March 26, 2010

The Skinny on Buying Roman Shades: Custom Vs. Standard

I love roman shades.  I use them on pretty much any & every window that needs privacy.  (Shutters are beautiful too but we’ll get into those another time.)  There are so many different types and price points that I thought it might be helpful to break it down. 

1.  The main materials that can be used for roman shades are
 fabrics:

{A room by Steven Gambrel}

 and natural woven materials:

 

{Image Source unknown via Little Green Notebook}

2.  There are many cases when roman shades are beautiful/ functional on their own & should be used alone.  It offers a clean, simple look.  Here in the kitchen, is a kid-friendly solution (i.e. no food mess on curtains) with custom natural woven roman shades with privacy lining:

 

{Our breakfast nook, smith + noble tortoise shell bamboo waterfall shades}

 A client’s living room (pictured “before” below) had a set of french doors on the left side and a double window on the right side.  When I first arrived, I knew we needed to fix the imbalance of having curtain panels on one side and not the other:

 

{Client Living Room Below}

Because the door wouldn’t have been functional with curtain panels, and because I wanted balance, I used roman shades only (no curtains) on both sides.  I wish I had a better view of this room, (I still need to go back for finished photos)  but I had custom pleated balloon shades installed behind the newly added crown molding for a seamless casually elegant look:

 

{A client’s living room.  My task was to keep all existing furnishings, artwork, etc. and update it.}
3.  I also love to layer roman shades with curtain panels. It’s functional (panels can remain stationary and roman shades go up & down for privacy) and beautiful (You get 2 opportunities to add texture/ pattern to a room instead of just 1.)  It adds layers & creates a warmer look than curtains alone.  They can be mounted inside the window or outside the window. 
 
I often have them mounted above the window and outside of the trim (“outside mount”) to allow as much of the window to show as possible and to give the illusion that the window continues higher than it really does which visually heightens the entire room.  (It makes smaller rooms feel more spacious and large-medium rooms feel grander.)  I did this in a client’s living room here:
{A client’s living room:  custom lined linen curtains & custom natural woven roman shades with privacy lining}
In my own living room, (below) I used non-custom cotton roman shades from Sears.  (The color I used was “natural” and it looks like a warm white.) I mounted them outside the widows (again, to give the illusion of larger windows and also to hide the window frames on my old 70s window) and I paired them with “custom” (I made them myself because I couldn’t afford to have them made) unlined white linen curtains. (I went with unlined linen because I love how the light shines through & it’s a natural, relaxed look.) 
{Our dining room}
Here (below) I used the same non-custom Sears roman shades in “white” in our family room with no curtains.  Because of our budget, in our house I try to use non-custom shades wherever I can.  The cost difference between custom and non-custom is amazing.  (Approx $30 for the noncustom Sears shades below and maybe around $150-$250 or so- depending upon fabric- for a custom version.) 
 
 
 
4.  Custom vs. Standard Fabric shades:  Let me be frank: you get what you pay for.  The ONLY reason I don’t have custom shades on every window in my own home is because we can’t spend money there right now.  I love the look of certain standard shade styles but there is a difference in quality.  Custom shades pull up & down smoothly & evenly, whereas I have to play with some of my my non-custom shades to get them to hang right & evenly.  (Sears’ larger sizes – 48″ and up I think) are much of a better quality than their smaller sizes.  They use a metal chain pulley system and go up and down smoothly but I’ve noticed there’s a slight varience in the color of the fabrics between the large and small sizes— arggg.  But the price was right.  My advice is to buy the best you can afford.  Consider the non-custom shades to give you the look you want and plan on upgrading in the future if you want/ need to.  Custom fabric shades are made to order so you you can use any fabric you like and the style selection is practically endless.  Use a local shades fabricator to get the exact fabric and style you need.  (If you don’t have one, consider hiring a decorator/ designer to assist.  Calico Corners also makes custom shades.)  This typically costs more than going with a company like smith + noble who has a limited selection of fabrics to choose from. 

5.  Custom vs. Standard Natural Woven Shades:  If you simply want the look and won’t be using them often (in a space where you don’t really need the privacy) I recommend the non-custom shades for a great look without the expense.  In our toddler’s room we went with the non-custom unlined natural woven shades from Home Depot (for around $40) because he’s so short anyone looking in wouldn’t be able to see him anyway when he’s not dressed.  (And of course because these shades would have been close to $400 if they were custom.)  The shades are also over the bed & so would be a pain to open & close whether they were custom or non-custom, but I love the look of these Home Depot shades for anyone who wants “the look” without the functionality & privacy needs:

 

{Our toddler’s bedroom}
 
Again, you get what you pay for.  If you need high-quality. smooth & easily operables shades, then you will need to pay more. 
 
6. Tips for non-custom natural woven or “matchstick” shades:  Most non-custom companies sell their natural woven shades unlined.  A few have liners you can purchase and add on separately.  You could also attempt adding your own lining if you’re crafty.  The unlined shades significantly darken the room and filter the light but at night they’re virtually see-through from the outside when your interior lights are on.  Just google “natural woven roman shades”/ ‘matchstick shades” and a bunch of options will pop up.  (Target, Home Depot, Sears all have them online.)

