Roman Blinds

A roman blind is a single panel of fabric with horizontal battens, usually slim rods of aluminium or fibreglass, sewn into pockets across the back at regular intervals. Cords or tapes run up the back of the blind through rings on each batten and into the headrail. Pull the control and the battens rise one on top of the next, folding the fabric between them into the pleats that give the blind its look.

Control is by a continuous chain on a clutch headrail, which is the most common and the easiest to live with, or by a cord lock on a traditional track. Chain control raises the blind smoothly and holds it at any height. The chain gets a child-safe tensioner fixed to the wall. Motorised operation is the third option and is covered further down.

Because the fabric folds rather than rolls, a roman blind stacks deeper than a roller when raised. On a tall window the stack can cover the top quarter of the glass. Fitting the headrail above the window, on the wall rather than in the recess, lifts the stack clear of the glass and lets in more light.

Most roman blinds are made with a lining sewn behind the face fabric. A standard lining gives body to the fold, protects the face fabric from sun fade, and adds some light control. A blockout lining is a coated fabric that stops light passing through, so the room goes dark enough for sleep. With a blockout lining a roman blind does the same job as a blockout roller, with a softer finish.

Light still gets around a roman blind at the edges, because the panel has to clear the window reveal. Face fitting the blind wider than the opening, and fitting it high so the stack sits above the glass, closes most of that gap. For a bedroom that needs to be dark, tell us at the measure and we will plan the fit for it.

Lined blinds are heavier, so the batten spacing and the headrail are chosen to suit. On wide windows a chain clutch or a motor handles the weight better than a cord.

Blockout roller blinds as the plain alternative

An unlined roman blind in a sheer or light filtering fabric does the opposite job. Down, it softens the light and takes the glare off the glass without closing the room off. From inside you can still make out the garden through a sheer; from outside in daylight the window reads as a soft panel. At night with the lights on, a sheer is see-through, so it is a daytime blind or one to pair with a blockout.

Sheer romans suit living rooms, dining rooms and north-facing windows where you want the light but not the heat. A light filtering weave, slightly denser than a sheer, gives privacy in both directions while still letting the room feel bright, which is a good fit for a bathroom window away from the shower or a stairwell.

A popular layered option is a sheer roman in front with a blockout roller behind it on the same window. The roman gives the look and the daytime softness, the roller does the night work.

Sheer curtains if you want the full drop

Roman blinds show the fabric flat, so texture and weave matter more than on a curtain where the folds hide it. Linen look fabrics are the most popular: a visible weave, a soft natural colour range, and a pleat that holds its shape. Plain weaves in cotton blends and polyester give a smoother, more tailored look and come in the widest colour range. Textured weaves, slubs and subtle patterns add interest on a large window without overwhelming the room.

Heavier fabrics fold into a deeper, more structured pleat. Lighter fabrics fold softly and stack smaller. If you like a crisp, architectural look, go heavier or add a firm lining. If you want the blind to read as soft, choose a lighter linen look without a blockout lining.

Samples are free. Fabric looks different in your room than in a book, so we bring the samples to the measure and hold them against the wall in the room's own light.

Order free fabric samples

Curtains give you more fabric, more softness and the ability to clear the window completely by drawing them to the sides. They also need wall space each side for the stack and are usually floor length. Roman blinds give a similar fabric look inside the window frame, with no stack at the sides and no fabric on the floor, which suits windows above furniture, benches and radiators.

On insulation and darkness, a lined curtain and a blockout-lined roman are close. A curtain that runs to the floor and overlaps the wall seals better against drafts; a roman fitted tight to the frame is tidier and easier to clean. Many rooms use both: a roman on the small windows and a curtain on the big one.

Compare with custom curtains

A roller blind is the simpler product. One sheet of fabric, a slim roll at the top, and the smallest stack of any blind. It is the simpler product to make, it is available DIY online, and it suits plain, modern rooms. A roman blind involves more fabric, a lining and sewing, and it needs to be measured and fitted by us.

Choose a roman where the window is a feature or the room has soft furnishings you want the blind to sit with. Choose a roller where the window is one of many, where wet or greasy air is a factor, or where you want to order online and fit it yourself.

Roller blinds, DIY online or fitted

Roman blinds can be fitted with a motorised headrail. The motor winds the lift cords, so the blind rises and lowers at the touch of a remote with no chain or cord on the wall. Add a hub and the blinds run on a schedule or from your phone. Motors make sense on high windows, on groups of blinds in one room you want to move together, and in bedrooms and playrooms where you would rather have no cords at all.

Motorised romans are specified at the measure because the headrail, the power source and the fabric weight all need to match. Battery motors suit most windows; mains power is an option where an electrician can get a cable to the headrail.

Motorised blinds: remotes, hubs and power options