A roller shade is a long sheet of fabric mounted on a tube. Mechanisms hidden within the tube allow the shade to be lifted and lowered in a controlled manner. It is among the simplest of all window treatments to operate. And, it’s one of the most popular. Roller shades can work in just about any window.
Much of the roller shade’s popularity comes from its fabrics. Bali offers a huge selection of roller shade fabrics. You’ll find colors, textures, and designs for nearly every room and décor.
Bali has been making high-quality roller shades for generations. Here’s a quick rundown of what makes a roller shades so simple, easy, and versatile.
![Bali roller shades on windows in a living room.](https://embed.widencdn.net/img/springswindowfashions/ismjxdp0yy/600x400px/bali-26001-roller-shades-rs22-v1.webp?crop=true&keep=c&color=ffffffff&u=sepr1w)
How Do Roller Shades Work?
A roller shade is just that: a roller and a shade. The shade is simply a specially treated and carefully trimmed piece of fabric that is then mounted to the roller tube. All the mechanical devices that control that shade are placed inside that tube. So, if you have a cordless shade, you’ll find all the springs, levers, and devices that control that cordless action inside the tube. The same goes for a motorized roller shade—that motor is housed within the tube.
The fact that all the mechanical devices are located within the tube means that you have very few things to distract from the beauty of the fabric. And operating a cordless roller shade is easy: just lift to raise, pull to lower. (With a motor, it’s just a touch of a button or tap of a screen.)
![Bali roller shades on windows in a bedroom.](https://embed.widencdn.net/img/springswindowfashions/1ip315iske/600x400px/bali-16304-roller-shades-rs20-v1.webp?crop=true&keep=c&color=ffffffff&u=sepr1w)
Light Control & Privacy
Roller shades excel in providing light control and privacy. For a shade that presents a delicate, elegant look, choose a sheer fabric. For more light control, choose a light filtering shade or a room darkening shade. And for the ultimate light control, choose a blackout shade. And while not as effective at insulating as a Bali Cellular Shade, a roller shade can improve the energy efficiency of your home by blocking some of the heat or cold at the window.
![Laydown image of Bali roller shade fabrics.](https://embed.widencdn.net/img/springswindowfashions/vpzwyhgju1/600x400px/Bali-november-trend-ed23-v1.webp?crop=true&keep=c&color=ffffffff&u=sepr1w)
Choose From a Variety of Roller Shade Fabrics
Because of the broad range of available roller-shade fabrics, you’ll have no trouble finding a shade that meets your needs. Choose from an array of colors, including an assortment of neutral tones that go beautifully with modern and minimalist décor. Or, find more traditional patterns that fit well with coastal, farmhouse, or craftsmen design schemes.
See the whole line of fabrics and order swatches.
Choosing the Right Roller Shades for Your Home
Roller shades are best suited to the living room, dining room, bedroom, and home office. In fact, because roller shades come in sheer, blackout, and everything in between, there are few places in the home that wouldn’t be suitable for a roller shade.
The two most common places you’ll find roller shades are the bedroom and the living room. The bounty of fabric options makes roller shades the go-to shades for these rooms—places in the home where color coordination is often especially important to the homeowner.
Simple Shades Made Even Simpler
We discussed how the roller shade design looks sleek and is easy to use. There are two options that take this simple shade to the highest level of simplicity: cordless lift and motorization.
![Bali cordless roller shades on windows in a bedroom.](https://embed.widencdn.net/img/springswindowfashions/gkrvesrnps/600x400px/bali-14815-roller-shades-rs20-v4.webp?crop=true&keep=c&color=ffffffff&u=sepr1w)
A cordless lift shade lets you raise and lower your shade with a simple lift or pull of the hem bar. Bali offers cordless options that are astonishingly smooth and quiet. Roller shades equipped with the EasyTouch cordless lift system are whisper quiet and ultra-smooth. You have to try them to believe them.
![Person controlling motorized roller shades with their phone.](https://embed.widencdn.net/img/springswindowfashions/6nvq4tlpd0/600x400px/bali-design-blog-motorized-v2.webp?crop=true&keep=c&color=ffffffff&u=sepr1w)
Motorization takes things to another level. With a motorized roller shade, a mere touch or a button on a remote control or the tap of a phone screen or tablet screen allows you to lift and lower your shades.
Learn more about Bali’s motorization options.
Ready to Get Started?
Here’s a checklist for picking the perfect roller shade:
What level of light control do you need?
Roller shades come in sheer, light filtering, room darkening, and blackout fabrics. Need total lights-out for a great night’s sleep? Choose a blackout fabric. Looking for gently filtered light in a dining room? Choose a sheer or light filtering fabric.
What’s your style?
Are you going for a modern look? Choose one of the roller shade collection’s many warm neutrals. Is your room full of antique woodwork and classic finishings? Choose one of the many traditional colors and patterns.
Who’s going to be operating the shades?
If you’re the only one who’s going to operating the shades and you can reach as high as the shade needs to go, a cordless roller shade could be right for you. But, if there are people in your home who cannot reach as high as the shade needs to go—or if you’re just looking for extra convenience, consider motorized shades. A motorized shade can be operated with a remote control or can be integrated into a smart home system. It works smoothly, and you’ll find yourself more easily optimizing your home’s indoor climate.
Will you use inside or outside mount?
Inside mount shades are mounted inside the window frame or case. Outside mount shades are mounted over the window frame or case. An inside mount is a cleaner look, but outside mount can also look great. Most people choose inside mount for their shade, but outside mount might be necessary if the window frame or case isn’t deep enough to mount a shade.
See what inside and outside mount shades look like on your own windows by using the Bali Visualizer.
Installation and Maintenance Are Simple, Too
Installing a Bali Roller Shade is simple. The process involves installing brackets and then simply mounting the roller. Check out the Bali How to Center for instructions on measuring for and installing your roller shades.
Cleaning a roller shade is a breeze. The best method is to simply include your shades in your regular vacuuming routine. Use the upholstery brush and lightly vacuum up any dust. It’s that simple. Regularly dusted or vacuumed roller shades can have a long, worry free life.
If you want a window treatment that is simple, easy, and gives you countless options, you need to consider roller shades. Bali’s version of this perennial favorite are among the smoothest, easiest to use window treatments available today. Check out all the roller-shade options and discover all the ways that roller shades can solve your light control, privacy, and style challenges. You’ll be surprised that the solution could be so simple.