Interior Design Simplicity – Creating a Stylish Home with Roman Blinds
Until I purchased my own home, the only contact I had with interior design ideas was through home and lifestyle magazines. And after years of looking at the lovely homes of celebrities on TV, I figured I had enough knowledge and have developed a fine taste to transform my newly bought house into an inviting living space. So I decided on my starting point – the windows.
In the old apartment that I rented, I didn’t have a chance to dress up my windows as they came with pre-installed outside shutters that were quite old-fashioned and started to warp from the moisture-and-salt-rich air that comes with living near the coast. So I in this new beginning I saw a chance to add my favourite window treatment type – roman blinds.
The great thing about roman blinds is that they are very affordable and easy to maintain – all you need to do is just regularly pass go through them with a duster or a damp cloth. As some of the more versatile window coverings, roman blinds come in a variety of materials and designs that can easily match any decor. Mine are in a beautiful beige colour that wonderfully accentuates the elegant contemporary interior.
Because I like to take matters in my own hands (and save a few dollars along the way), I decided to go with a DIY installation, which also involved measuring roman blinds by myself. I was initially worried about this since I’m bad with numbers, but today you can find all sorts of detailed instructions on the internet, so I quickly became more confident to get down to business.
Like most window treatments, roman blinds can fit both inside or over a window frame. How you’ll fit yours is all up to your personal taste and the room’s design. Outside mounts are usually installed a few centimetres over the window frame which allows them to cover up imperfections and visually increase the size and impact of the windows. However, if you have gorgeous window frames that you want to show off, choosing an inside mount helps highlight their features and creates a clean, tailored look.
There’s a slight difference when measuring roman blinds for both mounts. If you’re measuring for an inside mount, start by determining the exact opening width at the top, centre, and bottom of the window. The three numbers you get might vary, so record the longest measurement. Some blind manufacturers might deduct a few millimetres from the width on each side for clearance, so make sure that you are clear whether you want any deductions or not.
Outside mounts usually start at least 6cm on each side of the window opening, completely covering the frame. In this case, the measurement for the width of the blinds should also account for the height the blind rail is installed at. After taking this measurement, add a minimum of 5 cm to ensure there’s enough space for the mounting brackets above the opening.
