Are Roman Shades Worth It?

Roman shades bring a fabric window covering into the conversation when blinds and shutters start to feel too rigid for a room. If you're deciding whether custom Roman shades are worth the higher price tag compared to a stock roller shade, the answer comes down to what you want the window to do for the room.

Here's a look at how roman shades perform, which brands we carry, and which rooms in a Bitterroot Valley home get the most out of them.

What Makes Roman Shades Different from Blinds and Shutters?

A roman shade lowers into a stack of horizontal folds rather than tilting slats or sliding a solid panel across the window. That fold pattern is what gives a Roman shade for window installation its tailored look, since the fabric choice, header style, and lift mechanism are all selected to fit the specific window and room.

The fabric itself carries most of the design, which means two homes with the same shade style can look completely different once the fabric is chosen. Homeowners who want a softer, more finished look than a standard blind often opt for Roman shades for exactly this reason, and the folded fabric also does a better job of muffling sound in a room with hard flooring than a blind or shutter typically can.

Hunter Douglas Vignette® Roman Shades

When Missoula homeowners want a more tailored Roman shade, we often show them the Hunter Douglas Vignette® Roman Shade collection. The 6-inch flat fold has a neat, structured look, while the 4-inch full fold feels softer and more traditional. Fabric choices for these custom shades include simple neutrals and heavier weaves that stand out in a dining room or primary bedroom.

Depending on the room, the shade can be ordered in sheer, light-filtering, or room-darkening fabric. LiteRise® removes the operating cord, and PowerView® Automation allows several shades to be controlled from a single remote or app.

Carole ™ Roman Shades

Carole™ Roman Shades offer a wider range of designer prints and artisan textures than most stock fabric lines, including patterns that coordinate with existing drapery or upholstery in the room.

The line leans toward pattern and color, so it's often the first stop for a dining room or primary bedroom that already has a strong design direction; the shade needs to match rather than compete with it. Our design team can bring physical Carole™ swatches to your home so you can choose under your own lighting rather than a showroom's.

Graber® Roman Shades

Graber® Roman Shades take a more handcrafted approach, with fabric styles built for depth and texture rather than the uniform look you'd find in a big-box store. Graber's textured weaves tend to suit rooms where the shade itself is meant to add warmth, such as a home office or a bedroom with mostly solid-color furnishings.

Between the Hunter Douglas Vignette® collection, Carole Fabrics™, and Graber®, most homeowners in Missoula find a fabric weight, color, and price point that fits both the room and the budget.

Where Roman Shades Perform Best in Your Home

Roman shades hold up well in bedrooms, dining rooms, and home offices, where a finished look matters more than the need to raise and lower the shade several times a day. A kitchen sink window or a mudroom is usually a better fit for a wipeable material, since fabric shades near moisture and grease require more upkeep over time than vinyl or faux-wood options. In rooms with a lot of morning or afternoon sun, a lined roman shade also helps block glare and protect furniture and flooring from fading, on top of the design benefit, and a room-darkening liner can be added to any of the three fabric lines above for a bedroom that needs to stay dark past sunrise.

Get Custom Roman Shades near Missoula, MT

If you're picturing roman shades near Missoula, MT, in your dining room or bedroom, the next step is holding fabric samples up against your own windows and natural light. We measure, order, and install every roman shade we sell, and installation is included in the price.

The Blind Guy of Missoula in Florence proudly serves Missoula, Stevensville, Victor, Hamilton, Philipsburg, St. Ignatius, St. Regis, Superior, Plains, Drummond, and Darby, Montana. Schedule a free in-home consultation, and we'll bring the Hunter Douglas, Carole Fabrics™, and Graber roman shade options straight to your windows. Contact us today!