Window Treatments are often overlooked as people design their own homes, but they really are essential to complete a space. One of our favorite kind of window treatments we like to use are roman shades. They are also a great alternative when drapes just won’t work.
Our clients seem to love them as much as we do, but they never know how to go about selecting the right kind of textile for their homes.
There are a few things we consider when selecting the right fabric for a roman shade.
PATTERN SIZE: Make sure you choose a pattern that is small enough so it looks good when folded. The shades won’t always be down. You need a pattern that won’t get lost when it is all the way up. In these roman shades we used recently, you’ll notice the pattern is large enough to be understood, but small enough not to get lost when up.
THINK SIMPLIFIED: For those who don’t want a bold patterned textile or don’t want to commit to a certain fabric, going with a simple white linen and adding trim also makes a great statement in the room. It softens up the space, while not being a focal point. Even if you just want to add texture to a space, a good neutral is also a good way to go.
This master suite corner would not have the same finished feel without these white romans and coral trim.
The white roman shades softened up this boy’s bedroom, without taking away from the bedding and wall decor.
INSIDE VS. OUTSIDE MOUNT: A lot of times people just default to an inside mount for a roman shade. We do love inside mounts. It can really showcase a home’s trim!
But there are benefits to having an outside mount in some cases. For example, if the window is unusually small, going with an outside mount may be the way to go. You can raise the roman shade higher than the actual window so it creates the illusion of it being larger than it really is. We were able to create that illusion in the Hartford Office. Hanging it higher made the room feel larger and ceilings higher.
These bathroom windows were too narrow to have an inside mount so we opted for an outside mount that pulled made the three windows on cohesive element.
LINING: When selecting textiles for your space, make sure you consider functionality. If you need any sort of light control, you may need to line it. We like to line the back of roman shades going in children’s rooms with a black-out lining. Or a bedroom that receives too much morning light, but you don’t want it completely dark, you can control it by using a thinner lining.
Another time to consider lining your roman shade is when you really want the textile pattern to stand out. A simple lining will make sure you can see the beautiful fabric and it won’t get lost in the daylight.
In this toddler’s room, the room received a lot of light and we needed blackout shades. By lining the back we were able to achieve that, but didn’t sacrifice the functionality with style.
As you can see, selecting the appropriate textile for a roman shade isn’t as daunting as it may seem.
We love a good roman in a home and hope these tips help!
Such an informative post! On a completely unrelated note, can you share the source of those beautiful chairs in the Hartford office? I’m looking for something similar for my dining room.
Unfortunately we don’t have a source for those chairs, but Overstock has a similar option that we love.
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Donatella-Natural-White-Wash-Chair/9542196/product.html
You can also use the search term “chippendale chairs,” which is the style of those chairs. Good luck!
I noticed you used Roman shades above the master bath tub. Do you recommend fabric in potential wet areas? We have a free standing tub in our master bath that our kids love to use and I’m worried about fabric getting wet with splashing! Not easy to manage with three little ones! 😉
Love the look of the Romans, but not sure if plantation shutters would be better. Thanks for the tips!
They work in a master bathroom, but may not be practical for any bathroom with kids splashing around 🙂
Did you help this client make these or get them made? I am on the SLC area and have a house full of brand new empty Windows. I want to do Roman shades and would love to know a great company to work with. Will you share who made these? Thanks
We have used Windows By Melissa in the past and she does great work.
http://windowsbymelissa.blogspot.com/
She also has an etsy shop.
We have used Windows By Melissa in the past and she does amazing work! http://windowsbymelissa.blogspot.com/
She also has an etsy shop.
Love your work! In that last picture of the toddlers room I thought that Roman Shade would be PERFECT for my daughter’s room, and I was wondering if you Bought it or made it? Or maybe where I could find that super cute fabric?
You can find it here! https://www.decoratorsbest.com/products/schumacher-ode-to-matisse-punch-fabric
I love the picture of the bird in the nursery room the large hot pink print. Where might I be able to source that? Do you have a good framing source by any chance? Thank you so much for your amazing work.
Isn’t it cute? It’s the “Hello Cocky” print from Minted. Minted can even frame it for you making it super easy.
Thank you for sharing such an important blog about shutters and blinds.Shade Set Shutters, a family-owned business, is dedicated to combining quality window coverings and services at prices to assure value for our customers. We apply honesty and integrity in helping our customers through the process of making their homes and businesses more aesthetically pleasing.