Courtesy, DSC Window Fashions
Roman shades are among the best horizontal stacking window treatments today–and are very popular. The soft-fold or flat-roman is considered “constructed” due to the fiberglass rods or stays athat are inserted at horizontal intervals. The constructed version gives these shades dependable function raising and lowering in neat folds.
For light control, roman shades can be lined with a translucent or blackout lining. It is recommended that for the purpose of the blackout, that the Soft-Fold Roman is specified because the folds of the shade will cover the pin-holes of the light that are unavoidable when the needle passes through the black-out lining.
Roman shades are mounted on boards, so there are no hardware decisions to be made. However, some decisions can determine a certain size of the board depth. There are choices in the lifting mechanisms. The “Cord Lift” is pulled up by a series of cords that can either have a cord lock or a cleat to secure the shade at the desired height. This is good for smaller sizes and only needs a 1.5″ board to mount to. The “Clutch” mechanism workds well on larger and heavier shades. The physics of the clutch makes the heavier shade lighter to lift and the lifting chain is continuous, which means the chain never gets any longer or shorter. “Motorized” or automatic roman shades can be hardwired or simply plugged in and operate with a handheld remote or wall switch.
A pocket or valance for a roman shade needs to be quite deep. The roman shade’s fold stack upon each other and require more room into the depth of the pocket than other treatments. A Flat Roman will have a smaller stack than a Soft-Fold Roman because of the amount of fabric used. The stack will also depend on the weight of the fabric and lining.
Fabrics come in two basic widths of either 54″ or 118″. When ordering, be aware of the pattern direction and fabric width. Some have good thermal value as well as visual appeal.
And remember–if your surroundings don’t fit “you” like a favorite shoe, you need a little redesign! –Sharon Breay, Does the Shoe….FIT? design programs & workshops
