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Roman Blinds vs Roller Blinds

Jan 13 2022

The UK is filled with properties built across the decades, which means the styles of the buildings - and their windows - can vary wildly. Even within a single home, there can be several different window sizes and styles. 

That means it’s important to get the right blinds for your property, selecting something that both suits the property style as well as the size and shape of the window. Whether you have a large bay window in the living room of your Victorian property or an opaque bathroom window in your new build, finding the perfect blinds is vital.

At Your Blinds Direct, we’re here to help - providing you with a full range of blinds in different styles and colours to suit your requirements. This month, we’re going to compare two popular styles: Roman blinds and roller blinds.

Roman blinds are recognisable for their pleated formation when raised, presenting a quilted effect, while roller blinds offer a flatter finish, simply rolling up around an inner rail or tube. Let’s take a look at the differences (and some similarities) between the two so that you can make an informed decision when choosing blinds for your home.

 

Operation

There’s little difference between these two blinds styles when it comes to their operation, since both utilise a chain or cord to lower and raise the blinds with minimal effort.

Roller blinds, however, are the slightly easier of the two to operate, since you can simply pull the chain and maintain an even level. Roman blinds, on the other hand, require just a little more attention - they should lift neatly and uniformly if installed correctly, but keep an eye on the pleating to ensure it sits in a position to your liking.

 

Daylight

Of course, when it comes to blinds, one of the key features is the ability to control how much natural light a room gets. So how do the two compare?

Naturally, since Roman blinds can be made using slightly thicker material, they’re great for blocking out light - you can even opt for a blackout lining if you want to really minimise daylight in a room. Roller blinds can be tailored using different materials too, including standard, dimout and blackout material, so the choice is completely up to you.

Thermal efficiency

If one of your main considerations is how thermally efficient your blinds are, then Roman blinds may be more suitable for you. Thanks once again to their thicker material - and the potential for additional lining - Roman blinds are better at keeping the heat in and the cold, draughty air out. 

Roller blinds tend to be made of thinner material, so are slightly less effective, although a lot can depend on the position you fit your blinds in and the type of fabric you opt for.

 

Fitting Position

While you can choose to position both of these blinds inside or outside of the recess, there are preferred fitting positions for each. Roman blinds are often preferred outside the recess to accentuate the folded pleats when raised, while roller blinds offer easy installation inside the window recess to save on space and for a neater finish.

Again, it’s up to you where you fit them and this may depend on the space you have available in a given room.

 

Are Roman blinds more expensive than roller blinds?

The simple answer is yes, Roman blinds are usually a little more expensive than roller blinds. This is due to a number of factors, not least the fact that Roman blinds often use a more luxurious material and involve a slightly more complex cord system. You can view starting prices for all the individual blinds in our range, helping you find something to suit your budget, or you can view our recent post for more guidance on the varying costs for different blinds styles.

 

Your Blinds, Your Way

 

Here at Your Blinds Direct, you can choose from a wide variety of Roman blinds and roller blinds to suit any room in your home. Plus, for that extra touch of luxury and convenience, you can explore our range of motorised accessories from leading brands such as Somfy, Eclipse and Louvolite.

Browse our range today and contact our friendly team for more information about any of the blinds in our fantastic selection.