Roman shades have become my go-to window treatment for many reasons: they're simple, elegant, and sophisticated. They're easy to operate and look good with just about every style of house, from modern to historic. But once I've decided to get Roman shades for a room, that doesn't mean my decision-making is done! There are still a number of options to consider: inside mount or outside mount? Which fabric? And (importantly) classic or tailored? To make the right choice, let's dive deep into that last question and explore the differences between a Bali Classic Roman Shade and Bali Tailored Roman Shade.
Styles
Classic Roman shades are available in two styles: looped or flat. Looped shades have folds that waterfall down, while flat shades have pleats that form horizontal lines. Tailored Roman shades are available in four styles: looped, flat, seamless, or relaxed. So besides the looped or flat options explained above, you have two additional styles to choose from. Seamless shades are flat, with no folds or pleats, for a clean look. Relaxed shades are also flat with no pleats or folds, but they have a soft curve at the bottom for a more romantic look. I've put photos of each style below.
Fabrics
Bali Classic Roman Shades and Bali Tailored Roman Shades are available in totally different fabrics. For that reason, if you're designing around a specific color, you may want to focus on the fabric first. You can see all your options for classic Roman shade fabrics and all your options for tailored Roman shades fabrics online. Classic Roman shades have a more modest selection of fabrics, while tailored Roman shades are available in a more extensive fabric collection, including a variety of prints and patterns. Bali Drapery and Bali Pillows also come in many of the same fabrics as tailored Roman shades, so that's something to consider if you want to match and coordinate throughout the house.
Light Control & Liners
Classic Roman shades come unlined, so it's important to choose a fabric that will give you the amount of light control and privacy you desire (blackout, room darkening, light filtering, or sheer). Tailored Roman shades are lined, so you can control light and privacy by choosing your liner: standard, blackout, flannel-backed, thermal, or water repellent. These liner options can also add energy efficiency and moisture protection, making tailored Roman shades a great choice for a variety of rooms.
Lift Options
Both types of Roman shade are easy to operate and available in similar lift options. The main difference is that the standard control for classic Roman shades is in the front, while the standard control for tailored Roman shades is in the back. Both types can also be ordered in bottom up/top down, continuous-loop lift, cordless lift, and motorized lift for an additional cost.
Decorative Styling
Classic Roman shades are streamlined and simple, with limited decorative options. You can choose from a waterfall style (no valance) or a standard 5.5" valance (you can add trim to the valance, if you wish). Tailored Roman shades have many more options for decorative styling: trim, banding, decorative tape, and multiple options for the valance height.
Price
Classic Roman shades are priced lower than tailored Roman shades. Of course, in either case, the more customizations and upgrades you add on, the higher the price will be (nonstandard lift, decorative trim, etc.)
