Roman shades, yay or nay?

[Anonymous]

I am looking for window coverings for our living room.

I like things the simpler the better!

So I would love to be able to get away with an all-in-one window treatment.

Roman shades look nice in the decorating photos I've seen, but does anyone here have first hand experience with them?

Could I use just those with nothing else?
Do they provide complete privacy when closed?

another option: wooden blinds. but can they be used as a stand-alone window covering?
I appreciate any opinions or experiences, thanks!

[Anonymous]

My problem with roman shades is that they look best when they are at least 1/3 to 1/2 down. So it makes the room dark. We have them in bedrooms that aren't used during the day and they are fine in there.

[Anonymous]

We love wooden blinds as a stand-alone window covering in our bedroom. Just make sure you get nice ones. In the family room, we have blinds with curtains pulled to the side.

[Anonymous]

I like the look and have several but I hate that they have to either be up or down (or half way). With blinds you can open them a bit to get some light in while still having privacy. I think in spots like the window above your kitchen sink they look great but I'm going to stick with blinds in the next house. I love natural light but want the privacy sometimes too.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies! I definitely don't want anything that will limit light, so will look at wooden blinds.