Fabric Roman Blinds & Cloth Material Window Shades

 

Blending the flowy elegance of drapery with the sleek appeal of modern-day blinds, fabric roman blinds strike the perfect balance between modern sophistication and bespoke luxury. Their tailored aesthetic and remarkable versatility set them apart in the diverse world of window treatments. Unlike modern-day plastic, wood and flat-woven poly blinds that present a narrow design spectrum, roman blinds offer a wealth of customisation potential.  Beyond an extensive palette of colours and patterns, each fabric also brings its unique weave, texture and finish to the table.  From the airy charm of linens and cottons to the opulent allure of silks and velvets, the sheer range of choices is impressive - yet often overwhelming. If you find yourself at this crossroads wondering which is the best cloth material for fabric roman blinds, stick on because this blog post explores this very question —

What Makes ‘Fabric’ Roman Blinds Ideal?

 

Before diving into which fabric is ideal for your roman blinds, let’s take a moment to appreciate why fabric roman blinds themselves are an exceptional choice. While their unparalleled aesthetic potential is undeniable, you may wonder whether that’s the only edge they have over other perfect-fit window blind treatments. The answer? Far from it. Roman blinds come with a host of other benefits that make them truly irresistible like  -

• SOFT VISUAL APPEAL: Beyond fulfilling a function and aestheticising, fabric window treatments quite literally soften the space, a feat no other material can accomplish quite as much. Fabric is delicate and ‘drapable’, lending itself to create soft flowy folds that offer a welcoming contrast to the hardy surfaces and straight-cut boxy silhouettes of the windows and walls.

• TOP-NOTCH INSULATION: Unlike slatted blinds which allow significant loss of thermal energy, roman blinds feature a continuous coverage that makes them capable of providing an impressive level of insulation. Further, their thermal efficiency can be amped up with blackout linings, an advantage few other blinds offer.

• CUSTOMISABLE OPACITY: Fabrics come with an incredibly diverse spectrum of opacity, ranging from ultra-sheer to fully opaque. From the gossamer delicacy of voile and airy weave of linen to the dense naps of velvet and the total light-blocking capacity of blackouts, there are a million answers to the one question - how much light can I let in? Can’t say the same about any other blind!

• NO FEAR OF WARPING: Unlike wooden blinds that crack and peel when exposed to humidity constantly, fabric roman blinds will not be altered drastically when exposed to moisture. With the right choice of fabric, they will also resist mould formation, making them perfect suitors for kitchens and bathrooms.

• EASY UPKEEP: Where slatted blinds end up as huge dust collectors requiring you to clean each slat and crevice painstakingly, fabric roman blinds require only occasional dusting and spot cleaning. Some fabrics don’t even require ironing or steaming. Moreover, dismounting the shade from the frame for deep cleaning is a hassle-free exercise that needs no professional assistance. Whereas, many other blinds burden you with mandatory maintenance contracts that make upkeep both tedious and expensive.

• VISIBLE PRESENCE: Most modern window treatments retreat into a sleek cassette that helps to keep the space visually uncluttered. But, what it leaves behind is a window that looks undressed, short of charm and too underwhelming for a home that is rich in personality. In contrast, roman blinds make a neat pile of delicate folds, offering visual texture, and even in their most minimised version, serve as a lovely valance, dressing the window with colour, softness and finesse.

• BOUNDLESS CHOICE: The best part of choosing roman blinds is that this gamut of goodness that we just enlisted comes to you along with a mindblowing range of choices as regards colours, patterns and textures. Unlike industrially fabricated blinds that are often confined to neutral colours, rigid structures, plain frontages and a handful of patterns, made-to-measure fabric roman blinds open a boundless world of drapery fabrics where colours, patterns and textures of every kind abound. They also come in a range of diverse fold styles - some geometric and clean-lined, others curvy and visually tactile - letting your home’s personality bloom with all its unique flavours.

Fabric roman blinds stand out among all window blinds for their unmatched blend of exceptional functionality, outstanding aesthetic potential and tangible bespoke appeal. They are truly in a league of their own, to say the very least! And now, let’s dig deeper into ‘which fabric’ is the best for a roman blind.

Which is the Ideal ‘Fabric’ for Roman Blinds?

The simple answer to this question is that any fabric that can support the geometric shape and systematic operation of the roman blinds is ideal for it. However, given that each fabric comes with a different weave, weight and finish, the degree to which they prove their candidatehood may vary. That’s why clients wonder during shopping which fabric should be picked. Well, these are the key features to look for in a fabric meant for roman blinds - 

DRAPABILITY: The prime quality to look for in a ‘blind-worthy’ fabric is its ‘drapability’. The ideal fabric will be neither too rigid nor too flexible, so the blind can form neat folds effortlessly and ‘remember’ the creases efficiently. An excessively rigid fabric may not break into soft folds easily, while an overly elastic fabric may lack structure, making it difficult to measure precisely and challenging the folds to retain their shape over time. So look for a fabric that is ‘drapable’ - one that strikes the balance between rigidity and flexibility. 

