Extra Wide Roman Blinds for Large Windows: Top Tips & Ideas

 

Picture windows, wide patio doors and long banks of glass fill a home with light and make it feel bigger, so it’s no wonder they win buyers over. Dressing them is another matter: off-the-shelf blinds rarely come wide enough, and a window this size needs real privacy, light control and insulation. That’s where extra wide roman blinds come in.

At The White Window, every blind is made to your size, up to 240 cm wide and 275 cm long, and you choose the fabric, lining and trims too. Before you order roman blinds for large windows, though, it’s worth understanding the things that matter more at this scale: fabric joins, the weight of the blind, how many blinds to use, and the colours, patterns and fold styles that suit a big window.

Fabric Joins & Pattern Flow

 

The prime allure of custom roman blinds is that they can be tailored to the tee for even non-standard windows, no matter the length or width. However, with extra-wide roman blinds, one should expect to see vertical joining seams as multiple fabric bolts have to be joined to attain the desired width. This is because our drapery-weight fabrics come in 137 cm-wide bolts, so any roman blind wider than about 125 cm needs two or more widths sewn together. 

Fabric joins in extra-wide roman blinds are a standard industry practice and, depending on the fabric, their visibility may be discreet or slightly more prominent. For instance, seams might be more conspicuous on a lustrous plain fabric, but flawlessly blend into the patterns of a matte finish roman blind. Similarly, a white sheer roman blind will show any seams more visibly than a darker-toned, medium-weight fabric roman blind. Rest assured, our team of seamstresses do their very best to offer a clean seamless transition and align patterns flawlessly, making the seams as discreet as possible.

Good to know: Some printed fabrics, such as plaids, may not align perfectly because these prints often carry minor asymmetries from the printing process. While we assure you of the best efforts from our meticulous tailors, in rare cases, clients should expect to see minor mismatches when choosing patterns that feature horizontal stripes.

Weight of the Blind

 

The overall weight of a roman blind depends on the weight of the chosen fabric and lining. Extra-wide blinds for large windows tend to be heavier than standard-size blinds for obvious reasons, and more so if the face fabric is heavy and the blind is further lined with blackout lining. This excessive weight may take a toll on the support hardware and compromise the longevity of the blind in the long run, so we do not offer blinds wider than 240 cm. 

Further, to maximise the life of a large blind and ensure smooth operation, clients can choose a medium or lightweight fabric to keep weight to a minimum. However, if you fall for a heavy face fabric, you can still keep the weight in check by skipping the lining or choosing privacy lining over blackout. The other option is, of course, to go for multiple blinds, instead of one - and that takes us to the next point.

Number of Blinds

 

While the need for extra-wide blinds may have brought you to us today, they are not the only option for extra-large windows. You can also consider hanging multiple blinds in narrower widths if that complements your taste and functional requirements. These are some thoughts to be kept in mind when deciding between one and more than one -

• The sweeping coverage of a single blind is desirable for draught-proofing the window. Aesthetically, it also helps to visually define a window bank as one unit, elevating the appeal of the entire space. When the blind is folded up, it also tends to look like a decorative valance, which would have not been the case with multiple panels. However, if the roman blind is too heavy, you can expect it to understandably wear over a period.

• Multiple roman blinds offer versatility for light control and privacy. You can keep one blind open to let in light and air while keeping all others closed, whereas, a single blind would leave you with just two choices between all or nothing. However, on the flip side, this arrangement would require more work to fold up each panel individually when you want the full benefit of the view and light. Lastly, multiple panels often are not as cost-effective as single blinds.

Depending on your preferences for flexibility of light control, budget and aesthetic appeal, you can determine the number of panels to go for. 

Palette & Pattern

 

Large window roman blinds occupy considerable optical estate in the room, calling for a keen consideration of the palette and pattern. This means that, whatever the pattern and palette of the roman blind, it will very likely take the lead in your design narrative. So a plain neutral extra-large roman blind that matches the wall colour will help script the unadorned aesthetic of a hardcore minimalistic home. While a personality-loving maximalist home will be best complemented by an attention-garnering scrumptious-coloured, often patterned, roman blind. Further, not just the decor style or design intent, the proportionality of size of the roman blind to the scale of the room also matters. 

Therefore, to make the most of the generous scale of a large roman blind while endorsing your decor style and maintaining a visual balance, here are our top suggestions:

• For an extra-wide roman blind in a large room, consider the boldness of the palette and pattern carefully. Mild colours, low contrast patterns, and small and medium-sized patterns may get visually lost in the large frame of an expansive room. Whereas, if you introduce a dramatic colour or amp up the scale of the pattern, you will have created a focal point without overwhelming the room. Besides, you do not have to worry about a large pattern being cut off abruptly, as you might with a small-size roman blind. So, if you wish to create a focal point in your design, go for a compelling pattern and/or colour scheme, as the scale of the room will assuredly complement it.

