Best roman blinds: how they work and how to care for them

Yes. Most roman blind fabrics can be washed at home, but before washing you must take out the stiffening rods from the horizontal channels. The rods usually slide out easily through the side opening and go back in after washing. Wash at 30 °C on a gentle cycle, with a liquid detergent without bleach, and keep the spin speed to 400 rpm or less. After washing, hang the blind while it is still damp, so that the fabric straightens under its own weight and the folds recover. Linen fabrics get softer with every wash. Synthetic blends dry quickly and hardly need ironing. Wash no more than once every 4–6 months, and in between remove dust with a soft brush. Our warranty covers sewing and tracks for 12 months, and mechanisms and motors, electric ones included, for 24 months.

Roman blinds are versatile, but they suit kitchens, bathrooms, small rooms and windows with furniture beside them best. In those spaces long curtains would be impractical, because they would catch on cupboard doors or radiators. In a kitchen a roman blind raised to the top frees the sill completely and does not get in the way of cooking. In a small room of up to 12 m² roman blinds give a tidy, uncluttered look and make the space seem larger. For a child's room, choose roman blinds with a mechanism that has no loose hanging cords. Roman blinds are usually made from 40 to 220 cm wide and up to 280 cm high, and cost from €200 per window with the fabric and the mechanism. The designer can help choose the option that suits the use of the room and your style.

Yes. A double roman blind system has two separate layers of fabric on one mechanism. The first layer is a sheer roman blind in a light fabric that spreads the light (voile from €9.50 per metre), which gives privacy by day without losing natural light. The second is a lined roman blind in blackout fabric, which darkens the room fully at night. The two layers are worked by separate chains, so they can be used together or apart. The mechanism is only 3–4 cm wider, so the system looks compact. Double roman blinds are especially popular in bedrooms and children's rooms, where control of day and night light matters equally.

From order confirmation to installation, curtains, roman blinds and other blinds take 3–4 weeks, and tracks 1–2 weeks. Fitting one window takes about 30–45 minutes on average, including preparing the fixing system and the final adjustment. Every roman blind is made to the exact measurements of your window, so that it fits with no gaps. Ready-made roman blinds in standard sizes seldom match the window exactly and can leave gaps of 1–3 cm at the sides.

In a home with children we recommend synthetic or blended fabrics that resist stains, clean easily and dry quickly after washing. On pure linen or silk roman blinds every stain needs professional cleaning. A polyester and cotton blend (65/35) has the look of a natural fabric and the practicality of a synthetic one, and our washable fabrics wash at 30 °C on a gentle cycle. For safety, choose a roman blind mechanism with no hanging cords for a child's room, and fix the control chain to the wall out of the child's reach.