Needing Some Privacy (Roman Shades or Cellular Shades?)
I’ve really enjoyed having my dining room draperies finished and installed. I love the difference that fabric window treatments make in a room!
As I mentioned, I decided to go with decorative panels rather than functional draperies that will be opened and closed as needed for privacy. I decided to do it that way for two reasons: (1) I was afraid that the continual sliding back and forth of the rings on the acrylic rods would eventually scratch the acrylic. (FYI, I actually don’t think that would be an issue now. That acrylic is very slick and tough, and the rings are very smooth. They actually slide very easily.) And (2) I was afraid that two widths of fabric for each panel that would be needed to cover the front window would overwhelm the room. So I stuck with single, decorative, stationary panels.
But now I really do want something for privacy. I just really don’t like the idea of someone being able to walk right onto my front porch and see right into my entryway, dining room, music room, kitchen, and even part of the breakfast room at night. It freaks me out to imagine someone doing that after we’ve already gone to bed, and seeing something they think is valuable and worth breaking in for. Of course, the joke would be on them, since we don’t have valuable things. 😀 But still…
I’ve ruled out sheers, since those require a double rod and I’ve already got my curtain rods installed with no room for a second rod. And I’ve ruled out any kind of roller shade. I really do like the continuous loop and motorized roller shades (the updated versions of the tension roller shades of decades past), and especially the ones that are more of a woven fabric material rather than just solid plastic kind you find at Home Depot and Lowe’s. But overall I think the look might be a bit too commercial and modern for me.
My go-to for functional window treatments for privacy and light control is a Roman shade. And since I don’t want to cover up the trim over my windows, I’d need to do an inside mount Roman shade like this…
But of course, I don’t want any kind of patterned fabric or anything that would draw too much attention. If I do this direction, I’d make them myself using the same solid off-white linen that I used on the drapery panels, and use small folds in the shades so that when they’re open all they way, they take up as little space as possible.
My only other option would be cellular shades.
There’s quite a bit about cellular shades that appeal to me. First, I like that I wouldn’t have to make them. 🙂 Sometimes it’s nice just to be able to order and install something. I also like that they can be motorized and I could open and close all five at once with the push of a button on one remote control. And probably my favorite thing is that when they’re open all the way, they pretty much completely disappear.
What I don’t like about cellular shades is the way they look when they’re closed. I know this is just a matter of personal taste, and evidently lots of people love them, but I just think they’re so ugly. I’m trying to just remind myself that they disappear when they’re open (which they would be all day every day), and when I close the at night before I go to bed, I won’t be staying around to look at them. And on top of that, they’re very practical, functional, and easy, especially if I get the cordless or the motorized versions. I’m just having a hard time with the idea of spending money (and quite a bit of it if I go with motorized) on something that I really don’t even like to look at when they’re closed.
I know some of you have said in the past that you have cellular shades and love them. Sell me on them! What do you love about them? And do you have the motorized/remote controlled kind? Cordless? And if you have windows that are around 60 inches tall like mine, I’d love to know how much space (height) they take up when they’re completely open. I would guess about three or four inches based on the special order sample I saw at Home Depot yesterday, but that’s just a guess.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
I thought roman shades could also be remote controlled?
I’d go with the plain white Roman shades. In my own house, I use white mini blinds so I have two options for opening them. I don’t like cellular shades because they tend to be hard to clean, flimsy, and in my opinion also, look ugly when closed.
We had both cordless and motorized cellular shades in CA. I loved how they almost disappeared when up. Like you, I learned to live with the look when down but they do offer good privacy.
If you got motorized cellular shades, they would be super easy for Matt to use. He would not have to maneuver around furniture to push the cordless shade up or down.
I have cellular shades in brown on the inside and white facing outside. The babies room has white on both sides. They are 6 years old and I love them. Lowes installed them the day we moved into our house.My husband wished we would have gotten a remote for the atrium Windows, but they are opened 1/2 way year round and no one lives behind us, so if someone wants to look in, they have to be in my back yard.
What about shutters? Cellular shades are more utilitarian than pretty. IMHO. I love inside mounted Romans under stationary side panels too. I am a Hunter Douglas specialist. Let me know if I can help!
