Pleated Shades

The beauty of using pleated shades in your home décor is their unobtrusiveness.  Generally they are lightweight and translucent, so if you want it to appear as though you have no window treatment at all or if you trying to achieve a modern, minimalist décor they are exactly what you need. However, pleated shades can be used in combination with heavy drapery or other more traditional window treatments to lend your window a subtle grace and soften the light coming through it.

Pleated shades are often confused with Roman shades. Both pleated shades and Roman shades open up rather than to the side, and hang with a graceful curve. However, unlike pleated shades, Roman shades usually contain wooden slats within lightweight fabric window coverings. With pleated shades, the fabric is creased at the factory and retains it shape throughout its lifetime. The lack of wood slats in pleated shades means the whole window treatment is lighter, and it causes the shades to have a softer, more graceful hang than Roman shades. Consequently, pleated shades are a little more clean and modern-looking than Roman shades.

Pleated shades are often made with translucent fabrics so that they let ample amounts of soft, natural light into your home even when closed. This makes pleated shades an ideal window treatment in small spaces or over small windows. Additionally, pleated shades take up less space than regular shades or blinds when open so more window is exposed and more light is let in, giving the illusion of a larger window and a larger space. To further enhance the illusion, hang floor-length curtains over the pleated shades. The curtains visually lengthen the window, and the contrast of clean vertical and horizontal lines is modern and striking.

Though pleated shades are often lightweight and sheer, they can be made of any fabric of any weight and color. Pleated shades can also be made insulated for noise reduction and energy efficiency. To remain lightweight, insulated pleated shades are generally made with metallicized fabrics. Sometimes pleated shades are lined, but this is not common as the extra weight and bulk of the lining can destroy the gentle lines of the shade when it hangs open.

Pleated shades make tasteful, elegant window treatments because they are lightweight, sheer and compact. They allow maximum natural light when open, and allow for a great deal of softened natural light even when closed. Pleated shades are also versatile in that they can stand alone in a modern décor or they can add subtle grace and soft light to a more traditional décor. You should not overlook pleated shades when considering window treatments for your home.