Custom Roman Shades for New York City Homes
Tailored fabric shades, cut and sewn in our Manhattan workroom and installed by our own team.
Tailored Light Control, Made to Measure
A Roman shade gives a window the softness of fabric with the clean lines of a shade. It folds up neatly when raised and lies flat when lowered, so it works where full drapery would crowd a room: kitchens, stair halls, bathrooms, windows beside built-ins and tight recesses.
Rafael Interiors designs, fabricates and installs custom Roman shades for Manhattan apartments, townhouses and homes across the New York area. Every shade is measured on site and made to fit its window exactly.
Roman Shade Styles
Flat Roman shades: a smooth, unadorned face when lowered, folding into a neat, clean stack when raised. The best showcase for patterned fabrics.
Aventura Roman shades: rods sewn in pockets across the front of the shade every six to seven inches, giving a linear, grid-like face inspired by Japanese shoji screens.
Cascade Roman shades: crisp horizontal folds, held by rods stitched to the back, that overlap down the face like a waterfall.
Double Roman shades: rod pockets on both the front and the back in an alternating pattern, for a tailored, structured face and especially striking folds when raised.
Unconstructed Roman shades: soft, relaxed shades whose folds hang in a gentle curve, longer in the middle, for a casual, lived-in look.
Balloon shades: generous fabric that billows into soft poufs, full when lowered and softly gathered when raised. A traditional choice for formal rooms.
Fabrics and Linings
We work with linens, sheers, wovens, silks and patterned fabrics from Romo, Kravet, Lee Jofa, Zinc, Mark Alexander and other trade mills. Lining is chosen for the room:
Unlined: the fabric alone. Sheers and open linens glow with daylight and keep the view.
Light-filtering lining: a cotton or sateen lining that softens sun, protects the face fabric from fading and gives the shade a finished back.
Privacy lining: blocks views in at night while still letting daylight through.
Dim-out lining: cuts most light for rooms that need to be dark but not black.
Blackout lining: blocks light through the fabric for bedrooms, nurseries and media rooms. An outside mount or side channels reduces light at the edges.
Thermal lining: insulates drafty windows and reduces heat gain on sunny exposures.
Interlining: a flannel layer between face and lining that adds body and insulation and helps silks and heavier fabrics fold well.
Motorized Roman Shades
Any of our Roman shades can be motorized with Somfy or Lutron motors, raised and lowered by remote, wall keypad, app, voice or schedule. Motors are battery-powered or hardwired, and they connect to Control4, Crestron and other smart-home systems. Flat, cascade, Aventura and double Roman shades motorize best; unconstructed and balloon shades are usually operated by hand, since their folds are dressed after raising.
Motorization makes the most sense for stair halls, double-height and hard-to-reach windows, and rooms with many shades that should move together. See Motorized Shades for more on automation.
Made in Our Manhattan Workroom
Every shade is cut, sewn and assembled in our own workroom, not sent out. That lets us match patterns across a run of windows, keep folds even from shade to shade, and coordinate Roman shades with drapery or upholstery in the same room. See our workroom.
Measurement and Installation
We measure each window in person and recommend inside or outside mount based on depth, trim and how the shade should stack. Our own installers hang every shade, level it and check its operation before we leave.
Where Roman Shades Work Best
Kitchens and breakfast rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, stair halls and tall windows, home offices, and windows beside cabinetry or radiators where drapery won't fit. Roman shades also pair well under drapery for layered light control.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a flat and a cascade Roman shade?
A flat Roman lies smooth when lowered and stacks into neat folds when raised. A cascade Roman keeps soft, layered folds down its face even when fully lowered.
Can Roman shades block out light completely?
With a blackout lining they block most light. Some light can show at the edges of an inside-mounted shade; an outside mount reduces that.
Can you make Roman shades from my own fabric?
Yes. We can fabricate from fabric you or your designer supply, after checking that it will fold and hang well.
Can Roman shades be motorized?
Yes, with Somfy or Lutron motors, and they can connect to Control4, Crestron and other smart-home systems.
Do you match patterns across several windows?
Yes. We plan the cut so the pattern lines up across a run of windows and sits centered on each shade.
Do you work with interior designers and architects?
Yes. We fabricate to designers' specifications and coordinate site measurement and installation with their schedules.
Do you install outside Manhattan?
Yes. We install throughout New York City and the surrounding area.
Schedule Your Roman Shade Consultation
We'll measure your windows, bring fabric and lining samples, and recommend the right style for each room. Call (212) 337-3200 or book a consultation online.