Roman shades are retractable fabric draperies that add a touch of class to any room. The shades are great options for unusually shaped windows that are hard to match with premade curtains. And Roman shades are an easy weekend craft project for sewers.

There are a few different kinds of Roman shades available on the market. Consider these style factors ahead of your shopping trip to find the best drapery match for your needs.

Accordion Roman Shade

Accordion or folding Roman shades is one of the most popular types on the market. When you pull the cord, the fabric lifts up and folds at the same time. When the shade is extended, the fabric hangs flat against your window.

The accordion style is one of the most versatile types of Roman shade but can make long, thin windows look even longer due to the straight lines. If your heart is set on this style for a thin window, look for an accordion style that has visible pleats even when flat. The pleat lines will help break up the lines of your window.

If you want to make your own Roman shades, there are numerous patterns available. Steer clear of patterned fabrics as its hard to match to shades to each other and the pattern might not look as attractive partially folded.

Do you want added privacy with your Roman shade? A blackout lining in the shade can block out excess sunlight and the gaze of noisy neighbors. Accordion styles work best with a privacy lining because the lining lays flat when the blind is extended, which offers the most thorough privacy screening. 

Hobbled Roman Shade

A hobbled Roman shade also folds up as you lift but the folds are softer than the crisp lines of the accordion shade. When fully extended, the hobbled shade forms soft yet dramatic folds in the fabric. Hobbled Roman shades are great for making smaller windows look larger or to add visual interest to an otherwise stark room.

Hobbled shades work equally well with both solid and patterned fabrics. But the patterns should have distinct, larger shapes that won't become hidden or partially obscured by the billows once the shade is hung.

Corded or Cordless?

There's one other Roman shade design consideration regardless of which style you choose. Roman shades are raised and lowered with a cord similar to that on miniature blinds. If you have pets or small children in your home, that cord poses a choking risk.

Cordless Roman shades don't lack the cord; the cord is simply tucked inside the fabric. The pull end of the cord sticks out of the bottom but the actual pulley mechanisms operate within the shade so that there's no risk of choking.

To learn more, contact a draper company like Budget Blinds Of Coachella Valley.