Roller Shades

Roller shades earn their spot as a designer and homeowner favorite by doing a lot with a very simple design. Here is why people keep choosing them:

• Minimalist design: A single panel of fabric wraps neatly around a tube at the top of the window, so the shade looks clean and uncluttered whether it is raised or lowered.
• Easy maintenance: The flat fabric surface wipes clean and dusts easily, which makes roller shades low effort to keep looking fresh in busy households.
• Privacy on your terms: Lowered, roller shades give you real privacy, and the fabric you pick sets exactly how much light and visibility you keep.
• Cordless and motorized options: Choose a cord-free lift for a safer, cleaner look, or motorization for hands-free control on hard-to-reach windows.
• Blackout and light filtering: The same style comes in sheer light-filtering fabrics that glow with daylight and full blackout fabrics that darken a room for sleep or screens.

That range means one shade style can solve very different problems from room to room. Browse the fabric and opacity choices to see how a roller shade fits your space.

These unique pull down shades get their name from the way that they are designed and operate. Essentially a piece of fabric is attached to a tube; when the tube is rotated, the fabric "rolls" up onto the shade. Roller shades have been around for decades, but modern shades raise and lower smoothly and feature a wide range of fabrics, colors, and styles to choose from. No wonder they are favorites among designers and homeowners alike.

All roll up shades block light to some degree. Depending on how much light you want in the room, you have two options:

• Light-filtering roller shades allow some light to filter into the room, creating a soft, diffused light that provides a warm, inviting quality while preventing glare and providing privacy.
• Blackout roller shades block most light to keep the room as dark as possible, perfect for bedrooms, media rooms, and other locations you want to keep as light-free as possible. Look for completely blackout fabric roller shades, or vinyl roller shades for maximum room darkening.

The best roller shade for a room depends on how much light you want to keep out and what the space is used for. This quick guide matches common rooms to the fabric type that tends to work best.

Use these as starting points rather than strict rules. If a bedroom doubles as a home office, for example, you might prioritize blackout for sleep and add a light-filtering shade on a second window. Browse the full range of roller shade fabrics to find the right balance for each room.

Deciding on a new window treatment can seem daunting, but our simplified product assortment is easy to navigate. Here’s what to look for when browsing our roller shades:  

• Our shades styles are organized by the opacity of the fabric, so first think about whether you want a light-filtering shade for privacy and basic light control, or a blackout shade for a room-darkening effect
• Next decide what colors from our roller shades assortment might fit your room’s decor
• Then pick the product that has the features and style to make your perfect shade

Choosing the right roller shade is easiest when you take it one decision at a time, in this order:

• Light control: Decide whether you want a light-filtering shade for privacy and basic light control, or a blackout shade for a room-darkening effect. This single choice drives most of the others.
• Material: Fabric roller shades give you the widest range of colors, textures, and opacities, while vinyl and moisture-resistant materials make more sense in kitchens, bathrooms, and other damp spaces.
• Lift type: Cordless lift gives the cleanest look and is safer for homes with children and pets, while motorized lift adds remote or app control that is ideal for large or hard-to-reach windows.
• Mount type: An inside mount sits inside the window frame for a trim, built-in look, and an outside mount covers the frame to block more light and make a window appear larger.
• Cassette valance options: Finish the top of the shade by concealing the roller tube for a clean edge, or leave it exposed for a more minimal look.

Roller shades offer three different lift system options for you to choose from—cordless, motorized, and corded:

• Corded roller shades use a looped chain or cord loop – pulling the chain hand-over-hand lowers or raises the shade. This style can be useful for taller windows where a cordless shade might be difficult to reach.
• Cordless roller shades are child-safe configurations that have mechanisms inside the shade that hold it in place until pulled on. Spring roller style shades just need a slight tug to release and then can be raised up; another tug resets the tension to hold the shade in place. More premium cordless shades can be simply pushed or pulled into place without any special manipulating.
• Motorized roller shades have a rechargeable battery-powered motor inside to raise and lower shades via remote control for ultra-convenient operation – an especially good option for hard-to-reach windows and to operate multiple shades at once.

Where you mount a roller shade affects how it looks, how much light it blocks, and how it installs. This comparison helps you decide.

If your top priority is darkness, an outside mount is usually the better choice because it reduces the light gaps that inside-mounted shades leave along the edges. If you love the look of your window trim and have the depth for it, an inside mount gives that clean built-in appearance.