• For an extra-wide large roman blind in a small room, be wary of introducing extra-large motifs, or patterns with stark contrast and loud colours as they can overpower the space and disturb the visual harmony of the room. Here, it is better to notch down the scale, palette and contrast level to maintain a visual balance in the room. Besides, if there already is a focal point in the room, you will be making sure that the roman blind does not compete with it for attention.

In summary, extra-wide roman blinds give you the rare advantage of a grandiose canvas to make an impressive visual feat as opposed to small windows that leave you at a constraint to choose small or medium-scaled patterns to not look out of sync with the size of the window. However, whether you want your roman blind to feature a compelling palette or pattern should also be informed by the scale of the room and other focal elements already in the setting.

Fold Style

 

The White Window offers roman blinds in three popular fold styles, catering to different aesthetic sensibilities - the back-slatted flat fold style, the front-slatted plain fold style and the relaxed/European style. You can read about each in detail in our Roman Blinds Fold Style Guide. 

The choice of the fold style is made based on the choice of fabric and the decor style. But, over and above these aspects, when it comes to extra-wide roman blinds for large windows, there are some more considerations to be made -

• The Back-Slatted Flat Fold Style offers a clean uninterrupted frontage and a streamlined structure that breaks into even folds. The slats sewn into the rear side provide support but remain completely out of sight. This style is, therefore, ideal for presenting patterns without the slightest visual distortion, doubling up the roman blind as a piece of wall art. It is also the hardcore minimalist’s dream - clean, chic and uncluttered. While this unadorned fold style looks great on small and medium-sized roman blinds, it may appear too stark on extra-large roman blinds featuring plain neutral hues as they will appear as nothing more than an enormous flat sheet when folded down. Instead, we recommend opting for other fold styles for plain fabrics whose structure can add visual interest and compensate for the plainness of the fabric.

• The Front-Slatted Plain Fold Style has a clean-lined squarish structure that effortlessly breaks into even-sized folds. It has pronounced contours due to its ‘ribbed’ frontage revealing the silhouettes of its supporting slats affixed to its rear side. This subtle pattern of horizontal lines greatly compensates for the lack of an alluring element on an extra-large plain roman blind. And therefore, the front slatted style is often chosen by clients who pick a plain/textured fabric. However, for patterned roman blinds, the slat lines will cause visual interruptions, somewhat distorting patterns with large motifs or scattered layouts.

• The European Relaxed Fold Style is known for its signature scalloped bottom and gently curved folds. It remains an apt choice for a space cut out for luxury, casual charm, organic shapes, rustic themes and feminine aesthetic. This style is especially suited for extra-large roman blinds as the expansive width of the roman blind and the accentuated weight enable it to form a deep swag. This soft fold style is apt for both plain and patterned fabrics.

Extra Wide Roman Blinds: FAQs

How wide can a roman blind be?

We make roman blinds up to 240 cm wide and 275 cm long. Wider than that, a blind gets too heavy to raise easily, so a bigger window is better split between two or more blinds.

At what width does a roman blind need a joining seam?

Our fabrics are 137 cm wide, so a blind wider than about 125 cm has a vertical seam. Our tailors align the pattern across it so it’s as discreet as possible.

Are wide roman blinds heavy to raise?

They’re heavier than standard blinds, especially in a heavy fabric with blackout lining. Choose a light or medium fabric, or a privacy lining instead of blackout, to keep a wide blind easy to use.

Do wide plain roman blinds look too plain?

A wide, plain back-slatted blind can look like one big flat sheet when lowered. A front-slatted blind adds subtle horizontal ribs, and a relaxed blind forms a deep, soft curve that suits a wide window.

What pattern size suits a large roman blind?

In a large room, a bold colour or a large-scale pattern makes a confident focal point. In a small room with a large window, scale down the pattern and the contrast so the blind doesn’t overwhelm the space.

How do you dress a window wider than 240 cm?

Use two or more blinds side by side, ideally meeting where the window frame divides the panes. Order blinds of the same size together and our tailors match the pattern across them.

Can you raise just part of a wide window?

Only with more than one blind. A single wide blind is all or nothing, while several narrower blinds let you open one for light and air and keep the rest down.

Shop Extra Wide Roman Blinds for Large Windows at The White Window

 

A wide window that frames a panoramic view of the cityscape or a teeming garden is what many homeowners desire to make their homes bright and stress-free. Adding a thoughtful window treatment to it improves the functionality of the space, enabling you to let light in at your will. Besides, being able to incorporate colour and pattern into the room only helps to give a rich personality to the home. So, an extra-wide roman blind is the wisest addition you can make to top up the aesthetic as well as functionality of the space. Why wait, then? Visit our catalogue, where more than 2,500 premium fabrics are waiting to drench your massive windows in colour and character. From the plush velvets and delicate silks to the breezy linens and casual cottons - find a piece that will speak to your decor style at The White Window today! Every blind is handcrafted by artisans in India and delivered with all its hardware, ready to mount. If you need help, email us at info@thewhitewindowblinds.co.uk. And if you’d prefer curtains for a large window, our sister store, The White Window Curtains, has a guide to extra wide curtains.

 

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