Types of Motorized Roman Shades: What Are Your Options?

Roman shades have long been a popular choice for homeowners who prefer the softness of fabric over traditional blinds. With motorization, they become even more practical, allowing you to adjust light and privacy without manually raising or lowering the shade. But while the convenience is similar across models, the way the fabric folds, hangs, and stacks can make a noticeable difference in the finished look.

At Glamour Decorating Blinds & Shades of NYC, we create custom Roman shades in our Brooklyn workroom and equip them with Somfy motorization systems. Choosing the right style involves more than appearance, since fabric weight, fold construction, and window dimensions all influence how the shade operates.

Below, we’ll explore the main types of motorized Roman shades, their defining characteristics, and what to consider when selecting one for your NYC home.

What types of motorized Roman shades are there?

Roman shades come in three main styles, which are flat fold, hobbled, and relaxed, and each one moves a little differently once it’s motorized. The idea that you can only motorize minimal roller options is a debunked myth about motorized window treatments, though fabric window blinds like these do bring some extra complexity.

A Roman shade rises by gathering its fabric into folds, and with motorization, a motor in the headrail does that lifting for you. The style you choose decides how much fabric the motor has to carry and how much space the raised shade takes up at the top of the window.

Here’s how each style looks and how it behaves once a motor is doing the lifting: 

Flat fold Roman shades

The cleanest of the three, flat fold shades hang completely smooth when lowered and gathers into crisp, even folds as it rises. The fabric is flat and light, so the motor lifts it easily and the folds stack the same way every time.

That consistency matters most with motorized Roman shades on a daily schedule, or when several shades along one wall move together and need to stop at the same height.

Hobbled Roman shades

Hobbled, also called soft fold or waterfall shades, keep their folds even when fully lowered. The fabric falls down the window in a series of rounded loops, which gives the shade a softer, more traditional look.

All those loops add fabric, and the shade gets heavier the taller the window is. With Somfy motorized shades, the motor gets sized for that extra weight, and the deeper stack at the top needs room above the glass.

Relaxed Roman shades

Relaxed shades, sometimes called European style, have a gentle curve along the bottom edge. In weight, they sit between flat fold and hobbled. They suit bedrooms and living rooms that call for a more casual feel.

Liner choices

Every fold style takes a liner, and the liner affects both the light and the load on the motor:

• Light-filtering: Softens daylight and adds little weight
• Privacy: Blocks the view in from outside without darkening the room fully
• Blackout: Darkens bedrooms and media rooms completely, and adds weight the motor has to carry

Which Roman shade style works best with a motor?

Flat fold shades work best with a motor in most rooms because they’re the lightest and stack the most evenly. Hobbled and relaxed styles still run smoothly when the motor is matched to the shade, and they’re the better pick where a softer look matters more.

Getting that match right is what keeps a shade quiet and long-lasting. From there, the room usually points to the style:

• Bedrooms: Flat fold or relaxed with a blackout liner, set to close at night and open in the morning
• Living rooms: Hobbled or relaxed, where the softer folds carry more of the look
• Wide windows and window walls: Flat fold, so a row of shades stacks evenly at the same height
• Street-facing rooms: Any fold with a privacy liner, timed to close at dusk

At Glamour Decorating, we size each motor to the finished shade, and our Somfy motorized shades come with a five-year warranty on motors and controls.

Where can I find the best Roman motorized shades in NYC?

Glamour Decorating of NYC has been making and installing custom window treatments across the city for more than thirty years. Our custom Roman shades are sewn in our Brooklyn workroom and installed by our own team, and we’ve completed more than 1,500 projects along the way.

We bring fabric and liner samples to your home, measure each window on site, and help you pick the fold style that suits the room. From brownstones near Prospect Park to high-rise apartments across the city, we handle every step through to setting up the remote and app for your Somfy motorized shades.

Request a quote, and we’ll help you choose the right fold for your windows.