Ready Made Roman Blinds
October 28th 2010 Posted at Roman Blind Types
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Many people are interested in upgrading their window treatments, yet are not sure what best suits. Roman blinds have been a long time favorite when it comes to window treatments. There are many reasons why people like Roman blinds, with some including the obvious fact that they look great, they are usually fairly easy to install and use, they are made from a variety of different materials and they are not very expensive.
There is quite a variety of styles to choose from if you are shopping for ready made Roman blinds. It can be quite confusing if you are not familiar with the terms used to describe these types of blinds, and it is further complicated by the fact that many retailers have developed their own branding and particular style which may not be at all familiar to you. This is why I personally recommend that you actually physically look at different types of blinds before you go ahead and purchase them as by looking, feeling and even trying to lower and open them yourself you will gain a better understanding of the style types available and you will also see first-hand how they look; giving you a clearer idea of how they would suit your particular needs. Once you have seen the different styles available you can then go online and order them if you prefer. Alternatively, buying from a shop may earn you the benefit of having someone install them for you rather than your having to do it yourself–plus you will only need to pay for the blind, not the shipping. However, there are often very good sales and you can often find better priced blinds online that, even with shipping, cost considerably less than you would pay if you bought them from a brick and mortar store.
Most Roman blinds sit inside the window frame–important to note if you are measuring yourself–and some have an accompanying valance. You can have them extend and be mounted on the outside of the frame also, if that is your preference. Ready made Roman blinds usually come in standard sizes, though some stores offer the option of customizing them to fit windows that are not standard sizes; at a price, naturally. If you are able to sew you may find that sewing your own Roman blinds is a fairly simple task. There are many different patterns online, most available for free, and you will find books or magazines at the library with detailed patterns and instructions as well. It will take some time to sew the blinds, however, so if you need them in a hurry or if you have a whole set of windows you want Roman blinds for you may find that it is too time-consuming to proceed yourself. One or two windows, however, would just take a few afternoons to finish depending on how fast you can sew and how familiar you are with sewing and following patterns. Of course, you always run the risk of their not turning out quite right and if that happens you cannot simply return them as faulty items.
Some of the basic styles are listed below, although as mentioned above you will find that there are many variations on these simple, basic designs.
The first two styles to mention are flat and hobbled Roman blinds. As the name implies, the pleats in flat Roman blinds lie completely flat. They fold up nice and neatly, with one pleat folding into place on top of the other. These give a very clean and uncluttered look to any window and are perfect for rooms where you want a simplistic design, one that does not draw too much attention to the window itself yet is highly functional. They do not necessarily ‘dress-up’ the window as much as they complement it. They can be made from fabric, as well as many other different materials such as bamboo and vinyl. They are often also referred to as classic Roman blinds. These usually look best when hung inside the window frame.
Hobbled Roman blinds do not lie flat, they slant outwards a little at the bottom. They often have overlapping folds that hide any stitching. This pattern also often uses quite a bit more material than regular flat blinds, thus you may find that they are a little more expensive. Again they can be made from different materials. Patterned material may not be so well suited for this type of blind as the pattern will be interrupted by the overlap. If the fabric has a more random type of pattern, i.e. small flowers or designs scattered over the fabric, it should not matter. This is a more ornate or decorative style, suitable for any room where you want your window treatments to impress and add to the surrounding décor.
Relaxed Roman blinds lend a more relaxed room to an air, with their purposefully ‘relaxed’ appearance. The shade is flat when extended all the way down, but it folds up with rounded folds at the bottom. It is best suited to fabric, as other firm materials such as bamboo or vinyl will not have the softly folded bottom edges. These are great if you only have one window to cover, or if you want your room to have a relaxed, almost holiday type atmosphere.
Balloon Roman blinds are another popular style, a somewhat soft feminine style that is intended to give a light airy feel to a window. For that reason, it is usually made from fairly lightweight materials. The ends are scalloped across the windows and when the blind is pulled up these scalloped edges balloon are gathered and balloon out gently. They are suitable for most rooms, and are usually highly decorative.
Other Convenient Options
There are several other options that are often offered with ready made Roman blinds, to help make the blinds more convenient to use and also to provide better privacy.
Top Down or Bottom Up: Some blinds are made so that they can be lowered from the top down–with the folded section towards the bottom of the window when the blind is opened. This is great if privacy is an issue on any window as you can still allow plenty of light in through the top of the blind, while preventing anyone from seeing into the room easily. Some blinds will allow both; either open from the top or the bottom.
Motorized blinds: As with most type of blinds these days, you can buy motorized blinds that are controlled via a remote control. Handy if you don’t want to get up out of your chair to open and close your blinds but watch out that the remote does not go missing! These are also perfect when blinds are installed on high up windows that are difficult to open and close otherwise. They also eliminate the need for cords dangling down where small children or pets could become tangled.
Blackout Roman Blinds: Great for bedrooms or for home theaters where you want a stylish blind in place but you also need the room in total darkness at times.
This is a basic summary of the different types of ready made Roman blinds, and the additional options available. It must be noted, however, that there are many different variations on these basic styles and most blinds retailers, especially those who are developing their own lines rather than simply acting as resellers, will often have added their own modifications. There is simply not enough space left on the page to go into details regarding all of the different styles available, however if you are interested in something a little unique it would be well worth your while to browse the different online stores and see what else is being sold.