Custom Roman Shades the "Worth It" Window Treatment

Custom Roman Shades can play a big role and have a much bigger impact than you might expect. I don't think we're alone either when it comes to choosing Roman Shades. Working with Interior Designers from all over the country who covet all types of styles, we still see time & time again, that the Roman Shade never goes out of style.

First appearing in the Roman Coliseum, these shades have survived centuries due to their design flexibility along with its design practicality. These modern shades offer a cleaner look and many more style and color options than traditional window treatments.

If you’re unclear and find yourself asking, "what the h#@$ is a Roman Shade", don’t worry. You’ve almost definitely seen them in action at some point but just never knew what they were called. Roman shades are different than traditional vertical or horizontal shades in that when they are opened they are visibly smooth and not ribbed.

What Rooms Are Best For Custom Roman Shades?

To start out. First, we'll get an idea of what room and window we'll be covering. the versatility of Roman Shades allow us to use them in absolutely any room. You can use different fabrics for different rooms, depending on the amount of sunlight coming in from the windows. They can frame your windows better than most roller, vertical or Venetian curtains. Curious what our favorite room is for Roman Shades? We'll tell you, its the nursery.

Roman shades provide proper insulation and look homey when used in residential rooms like living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, and so on. They provide a clean finish and a professional décor to offices and conference rooms. Although Roman Shades are ancient furnishings, they are timeless in their use and would look amazing in just about any space.

What Style Should I Choose?

While there are quite a lot of styles & details available, the most popular styles of a Custom Roman shade generally falls into two categories — relaxed or constructed. Relaxed doesn’t have a stiff support systems inside which allows the fabric to gently sag under its own weight, this  creates a nonchalant curve at the bottom of the shade when its raised. And for this reason, the industry likes to call these types “soft smileys”.

Constructed shades have rods that are horizontal and sewn-in to create a stiffer appearance with a straight edge at the bottom.

Both relaxed and constructed shades function equally well on most standard-size windows. However, on window spaces that are wider, relaxed shades become more difficult to manage due to the weight of the shade. You may have to do a little manual dressing after lifting them and smooth out the folds each time. With constructed shades, once the fabric trains itself, it tends to function perfectly.

Fabric That Really Matters

When you’re selecting a fabric for your shades, light and medium-weight materials are usually optimal, just make sure to avoid rigidity or heavily embellished fabrics. It’s best to have the folds lay nicely one on top of the other, thicker fabrics are generally more challenging to achieve this.

Luckily, it’s really easy to test pliability with a fabric sample. Just fold it over a few times to and you’ll be able to get a sense of how the fabric reacts. If the fabric doesn’t cooperate and lay flat, it may not be the best candidate. Our usual recommendation –  Belgian flax linen. You can order free samples right off our free swatch page.

What's Your Palate?

Considering that Custom Roman Shades are meant to improve the general design of your room, color and design should be your first considerations. There are many beautiful designs like stripes, florals, solids, and patterns.

If neutral colors dominate your room, you should select shades with a bold, colored pattern, in order to add depth and a little oomph using a muted color palate. Another advantage of this selection is the ease of replacement, in the event that you get tired of them, compared to brightly colored furniture or walls. If your room, on the other hand, is filled with bright statement colors, you can stimulate your sense of touch by opting for a neutral fabric (like our natural color) with texture.

Once you choose a design that complements other materials and colors used in your room, you can then examine other factors, like control options.

Functionality & Control Types

When it comes time to raise up or lower your custom roman shades, you have a few options to choose from — continuous loop, cord lock, and a cordless system.

• Continuous loop systems are replacements for the traditional dangling cords we’ve seen in past. The closed loop mechanism lets you easily & evenly raise, lower, and precisely position your shades. This is the most popular control because it’s easiest to operate and always consistent. For larger shades, we’d definitely recommend this option.
• The cord lock, an option where all the lift strings are combined into one single cord, held by what the industry commonly calls a cleat. This is a more traditional take on controlling a roman shade. We give it a thumbs up because of how quiet it functions, however, it’s not idiot proof from snags or “bunching” at either of the corners so beware of that.
• The perennial problem with strings leads us to the most modern of options, which is the cordless option. Just as it sounds, this system eliminated exposed, dangling cords and easily lifts or lowers with a gentle push or pull. The cordless system is by far the absolute most kid & pet friendly option. We like to recommend this system for modern and contemporary spaces that look to eliminate as many small accessories as possible.

Purchasing Custom Roman Shades

As much we all like to show off our modern home, you don’t want uncovered windows to invite prying eyes. However, you also don’t want to spend a fortune creating that decoration and privacy. Custom Roman Shades give you the look of costly window treatments at a price that will pleasantly surprise you! Roman shades, sometimes called Roman blinds, are a beautiful blend of today's popular decorating trends, fabrics, and colors suited for any occasion. Find yourself a little bit more curious about Roman shades, here's everything you need to know.

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