Roman Shades are an elegant window treatment option that beautifully meld the elegance of drapery with the practicality of shades. As a result, they are a popular choice among homeowners who demand both form and function.

Accurate measurements are crucial to ensuring smooth operation and optimal light control for your custom Roman Shades. We’ll walk you through the essential tools, setup process, and decisions surrounding your mount.

Light Control

Roman shades are a great choice for meeting privacy and light control needs without disrupting the room’s design. They are also easy to use and can be upgraded with various systems and features. Multiple fabric options, fold and pleat styles along with a range of color and pattern choices ensure that roman shades can match any décor – from contemporary to traditional.

One of the most popular features for Roman Shades is the ability to choose between a flat stack or cascading fold style. This is a purely stylistic decision on the homeowner’s part as both styles work well in most decor. The flat stack option creates a more structured contemporary look that requires minimal dressing while the cascading fold is more luxurious and adds a dramatic appearance to a window.

Another popular upgrade is the addition of a stay pocket which helps to organize and stack the fabric evenly for a neatly finished look. This is especially effective with heavier fabrics like velvet or corduroy. Another popular option is a Hobbled fold which creates an even more full and elegant look with the fabric.

Both shaped fascias and borders along with trims and piping can add a designer accent to any fabric. They are ideal for highlighting a focal point or for coordinating with specific color themes.

Other upgrades include a cord front upgrade which moves the lift cord to the front of the shade for a clean design, and motorization which allows you to operate your roman shades hands-free from a remote or smart hub automation system. They are perfect for hard to reach windows or for those with children and pets where cords can be a hazard.

Additional lining and light filtering options can be added to most Roman Shades to increase their energy efficiency, as well as providing room darkening capability. They can also be paired with fabric side panels for added privacy and insulation in rooms where a view may be desirable.

Another option is to pair a classic flat or folded shade with a Highlights Cornice Valance for a layered, upscale look. This valance can be mounted on the top of the window or inside the frame, and is available in a wide variety of colors to match your home’s décor.

Insulation

The fabric layers in Roman Shades are effective insulators, helping to manage energy-efficiency and keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. When paired with a light filtering or room darkening liner, these window treatments are even more energy efficient.

Hobbled Roman Shades feature fabric folds that cascade down the window, allowing you to control how much light enters your space. The folds can be adjusted to allow the sun’s rays to shine in or block them out entirely, making these shades ideal for any room in your home.

Roman Shades can be mounted inside or outside your window frame, depending on the type of trim around your windows. When trimmed inside, they look like a built-in window treatment and help your beautiful trim stand out. When mounted outside, they can make your room appear larger and are a great way to let your gorgeous fabric take center stage.

When choosing fabric for your Roman Shade, consider color and pattern, along with how the fabric will drape on your window. Whether you choose to go with traditional fold styles or more contemporary looks, we have the fabrics and options to complement any design style.

Front fold Roman Shades show fabric on all sides of the shade when lowered and raised, which allows you to maximize your view. This style looks best with solids and small to medium sized patterns. Reverse fold Roman Shades hang flat when lowered and have seams that disappear when raised. This style works well with medium to large sized patterns and stripes. Battens sewn at regular intervals on the back side of the shade create a clean, tailored look when lowered and defined folds when raised.

An insulated lining can enhance the energy efficiency of any Roman shade, and adds structure and durability to a flat roman shade. The insulated layer also protects the decorative “face” fabric from sunlight and heat, so you can enjoy your new shades for years to come. Unlike some other Roman shade insulation, ours does not require complex additions of battens or other components, which makes for quicker fabrication and simpler operation.

Privacy

Roman shades are a great way to address privacy without compromising the beauty of a room’s decor. This is because they offer many styles that allow for the drapery folds to be hidden or opened, allowing you to enjoy a full view of your windows and outdoor space. Additionally, some of our most popular Roman shades feature a light filtering lining that helps reduce the amount of sunlight that comes into your home, further enhancing your privacy and helping you control how much natural light you want in your space.

Originally, these window treatments were used to shade pampered spectators in the large public amphitheaters and stadiums of ancient Rome, like the Colosseum. Because the privileged audience members did not want to endure the scorching Mediterranean sun, they enjoyed watching the events under elaborate cloth awnings called velarium that hung from above the spectator stands. Modern Roman shades, including the ones available at Blind Magic, are based on these early designs.

Hobbled Roman Shades

Hobbled Roman shades, also known as cascading, are a stylish and versatile window covering option. Unlike flat Roman shades that create a streamlined appearance when raised, these window treatments feature folds that cascade down in evenly spaced and overlapping pleats. They are available in a wide variety of fabrics, colors and opacities, as well as blackout options. They can be used in living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms and other spaces where you want to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Our woven woods and natural fabric options, such as the Sanibel Cordless Maple Cape Cod Flatweave Roman Shade with Valance, are a beautiful addition to any interior design. These window treatments are made of premium-quality woven fabrics, sculpted into soft contours that complement and enhance any room’s decor. These textured window shades are popular in beach homes, lake houses and traditional or contemporary homes.

When paired with the right top treatment, these shades are a perfect complement to our wood blinds and shutters. These window treatments also pair nicely with trending rugs and hardwood floors, as they provide an elegant contrast to the rich tones of natural materials.

Style

Like drapery panels, Roman shades add beauty to your home and complement a variety of interior design styles. They are also easy to hang and operate and are available in a wide range of colors, fabrics, sizes, fold styles, and lift options. In addition, you can add blackout liners for additional light control and insulation.

The classic hobbled Roman shade style is the most popular and offers timeless appeal. Its neatly arranged fabric folds elegantly dress your windows and are especially beautiful when paired with a matching top treatment.

Hobbled Roman shade fabric folds curve upward when the shades are raised, giving them a soft and tailored look that beautifully complements stripes, patterns, and other bold designs. This shade style does require some manual adjusting and should not be used on very tall or wide windows.

Flat fold Roman shades offer a more contemporary look that doesn’t use any vertical seams. This style works well with most fabrics and is the best option for large, bold patterns and textures because there are no horizontal seams to interrupt the pattern.

Another contemporary option is the stay pocket roman shade. This shade style uses stay pockets on the back of the fabric to create crisp, structured folds. This style is well-suited for fabrics that are light to medium weight and fold easily. It is not recommended for fabrics with a lot of vertical pattern as the pattern may be interrupted at the pleats.

Vignette Modern Roman Shades eliminate exposed rear cords, which improves window aesthetics and enhances child safety. They are available in a variety of fold styles and sizes and are offered in sheer, light-filtering, and room-darkening fabric opacities.

This upgrade adds a continuous loop lift system to your shade to provide easier lifting and safer operation. It is available for both inside and outside mount shades and can be paired with the standard single cord lift or the hobbled fold style.