Classical Seasonal Look with Roman Blinds

May 17, 2018

Roman blinds are a good alternative to traditional full-length draperies. This is not just because they can provide an equal richness of design and style, but also because they give your space breathing room.

Romans shades also have an edge over full length window treatments in rooms with built-ins and banquettes next to the wall since they can cover windows without needing any extra wall space. There are different factors you should look into when you are going to get Roman blinds for your interior space.

Fabric

The choice of fabric is very important. This will determine the kind of material you will use and will also allow you to play around with colour and design of the blinds. Fabric also plays an important factor in setting the colour and design. This becomes more important if you are getting them custom-made. Fabric is also critical in determining the luminosity of the blind i.e. how much light it allows to pass through. Since Roman blinds are pleated, picking the right type of fabric also affects how easy it will be able to operate the blinds and how they will appear in stack when lifted.

Choosing the fabric

Roman blinds are instrumental to the look of your interior because they are on display even when they are retracted. If you are designing blinds on your own, then choose some light- or medium-weight fabric because folds will fall nicely on top of each other in the retracted state.

Thicker fabric with heavy embroidery doesn’t fold nicely, and is therefore not a good choice for Roman blinds. You can test the flexibility of a fabric by folding it several times. If the fabric is not coming back to its original shape, then it might not be the perfect fit.

While Roman blinds have a variety of characteristics according to which they can be differentiated, their structural basis categorizes them into two types.

Relaxed Roman Blinds

Relaxed Roman blinds don’t have any horizontal support inside, which make the fabric droop smoothly under to its own weight. It gives a curvy and wavy appearance to the blinds at the bottom when they are retracted.

Constructed Roman Blinds

To create a rigid appearance, horizontal bars are put inside the blinds. Horizontal rods can be fit at the bottom of the shade or in each fold over the entire length of the shade.

Choosing the right structure

Choosing the structure of Roman shades also depends on the type of fabric used. If you are using a heavy and slightly stiff fabric, then it is better to go with constructed blinds. Usually, both types of blinds can be used as window furnishings on small- to medium-sized window fittings. If your windows are wide, then relaxed Roman shades are more difficult to manage because you have to dress the bottom each time you retract them.

Lining

Linings are not always required in blinds. Sheer Roman blinds that are used to give a light visual appearance don’t need to be lined. However, lining can be used to give blinds a more deluxe and detailed look. Lining can also be used to limit the amount of light entering the rooms and to hide the pull strings at the back of the blind.

Picking the right lining

Picking the lining for Roman blinds also depends on where you want to install them. For instance, in bedrooms where Roman shades are the only window treatments, it is better to use blackout linings so when blinds are lowered, you can get the desired darkness for a better sleep environment. If Roman blinds are used in living rooms, then it is better to go with a lighter lining material.

Roman blinds are a perfect choice of window treatments if you want to blend classical and contemporary themes of décor.