My sister, who lives in a very traditional 1928 Georgian Revival home, has Hunter-Douglas Shilhouette shades at her windows. They can function as blinds or sheers and when the louvers are fully open you hardly notice them and when they are fully raised you really don’t notice them. Her living and dining room face south so having the sheer option is nice to lessen the impact of the sun in a house without air conditioning.
I love the idea of the cellular shades especially if they can close from the bottom up. That would provide the possibility of complete privacy while still letting light in from the top half of the window whenever needed. 🙂
Kristie, I love the look of your drapes. I installed a blackout cellular shade to block the afternoon sun and it works fantastic, it’s easy to open and close. The length of the shade decides how big it will be when closed. I also installed a different cellular shade that you can open from the top or bottom. This is perfect for having privacy as well as light. Hope this helps.
Keep up the good work. I’m in the process of installing built in bookcases and a fireplace combo, courtesy of your posts. Thanks for the posts. Now I think I can………
I had cellular shades in the master bedroom of a previous home and loved them! My yard backed up to the woods behind a large apartment complex, and we had issues with kids cutting through our neighborhood. Privacy was a huge issue. If I remember correctly, I got the blackout shades from Smith and Noble. What I liked was that they blackout material could be hidden inside the cells, so you could still have white facing outside. Another thing I loved about them was that (at that time) they had the highest R value available in a window treatment. And (definitely more important for a bedroom) I loved blackout feature, which might be helpful if blocking lights from street light or headlights helps prevent light changes in your bedroom at night.
Ah, but we all know how things end up when you try to convince yourself to make things you don’t like… also, making the shades is a one-time thing, enjoying them is long-term! Also, making them with the same fabric means they’d really match and disappear.
Besides, other than making you gadget-happy what’s the real point of closing all of them at the same time anyway? Save 1.5 minutes before going to bed?
Are you perhaps avoiding sewing out of habit? You have a new monster of a sewing machine now!!! <3
I agree, Phoebe! You are so right!
Kristi you’re already saying it in your post! You don’t like the way cellulars look. Your go to is a Roman shade. Why don’t you have the Romans made in the fabric you wish, instead of making them yourself? Don’t ask people to sell the cellulars to you if you don’t like how they look in the first place. They aren’t beautiful things, just functional. You’ve spent a lot of time and energy creating a room (and home) which is your kind of beautiful. Don’t spoil it now by adding something you dislike because it’s easier. For heaven’s sake woman! You’ve pulled down walls and ceilings, pulled up floors, done every possible thing to get a beautiful home! Go with what you really want.
I love open window views, so we chose the cellular option for most of our windows because they disappear the best (3″ stack on a 62″ window). They are only pulled down at night. They are not beautiful when opened, but disappear better than most options. I have learned to “not see them.”
They were also easy to hide in rooms where we used a valance without giving up too much view.
No remote control here…just cordless off-the-rack JCP’s that operate with the raise of an arm, and give us privacy in the evening.
I think a bottom-up shade would look very nice in those windows, and you could really keep them out about mid-level all the time. That would let sun and during the day and give you privacy in the evenings. Overstock.com has some really cheap
Roman shades would look much more elegant with your draperies. I agree that cellular shades are ugly. And I think you probably would be looking at them at times. I know if I’d be sitting at the dinner table, I’d not feel comfortable with passersby able to see into my house. Even when not using the dining room, I wouldn’t want people to be able to see into my house at night, so the shades would be down..and I’d not enjoy looking at those ugly ones.
I had motorized cellular shades in my bathroom bay window. Seven of them! They were quite an investment. And they were constantly malfunctioning. The batteries needed frequent replacement, they never all rose or lowered to the correct positions, the cords slipped out on some, etc. After returning five of the seven (only one covered under warranty) for repairs, I finally gave up and made Roman shades. One cellular shade cost much more than all seven Roman shades. And the Roman shades are much more attractive.
And I think you just helped me solidify my decision. 🙂
Oh goody…I vote for Roman shades!
I love reading these replies because i want new shades for my bedroom and im undecided as to what to buy! So far, the roman shades are winning!
Cellular, motorized sound great to me – they really do disappear, and a little touch of modern never hurt any house IMO. I think just an occasional vacuuming is all they need to keep clean.
