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Everything You Need to Know about Roman Shades

If you were sitting in the Colosseum in Rome 2000 years ago and looked up, you’d see the inspiration for modern Roman shades flying overhead, offering spectators shade and protection from the hot Italian sun. Over the centuries the shades have evolved along with the homes they now protect, and modern Roman shades offer a plethora of new features and amenities.

Hunter Douglas Alustra® Woven Textures® Roman Shades near Anaheim and Rancho Santa Margarita, California (CA)

For homeowners interested in this timeless style of window treatment there are lots of new options to consider from Hunter Douglas, each with their own unique aesthetic choices and technological upgrades. That’s why our team at Don’s Drapery Service is here to help you sort through the options, understand your choices, and select the best features for your new set of Roman shades for windows.

Fabric Options

Roman shades have always been a fabric-based shade since the days they flew over the Colosseum, and though that remains true today the fabric options available for modern roman shades are vastly more diverse. In the array of Roman shades by Hunter Douglas homeowners will find several lines of exclusive fabrics including for:

  • Vignette® Roman Shades: A luxurious, high-quality selection of over 25 different fabrics from Hunter Douglas.
  • Carole Fabrics™ Roman Shades: Find elegant lines of over 4000 on-trend fabrics from Carole Fabrics.
  • Alustra® Woven Textures® Roman Shades: An intriguing mix of texturally rich materials sourced from around the world.
  • Provenance® Woven Wood Shades: An organically inspired option for Roman shades for windows made from bamboo, wood, reeds, and grasses.

Modern Operating Systems

While the same pulley and cord system that was developed in ancient Rome are the roots for how Roman shades are raised and lowered today, there have been many modern updates to the operating systems modern manufacturers, offer bringing the performance of Roman shades firmly into the twenty-first century.

  • Choose from beaded cord loops, retractable wands, retractable cords, and the push-up/pull-down LiteRise® system for modern control—without dangerous dangling cords.
  • PowerView® Automation is the latest motorized system available on several types of Roman shades by Hunter Douglas. The system imbues the treatment with advanced operating options including the convenient use of the handheld Pebble® remote, global accessibility through the online PowerView® App, and smart home compatibility for integrated control.

Complimentary Shades & Accessories

Roman shades for windows don’t have to be hung on their own, in fact the sophistication of the style lends itself well to multi-layered window fashions as well as the use of complementary window shade accessories.

Vignette® Roman Shades are also available with several systems that were designed to expand the range of light control that Roman shades can offer. Duolite® is an advanced combination of two shades, one light filtering and the other room-darkening, into a single treatment. Duolite® Roman shades can respond to incoming sunlight in a wide range of ways to create interior lighting solutions from soft filtration to blackout darkness. The Top-Down/Bottom-Up system for Vignette Roman Shades is another system that makes the shades’ light control more adept to specific lighting needs. The system, as the name implies, allows Roman shades for windows to open from the bottom up or the top down so homeowners can perfectly adjust the shade to meet both lighting and privacy needs.

Partner Roman shades with side panels to frame the treatment or full drapery to create a dramatic fashion with elevated insulating power and better room-darkening abilities. Roman shades can also be crafted with custom valances to complement the style or colors in a treatment, add texture and depth to the design, and create a clean, polished final aesthetic by hiding hardware.

Contact Us for More Information

For a timeless design with modern style options, homeowners can’t go wrong with Roman Shades for windows in their home. Request a consultation with Don’s Drapery Service to work with our team of designers to craft custom Roman shades for your windows. We can answer any questions you may have about the plethora of design options in the Hunter Douglas collection.

Visit Don’s Drapery Service at our two showrooms located in Anaheim and Rancho Santa Margarita, California. We serve the areas surrounding Irvine, Yorba Linda, Rancho Santa Margarita, and Anaheim, CA, and look forward to working with you!