Opacity of Roman Shades

Q: I love the look of roman shades but really want soft light, too. I'm so used to seeing roman shades in really thick fabrics that darken rooms and wanted to know if they come in more light-filtering styles. Can you tell me what kind of varieties there are in roman shades? Thanks

A: You can get roman shades in all sorts of colors, fabrics, and thicknesses, even light-filtering. Most people associate these drape-like shades with dark rooms and lush fabrics but they can also appeal to lighter rooms, too! In fact, light-filtering or sheer roman shades are great for bedrooms and dens where you might want to keep the soft look of drapes but still have the convenience of shades.

The amount of light filtered will depend on the make and style of the shade you choose and can also be affected by the color and style of fabric as well. For example, light-colored sheer roman shades won't block much light but they'll certainly cut down on glare and still give you the roman shade look. The light-filtering roman shades will block a little more light but are great when you want natural light without the bright sunshine. There's a lot of variety in fabrics and weaves and the combination of colors, makes, and textures gives you huge range of lighting options!