In a bespoke, one-of-a-kind home, every detail plays its part in the melody of decor. Every element, from a modest vase tucked on an end table to a svelte custom roman shade gracing the window, becomes a carefully chosen note in the grand score of curated decor. 

In this articulately orchestrated design symphony, window shades can do so much more than serving as mere functional window coverings. In fact, roman shades offer one of the most intelligent combinations of form and function in the world of window treatments. 

And since you’re here at Sewn, and not in an aisle full of generic readymades at a superstore, we’re guessing you’re after something custom, something made just for your windows, your rooms, your way of living. Well, here’s to your impeccable taste and for not settling for cookie-cutter treatments.  

But before you dive into the exciting shopping bit, take a moment and spend it with our stylists who bring you tips and ideas to lead you to your ideal custom roman shades:

MORE FROM THE STORE: Custom Drapes | Custom Valances | Roman Shade Trims

Custom Roman Shades: Pro Styling Tips to Slay the Decor Drill

We get it; shopping for a custom roman shade sounds simple until you realise it's not just about picking a pretty fabric. From deciding the exact mounting position to picking the right lining type, it involves multiple decision-making drills. But don’t worry. This isn’t our first shade rodeo, so let our experts help you get started with these three golden rules when shopping for your custom roman shades from Sewn. 

FIND YOUR FOLD: SYNC BEAUTY & BRAINS

At Sewn, we offer you three fold style options for your custom roman shades. Each of these styles has its own personality, from ultra-minimalist to elegantly dressy. And while our comprehensive Roman Shades Style Guide goes into all the fine details, here’s a designer-approved overview to help you decide which style might suit your space best.

FLAT FOLD WITH BACK SLATS

Minimalist, Modern & Front Runner for Patterned Fabrics

Flat fold style with back slats features horizontal slats sewn into the lining on the reverse side of the roman shade. On the front, you’ll see an uninterrupted panel of fabric — no seams, no raised slat silhouettes — just a beautifully smooth surface that rises in crisp, even folds. 

This style is ideal for showcasing patterns, especially bold or large-scale ones, since the plain frontage allows the motifs to flow uninterrupted, distracting nothing from the design. It also works wonderfully on plain fabrics if you’re after a truly minimalist feel. The slatted construction gives the shade a crisp, tailored stack when raised, but cleverly hides the slats in the back - making this style a favourite in contemporary homes.

HomeSewn Wisdom: Since the slats are sewn into lining pockets on the back, this style is not possible to construct without lining. For this reason, it is not a viable option for sheer roman shades, which are typically left unlined to maximise light inflow.  

PLAIN FOLD WITH FRONT SLATS

Silhouettes, Structure and Subtle Detail

Similar to back-slatted shades, plain fold style shades with front slats also feature slats in their construction but the slats are sewn onto the front face fabric, instead of the lining at the back. Owing to this construction, the slats show on the frontage in the form of raised horizontal silhouettes — giving a quiet nod to architectural detailing.

Front-slatted shades are the go-to option when clients want a bit of visual depth without relying on prints or patterns. With the raised slat lines creating a striped pattern of their own on the frontage, these shades make a perfect match for plain, monochromatic fabrics. A plain fabric, free of any embellishment or pattern, may sometimes feel underwhelming in itself, but the tactile detail of a front-slatted shade offers just the right amount of charisma that draws the eye without feeling overpowering. 

The same raised silhouettes, however, can also become a source of interruption in patterns, especially in fabrics with large-scale patterns or island-style floating motifs. For this reason, if you’ve got a bold print in mind, the back-slatted or European relaxed fold styles may be a better match as these styles allow the patterns to be shown off without any visual breaks. 

EUROPEAN RELAXED FOLD STYLE

Unstructured elegance with a sculpted ease

Unlike the other two fold styles discussed above, the European relaxed style features a slat-free construction. In the absence of slats, the fabric naturally ‘caves’ into the middle as the shade is raised, creating this style’s signature curved scallop at the bottom.  

European relaxed style suits both plain and patterned fabrics beautifully since the swagging bottom brings an oomph factor to plain fabrics, while the uninterrupted frontage lends itself as a clean canvas for patterns and prints. A unique fusion of the traditional soft ornamental pleats of curtains and modern svelteness of blinds, roman shades in this fold style carry an allure that feels both current and classic. 

HomeSewn Wisdom: ‘Pleat memory’ in this style is formed organically and gradually over time, and so brand new relaxed roman shades find themselves needing a bit of assistance in the early days. Their folds may need to be set and shaped manually a few times, until the shade is fully ‘trained’ and in the ‘habit’ of forming clean, even folds on its own as it folds up. 