One other thing to consider, once the room is finished, can you see yourself using it more and feeling the need for privacy? If so, then you would be in there and looking at them. (maybe you should hang out in there a few nights and see if it’s weird or not). If you feel you could sit at the table for an evening meal and feel comfortable, then I’d go with them.
We opted for cellular shades in our living room and dining room. I have them on my sliding patio door too because there was no way I was going to have vertical blinds. I wish we could have afforded the motorized version so that my husband (who is also wheelchair bound) could open and close them. They are not beautiful, but they are not ugly either. In our bathroom we have the type that can move from the top or bottom, so we have privacy while still being able to let in light. They do just about disappear during the day, which I really like. My first choice was bamboo/matchstick blinds for texture and warmth, but those really do not offer the complete privacy we want. Cellular shades were really the only option for us.
I have bamboo shades in our guest bedroom that I custom ordered lined for privacy. In our master bedroom, we have woven ones that have a lovely texture that includes small bamboo. They were originally brown, but we spray painted them to match the decor, and my handy husband added drapery lining for privacy.
I was thinking that maybe bamboo shades would be nice. It would bring the wood tones from the floor and the dining table to the windows. We have bamboo shades in our house and love them. Easy
maintenance too. Loving how the dining room is coming together, whatever you choose, it will look great.
Hi, Joanie. Actually my comment was in response to Carmen’s post above mine. I suggested to Kristi that the white Roman shades would look more elegant with her draperies.
I have been looking at the “top down/bottom up” cellular shades. I haven’t purchased any yet but I know people who have them and love them. Nice to have privacy and still have a view of the trees and sky, especially on a stormy night:)
Please don’t ruin your beautiful curtains with cellular shades. If you really don’t want to sew them yourself, places like Restoration Hardware, Smith & Noble, and Hunter Douglas all make sheer linen Roman shades. I think the latter two both have upgrades to motorized.
I vote for Roman shades. The cellular looks too busy with all of the “lines”.
Why not consider 2 inch wooden blinds in white? I love the wide blinds and you can keep them down and open and have plenty of light or close them. If you want full exposure you just raise them all the way up. JC Penny sells faux wood blinds in custom sizes and of course can be inside mounted. You can get real wood, but if your budget can’t handle it, you can get the faux wood, which are very real looking and relatively inexpensive. I think they are a great look everywhere. ON French doors, windows etc. I think the roman shades will look like too much fabric on the windows, and I do not care or any kind of cell blinds.
I agree with Marie. Since your windows are not very wide you should be able to buy them relatively inexpensively plus you can raise them all the way up should you want to. I have had wood 2.5 inch blinds for 20 years so I can attest to the fact that they last and IMO they still look classy but who knows, maybe they are considered “old school” now?
I agree. I love that these blinds block your eye from the outside even when open and by angling them up or down you still have plenty of light coming in. My other recommendation would be bamboo blinds. I can’t quite envision the roman shades with those curtains.
I have top down/bottom up cellular shades in two homes. I love them. Facing the road front I have them only up high enough to provide privacy and it still allows quite a bit of light in. I very rarely change the height. I have an off white small cell shade and I do not think they are unattractive
I do like how the cellular shades can go down as well as up to provide privacy and light. Sometimes you just want that. I’m also wondering about white wood shades… but I guess they would take up too much room at the top. They mostly look good when they are always down and open to light.
I’ve had cellular shades in every house. Love them. Match closely to the wall color and you’ll never know they are there.
The cellular shades seem the most practical, mostly because of the remote aspect. Super easy for either of you to operate. If you could have that convenience with the look (and made for you) of the linen roman shades, then that would be my choice for aesthetics. Do they exist?
I think Roman shades are the way to go. They would go better with the classy/elegant style of the rest of the room.
I have both kinds. I have windows that are way up high due to a 16 foot ceiling in my great room. With a western exposure I had to have blinds up there. I have the remotes up there. They work just fine and because they are white they blend in when open. Stack is about three inches. I have not had any problem with them at all and they are about 6 years old. You do have to change the batteries every now and again but not a big deal, even with mine being so high. I also have shades in my bathroom. They are pull down without cords because I hate cords. They are easy to work with and I like them. I think Roman shades are great and probably look better on some windows but some make the overall treatment look so heavy and I like the look of a wide open, bright window. Romans will close out some of that beautiful open look you have. The thought of the cellular shades is probably worse than the reality. They really do disappear and become out of sight out of mind…. You could invest in a really cheap set from Home Depot and try one up. They will have cords but you can get an idea. If you have standard windows they are pretty inexpensive. Whatever you do will, no doubt, look great!
