best blackout for your bedroom windows

Covered lath and fascia with corded track

Get the Best Blackout Curtains and Blinds without Sacrificing Style.

Achieving the best blackout for your bedroom windows with blackout curtains and blinds is vital for a good night’s sleep but nobody wants to achieve this at the expense of style and elegance.

As an expert in luxury curtain and blind making, I will guide you through the best ways to achieve your perfect blackout curtains and blinds while maintaining a sophisticated look.

How much blackout do your blackout curtains and blinds need to achieve?

The first step is understanding your (and your family’s) specific blackout needs. For example, do you need complete darkness or prefer to wake up naturally with some daylight creeping in? Roman blinds are suitable if you don’t mind some light coming in, but blackout curtains will be more suitable if you need total darkness.

Getting the best blackout for your bedroom windows: The second consideration

It’s then necessary to assess the window type and what’s feasible, its position in the room, and the overall design aesthetic that you are trying to achieve. For example, if your windows open inwards, you can’t have blinds. You may also wish to add some secondary dressing for daytime privacy, such as sheer curtains.

What is the right budget for you to achieve blackout in your house?

The third variable is budget and how much you spend on your blackout window treatment. If you are purchasing window treatments for a whole house, you may feel that complete darkness is worth investing in for the main bedrooms, but it is less important in the occasional guest rooms.

Creating a cosy environment will do wonders for your sleep

Curtains vs blinds for the best blackout for your bedroom windows.

This might be your first decision and will rest on aesthetics and room and window design.

In most cases, full-length blackout-lined curtains will provide the best blackout, especially when combined with a corded track and either a covered lath and fascia or a pelmet.

A top-fixed corded track will afford a good level of blackout, but combining it with a covered lath and fascia or pelmet will further enhance the blackout. Corded curtain tracks benefit from an overlap arm, and the tension prevents springback.

Covered lath, fascias, and pelmets are also great if you want a second lighter curtain for privacy, as both tracks can be neatly hidden. And if you have privacy roller blinds in addition to blackout-lined curtains, a pelmet will hide the tops of the blinds, which can be a nice style benefit.

However, choosing between a track, covered lath and fascia, or pelmet will depend on which is most suitable for your window.

If you are renovating your home and are installing a new cornice, consider creating pelmets with the cornice to hide curtain tracks.

Curtain poles will always allow more light to enter.

If you prefer the look of a curtain pole, be prepared for more light creep, but you can take measures to minimise this—for example, position the pole as high as possible above the window or go for a glider pole (a pole with a track inside, rather than rings) so that the curtains sit tightly under the pole, again positioning it as high as possible above the window.

Radiators provide another challenge to blackout.

If you have a deep radiator under the window, you will need deep brackets for the pole to allow the curtains to reach the floor in front of the radiator. To get a great blackout, the curtains must touch the floor, but of course, your curtains are now some distance from the window, and light will come in at the top. Everything is a compromise!

In this instance, a better option might be to have a top fixed track or pole that attaches to the ceiling.

pelmet helps blackout curtains

Padded Pelmet with corded track and privacy roller blinds

Is there a specific type or colour of fabric I should avoid if I want to achieve a good blackout?

We are often asked if different fabric types/colours are better for blackout. It shouldn’t really matter as long as you use a good-quality blackout lining.

 OK, so what about blackout blinds?

For smaller windows or dormer windows, blackout-lined Roman blinds are a good solution, but beware, they do let light creep in at the sides. So, if considering a Roman blind, think about the position of the bed in relation to the window to prevent being in the direct line of the light!

If the Roman blind can be put inside a window recess, this can really help with blackout by preventing light from coming in the sides—but the trade-off is losing light during the day.

Although less aesthetically pleasing, blackout roller blinds are another good option, especially for smaller windows. They can also be a great secondary blackout option—for example, if you want the look of a pole and curtains but want to elevate the blackout, you could add a blackout roller blind for night-time use.

For modern apartments, cassette roller blinds with zipped side channels look sleek and give excellent blackout.

Consider blackout blinds plus blackout curtains for maximum blackout and a stylish look.

Using a combination of blinds and curtains can help maximize blackout effectiveness whilst adding a luxurious layered look. Another option is to pair sheer curtains with blackout blinds for daytime privacy without losing elegance and pull the blackout blinds at night for complete darkness.

Get the best blackout for your bedroom windows without sacrificing style with Katherine Brown Curtains and Blinds.

Your desire to achieve a luxurious feeling and peaceful sleeping sanctuary is something we are used to creating for our clients. So for bespoke blackout solutions tailored to your style, contact us today. Your perfect night’s sleep awaits.

Cassette Blackout Roller Blind

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