Damask Roman Blinds & Paisley Roman Shades

In the embellished curlicues of damask and paisley, ancient palaces once etched their timeless luxury - and with these same ornate swirls and twirls, contemporary décor enthusiasts continue to invite timeless character into their homes today. Damasks and paisleys have made a centuries-long momentous odyssey from grand palaces to urban London’s maisonettes with such passion and panache, no wonder the decor world’s romance with these iconic motifs has gone unmitigated by the passing winds of time. 

The White Window’s damask and paisley roman blinds are an invitation to participate in this soul-stirring saga by transforming an ordinary object like a window dressing into a prized jewel.  So if you are enamoured by the labyrinthine details of these classical motifs, take pride in your choice because few design accessories can showcase the ornate glory of damask and paisley as diligently as a window dressing. 

A roman shade, especially, spreads itself on the window like a framed piece of art, unhindered by any pleats and ripples, and thus presenting any pattern with utmost integrity. So, trust your damask/ paisley blinds to wear those precious ‘details’ with unparalleled eclat. 

And now, let’s help you with some styling advice so that you can pick a damask/ paisley blind that perfectly rhymes with your home’s design -

Palette Decisions: Soft Pastels or Bold Sensations?

As roman blinds typically occupy eye-level positions on the walls, they make for the strongest candidates to tell the colour story and decor language of your room. So, make the most of that opportunity and let the colour scheme of your blinds be the eloquent narrator of your overall palette.  

Both damask and paisley can assume any colour palette ranging from quiet neutrals to bold sensuous. But which route to take must be guided entirely by the grander scheme. A resplendent golden damask blind like Solanthea is an undisputed match for a formal traditional room’s lustrous silks, posh furniture and bronze accents. A red-brown ogee damask blind like Nut Eye, on the other hand, is a suitor for a transitional space’s comparatively dressed-down looks. Whereas, a washed-out pink monochrome damask blind like Morden or a neutral-toned paisley blind like Lively Leaf point to a more contemporary approach with their pastel hues.

Note that the fabric composition and thickness will also influence its colour. The same colour reads differently to the mind based on what fabric it is on and how dense its weave is. So, an enthusiastic colour like red will not be as bold on a sheer fabric as on a plush velvet. While the velvet naps will deepen the red and paint it in shades of crimson and burgundy at times, cotton’s matte finish will keep it less intense and uni-toned. 

So, figure out whether you want your blind to look glamorous or demure. And then, choose a palette and material that furthers that goal.

Fabric Discernment: Formal Traditional or Casual Modern?

While damask and paisley belong to the category of classical and vintage motifs, they have renditions that appear more modern. One of the components that makes the difference is the fabric itself. The fabric’s finish contributes meaningfully to elevating the pattern to a more classical formal appeal or humbling it to the ground with a casual appeal. 

A lustrous fabric renders a more dressy appeal whereas a matte finish looks more simplistic and lived-in. So, a velvet damask looks more luxurious and a cotton damask looks more homely. Our Lush Sisal which is topped with aureate lustre and Flying Fox whose resplendence is accentuated on the deep naps of velvet looks more grand, formal and saturated.  Whereas, our sheer paisley Kudret and cotton blend fade out-finish Pompadour look more modern, casual and lived-in.

Scale Judgments: Petite, Moderate or Grand?

Patterns come in all sizes but which one is right for you entirely depends on the size of your room and the window, besides your taste and purpose. A small-sized damask/paisley will be lost out of sight in a big room as much as an oversized one can visually overwhelm a small room. Similarly, a large-sized damask/paisley may not get to enjoy a sense of completion on a small blind that cuts it too abruptly. Whereas, the minuscule motif fails to make a grand impact when worn by a large-sized blind. 

So, if the field is large, send out robust players - large motifs for large windows and spacious rooms, like Swiss Chance from our collection. But, if the area is more intimate or the window an average size, go proportionately smaller with blinds like Cherry and  Blushing Brick that despite sharing the same bold colour palette as ‘Swiss Chance’ are less imposing because of their comparatively smaller scale and low-contrast palettes. However, that’s not the only parameter to decide on scaling, there are more questions to be asked -

Like, do you want your roman blind to be the centre of attraction in the room? Are there other patterns in the room enjoying substantial optical real estate? Is the room very busy with a ton of dramatic elements that need to be complemented with a quieter pattern play? 

If you intend to create a focal point with your roman blind, going bolder with the scale is the way to go. But, if you want your damask/paisley to sink into the milieu of a pattern fest or the bustle of a crowded room, a smaller build helps to tone down its energy and make it a team member rather than an imposing leader.

Detail Preferences: Simplified or Intricate?

Detail and complexity are innate to damask and paisley. Although these patterns draw their inspiration from elements of nature like fruits, foliage and flowers, they are more complicated and artistic than simple floral or botanical prints. That said, to keep these classical motifs relevant to modern homes, they have assumed modern avatars that present them in a more pared-back fashion. 

Like, our Tranquil Moment shades that feature silhouette prints in a modern palette of yellow and grey as opposed to the maze-like details of Radiant Wing that share a very similar palette. 

The more the detail, the more busy and classical the visual appeal. This approach is desirable for a traditional home that is bursting with ornate embellishments at every jot and tittle. It also adds more substance to the eclectic and collected quality of a home that enjoys a more globalised or transcultural taste. In a modern or transitional space, however, the details are to be minimised to live up to the mandate of clean lines, sleeker designs and a quieter approach. 

So, the bottom line is that the pattern’s level of intricacy must rhyme with the architectural and interior decor features of your home.

Layout Choices: All-Over or Scattered?

Another aspect that touches upon the intricacy factor is the layout. It refers to how the motif is repeated/spread out on a fabric as it will determine how busy or quiet a damask/paisley blind appears, apart from the intricacy of the motif itself.

The all-over layout as in our Peekaboo blinds’ swarming paisley print best complements a plain wall, or a room that is running low on pattern power or a decor style that thrives on minute detailing. It is not easy for the eye to trace the details of the motifs in this layout, but the blind as a whole becomes a showstopper feature of the room. And, the colours of the blind register in the mind more than the motif itself.

In comparison, the ‘scattered’ or ‘island’ layout involves pauses between the refrain to make a more dramatic effect. The motif stands out on a plain surround so that the eye can follow its sinuous lines and grasp more of that amazing complexity as you see in Tan Arbor’s floating needlepoint paisley. This layout is ideal if you want to avoid a visual bustle. In this approach, the motif in particular comes under the spotlight.

The ‘scattered’ layout is experienced as more compelling on the eye as the details register in the mind without making any minute observation as is required in the all-over layout. But, this might vary from case to case as other factors also play a role such as colour, degree of contrast, size of motif, and so on.

So, take the call depending on your motive and the rest of the elements in the room. If the motif is a running theme of your decor and you want to call attention to it, the scattered layout is more helpful. And, when you want the colours of the blind to speak more than the motif itself, the all-over layout is more apt.

In Closing

It is always a delight to enter a space prettified with a well-considered play of patterns that carry an old-world charm and classical flourish. One can immediately sense that this home honours the history of the property and the legacy of ancient motifs. Besides, it truly demonstrates the riveting power of ‘details’. 

So, when walking on this esteemed path of introducing damask and paisley in your decor, you’ll do a winsome job by factoring in the details such as palette, scale and the rest to discern which damask/paisley will further your aesthetic vision. You can also team up these enigmatic motifs with geometric patterns like stripes and curvy ones like florals to make it a festival of colour and joy. And, now it is time to set the wheels in motion and start your journey of foraging for the best damask/paisley roman blinds for your home. Happy shopping at The White Window!

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