I’d vote for the Roman shades. They will look elegant, IMHO. I have 2 inch wood blinds in my kitchen, family room and office. I love the way they look and they are great for privacy, HOWEVER, they are a real P.I.T.A. to clean! The ones in the kitchen must be cleaned -not just dusted- every week, or they will look like junk! The ones in my office just get dusty so waving a duster over them is no big deal. The ones in the family room, which adjoins the kitchen are kind of hit or miss. If I had it to do over again, I’d put blinds in the bedrooms only. I’m not sure what I’d put in the downstairs, but whatever is was, it’d be easily and quick to clean… Maybe I’d do those cheap 1″ blinds from Big Lots & when they were dirty, I’d just take them down & throw them out & buy new. JK. Can you tell I don’t like expensive, hard to clean blinds in my kitchen? Lol.
ANYWAY, Roman shades get my vote. If the are the same color as your curtains they will look elegant & that room seems elegant to me.
No matter what you put in your kitchen it sounds like it would be a problem. I have wood blinds on the triple French doors in the eating area adjoining my kitchen. I only have to dust them and WS makes great blind cleaners. If your windows are in a place that the coverings get that dirty, I would suggest a simple café curtain that can be taken down and washed once a week. I have nothing on the one window that I have in my kitchen since I prefer to see the garden and the bird feeders. Of course we don’t have neighbors behind us, so I don’t worry about people looking in. Actually, I don’t think I would worry about people looking in even there were close neighbors. All you have to do is give them a look when you catch them, I doubt they would do it again. I think blinds are require minimum care and are attractive and practicle. I have them in all the bedrooms plus the home office (in cherry, they are gorgeous) and in the kitchen/lounge area. The only place I do not have them is bathrooms, and formal rooms. I even have them in the garage.
I had cellular shades for 5 years in Arizona all over the house. Pros: black out feature keeps heat out and does not show and you can close them partway up so in the evenings before you go to bed you can look out, but others can only see you from part way up 😀, cons: they get dusty and are very hard to get clean, especially if they get a mark on them. We do not put them in here. We used (online) American Blinds. I would recommend them. Great customer service, including for sizing and deciding on options. This doesn’t relate to you, but they carry a great “sideways” cellar panel for patio doors. It is great, as there are not many good optiins for covering patio doors.
Kristi, you mentioned motorized roller shades. I checked them out and they have beautiful options that don’t look modern or industrial, many look like woven blinds. What can you loose by getting a few samples and seeing if you like any of them especially since you said you like them.
http://www.smithandnoble.com/pip/classic-motorized-roller-shades/shades/roller-shades
Roman shades are going to block the views the most when open. Cellular shades will be the best choice when open. If you are only closing them at night, for bed, go cellular. I wouldn’t consider bottom up blinds because they will never dissapear when closed and when open, don’t they have the lines that run from the bottom to the header? The other thing I would also consider is a faux wood blind. When they are open all the way they are a little lower than a cellular shade, but, what if you are having dinner in the winter or after dark? Do you want privacy then? If so, the closed blind would be a lot better to look at than a cellular shade. IMO….
I had cellular shades in my last home. Loved them. They were not remote but it only takes a second to pull the cord–so no worries about malfunctions and much less expensive. When down mine allowed me to look outside but anyone outside could not look in. That is a nice feature, especially if down during the day to block sun. Cleaning is simply a quick vacuum. I like the light feel of them–not the heavy look of Roman shades.
What about roller shades? IKEA sell them (and cordless cellular) in a variety of widths for nice prices. They have the rollers in grey and white, sadly those are blackout ones.
I grew up with cellular shades. In high use places they would de-laminate. The space they take up is equal to Mini blinds.
Most of the time I see people frame out blinds in the window or clip moulding to hide the shade out of sight.
Do you have the frosted glass film still?? That will give you privacy, allow in some light and not have to deal with an extra shade.
