Roman shades are a great way to add a simple and elegant treatment to your windows. Roman shades can be made from many materials in many different styles and work much like a blind. They site bunched up at the top of your window when not in use and then can be lowered down to cover the window when you want privacy.
Because of their ability to let full sun into the room during the day while blocking peoples view into the room at night, roman shades are a perfect window treatment for the kitchen. You can use roman shades in conjunction with drapes or curtains if you'd like but they also look great by themselves.
There are different types of roman shades, and depending on your kitchen style you might want to explore one or more of these styles of blinds.
Bamboo
Bamboo roman shades are great for a kitchen that has s tropical or plantation style. They also work well in a modern kitchen or with caf? style d'cor. Most bamboo shades are made with thin canes of bamboo that have been whittled and dried then ?stitched? together to form a shade. These shades add texture to the room and can add a nice look even when they are down as the opaque nature of the shade lets subtle light through.
Fabric
Fabric roman shades can be found to go with almost every kitchen style. You can get a plain fabric, a print or even a toile roman shade for a shabby chic Paris apartment look. If you buy fabric roman shades be sure to get a pattern and color that match with your overall kitchen d'cor. Fabric roman shades are a single panel of material that has a string running down both sides of the length. The string is pulled and the shade is gathered up. There are different styles of ?gather? or pucker you can have depending on if you want a fancy or plan look.
Insulated
Insulated roman shades can be found in many colors and styles and you may want to consider this if you live in a cold climate and have drafty windows. Insulated shades will help reduce loss of heath through the window so your kitchen can be warm and cozy even on the coldest days. This insulation also acts as a noise barrier.
Relaxed
A relaxed roman shade has less formal shape and has a swaged look at the bottom. These are great for informal, cottage country or shabby chic style kitchens. Relaxed roman shades will give you a softer look and should be used with plain and light fabrics.
Roman shades can be combined with other types of window treatments to give your kitchen a complete designer look. If you use neutral colors for your roman shades, this will allow you to change out your drapes or curtains for each season but not have to bother with getting new shades. You can also give your roman shades a finished look by adding a valance in a complimentary fabric on top. To clean your roman shades, vacuum them when they are in the ?down? position. If there is soiling, you can try upholstery cleaner (but test on the fabric first).
Roman shades can be a great addition to your kitchen d'cor no matter what your style, you are sure to find a shade that looks great.
Fabric roman shades add a touch of refinement, flair and sophistication to any room. You can buy a ready-to-use set of Roman shades or you can create them from scratch in any fabric and size that you like. You can hang Roman shades flat for a more modern style, or fold them and create a softer and more conventional teardrop Roman shade style with buffs of any volume.
Roman shades are becoming a big home-decorating trend, returning on a wave of the interest to streamlined minimalist or exotic designs. Made with beautiful soft fabric, simple and very practical, Roman shades fold into well-defined pleats when raised, much like a classic Venetian blind. At the top, a matching fabric is used allowing for an array of color and pattern. For the lining, a solid pale color is commonly used.
Roman shades are incredibly flexible and light-efficient. They also offer better temperature control than other types of shades. In winter, you can draw them high to allow the sun's natural heating rays to enter the room, and after the sunset you can close them tightly stopping the heat from escaping through the window. In the summer, you can close the Roman shades almost completely to prevent the overheating of the room, while in the evening you can open the shades to cool down the temperature. All other types of shades leave too much fabric around the window that doesn't allow for precise light and temperature control.
Roman shades are relatively simple to make. Before you start picking the fabric you must measure your window and estimate which hardware and mountings you need. Roman shades don't require any specific mountings ? that's the beauty of them. They draw up via a cord strung through the sides of the shade. The cords then travel through the pulleys mounted on mounting board above the window on or outside the window frame.
The fabric that you choose for your roman shades depends on where the window overlooks. If there is a beautiful scenic view you will most likely choose a plain sheer light fabric. If your window overlooks a busy street, then you will need an opaque fabric that gives you a sense of privacy. Plus, some people are prone to season affected disorders and need more light to remain positive and healthy. In this case, you may need a sheer fabric that doesn't block the sun light, but rather diffuses it.
The type of fabric is also determined on what type of activities the room is used for. If it's a living room with a TV, you may need a fabric that allows you to control the amount of light and glare on the screen. If you a planning to put your roman shades in the bedroom you will need a light-blocking dark fabric to help you sleep during the summer months when the sun rises early.
At the end of the day, all window treatments require maintenance and cleaning. The benefit of roman shades is that they are the easiest to keep clean ? you can wash them in your washing machine, iron afterwards and re-hang them looking as good as new.
Both Lee Dobbins & Kirsten Whittaker are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Lee Dobbins has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Management, Diamonds and Install Flooring. Lee Dobbins writes for where you can learn how to make your own shades as well as find out more about different types of. Lee Dobbins's top article generates over 246000 views. to your Favourites.
Kirsten Whittaker has sinced written about articles on various topics from Types of Cancer, Business Intelligence and Travel and Leisure. For more information on Roman shades and window treatments please visit the blog.. Kirsten Whittaker's top article generates over 450000 views. to your Favourites.