Paper Window Shades

You might find that you have a great deal more luck with rice paper window shades, than more typical styles, when you are trying to find coverings for windows that have awkward locations or that are in bizarre shapes. 

After all, if your glass is in the shape of a diamond, then you likely won’t find fabric roller shades or venetian blinds to suit the space.

Paper window shades give you the opportunity to cover the window without having to pay an arm and a leg for expensive custom drapery, nor do you have to settle for a style that doesn’t exactly suit the shape properly.  These blinds, called “shoji” in Japanese, are very inexpensive and yet highly attractive.  They are created by using a wooden frame that fits the window, and then stretching rice paper over top of it. 

Then, the wooden frame is raised up over the window and hung from hooks so that it completely covers the window frame. Because of the way they are hung, it means that it gives a much lighter, more spacious final effect than traditional blinds or fabric drapery.

Paper Window Shade - Remember The Kumiko

When you’re deciding on your rice paper window shades, the first choice you’ll need to make is regarding what is called the “kumiko”, that is, the frame.  You can opt for one that has either one or two sides, depending on whether the blind will be seen from only one side of the window or both.  You can also select from several kinds of wood for the material of the frame.  The most common are Japanese cedar, false cypress, and Aomori white cedar.  However, you may also find spruce or linden available in your area. 

The next decision for your paper window shades is how big it will be.  If it will reach all the way down to the floor, then it will require a “koshita”, which is a kickboard.  This will keep the paper itself safe from being bumped and torn by you, pets, or children. 

With the frame and the kickboard chose, you can then actually chose the type of rice paper window shades you’ll have.  This is a similar process to what you’d to when selecting the cloth for fabric roller shades.  Since actual rice paper is extremely thin and is made out of the grass from which rice grows, this is generally too flimsy for the needs of window blinds. 

Therefore, what is generally sold under that name is actually made from mulberry tree bast fiber and is referred to as “unryu”.  It has a slightly rougher and more earthy look but many people find that it works much more effectively and that it is more durable than the “real deal”.