Your style is so classic in so many ways, you can’t go wrong with a beautiful Roman shade. I’d suggest an almost sheer linen. There’s an online retailer (fabrics-store dot com) that I’ve purchased from, and their prices are quite good I think.
To me, cellular blinds always look like you’re in an office or at a doctor’s, kind of in an official place. Thts’ why we completely ruled them out for our house, even though friends recommended them as very practical. I know that when I go to any length in money and effort, I want a result that I like and not only find practical. And like somebody else already said, we all know what happens if you try to conivnce yourself of something for the sheer practical value of it 🙂
When you make your own Roman shades, just think of it as a prolonged getting-to-know phase with your fantastic new sewing machine! I love the idea of using the same material as in your curtains, so that they match in look.
Another possibility to consider… Ye olde shutters. The panel kind.
My SIL had cellular shades, took them out and put in roman. She hated her cellular ones, hard to clean (she’s ocd) they didn’t always go completely up or down together, always changing batteries, always something. (She is an R E broker, so she can afford to change whenever she wants) but not everyone can do that. I love the linen roman shades personally.
I’ve never had cellular shades myself, but my parents’ Motor Home had them and I remember them being very convenient. Plus, they were mostly hidden under a fabric-covered cornice (that matched the other fabric in the room) when open, so they became part of the decor.
One other option you might consider is to go with roller shades and either cover them in fabric (I think I’ve seen DIY tutorials for that, somewhere. I imagine it’s as simple as using spray adhesive or stitching them to a mesh-style one. Or, you could go with a mesh-style roller shade and make a very thin fabric-covered cornice to cover it (just the height of the roll). You could attach it with simple angle brackets.
Make the roman shades. If you say you don’t like something you really don’t and it will drive you bats–t crazy and you’ll be changing them asap. Just an observation. Save yourself the headache and do what you know you prefer. I have a cellular shade in my bathroom and keep it closed all the time and it’s fine until I can afford shutters. Besides what a nice tie in to your drapes since you’ll use the same linen.
I have windows that face a street so I needed privacy but wanted light. I got the cellular shades that can be lowered from the top or raised from the bottom. They are great for my needs. They are white so let in plenty of light while blocking sight from outside – no shadows of what’s going on inside. I don’t have the motorized kind – they were way more expensive and you need an electrical outlet at the top of the window. I don’t usually move them a lot so not a problem. Don’t even know if motorized is available for the kind that move from both ends. I leave them down at the top so I see the sky and tall trees and get sunlight but block people’s view in. Highly recommend them. Got them through Costco.
I’m not going to be of any help. Your room is begging for roman shades!!!! I agree that cellular shades are good for all the reasons you have listed, but that room needs roman shades 🙂 It’s just so beautiful and even if you won’t be seeing the shades very much, they just aren’t going to look right- sorry!!!
I’ve had cell shades for several years & as long as you buy decent quality ones (Smith & Noble), they look fine (to me at least!). I wish they were top down, bottom up. I have that functionality in some bamboo shades & it’s so convenient. Motorized was not important to me (perhaps important for your husband). I have really tall windows & the stack is max of 2.5 inches that blend right into the trim. I also have cordless in other shades & they are a bit sloppy- never quite level. If I were you, I’d hate to cover up any of the grills on your windows. They are so lovely & add so much, I’d feel terrible hiding them. There are lots of newer fabric choices in the cell shades, like a snubbed linen. That’s the way I’d go.
My favorite for privacy is shutters. You can leave them closed or open the louvers or completely fold back and open. I have a feeling that may not appeal to you but I thought I’d throw it out there as an option. I usually fold them completely open during the day but they are great insulation in the winter when I just open the louvers during the day (Michigan- brrr)
I have a roller shade in my bathroom that looks like wicker. I keep it open mostly and it is invisible but looks nice when down.
I have cellular shades in the bedrooms that are mostly open except at night. They are good insulators too in the winter. I also have curtains with them.
My two cents.
If you aren’t fully convinced to skip the cellular shades, consider that in the winter you would want them down in early evening because it gets dark much earlier than in the summer. You’d have to see them a lot more.
My husband and I always joke that a burglar would be disappointed to come to our house. We don’t have much to take either!
Great suggestions! Although the Romans do sound like the best so far, I also like the idea of some kind of inexpensive one of each look and then trying it for a while until you’re sure.