7. Tips for Custom natural woven roman shades:  I love smith + noble’s selection of natural woven roman shades.   Different materials vary in prices.  There are a lot of other amazing brands out there but I simply used smith + noble first and loved theirs.  I’ve heard great things about many other companies and will surely be trying some out in the future.

The decision to go with fabric shades or natural woven shades depends upon the feeling you want your space to have.   Go here to check out some different styles of fabric roman shades.   


I hope this helps & good luck!!

Subscribe
Notify of

181 Comments
Oldest
Newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Guest

mostly science online viagra deeply analyst sale generic viagra online pills equally
lack viagra for sale automatically file [url=http://viacheapusa.com/#]cheap viagra usa without
prescription[/url] downtown nurse online viagra definitely method http://viacheapusa.com/

Guest
4 years ago

probably emotion generic viagra sales aside insect online viagra immediately department generic viagra 100mg gross shirt [url=http://viagenupi.com/#]generic viagra sales[/url] out introduction generic pills in usa specifically phrase http://viagenupi.com/

Guest

buy amoxicillin 500 mg mexico https://amoxycillin1st.com/

Guest
stinnect
3 years ago

cheap cialis cialis buy viagra uk quick delivery

Guest
Jimmyben
3 years ago

cialis discount offers canadian pharmacy viagra buy japan

Guest
BradleyBrits
3 years ago

viagra sale jamaica
cheap viagra

Guest

where to buy hydroxychloroquine https://azhydroxychloroquine.com/

Guest
Andrewgen
3 years ago

how does viagra work https://sildenafilprof.com
cheap viagra uk

Guest
Andrewgen
3 years ago

when to take viagra https://sildenafilprof.com
red viagra pills

Guest
Guest
Gabrielsiz
3 years ago

canada cialis: cialis coupon

Guest
3 years ago

discover here hop over to this web-site view it

Guest
Kennethaborb
3 years ago

levitra 20 mg: levitra prescription – generic levitra vardenafil
levph24.com generic levitra vardenafil

Guest
Guest
RandallPem
3 years ago

viagra professional: viagra prescription – where to buy viagra online
vgrmall.com viagra without a doctor prescription

Guest
Ronaldjes
3 years ago

amoxicillin 500 mg purchase without prescription: order amoxicillin online

Guest
Ronaldjes
3 years ago

generic clomid: purchase clomid online

Guest
DonaldsAp
3 years ago

cheap viagra 100mg: viagra

Guest
3 years ago
Guest
MichaelGlomy
3 years ago

hydroxychloroquine 4 mg: plaquenil 200 mg pill – hydroxychloroquine 700

Guest
3 years ago
Guest
3 years ago

canadian pharmacy
drugstore online

Guest
Richardfup
3 years ago

injectable ed drugs
https://canadianpharmacystorm.com
buy prescription drugs online without

Guest
Anthonynes
3 years ago

cheap viagra 100mg canadian pharmacy viagra generic viagra india
ed help

Guest
3 years ago

wonderful article, i like it

Guest
3 years ago

complete article, i like it

Guest
3 years ago

excellent post

Guest

40mg vidalista daily side effects http://viidalista.co/

Guest

canadian pharmacy online tadalafil https://tadalafili.com/

Guest

What’s up colleagues, how is all, and what you want to say on the topic of this
post, in my view its genuinely amazing for me. http://herreramedical.org/chloroquine

Guest
2 years ago

This paragraph will assist the internet visitors for setting up new website or
even a blog from start to end. https://cialis.grassfed.us/tadalafil

Guest

I’m gone to convey my little brother, that he should also pay
a visit this webpage on regular basis to obtain updated from most up-to-date
reports. http://www.deinformedvoters.org/vidalista-online

Guest

black vidalista 1000mg http://vidallista.com/

Guest
2 years ago

If you would like to improve your know-how just keep visiting this site and be
updated with the latest information posted here. http://www.deinformedvoters.org/dapoxetine-60mg

Guest
2 years ago

The sexology community has probably been funded by the manufacturers of sex-guaranteed products. Otherwise, why do you advocate sexual openness so much? Click:Fuck you.

Guest
2 years ago

orlando shooter gay dating site
sacramento gay dating sites
gay dating websites reviews

Guest
2 years ago

gay dating a skinny man
cuban gay dating sites
gay dating hemet,ca

Guest

Lovely website! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am taking your feeds also.

Guest
Justinglamp
2 years ago
Guest
2 years ago

gay priest dating site
gay dating site mental health
black gay male dating site

Guest
2 years ago

los angeles gay dating sites
gay dating sim games
free gay dating sites in india

Guest
2 years ago

gay master slave dating sites
free gay latino dating
bi gay dating sites

Guest
2 years ago

gay dating generous
gay dating singapore
gay dating websites india

Guest
2 years ago

Yüzlerce kadın,erkek ve çocuk termal içlik modeli Gipaş Tekstil’de

Guest
2 years ago

build my resume for me
help me write my essay

viagra for sale in usa stores no prescription

WALCOME

liquid tadalafil citrate

WALCOME

2 years ago

calis

WALCOME

can you buy viagra dominican republic

WALCOME

2 years ago

generic viagra

WALCOME

Join Our Newsletter

Sign up to receive design inspo, exclusive content, shopping guides, and more.