The playroom has to be one of my favorite spaces in our home and it isn’t even because of the decor. It’s because of all the amazing natural light that pours into the room throughout the day. And it only makes sense with it having the largest window in our home. So, you can probably understand why we didn’t want to hang blinds or cover this window in any way.

But, of course, being able to block the direct sunlight in the late afternoons and having privacy is a must. I had one thing in mind to have the best of both worlds: a linen roman shade. This will give us the privacy we need and allow for the abundance of sunlight to shine in. And, oh my, did I find one that does exactly this and more. Just take a look at this before and after:

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Alva. All opinions are 100% mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make this blog possible!

I couldn’t keep this amazing company to myself, so I partnered up with Alva to share how you can order and install custom window treatments for a few reasons: everything is done online with an easy ordering process, the install is a DIY project that anyone can do, and you can order custom window treatments to fit any window in your home.

If you’ve ever been intimidated with ordering custom window treatments, you don’t know where to start or you’re afraid you won’t know how to install them, you’ll want to stick around. I’m spilling all my tips and tricks so that you can be looking at a new roman shade in your home in no time.

Alva has plenty of window treatments to choose from but I immediately knew I wanted to go with the Cascade Roman Shade in the Belgian Linen. The design of this roman shade creates a clean look when pulled up versus having a relaxed look.

Before I took a single measurement, I ordered my free swatches to see first hand the fabric colors I had to choose from. This is another way Alva stands out from the rest! Seeing the color choices in person is so important when ordering custom window treatments.

I thought it would be easy to decide when I saw them in person but it became ten times harder because all the colors are gorgeous. I turned to my followers on Instagram and they helped me narrow it down to two: Oatmeal and Mist. I observed both colors throughout various parts of the day, what it looked like with the sunlight shining through it and how it goes with the design of the space. Both are great neutral options but I ultimately went with Mist to bring a pop of color into the space.

So the hardest part of this whole process, which isn’t hard at all, is measuring for your window treatments. You’ll first want to determine if you want an inside or outside mount. We went with in inside mount for a seamless look.

You’ll then measure your window by taking three measurements for the width (top, middle, bottom of window) and three measurements from top to bottom (left, center, right of window). Alva’s great with guiding you on how to get the best fit. The hardest part is officially done!

Now you just have to decide if you want your shade with a regular cord, cordless or even motorized. We didn’t hesitate to go cordless with having a two year old running around and this roman shade being located in the playroom. After hanging the roman shade, I also discovered that it has a clear clip on the midpoint of the shade so you don’t dirty the fabric as you pull it up and down. It’s these little details that will have me going back to Alva time and time again.

Our custom roman shade arrived within 12 days after ordering it. Which is amazing since each roman shade is handcrafted.

It took just a few simple steps to get it installed as well. And by installed, I mean you doing it! Here’s how, at least for an inside mount:

1. Using the screws that came with the roman shade, insert them into the four holes on the top mounting bracket. You want them just slightly sticking out.

2. Align the roman shade in the window to where it’s centered and the shade is flush with the window casing. Apply pressure and push up so that the screws leave a small indention.

3. Pre-drill a hole where each indention is using a drill bit. Your directions will tell you the size that you need to use.

4. Place the roman shade back into place where the screws line up with the holes. Secure it in place by drilling in the screws. And that’s it!

One extra step that I took was using my steamer on the roman shade once it was installed. From it being packaged for shipping, there were a few creases I wanted to smooth out. This also made the roman shade pull up and fold even nicer along the folds.

My hope is that you won’t feel intimidated about installing custom roman shades in your home. You don’t have to go to a store to order or have someone to come in your home to install these! This ordering and installation process with my Alva Cascade Roman Shade truly impressed me with the ease of it.

Overall, we are truly so pleased with the roman shade in Oliver’s playroom. From the color and quality of the fabric to how easily it functions. I’m also equally as impressed with how neat and straight they look when pulled up. Not bulky at all!

And I forgot to mention something earlier that’s equally as important. Our roman shades have a privacy backing so that some light will filter in but nobody can see in from the outside when it’s closed. You also have the option to have full blackout shades. But, like I said earlier, we love our natural light too much to block it all out. Here’s a look at what it looks like with the roman shade closed.

We race every morning to lift the roman shade up and every evening to pull it down. That’s when you know something truly brings you joy in your home. It’s amazing how this one roman shade has made the biggest difference in our playroom. It finally feels completed! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about our Alva Cascade Roman Shade. I’ll even help you figure out the best window treatment for your space.

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