I didn’t even know there were shades that went up and down automatically! I swear I’m not a Luddite. So I can only give an aesthetic opinion, not a technical one. And it is that everything else you’ve done is custom and beautiful, and Roman shades would fit perfectly with that. Those other blinds look like something that anyone could buy (and many do). They don’t seem to be in keeping with either your visual aesthetic or your approach to your home. (Not that I’m trying to make more work for you.) 🙂
We got these white roman shades and I was really impressed with the quality! For the price it’s worth buying one to try!
http://m.jcpenney.com/jcpenney-home-cotton-duck-thermal-roman-shade/prod.jump?ppId=1d6e416&selectedSKUId=73645850059&selectedLotId=7364585&fromBag=true&quantity=1&cm_mmc=ShoppingFeed-_-GooglePLA-_-Roman%20Shades-_-73645850059&utm_medium=cse&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=roman%20shades&utm_content=73645850059&kwid=productads-adid%5E60019616978-device%5Em-plaid%5E81646490018-sku%5E73645850059-adType%5EPLA
I haven’t had either. That said, as far as looks, your room and drapes have such an elegant look that won’t be matched by cellular shades.
Since you just want them for privacy, I’d get whatever compacts into the smallest so they disappear during the day and who cares what they look like when unfolded as long as they give you privacy and peace of mind?
I had motorized cellular shades and I hated everything about them. They were dust collectors that seemed to require cleaning more often than the roman shades I replaced them with. That’s an awful lot of money to waste on something you already know you don’t like. Since you’ve gone through so much to make your dining room a room you love, don’t taint your design with something that doesn’t meet the same standard as all the other elements.
What about Hunter Douglas Silhouettes?
LOVE those! I plan to see about them for us!
I’m not a fan of cellular shades for the same reasons you have. We had one on our bathroom window – one of those 4x4ft. things they were doing in newer houses. It was a top down, bottom up with cords. I kept the top open all the time for light, but hated how it looked. I would advise you to go with what you like and do the roman shades.
I don’t know what I will do for the new house in the bath yet. I’m having a regular window that can open/close, so will have to do some kind of treatment, but what? Guess I’ll figure it out when we move in and I can see if we even need anything, since we are on a lake and have no one behind us or next to us! Just don’t want anyone using binoculars to get a show! 😉
I don’t like the look of the cellular shades at all. To me they look very 1980s, just as mini-blinds scream 1970s. I have bamboo blinds all over my house, and these can be backed with blackout lining for night-time privacy. I use the matchstick variety in areas where I want light in the daytime but close the curtains for nighttime. In other areas, I use a heavier type which affords more privacy if closed. (The matchstick type does not afford privacy at night if there is a light on inside the room, so that is a factor to consider.) Here in the Deep South (Alabama) plantation shutters are still a classic. I have had those in other houses, too, and they are wonderful for privacy, light control, as well as temperature control. I think it is a matter of personal taste. Personally, I find that roman shades that you have to open and close to be a royal pain.
I agree, cellular shades are icky. Is far as not having a ything worth stealing, i tell the kids we’re not poor I’m burglar proofed.
I have the 2″ Bali Dunes Neat-Pleat in Woven Reed. We ordered them through Lowes and they had a sample in the store. I have both cordless and corded. We decided against the motorized because they are quite a bit more expensive. Honestly, after living with them I really don’t see the need for motorized. It takes me a second to put them up and down and we have a lot of windows. I love these blinds. They’re not cellular, sort of more like a stiff linen. Much nicer looking and the pleats do not get smashed or squashed like the cellular ones can. My windows are taller than yours and when the blinds are up the total portion you can see is about 2 inches. The cords on them are really nice and we haven’t had any issues with the cordless ones getting droopy. I would highly recommend these.
Kristi,
Like so many others, I admire your talent and look forward to reading your blog. I am typically “quiet” and rarely comment; however, since no one else has mentioned this product, I must. I had these installed at my previous home, and, am currently waiting for them to be installed at my new home. These are a combination (sheer) pleated shade on top, with a (private) honeycomb shade on the bottom. They can be adjusted so the whole window is sheer and allows light through, or the whole window is private using the honeycomb portion, or, you can have them half way or anywhere in between to allow a combination of light and privacy. I just vacuumed mine to clean them and had no issues. If you search for “TriLight by Budget Blinds” you will find them. I prefer to have the cords for easy adjustment but I believe they are now available in a cordless version as well. Budget Blinds measures and installs them for you, and, they have a generous warranty, although I don’t remember it off the top of my head. In my area, they advertise 30% off frequently as well.
