Roman shades are oblong shaped pieces of material that are designed to be lowered and raised in folds of equal size. The construction is a combination of rings, drawstrings and poles that span the width of the blind. When totally extended, the blind is usually flat, although some designs have small folds around the area of the poles. The blind is suspended from a panel which is fixed to the top of the window frame, or the wall above the window.

It is possible to add a lining to roman blinds, both for increased insulation in cold weather, and to add privacy. Being a single piece of fabric these style blinds can be quite transparent when the interior lights are on, unless they are well lined. The lining also makes them heavier and can therefore make them hang better.