Window Treatments Blog

I was wondering why roman shades are so named.  According to Answers.com, roman shades are so named because of the large retractable awnings used in Rome’s Coliseum for sun protection.  These shades were held out on large poles and “pleated” back on themselves when they were retracted, much like modern roman shades work.  One could argue that today’s roman shades are “Romanesque” in style, with their large folds and fabric composition – like a Roman toga…

I cannot vouch for the validity of these explanations, but it might make for interesting dinner conversation. Which is one of the more popular room locations for roman shades because they do lend to formal room settings and decors.  But they can look beautiful in almost any room, it just depends on the type and color material you choose – and there are of lots of them.

Roman shades also come with lots of options, so they are highly versatile.  There are cordless roman shades (for safety, convenience & a clean look), blackout roman shades (for room darkening), even top down bottom up roman shades (for greater privacy options).  Materials range from sheer fabrics to thick opaque ones.  Colors range from solids to stripes, weaves; even two-tone.

Roman shades can even be purchased with an insulating liner. These insulated roman shades are energy efficient and can help lower heating and cooling costs – all while looking fantastic.  So, if you are looking for an alternative to cellular shades, you should check these out.

If you are interested, I highly recommend that you purchase custom made roman shades.  That way your shades will fit exactly to your window’s specifications with minimal light gaps between the shade and window casing.  And, when the shade is fully closed, you won’t get a bunch of extra folds of fabric because the shade is too long for the window.

Happy decorating!