It’s not often that we can say our window treatments are steeped in a centuries-old, gladiatorial tradition, but our Roman shades can be linked to a very interesting history. With origins dating back to the time of the Roman Colosseum, these shades have been providing protection from the sun since the beginning of the Common Era. After centuries of innovation, Roman shades have evolved into the popular window treatment that we love today, and their textured design creates timeless sophistication for any home.
The design of our Roman shades has changed extensively since its humble beginnings in the Colosseum, where they were prized for their functionality over their elegance. As an architectural feat that still impresses modern visitors, the Colosseum was designed be as comfortable as it was exciting, and emperors Vespasian and Titus withheld no expense during its construction. One of the amenities that the Colosseum afforded its visitors was large awnings that provided shade during unbearably hot and sunny days. While these awnings extended horizontally over the heads of spectators, their system of fabric shades that retracted into folds was the basis of modern Roman shade technology.
As the years passed, the shades evolved until they became a much smaller, vertical version of the awnings enjoyed in the Colosseum. No matter how their design has changed, however, Roman shades continue to display the signature fold of fabric that was seen in Ancient Rome. Today, when opened, the fabric gathers into folds, adding textural interest to the window and room. How they hang when closed will depend on what kind of Roman shade you choose for your home.
The flat Roman shade is one of our most popular designs. When fully extended to cover the entire window, the shade hangs completely flat. Since it doesn’t retain any decorative folds when closed, this makes the flat shade a perfect choice for when you don’t want to compromise the integrity of a bold fabric pattern. It’s also the ideal addition to a modern home, where clean and uncluttered lines are a necessary design choice. Meanwhile, when opened to reveal your window and its view, the fabric stacks into neat folds at the top of the window fixture.
Another common style is the hobble shade. Its design is characterized by a collection of soft folds that flow from top to bottom, even when the shade is extended to cover the entire window. The collected pleats add texture to your window treatment, creating visual interest to an otherwise plain covering. Like its flat cousin, the hobble shade will retain its folds when retracted, sitting in a neat stack at the top of your window.
Once you choose between a flat or hobble style of Roman shade, you still have a lot of opportunity to customize your window covering. We offer our Roman shades in a variety of fabrics and thicknesses, to accommodate different light control and privacy preferences. For those that want a minimum amount of privacy and the maximum amount of light, there are thin fabrics and woven woods that are nearly transparent. For those that prefer thicker material to provide more privacy and to reduce the amount of light allowed into your space, you can opt for those shades with a self- or black-out liner.
With a variety of options, there’s a Roman shade that will fit perfectly within any home’s design scheme, giving a touch of sophistication to any room in which you have them installed. Give us a call today to see how you can get started finding a shade style that you like, and our design experts will help you find a Roman shade fit for an emperor.