Roman shades offer quick fashion update

"Welcome to the 1980's," one client told me recently, when I toured her home, decorated in 80's blue and peach. Can you relate to this? If your home's decor is out of date, one sure way to bring it into current fashion is to update your window treatments. If you have had your fabric window treatments for more than 15 years, it probably is time for an update. One especially popular window treatment is the Roman shade. Roman shades are very versatile and can be made using a variety of materials such as fabric, bamboo or woven wood.

The most common styles of Roman shade are the flat Roman and the soft-fold Roman. Just as their name describes, flat Romans hang flat in the window, but the fabric stacks into neat folds as the shade is raised, creating an attractive valance at the top of the window. Soft-fold Romans have the folds sewn into the shade, giving the shade more detail when it is in the down position.

Roman shades can be equally at home in contemporary or classic rooms. The type of material selected dictates whether the look is more casual, country, formal or contemporary. For instance, a woven wood Roman looks wonderful in a casual room filled with natural materials and textures. Silk, on the other hand, would be appropriate in a more formal room with traditional furnishings. Many types of fabrics are suitable for Roman shades, from cotton prints to heavier woven fabrics. For added interest, the shades can be embellished with fabric bands made in contrasting colors. For maximum design options, nothing beats having your Roman shade custom-made. You can select the fabric, style, trims and lifting system that best suit your windows and your room's decor.

Custom-made Roman shades can be made to fit a variety of windows such as bay windows and French doors. They can be mounted inside the window casing or on the wall above the window. If the shades are made with fabric, they should be lined. Woven wood shades are often left unlined in order to let light filter through. For those of you who like to sleep late in the mornings, consider a room-darkening lining.

Depending on the size of the window, the Roman shade may be quite heavy. For very large shades, a continuous cord loop lifting system is best. This type of lifting system works on the principle of a pulley and rotates a clutch to raise and lower the shade. For lighter shades, you can choose a lift cord that wraps around a cleat attached to the wall next to the window, or a lift cord with a cord lock that locks the shade in the desired position.

This article first appeared in Alameda Newspaper Group papers on Dec. 10, 2005.

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All articles copyright 2003-2008 Anna Jacoby.