Good luck, I’m sure whatever you choose will be perfect!
~Anita
I realize that you’ve ruled it out but I think a cassette roller shade would look great in your space. And if you didn’t roll it 100% into the cassette you could add an attractive Kristi-Gold pull to traditionalize it up a little. http://www.horizonshades.dphoto.com/#/album/8992ak
But Romans would also be very nice. I once had a houseful of cellular shades and was very happy with them, dusted them gently, and had no complaints. But for your house, that would be an awful lot of horizontal lines going on in that one room. So for that reason alone, I like either cassette roller shades or Romans.
I recently made some Roman Shades for my master bathroom following a very detailed video I found on Sailrite.com. If you are even thinking about making yours I would wholeheartedly encourage you to check out their website and this video! It was a really easy project, so much in fact that after i finished I decided to make 2 more for my master bedroom windows too! The video is wonderful to watch and follow long and stop and rewind and play again if needed. The guide to measuring correctly was so simple too. Another bonus is I was able to get all the supplies I needed like the cording, the rings, the plastic dowels, the locking mechanism, etc. They also have fabric as well (I had purchased my fabric at Joann’s on sale). They also have serious sewing machines for sale too, and I thought of them when I read your blogpost that you bought yourself a new sewing machine! I urge you to check their video out if you decide on Roman Shades. I personally like the idea of shades in the same linen fabric of the drapes. I am thinking the ‘visual stripes’ of all the pleating of the cellular shades will be too busy with the horizontal stripes of you lovely drapes. I do think the soft folds of the roman shade will soften the few wider additional horizontal ‘stripes’ of the roman shade folds. Cant wait to see what you’ll choose!
here’s the link to the vide on Sailrite! In my zest I forgot to add it to my post!
http://www.sailrite.com/How-to-Make-a-Roman-Shade-Video
Oh please choose Roman! I’m going to make inside mount Roman shades for my living room and I know that your tutorial would be the best.
My fiance and I just moved into a house that has cellular shades. We have a dog, an old cat, and a kitten… Can you tell where this is going? LOL
We fought with the kitten and the dog for a month, trying to get them to leave the shades alone, and finally decided we would just cover the windows with (temporary) cheap lace sheers and drapes, and push the shades all the way up, out of the way. Not only do the critters leave them alone, the room seems much warmer and more inviting to me.
I HATE the looks of those shades. The one in the kitchen I GUESS is OK for now, but I am really wanting roman shades over that.
Sorry, can’t “sell you” on the cellular shades. I don’t like them, and wouldn’t buy them myself.
Here is a photo of bamboo blinds with horizontal striped curtains. Maybe an option?
http://thedesigndaredevil.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/hg10.jpg
Oh, Kristi! Please don’t deprive us of roman blinds that you’d be making! You got that new machine, you’re not crazy about cellular blinds, the motorized gizmo is unreliable and expensive–about $200 a shade when my parents had them installed–and they are ugly, yes. Gray Line Linens awaits your order and we’re awaiting a new tutorial. Because of you I decided to bully my friend into new curtains that I promised I’d make. And did! Now I need a push for roman blinds…. On a serious note, you really are an inspiration because all your pictures are backed up with knowledge and tutorials and full disclosures of failed attempts. Kudos!
You’ll be happy to know that I placed my order for more off-white linen from Gray Line Linens last night so that I can make Roman shades. 🙂 I already have a tutorial for the relaxed Roman shades on my blog, so this time I’ll be making a different kind.
I would go motorized so your husband can control them too.
What about Horizontal Sheer Shades? You can go from sheer to black-out. http://www.smithandnoble.com/pip/2-horizontal-sheer-motorized-shadings/shades/sheer-shadings
I have the cellular shades bought off the shelf from Lowes due to budget. I will say that they disappeared when closed. Unfortunately after only a year they started to lose their “tightness” and now they hang down a bit more than I like when completely closed. I assume the special order ones will not have this issue but worth asking!
