help of a lining where insulation requirements are high. Our blog post on Sewn’s Lining Options is worth a read if you wish to explore which lining suits best for your setting. However, if you’d appreciate a brief outline, here it comes: Opt for privacy lining if you wish to enhance the shade’s volume and light-blocking capacity; and choose the blackout lining when you want room-darkening, thermal efficiency, and sound-proofing.
HAUL 'EM HOME: Blackout Roman Shades | Sheer Roman Shades
Pick the Look that Goes with Your Style
The chosen fabric must not only address your functional requirements, but also register your design style. In addition, you might also want to consider adding accessories that enhance the roman shade’s elegance even more. The good news is that if you have a vision, Sewn has everything it takes to bring it to life. Here’s how:
FABRIC COMPOSITION: Each fabric speaks a different design language in a way that none other can. Linen’s slubs arouse rustic charm, velvet’s plush naps exude luxury, and voile’s delicacy evokes whimsy. Choose a fabric of the weave and opacity that meets your home’s aesthetic - like an airy cotton for a farmhouse, a resplendent silk for a Victorian-inspired maximalist home, and a crisp textured poly for an ultra-modern setting.
PALETTE & PATTERN: Another easy giveaway of your decor style is the palette and pattern of your shades. A black and white abstract print shade immediately tells you you’ve stepped into a bold modern setting; likewise, a misty pastel floral reads cottagey, blue stripes ring in nautical themes, and jewel-toned geometric print evokes Art Deco grandeur. Take advantage of Sewn’s vast collection, and pick the exact palette and pattern that endorses your design style.
TRIMS: Going beyond elegance, roman shades lend room for the indulgence of handcrafted trims that offer a small but significant detail. Sewn offers over 200 border trims in diverse styles and colorways, so you can choose the right finishing touch for each room. Think cotton fringe trims for bohemian flair, silken tassels for classical bling, and sleek grosgrain ribbons for modern sophistication.
Choose a Fold Style that Suits your Aesthetic
Sewn offers three versatile fold styles, each offering a unique combination of style and function. The two slatted styles - the flat folds with back slats and the plain folds with front slats - offer a crisp, boxy structure and maximum operational efficiency. They are ideal for modern settings that appreciate clean-lined silhouettes. The European relaxed fold style, by contrast, has a scalloped edge with relatively less smooth operation, making it ideal for stationary decorative shades, traditional maximalist homes, and laid-back settings. Before you decide, visit our Roman Shades Style Guide, where we walk you through the unique traits of each fold style.
Pick a Suitable Mounting Position
Roman shades can be mounted in two ways: inside the window’s frame, known as the inside-mounting position, and outside the window, aka the outside mounting position. While the inside mounting position requires a minimum of 2 inches depth for the window frame, the outside mounting position can only be opted for if there is sufficient free wall space around the window. Similarly, each position has its own merits to flaunt, which you can explore in detail in our blog on Inside Mount Vs Outside Mount Roman Shades.
The most important point to remember is that the choice has to be made before you place the order, as the mounting position will significantly alter the size of the shades. While the inside mounting position requires a millimetre-precise measurement of the interior part of the window frame, the outside mounting position calls for a slight (or generous) extension on all sides for a neat finish and efficient light control.
Explore Layering Options for a Sumptuous Appeal
While roman shades are efficient and wholesome as solo players, they are also excellent teammates. In an opulent setting, you can layer the shades with curtains, offering a structural contrast to flowy trails. In a modern setting, the roman shades can work well as an overtreatment for roller blinds or honeycomb blinds, making up for their overly minimalist appeal. And, whether or not you pair roman shades with another window treatment, you can always opt to crown them with sleek valances for a touch of refinement.
Shop Roman Shades at Sewn
In the end, it won’t be an exaggeration to say that roman shades get everything right - function, precision, and personality. With endless ways to tailor them, finding the right roman shade for your home is not just a possibility, but a pleasure. When you’re ready to launch into this gratifying process, explore our collection of premium drapery fabrics, where you’ll be greeted with everything from rustic linens to luxuriant silks. Let your windows shine in the bespoke elegance of beautifully crafted roman shades from Sewn.