NON-STRETCHABILITY: The fabric has to be dimensionally stable so that it can assume and retain the intended shape of the roman blind. If the fabric is too elastic, it will keep stretching and contracting with changes in weather and humidity, challenging the very nature of a roman blind to be architecturally structured. Only a non-stretchable fabric can complement the structure of a roman blind typically made of straight lines and sharp angles.

DURABILITY: A roman blind is a long-term and big-budget addition to a home that you’ll ideally want to last a lifetime, if possible. Considering how the fabric has to cope with the functioning of the blind - folding and unfolding with every draw of the cord - durability becomes key to longevity.

In summary, a durable fabric that has a sturdy and non-elastic weave is the perfect candidate for a roman blind. While thick-woven fabrics can deliver crisp folds independently, lightweight fabrics may need the assistance of a lining to do better than otherwise. And, sheer roman blinds are left unlined, letting their delicacy script the soft and whimsical aesthetic they are meant to deliver.

 

 

Over and above these basic criteria for suitability, there are other qualities you may wish that a fabric possesses to serve the specific purpose of the blinds. This will vary from room to room and decor style to decor style. Some of these qualities are:

• BREATHABILITY: A fabric that allows air passage is ideal for blinds in small rooms and humid spaces to avoid trapping odours and causing suffocation.

• TRANSPARENCY: Sheer fabrics are often desirable in non-private rooms to let light filter in and to maintain a visual connection with the outdoors.

• ALLERGY RESISTANCE: Hypoallergenic natural fabrics are desirable to allergy-proof the space for kids and those with sensitive skin.

• COLOURFASTNESS: Fabrics can maintain their charm for long years if they are colourfast, especially considering that roman blinds are constantly exposed to sunlight.

• QUICK-DRY PROPERTIES: Fabrics that are lightweight and dry fast are ideal for humid spaces like kitchens, laundry rooms and bathrooms, so they are immune to mould formation.

• WRINKLE RESISTANCE: Fabrics that don’t get crumpled easily help to relay a polished aesthetic desired by many of the modern decor styles.

• BLACKOUT PROPERTIES: Bedrooms and media rooms benefit from light-blocking fabrics so it becomes easy to create a moody ambience fitting to the functional purpose of these rooms.

But the question remains as to which fabric is ‘the best’ for your decor project. Well, here come the answers.

How to Choose the Best Cloth Material for your Fabric Roman Blinds

 

The cloth material that has a combination of features that can meet your desired aesthetic and functional requirements is ‘the best fabric for roman blinds’. This will differ from room to room, and decor style to decor style. For example, a sheer fabric is the best choice for a sun-kissed conservatory but not for a media room where room darkening is key. Similarly, wrinkly linen can speak to the casual charm of a traditional farmhouse, but not to the refinement of a sleek minimalist home. So, finding what material is best for your home involves weighing the offerings of the fabric against your specific requirements. As for what each fabric offers you, here is a quick overview - 

Pure linen is hypoallergenic and breathable, making it the perfect choice for humid areas, nurseries and kids’ rooms. The slubby texture and crinkly appearance of many linens qualify linen roman blinds instantly for a lived-in, easygoing aesthetic and casual rooms.  However, loose-woven linen stretches and contracts depending on the moisture in the air, so we only recommend sturdy linens for roman blinds to get crisp folds that don’t sag due to the fabric being stretchy.

Pure cotton is a natural fabric, allergy-resistant and breathable. It is hardy and forms neat crisp folds, making it a viable choice for both casual and semi-formal spaces. Its non-lustrous matte finish makes it the first pick for informal summery decor styles. Bright- coloured cottons may fade when constantly exposed to the sun, but if lined, your cotton roman shades will retain their charm for years to come.

Cotton and linen poly blends are a mix of natural elegance and practical ease. They offer both the goodness and textural beauty of natural fibres and the special gifts of polyester. So, you can enjoy the homely look of a cotton/ linen blind without worrying about wrinkling, fading or stretching over time.

Silk is a lustrous natural fabric that can complement dressy formal spaces and maximalist classical design styles. Shantung silk’s smooth mono-toned finish suits right for homes that prefer refined glossy finishes. Dupioni silk’s distinctly visible slubbed texture and dual-toned iridescence make it a strong candidate for bold, eclectic and rustic spaces. Both silks are 100% pure, hypoallergenic and full of formal elegance. They may form the silk’s signature wrinkles, relaying a well-worn charm perfect for historic homes. But, silks are not the best candidates for moisture-ridden spaces as they retain water stains, and require careful maintenance. Since silk is extremely delicate and easily damaged from exposure to sunlight, we recommend lining your silk roman blinds, especially those that are bright-coloured.