There are several other features on roller window shades you can customize. These features let you get the most benefit out of your new roll up blind.  

• By default, roller shades will include just the fabric on the tube. This means that the mounting brackets will be visible and there will be a small gap at the top since the fabric roll will not be flush with the top of the window casing. You can upgrade to a cassette valance or fascia to cover the brackets and roller tube, provide a finished look, and close the gap at the top of the window.
• You can also specify which direction the fabric will roll down from the top of the shade. We recommend the standard roll for most windows. This means the fabric will come off the back of the roll and sit closer to the window. This provides better light blocking and overall fit in the window. You should consider the reverse roll if you have window cranks or protruding latches in your window to help avoid these obstacles.

Order free swatches from Blindster to make choosing the right roller blinds for your windows easier. Nothing beats seeing what a roller blind's color and materials look like in the room where you’re planning to install your new roller shades.  

Blindster also offers financing options to help you complete your window treatment projects cost-efficiently. So browse our selection of roller shades today and find the right window coverings for your next project. 

If you already know your top priority, this matrix points you to the right roller shade quickly.

Explore the fabric and lift options to match your top priority, then order free samples to confirm the color and opacity in your own space.

Roller shades are versatile, but other treatments have their own strengths. Here is how roller shades compare to a few popular alternatives.

Many homes mix and match, using roller shades where a clean look matters and other treatments where insulation, decoration, or view retention takes priority. Browse the roller shade collection to see where it fits your rooms.

Yes, roller shades are energy efficient. They help control light and block out heat, making roller shades a cost-effective solution for reducing energy bills.

Yes, they are. Roller shades and blinds can soften the light or block it completely, depending on the fabric style.

To install roller shades, first measure the width and height of your window frame for a precise fit. Once measured, use the mounting brackets included with your shades to secure them to the wall or frame, then attach the roller shade to the brackets.

To measure for custom roller shades, start by deciding on an inside or outside mount. For an inside mount, measure the width and height inside the window frame to ensure a snug fit. For outside-mount roller shades, measure the area you want to cover beyond the window frame to block out light gaps.

Cleaning roller shades is simple. Use a vacuum with a brush attachment to gently remove dust, maintaining the clean lines of the fabric. A slightly damp cloth can spot clean stains or marks for deeper cleaning, but avoid soaking the fabric. Regular maintenance will keep your shades looking fresh and functional.

Custom roller shades offer a wide spectrum of choices in colors and fabrics, making them ideal for any room, from kitchens to nurseries and living rooms. You can select designs that match your home decor, creating a sleek, customized look that fits your house perfectly.

Room-darkening roller shades block most incoming light but may let a small amount through the fabric and around the edges, leaving a dim, shadowed room. Blackout roller shades use an opaque fabric that blocks as much light as possible through the material itself. For the darkest result, pair a blackout fabric with an outside mount to reduce light gaps along the sides.

Yes, roller shades provide good daytime and nighttime privacy. Note that interior lights may create vague shadows against light-filtering shades when objects are very close to the shade, but do not allow view-through.

Yes. Roller shades are available with ​motorized lift, letting you raise and lower them with a remote, wall switch, or smart home app. Motorization is especially useful for large, heavy shades and for windows that are hard to reach.

Blackout roller shades are the best choice for bedrooms because they block the most light for better sleep. Choosing an outside mount further reduces light leakage around the edges. For a bedroom that doubles as a workspace, some homeowners add a light-filtering shade on a second window for daytime brightness.

Solar shades are a type of roller shade made with an open-weave screen fabric that cuts glare and UV while preserving your view to the outside. Standard roller shades use more opaque fabrics that offer greater privacy and, in blackout versions, room darkening. Choose solar shades to keep the view and reduce glare, and standard roller shades for more privacy and light blocking.

Yes. ​Cordless roller shades remove the exposed pull cords that can pose a hazard to young children and pets, which makes them a safer choice for family homes. They also give the shade a cleaner, uncluttered look.

Yes. Every roller shade order is backed by Blindster's Fit-or-Free® Guarantee — if your roller shades don't fit due to a measuring mistake, we'll remake them for free. You're also covered by our 60-Day Satisfaction Guarantee, giving you 60 days from purchase to be sure your roller shades are right for your home. Full terms are available at blindster.com/policies.

Yes. Blindster offers PayPal Pay Later on roller shades and other window treatments, including a Pay in 4 interest-free installment option and a Pay Monthly option, so you can spread the cost of your order at checkout.