Faux Roman Shade Tutorial Using No Hardware

This faux roman shade looks amazing! It is perfect for French doors! Perfect for an apartment when you can put any nails in the walls. This one stays neat and pretty and can bring in color to any room.

Making the faux Roman shades

Step 1- Decide how big you want your roman shade to be. Measure your window, decide if you want your shade to hang inside or a little on the outside of the window and add 1″ to each side for seams. For the length measure down the length of your window and add 2 1/2″ at the bottom for the hem and add 3″ for the header. (This all depends on how big you want your pleats to be once you fold them up)Fold each long side raw edge over 1/4″ and then fold over again 1/4" or whatever you need to your specifications of the width of your window. Iron and Pin.

Step 2A- Side Seams and top - Sew straight stitch all the way down on each side seams first. Step 2B -Top Edge- Fold raw edge down 1/4" and then fold again about 2 to 2 1/2" pin in place, iron and sew across. This pocket allows that opening to hold a spring rod if you are going to hang this inside a window. If you are going to hang with without hardware on a French door it just finished it off nicely.

Step 3- Hem, Fold up the raw edge of the hem 1/4" and then approx. 2". Pin in place and Iron so it is nice and flat. Sew straight seam across to finish hem.

Step 3- The Pleats- Fold up the fabric to make “pleats” to the size you want and how long you want the shade to hang. We just played with the fabric to see what we liked.Fold and pin and turn the shade around to see if you like the amount of pleat that shows. Maybe you would like smaller pleats and more of them or larger pleats and fewer of them.These two pleats measured close to 2″ we think that looks good.

Tip- If your windows are all lined up and somewhat connected…Make sure all your Roman shades end up the same length or it will look funky.

Once you have your pleats figured out, pin in place and iron across. Sew down each side to secure the pleats.

Step 5- Minimal hand sewing (if needed)Depending on the weight of your fabric and the width you might need to add a few running stitches to keep the pleats from drooping. I sewed a running stitch up three separate lines on the back. I just catch a little bit of fabric each time just to hold them in place.

Hanging the Faux Roman Shade without hardware  THE MAGIC of Command velcro hanging strips!

Step 1- Place sticky side to the edge of trim on the door so it will hang a little bit away from the door.

Step 2- Attach another sticky strip to the backside top edge of the Roman Shade and then press into the door sticky strip! DONE!

Here are a couple of other window treatment posts you might like

  Valances Out Of Foam Board

Easy Roman Shade Tutorial

Here is the kitchen so you can see where the door is and the other decorative roman shades. The ones in the windows were made the same way but we hung them with a spring rod inside the windows. On the door you cannot hang them inside the window as there is no space for a spring rod so that is why we used velcro.