Interior Decorating Information

How to Make Roman Shades


Roman shades are a simple and elegant window treatment to block the sun or prying neighbors. Nicer than plain plastic shades, but less expensive than ornate window shades, Roman shades provide the perfect start to a beginning home decorator.

Roman shades can be purchased from home improvement or department stores, or they can be custom made by in interior designer. The cheapest way to decorate your home with Roman shades is to make them yourself. Get ready to refresh your math skills!

To make Roman shades, first measure the window you'd like to put them in. Measure the height and width of the window from inside its frame. Or, if you want the shade to cover more than the window, measure the height and width of the surface the shade will cover. Your shade will probably need to be between 45 and 54 inches wide.

Before you shop for your fabric, you'll need to calculate the number of dowels and the amount of fabric you'll need. To figure out how many dowels you will need, divide the window height by six to nine inches, which will be the space between each dowel fold. You'll need to find a number that goes evenly into your window height. For example, if your window height is 64 inches, divide by six. You'll then need eight dowels for eight pleats. Each dowel needs 1.5 inches, so multiplied by eight, you'll need an extra 12 inches of fabric. You'll also need an extra six inches of fabric to mount the shade, meaning you'll need 18 extra inches for this example. Add this to your window height to get your final height. Add two inches of fabric to your window width. Now you have the size of the fabric you need. Whew!

Next, the fun part: selecting the fabric of your shade. Shades without busy patterns are the easiest to work with because you won't need to make sure the pattern blends seamlessly with each fold. If your window gets southern light, consider picking a near-shear fabric. This will produce a warm, soothing light in your room. Take a picture or your room, fabric swatches of your furniture, and a paint sample of your room when you shop. You don't want to finish making your Roman shade to discover it clashes with the rest of your room!

While you are out buying your fabric, buy the rest of your supplies:

Drapery-lining fabric. You'll need an extra 0.25 inches to cover the mounting board.

Blind cord

Window cleat

Quarter-inch diameter window dowels, 0.25 inches smaller than the window width

A wooden mounting board, 0.25 inches smaller than the window width that's 1x2 inches.

Half-inch diameter shade rings

Screw eyes

Staple gun

Chalk or air-soluble marker

Yardstick

The easiest way to make a shade uses lots of pictures and few words. Find instructions at a home improvement store or for free online to make your own Roman shade. Find patterns that make the type of Roman shade you want, whether it is flat, pleated, or with a sunburst. You'll probably need a sewing machine to make the Roman shade quickly, especially to attach the lining to the fabric. With patience you can make your own Roman shade.

Roman Shades Info provides detailed information about bamboo, fabric, discount, and custom Roman shades, as well as advice on how to make Roman shades, and more. Roman Shades Info is the sister site of Shutters Web.


MORE RESOURCES:

Interior decorating trends toward rich color, vintage look
Tampabay.com, FL - Nov 10, 2008
By Scripps Howard News Service Economic extremes call for color extremes. Check the predictions for colors at Color Marketing Group, which has been ...


Warren Sapp is not afraid of a lot of people but mom has his attention
USA Today - 16 minutes ago
... called former Keyshawn Johnson a "bitch" on national television in reference to Johnson's new reality show on interior decorating. ...


Stressed About Money and Holiday Gifts? Give Inexpensive ...
PR Web (press release), WA - Nov 19, 2008
UniqueDecorativePillows.com provides news feeds with tips and interior decorating ideas. For instance, if you know someone who is ready to go "green" at ...


Steak house hoping to become San Mateo fixture
San Mateo County Times, CA - 12 hours ago
He left the important task of interior decorating to his wife of 20 years, Maris Klein. "That's the best thing, when people walk in and ask who did this," ...


Housing skid claims another victim
Arkansas Democrat Gazette, AR - 1 hour ago
Alexandra’s, a 17-year fixture in Rogers specializing in floral design and interior decorating, began liquidating its inventory Wednesday, the latest victim ...


Carol Wallis
Portsmouth Herald News, NH - 3 hours ago
She had a professional's flair for interior decorating and her homes always reflected her talent. Survivors include brothers Lloyd Wallis and his wife, ...


Diana Hudson Kresnye of Devine Designs Featured in Lake
TransWorldNews (press release), GA - 15 hours ago
Hudson Kresnye owns Devine Designs, a full-service interior decorating, design and staging firm that specializes in offering creative and affordable design ...


New Gardening Tool, SunStick Home, Makes Light of Growing Healthy ...
MarketWatch - Nov 18, 2008
Designed to make interior decorating with plants more cost effective and less time consuming, SunStick Home answers the basic light question in mere minutes ...


Coleman vs. Franken: The Rematch
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN - Nov 17, 2008
And Renee Golinvaux, 43, picks out carpet, tile and plumbing fixtures for her interior decorating business in Prior Lake. They'll put their lives on hold ...


Astronauts prepare for spacewalk and moving day
Tucson Citizen, AZ - Nov 17, 2008
Earlier Monday, astronauts set the stage for days of interior decorating that will allow the station to double its permanent crews to six people next year, ...

Interior-Decorating - Google News

home | site map
© 2006