What are Roman Blinds?
What are Roman blinds and how many finishes do they come in? There are a few options on roman blinds from different stacks and linings. Borders added, trim added, electric, manual, internal, external. You name it you can have it.

Line drawing of roman blind with a border. You can also have trims on the bottom edge such as pom pom’s, tassels or beading

On a cascade roman blind the folds of fabric cascade underneath the top fold creating a soft layered effect.

Line drawing of a stacked roman blind, folds are neatly stacked behind each other to allow more light into the room.
Should I have hand stitched Roman blinds or machine stitched Roman Blinds?
The answer to this will depend on location, style and budget. If you want to put blinds into a location that will be used by lots of different people, the securest way to make blinds is by Machine. If the Roman Blind is to be a piece of art work that isn’t punctuated by rows of stitching, hand stitched with stab stitching is your answer. Of course this finish takes twice the time that a machine stitched Roman blind takes and as a result costs more. There is a lot of argument for and against both ways of making Roman Blinds, but there is no law of curtain and blind making that says one way is better than the other.

Machine finished roman blind, notice the straight machined stitch seam
Both blind types look lovely. The Machine stitched tapes are less likely to fail over the years than the hand stitched pockets as the weight stress is distributed evenly and the cords go through rot proof tapes. The rings on the back of hand stitched blinds tend to fail once the lining becomes brittle from the sun, but the upside is you don’t see the stitching from the front of the blind. When pulled up, both blinds look the same.
Can I have blackout Roman Blinds?
People frequently have Roman blinds made with blackout linings. A lot of machine stitched Roman Blinds have bonded blackout lining that gives a lovely fullness and weight to the face fabric. These will always show little bits of light through the stitch holes. If you want to eliminate the stitch holes then you may prefer your Roman Blind maker to stab stitch and hand finish your Blinds. That would produce an almost light proof Roman Blind.
What Lining should I have in my Roman blinds?
The lining that you put into your Roman Blinds is an important decision. It is the lining that gives body and protection to your Blinds. To achieve the look you are aiming for, you must always remember that Roman Blinds are made of lovely soft fabrics that can need a bit of oomph adding. Fabric doesn’t naturally hang totally flat, or pull up and down into perfect folds, hence the need for lining.
If your chosen fabrics are well structured,for example a good weight wool, you would be perfectly safe to use a Cotton lining that won’t add bulk.
Silk would be bereft without the added loft created by thick lining and interlining. Not to mention the fact that it would rot through within a couple of years due to sun damage.
Not everyone wants totally flat, crisp or bulked out Blinds. In this case, a light weight lining combined with a soft lightweight fabric can produce beautiful, light filtering, blinds. More of a sun shade than a draught blocker.
As you can see the lining choice is crucial to the final finish and long term good looks of your made to measure roman Blind.
A skilled maker will be able to advise and help you choose the right lining for the finish you are looking for.

Bespoke Cascade Roman Blind fitted inside the window reveal.