Types of Roman Shades We Install in Ottawa
A roman shade is a flat panel of fabric that folds up into soft pleats as it rises. It brings colour, texture and softness to a room in a way hard blinds cannot.
Flat Fold Roman Shades
Smooth and crisp when lowered, with neat horizontal folds when raised. Good for patterned fabrics, since the pattern shows fully.
Hobbled Roman Shades
Soft folds cascade down the shade even when it is lowered. A fuller, more traditional look that suits dining rooms and heritage homes.
Relaxed Roman Shades
A gentle curve along the bottom edge gives a casual, lived-in look. Popular in bedrooms and cottages.
Cordless Safety Lift Roman Shades
A cordless lift with no exposed rear cords. Safe for kids’ rooms and the cleanest look on any roman.
5 Fabric Choices That Make or Break a Roman Shade
- Weight. Heavy fabrics fold beautifully but stack deeper. Light fabrics stack slim but can look limp in hobbled styles.
- Fabric repeat. Large patterns need careful placement so the motif sits centred on the shade.
- Liner. Privacy, blackout or thermal. It changes how the shade looks from outside and how dark the room gets.
- Colour in your light. A linen that looks warm in the showroom can look grey on a north window. We check at your window.
- Sun exposure. Natural fibres fade on south windows. A liner protects the face fabric and adds years.
What Stops Ottawa Homeowners From Buying Roman Shades?
Price shock. Romans are a premium product at $350-$1,250 per window installed. In our opinion, they are worth it in rooms where you want fabric and warmth, and less so in a busy kitchen or bathroom.
Custom vs stock. Stock romans come in a few widths and lengths, so the folds rarely line up with your window. Custom romans are sized so the stack height and folds sit right.
Is motorization worth it? On tall or hard-to-reach windows, yes. Elsewhere, cordless is enough.
Delivery timeline. About 4 weeks. Custom fabrics can add a week.
How Much Do Roman Shades Cost in Ottawa?
| Roman option | Typical installed price |
|---|---|
| Flat fold, unlined, standard window | $350-$550 |
| Flat fold with privacy or blackout liner | $450-$800 |
| Hobbled or relaxed fold | $550-$950 |
| Hunter Douglas Vignette (modern roman) | $700-$1,250 |
All prices CAD and itemised. See every option on our Ottawa price list.
Roman Shade Styles Explained: Flat, Hobbled and Relaxed
Flat fold is the cleanest style. When lowered it hangs as a smooth panel, and when raised it stacks in crisp folds. It shows patterns well and suits modern and transitional rooms. Hobbled shades have permanent soft folds sewn in, so they look full and layered even when down. They suit traditional rooms, Glebe dining rooms and anywhere you want softness. Relaxed shades are flat except for a gentle swag at the bottom edge, which gives a casual, cottage feel. All three come cordless or motorized and can take any of our liners.
Lined vs Unlined Roman Shades
An unlined roman lets light glow through the fabric and looks airy. It is great for living rooms where you want softness, not darkness, but gives limited night privacy. A privacy liner stops silhouettes from showing at night. A blackout liner makes bedrooms dark and protects the face fabric from sun fade. A thermal liner adds a layer against cold glass, which helps in older homes with original windows. In Ottawa, most bedroom romans get blackout liners and most living room romans get privacy liners. For the coldest windows, compare with a cellular shade, which insulates more.