Silk blends and faux silks are an ideal alternative to pure silk for those who love its lustre sans the burden of upkeep. Silk blends bring in the quick-dry properties, colourfastness and sturdiness of other fibres, enhancing longevity and reducing maintenance of the blinds. Our faux silks are high-quality polyesters that share the visual appeal of pure silk. They are the best choice for those who want silk’s elegance with poly’s practical convenience and cost-effectiveness.

Velvet is a plush-piled fabric that best aligns with the dressiness of formal spaces, luxurious decor styles and maximalist homes. Its tactility and subtle sheen make any space look more inviting, however, the tendency of some velvets to pill calls for regular vacuum cleaning. Velvet’s dense weave is an asset to bedrooms where insulation and light-blocking are appreciated, but unsuitable for small rooms and humid spaces where air circulation and daylight are to be maximised. Velvet is also best avoided for extra-large blinds as its heaviness can deter the smooth functionality of the blinds in the long run.

Polyester is an innovative find of the times that is fortified with desirable traits such as quick-dry properties, wrinkle-resistance and colour-fastness. It comes in various grades, textures and thickness levels, and accordingly, may be classified as high or low quality. We recommend high-quality polyester, the kind you see in our collection, for roman blinds to complement their bespoke appeal and deliver neat folds.  It is the best choice for homes that want a very refined space with minimum maintenance. However, 100% poly is not ideal for bathrooms, kitchens and small rooms as it tends to block air circulation and trap odours.

As you see, each fabric is an attractive suitor for a certain setting and not the most suitable for others. To know which fabric can win the contest for the best fabric for your roman blinds, take stock of your functional and aesthetic requirements and then prepare the yardstick comprising these parameters -

BREATHABILITY & QUICK-DRY PROPERTIES: These are the traits to look for in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, small rooms and humid locales. Lightweight linen and cotton, sheer and semi-sheer fabrics, and cotton and linen blends win the contest here.

ORGANIC ELEGANCE & ANTI-ALLERGEN PROPERTIES: For decor styles that thrive on natural textures and spaces that need to be allergy-proofed, pure cotton, linen and silk get the first prize.

CREASE-RESISTANCE & COLOUR-FASTNESS: When maximum appeal with minimum upkeep is the agenda, high-quality polyester, cotton and linen blends, silk blends and faux silks emerge as the winners.

LUSTRE & HIGH-END APPEAL: These most-sought qualities for formal rooms and luxurious settings are best met by silk, velvet and embellished cotton and polys. Silk and velvet dominate the scene in classical decor styles.

HOMELINESS & CASUAL APPEAL: Without a doubt, matte-finish sheers, knobbly linens and lightweight cottons take home the prize in this competition.

LIGHT CONTROL & PRIVACY: In living rooms, dining areas, kitchens and casual areas, where light is always welcome, sheers and loose-woven linen and cotton are the champions. In media rooms and bedrooms where room-darkening and quietude are sought, blackouts emerge as the winner, seconded by velvet and thick cotton. 

A Word on Linings for Roman Blinds

 

Although not visible on the front side, the lining plays a crucial role in the functionality and visual appeal of the roman blinds. It complements the face fabric and may compensate for some of face fabric’s shortcomings, and so that any discussion on the best fabric for roman blinds is quite incomplete without a reference to the lining. 

 At The White Window, we provide two types of linings - privacy lining and blackout lining, about which you can read in detail in our blog on Lining Options for Roman Blinds. But, we will mention the prime criteria for making the choice here - 

Privacy lining is the perfect choice for lightweight non-sheer fabrics to add volume and structure, thereby helping them to form neat folds and adhere to the shape of the blind. It also protects your blinds and other soft furnishings from sun damage.

Blackout lining does everything that a privacy lining does but does not stop there. It is capable of room darkening, muffling sounds and insulating the room from the external environment. Blackout lining is the best choice for nurseries, bedrooms and media rooms.

Shop Fabric Roman Blinds at The White Window

 

So, who takes the crown in your contest? Is it the plush velvet that entices with its ‘Feel me’ coaxing or the slubby linen that sighs ‘Stay a while, no rush’? Perhaps the cotton that keeps your home cool through summer, or the silk that stays effortlessly elegant. No matter which fabric is the winner, you’ll find the perfect match right here at The White Window, available in a stunning array of colours, patterns and textures. With a rich catalogue of over 2000 options, meeting your functional needs and aesthetic vision is easier than ever. And we can’t wait to see which fabric claims the crown for your roman blinds - so dive in and start shopping!