Window shades are the simplest covering for windows. They are always fitted into the frame of the window, exposing all the face of the frame. They can be designed to draw down or pull up. Window shades are used alone or with curtains. They can be mounted inside or outside the window frame.
Shades can be made of several materials to suit functional and aesthetic needs. Plastic and fabric shades, plain, textured, or patterned, are possible and they may be used as matching or contrasting color components. Window shades should be seen conceptually as retractable planes, either translucent or opaque.
A Roman shade has horizontal rods or pleats from which the shade raises into a series of soft folds or pleats. A Roman shade hangs flat when lowered and is made with a system of cords and rings to control the pleats or folds (Fig.9.2).
A roller shade is used to block or reduce the amount of daylight in a room. Roller shades are available in vinyl or fabric material and can also be thermal lined. When not needed, the shade retracts onto a roller, making it almost invisible. Roller shades are practical, as they are easily adjusted to give privacy or to exclude light. As a rule, it is well to have roller shades light in color, preferably lighter than the wall or wood work
A rod pocket or cased heading is the easiest and most common heading. It features a casing or tunnel created by two parallel rows of stitching at (or near) the top of the curtain, through which the curtain rod is inserted.
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