Custom Flat Fold Roman Shades & Window Blinds

Roman shades combine the elegance of drapes with the unfussy minimalism of modern decor styles. But they can also manifest a traditional ornate style with thoughtfully worked details. Besides the aesthetic ingredients, what defines a roman shade is its structure, and that calls for a decision on the fold style.

To help you along your shopping journey with us today, let’s throw the spotlight on flat fold roman shades, the most popular of the styles that we offer.

Roman Shades with a Tailored Look: Flat Folds

While roman shades can imbibe the sing-song relaxed vibe of drapery, they can also assume a more constructed look and a matter-of-fact form. Flat fold shades belong to this category which relays an unassuming and simplistic structure.

The tailored look of this style is ensured by the horizontal slats that are stitched into the shade at equal intervals. Flat fold roman shades feature straight bottoms and sides. When the cord is pulled, the shades fold up along the slat lines, slightly reminiscent of fluted origami fans and rustic aerophone accordions.

The elegance of flat fold roman shades lies in their neat, orderly folds. Perhaps, that’s why minimalists can’t resist this style of window treatment. And we double their joy by offering our flat fold roman shades in two sub-styles: Flat folds with front slats and flat folds with back slats.

Front-Slatted Roman Shades

The style gets its name from the fact that the slats make their presence felt on the face side of the shade. The slightly raised silhouettes of these horizontal slats, evenly spaced along the length of a shade, show like a pattern of horizontal stripes on the shade. Hence, the name!

Plain, solid fabrics especially get to benefit from this patternless pattern, as otherwise, they may look oversimple with no details to catch the eye. Front-slatted shades – therefore – remain our primary recommendation amongst for plain or textured fabrics. 

While the style also works for fabrics that feature small-scale allover patterns, we do advise clients to consider back slatted style instead for bold patterns so the pattern can be shown off uninterrupted by the slats.

Similarly, front slats are not as ideal for patterns that feature horizontal lines – plaids and stripes for example – as the horizontal lines of fabric print can conflict with slat lines. Hence, when selecting patterned fabrics for this style, forethought is advised.

Back-Slatted Roman Shades

Shades constructed in this style use slats as supporting agents on the back but don’t allow their presence to be felt on the face side of the shade. This is achieved by stitching the slats into the linings at back, so neither the silhouettes nor the hemlines show on the frontage. 

Since there are no visual breaks on the front, this style is recommended over front slats for bold-patterned fabrics. They are also better options than front-slatted shades for fabrics featuring plaids and horizontal lines. It’s a no-nonsense, straightforward window treatment that highly committed minimalists might find truly irresistible.

Since it is not possible to construct back slatted shades without lining, this style is not a viable option for sheers. With an exception for sheer and unlined shades, back-slatted shades are good to go with any fabric.

Why We’re Fans of Flat Fold Roman Shades

With sleek window treatments winning higher points in contemporary and modern decor schemes, more and more homeowners are switching over to roman shades. With their limitless scope for designing, they have a clear-cut edge over the non-fabric blinds that often project an industrial and prosaic appeal. Besides these reasons, we have a few more to convince you that flat-fold roman shades could be the answer you’re looking for:

Architectural finish: If you’re convinced that fabric treatments are the best option for your home but don’t want the pleated look of curtains and flowing draperies, the flat folds with their straight lines and minimal details will surely impress you. The shade folds upward with mathematical precision, and perhaps, that’s what you are looking for.

Sleek, modern appeal: The flatness of the roman shade has all the sophistication and simplistic appeal that fans of modern minimalism are looking for. Besides, in houses that are architecturally designed with these principles, roman shades have a ready stage to perform. Small and narrow windows, especially, can get overwhelmed by full curtains, while sleek flat folds are absolutely in rhyme with the size of the window, making the most by using the least.

Easy operation: There are times when you want to relish the warm bright sunshine and others when you want to enjoy your personal haven, untouched by anything foreign. If window treatments make this transition easy, they justify their presence. Flat fold roman shades are very easy to operate. Pull the string and they go up or down as you direct. Therefore, we highly recommend these styles for frequently used windows.

In Closing

We hope that you have gained enough confidence to shop flat fold roman shades and enough knowledge to style them in the most beneficial and aesthetically pleasing manner. With a wide range of fabrics, colors, and designs at your disposal with Spiffy Spools, you will face a choice overload for sure while shopping for your favorite roman shade. And we are as excited as you to walk this journey towards making the home of your dreams.