The way you dress windows can set the tone for any room, and there are so many options to choose from that it can become challenging to find the perfect one which gives the look you want. One of the most popular fabric window treatments in use today remains custom roman shades, and it is easy to see why.
Roman shades provide simple and elegant dressing for any window, and that classic look works well with almost any décor from the traditional to contemporary design. One of the things that often comes as a surprise though, is that roman shades are available in a number of styles and can give a very different look to your room depending on which one you choose.
With so many choices for styles, just as there are for custom drapes and other window treatments, simply choosing roman shades is not the end of the journey of choosing the right window dressings. In this article, we have taken the time to find the best three styles of roman shades easily available on the market today, saving you time and providing inspiration.
The several benefits offered by roman shades make them a brilliant choice for serving versatile needs and between the following options which are all fantastic in their own right, you will surely find the perfect choice for your needs.
Table of Contents
Flat Fold Roman Shades with Front Slats
Both practical and beautiful, flat-fold roman shades with front slats feature visible slats to the front of the shade fabric, indicating the folds in the fabric when retracted. They offer visual interest, while also looking better when partially folded, giving both shape and texture to the window area. This gives a modern look that gives a less formal finish, perfect for casual spaces in the home.
Many roman shades of this style will use soft, plain fabrics that enhance those slat lines, working them into the overall look and creating a cohesive and attractive finish. The slats are not only effective from an aesthetic point of view either, but they also make these roman shades incredibly robust and hard wearing. These are shades that are going to last for years, even in situations where they are raised or lowered every day.
The reason these are seen as some of the top shade styles around is a combination of everything they have to offer including interesting design and hard-wearing performance. They work especially well with plain, textured and some patterned fabrics, and have other benefits too. They look great in all kinds of window openings, from tall thin windows to broad and short openings. Flat fold roman shades with front slats can adapt to any room or style. For properties with a variety of window designs where you want to keep a consistency in window treatments, they are the perfect choice, but they also work as a specific design touch for an individual room or interior space too.
Nothing is completely perfect though, and for flat fold roman shades with front slats there are things you need to remember. Those horizontal front slats give a really great look with plain or textured fabrics and work well with some patterns too. However, bold fabric designs or those with repeated shapes can look awkward as the slats tend to optically break up the pattern and may disrupt the flow of the design.
Flat Fold Roman Shades with Back Slats
Combining the usability and hard-wearing practicality of the flat fold roman shades with front slats, these custom roman shades take those slats and hide them within the lining at the rear. The result is a shade that folds in panels as before, but when down, provides a seamless, smooth look that is very modern in appearance. With no breaks to be seen, the folds look even more effective when the shade is raised, with no obvious sign of where the slats are.
They look great in all window shapes and sizes too, with the cleaner look working really well with contemporary design or a minimalist look. The lack of visible slats also ensures that these shades work exceptionally well with patterned fabrics of all kinds, allowing the imagery to flow without a break across the entire shade.
However, because there is no break from slats, plain fabrics can risk looking a little uninteresting, presenting just a slab of color when fully down. Although this problem may disappear once some panels are folded which add their own visual interest, so it would depend on your usage as to the suitability of plain fabric. One type of fabric that is definitely unsuitable is any sheer fabrics, those that you can see through in any way. This is because this style is not possible to construct without lining, and you may not want to add lining behind your sheer roman shades.
Relaxed or European Style Roman Shades
Our third choice for the top three styles of roman shades is the relaxed roman shade, also called European roman shades. This style gives you that scalloped, curvy, flowing feel that many love. It has no slats, so it gives a more unconstructed look that is perfect for a relaxing, informal space.
As there are no slats, the folds need to be set manually for a neat look, and therefore the relaxed style is more suited to a decorative rather than practical use as shades, where they will mostly be left in one position for effect rather than moved up and down each day. They obviously still work as shades but are not as effective as others. However, as a decorative treatment, the subtle flowing curve of the folded material gives a unique look that is extremely attractive and popular.
They work well with all types of fabric, including sheers, with even plain fabrics due to the elegant feminine curves. However, you must be careful not to choose this style of window dressings for small spaces as they do not work well for narrow windows.
Conclusion
There are window treatments for every space, and with these options, you don’t have to look further than roman shades to find the ideal option for any window or décor. From hard wearing and practical to pretty and decorative, roman shades can do everything you need. Just pick the style to suit your room.
