15/07/2026
Did you know, that some 2,000 years ago, Romans used sheets to cover their window openings?
Today, this is considered to be an origin and inspiration for modern Roman blinds.
Back then, these sheets were used as a necessity, rather than a decoration. They were a practical solution to block the hot Mediterranean sun and prevent the dust from Roman roads getting into the buildings.
Romans also noticed that when these sheets were hung wet, they worked like a cooling system. There are a few rules for this to work effectively, you can check it online, but the most important part is to have the air-flow in the space, so that a hot air has somewhere to escape.
This is definitely something that might become useful again, as we experience more heat, even in Britain.
I am definitely not saying you should dampen your decorative Roman blinds!
I spoke about this with a friend recently and got inspired to create this post with different Roman blinds I made over the years.
If you scroll all the way to the end, you will see my favourite blind.
1. Fitted inside of a recess, close to the window, with standard folds. This worked well because blind was not too bulky and fitted nicely closer to the window.
2. Fitted inside of a recess, close to the front of the recess and away from the window, with standard folds. This blind was interlined and long, so it was bulky when fully lifted and needed more space for the fabric to hung under the headrail, so it was fitted further away from the window.
3. Sheer unlined blind, fitted outside of the recess, with standard folds. This window opens inwards.
4. Sheer unlined blinds for a bay window, fitted as part of double layered Roman blinds solution.
5. Sheer Roman blinds fitted underneath the lined Roman blinds, for double layered Roman blinds solution.
6. Fitted inside of a recess, with cascaded folds.
7. Fitted outside of a recess, with cascaded folds and integral return neatly covering a headrail.
8. With pom pom trim and matching window seat.
9. Bay window blinds withith contrasting trim.
10. Blind for an odd shaped trapezium (uk) window.
11. Interlined, double sided blind. One of a kind, my favourite blind 😊
