What’s the Right Way to Hang Roller Shades?
While hanging toilet paper over or under will always be a matter of personal preference, plenty of practical reasons contribute to the ways to hang roller shades. Is blocking light more important? Appearance? Here’s what to know to help you decide.
Standard Roll
The most common option is the standard roll, shown here, in which the fabric rolls back, close to the window glass. “Having it as close to the glass as possible blocks the most amount of light and affords the most privacy,” says Josh Gaudet, a design consultant with Blinds.com.
The most common option is the standard roll, shown here, in which the fabric rolls back, close to the window glass. “Having it as close to the glass as possible blocks the most amount of light and affords the most privacy,” says Josh Gaudet, a design consultant with Blinds.com.
A standard roll is recommended for small reveals, meaning the window
depth is shallow, because it gets the fabric farther inside the opening
than if the roll were reversed. “Otherwise the shade will feel like
it’s floating in the room,” says Gaudet.
The downside for a standard roll, says Gaudet, is that the roll and hardware show — a look some people don’t like.
The downside for a standard roll, says Gaudet, is that the roll and hardware show — a look some people don’t like.
If that’s the case, valances, as shown here, can hide the roll. This
offers the most finished look but definitely increases the cost. In
some cases adding a valance can double the cost of the shade, says
Gaudet. Also, valances cover up decorative molding, which may not appeal
to some homeowners.
Reverse Roll
A reverse roll means the fabric comes over the front of the roller, as shown here. You don’t see the fabric on the tube, so this creates a more finished look without the need for a valance.
Reverse rolls are also used for shades that have two different colors on each side of the fabric, says Kimi Brown of Manhattan Shade & Glass. This is the case, for example, with blackout shades that have white on one side and color on the other. For one of these blackout shades, hanging the roller standard would mean that the roller would show all white while the part of the shade that hangs down would be black.
A valance could conceal this, but again it’s an added cost and might look too fussy in a minimalist setting.
A reverse roll means the fabric comes over the front of the roller, as shown here. You don’t see the fabric on the tube, so this creates a more finished look without the need for a valance.
Reverse rolls are also used for shades that have two different colors on each side of the fabric, says Kimi Brown of Manhattan Shade & Glass. This is the case, for example, with blackout shades that have white on one side and color on the other. For one of these blackout shades, hanging the roller standard would mean that the roller would show all white while the part of the shade that hangs down would be black.
A valance could conceal this, but again it’s an added cost and might look too fussy in a minimalist setting.
The reverse roll is also
good for clearing an obstruction, like a window crank or door handle, as
seen here, because it pushes the fabric away from the glass.
If light is an issue with the reverse roll, you can add curtains on the sides.
