Their original purpose was to shade pampered spectators in public amphitheaters or stadiums, the most famous being the Colosseum in Rome. Well-to-do audience members did not want to endure the hot Mediterranean sun and so they sat underneath large, elaborate cloth awnings that protected them from the sun’s rays. The system of ropes and pulleys that was used to remove and replace the awnings for events was essential for the development of today’s Roman shades.

Each shade is very complicated to make and takes a lot of human labor to ensure its perfection. Because of the time put into each individual shade, they do tend to be a bit more costly. Any mistakes that are made while creating the shade are very difficult to remedy, with a lot of imperfect shades having to be recreated entirely.

Like parting your hair a different way or house breaking a new puppy, some Roman shades need a little training when they are new and young. If your new shades are made of a thick fabric, you may have to train them to fold in the correct place. After a few times of being guided into the correct placement, the fabric of your shade will start to hold a “memory” of where it should fold.

Roman shades look beautiful mounted within your window frame and also outside your window frame. If you have nice trim around your windows you should show it off by mounting the shade inside the frame. They will look perfectly built-in and allow the finer details of your home to really shine. If you have unsightly trim or simply want to make your windows appear larger, these shades can be easily mounted on the wall around your window and you can let your pretty shades take center stage.

Roman shades are very versatile and can fit into any aesthetic. Because they are made of fabric, there are a lot of color and texture options available, as well as options for top down/bottom up, blackout, cordless and pleated.

When picking the perfect Roman shade for your next home decorating project, you will be able to choose from flat, relaxed or butterfly. Flat shades are the standard, classically pleating shade we all know and love. Relaxed roman shades bow at the bottom and provide a more feminine look. Butterfly roman shades have a dip in the middle and the fabric is pulled up on either side.

Blindster has a wide range of custom roman shades available in a wide range of styles, colors, patterns and fabrics.  Shop our selection to get the perfect dream shade for your home!