MIND WHERE YOU MOUNT: INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE WINDOW FRAME

Once you have found your fold style, the next big decision is the mounting position of your custom roman shade. This decision will not only impact the look of your shades and windows, but also affect how you measure for your shades. Therefore, before you tackle the tape, handle this first. We recommend going through our blog post on ‘Inside Vs Outside Mount Roman Shades’ for an in-depth view on the pros and cons of each mounting position. But if you're after a quick bird’s-eye view to get your bearings, here’s a tidy little cheat sheet:

INSIDE MOUNT: Fitted snugly within the window frame/recess, inside-mounted shades give a clean, tailored look, as if the shade were built right into the architecture. This position is perfect if you want to keep your window trim visible and/or prefer a minimalist, edge-to-edge fitted look. Inside-mounted shades are especially well-suited to small spaces, as the shades sit snugly within the recess, taking up no wall space outside. 

HomeSewn Wisdom: Our hardware needs a minimum of two inches of drillable, flat surface to be mounted securely. If your window recess does not provide this space, it will not be able to host our hardware in an inset position. In such settings, an outside-mounted roman shade becomes your savior and default choice.

OUTSIDE MOUNT: Mounted on the wall or ceiling outside the window frame, an outside-mounted shade instantly makes windows appear taller or wider. Outside mounting is ideal for shallow frames that can’t accommodate hardware for inside mount roman shade, or for masking uneven window heights and hiding less-than-lovely trims. This position also does a better job of containing light leaks from the edges of the shade. 

FIND YOUR FABRIC: BALANCE FORM WITH FUNCTION

Fabric is what brings color, texture, light control, and personality to your roman shade, and just like with any outfit, it’s what gets noticed first. There are three key elements to consider when picking a fabric for your custom roman shades: material composition, pattern and - of course - the palette. Together, these elements set the visual and functional tone, and decide how much care and upkeep your shades might demand. 

For instance, a delicate silk in a jewel-toned damask immediately suggests classical opulence — shimmering, dazzling, and yes, slightly high-maintenance. Swap that for a slubby linen in neutral stripes and suddenly the mood shifts. Now, it's more relaxed and sun-dappled, somewhere between Savannah and Nantucket. 

At the end of the day, your fabric decides how your roman shade looks and lives. Pick something that speaks to your style, suits the space’s decor, meets its functional needs and won’t make you sigh with its care demands.

WHERE ROMANS REIGN: THE BEST SPACES FOR CUSTOM ROMAN SHADES

Not every window is suited for the puddling grace of drapes. And, off-the-rack, cheap plastic blinds are hardly worthy of carefully curated homes. And while any lovingly-decorated home can find a friend in roman shades, there are some settings where custom roman shades truly outperform, including:

PETITE WINDOWS & SMALL ROOMS: Roman shades provide coverage without crowding. That’s their superpower (among many others). Where trails of curtains will overwhelm, the compact folds and snug-as-glove fitting of shades make them a perfectly-proportional match for small windows and rooms, making even the most modest of windows feel ‘considered’. No surprise, roman shades are especially popular in powder rooms, laundry rooms, pantries, and tucked-away corners, which often tend to be small and/or feature petite windows. The streamlined profile of shades keeps the space feeling ‘open’, while still offering all the privacy and light-filtering you need. 

SPACES FOR TINY-TOTS: Roman shades mean no puddling fabric for little hands or paws to tug on! Installed with our child-safe cord anchor, our custom roman shades offer a tidy, safe and out-of-reach window dressing that still leaves room for a bit of whimsy. With over 2000+ fabrics to choose from, you may invite pizzazz-packed patterns into your room to stamp it with the little one’s playful energy, while also being confident that your window treatments will not become a safety hazard or wipes for watercolor-doused fingers.   

BAY WINDOWS: With multiple windows set at angles, bay windows often need tailored solutions, and roman shades are one of the most effective. Individual shades can be mounted on each window in the bank, allowing you to control light and privacy while maintaining a cohesive, made-for-the-space look. Clean, unfussy and ideal for showcasing the architecture rather than hiding it!

WINDOWS WITH RADIATORS & BENCH SEATS: When a radiator or a bench seat sits directly under the window, floor-length window treatments become impractical. In such settings, either our sill-length curtains or perfectly fitted roman shades become the stars for obvious reasons. 

SPLASH ZONES: In kitchens and bathrooms — where steam, splashes, and compact layouts are the norm — roman shades stay stylish without getting in the way. Especially when the windows sit close to stoves and sinks, billowing drapes can be susceptible to soap suds, occasional soaks, or open flames. Roman shades solve the problem by fitting neatly inside the window frame and stacking up like a tailored valance, keeping safely above the action. 

Shop Custom Roman Shades & Window Blinds Online

Shopping custom means your windows don’t have to settle for second-best. No guessing games, no plastic tangles, and definitely no “one size fits all”. At Sewn, we treat your windows like the design darlings they are. Whether they’re small, tall, awkwardly shaped, or blessed with a bay, we’ve got your back. And yes, free shipping, expert guides, and no raised eyebrows if you order a dozen swatches just to be sure. So, if you’re ready to give your windows the bespoke treatment they deserve,  let’s get shopping. They’ve waited long enough!