Everything is coming together so nicely!
I have a cordless cellular shade in our master and guest bedrooms. I love them in there because they block a lot of exterior light and soundproof a bit as well. I have valances on those window, so I don’t really see the blinds when open. They’re the same color as the walls so I don’t really notice them closed either. This is the third kind of blind we’ve had at these window in as many years, and it’s the best so far. We needed cordless because our cat likes to play with blind cords, and I worry she’d get hung up in them when we weren’t home. I really resisted getting them because, like you, I’m not really crazy about how they look closed. As much as they’ve worked well for our bedrooms, I don’t think I’d like them in the rest of the house. I have woven Roman shades there with a privacy lining, mounted inside the window frame. I like how they look but wish they were cordless. I’ve made cloth Roman shades for our previous house. Just make sure you use heavy enough fabric and lining for the folds to form without your help every time you raise them. You probably know that already–you’re such a sewing pro. If it helps, I liked them open but I never liked how they looked when closed. On that score, I think the wovens win.
Why not just make rod pocket panels from the white linen and put them on small tension rods on the bottom half of the window. No one would be able to see in unless they came up on your porch and looked in the windows. You can solve the problem of having unwanted people approaching your home by having motion detector lights mounted on your porch. We have them on the back and two sides of our home and they work great. They are especially nice when coming home at night and the sensor picks up the car motion and comes on right away. They also work great when the herd of deer come to eat everything in sight at night. As soon as they get to a certain point in the yard the lights all come on and that usually startles them and off they go to the neighbors. They also come on when we let the dog out at night. They light up the whole yard so we know there are no predators out there.
I love mine! I have completely white ones so they still keep the room very bright at night. One window is 96 inches wide, so it is a huge area of cellular shade when they’re closed. I do think that the fact that they’re all white makes it look more uniform and doesn’t accentuate the texture/shape when closed. When they’re open they are about 3 inches deep, but since they’re all white they are barely noticed at all. Mine aren’t motorized, but they’re so easy to pop up and down I’ve liked them as they are. I bought mine when I moved into a new house with a giant uncovered window right in front. initially they were going to be a temporary solution until i picked something else, but now that i have curtain panels up I think they fit in fine.
Freaking amazing! Good job!
I cased out all of my windows similar to yours, in white also and i have white, cordless cellular shades on most of them. when they are open all the way, they are about 2″ thick. i love them. i have wooden, roman shades in 2 room, which i also love, but they make the rooms feel darker. i also do not have any curtains, i love the woodwork so much, that i didn’t want it covered!
This room is so beautiful Kristi!! I can barely believe it is the same house :^)
Gorgeous, gorgeous work you do!
Blessings,
J
(I have trouble commenting, but I’m around….cheering you on!!)
I am waiting for the final reveal for this room. Because at this time, I can’t get a feel for it being cohesive. I love your “homemade” wallpaper. I love the trim. I am not digging the black and white curtains. Nor the green wall color. With all of this said, why not look into illusion shades. They are so gorgeous and won’t be heavy.
We have Hunter Douglas cellular automatic shades. They all come with white facing the street. We have Top Down Bottom Up options on all the windows. The actual “motor” on the automatic ones are mounted INSIDE our window casing. We have them mounted to our french doors too but they are manual – not automated because we didn’t like the profile with the “motor” option. We went with a licensed dealer to purchase and install because of the warranty. However, after watching them install – super easy DIY. Hunter Douglas is offering rebates right now thru June. We recently moved into a very contemporary style home with floor to ceiling windows and these blinds fit the bill perfectly. We get direct east west sun shining through our “more windows than walls” home and being able to press a transmitter to adjust the heights has been a joy for us. Huge investment for us – but worth the look. Some of our shades are room darkening while other rooms are not – all the blinds from the outside are white. The bedroom windows, from the outside, are a tad bit “darker” white but those are room darkening and face the back of the house.We love them – I know they are offered through Lowe’s too. Again, super easy DIY install.
Woven wood Roman shades would be timeless classic and add a touch of softness and casualness to the formal leaning room in my opinion.
HI ! just found your blog and I love it 🙂 I’m also deciding on what to do with my windows, since I have nothing on them right now 🙁 I’m curious as to what you decided to do and if you have pictures?