Will A Roman Blind Really Give You A Pitch-Black Bedroom?
Quick answer: Fitted inside the window recess, a blackout-lined Roman blind gets you to around 95 per cent darkness, never quite 100.
Any honest maker will tell you the same. The walls of the recess block light at the sides, which helps enormously, but the blind can never sit completely flush against them.
'You will get a better level of blackout in the recess, but it is impossible to fit a blind totally snug, otherwise the fabric would rub on the sides. So you are looking at around 95 per cent. If chinks of light around the edges would annoy you, it is not for you.'
So much of it comes down to where you sleep. If beams of light fall across the bed in your direct line of sight, that last five per cent matters. If they don't, you may never notice it. It is always worth thinking about the position of the bed in relation to the window before you decide. And it is worth getting right: darkness is what cues the body to release melatonin, the hormone that brings on sleep, while light at night can interrupt the shift between sleep cycles and cause repeated waking, according to the Sleep Foundation.
Katherine's Key Takeout: Before you choose anything, think about where the bed sits in relation to the window. A blind can be 95 per cent perfect, but if the light falls straight across your pillow, that last five per cent is the bit you will notice.
The Real Reason Roman Blinds Let In Light At The Sides
Quick answer: The light does not come through the stitching. The blind hangs about three centimetres proud of the window, and light slips in down each side, in the gap between the fabric and the wall behind it.
Most people assume light leaks through the rod pockets or the sewing. It doesn't. The headrail on a manual Roman blind is around three centimetres deep, front to back, and more if the blind is motorised. The fabric hangs from the front of that headrail, so the whole blind sits roughly three centimetres forward of the window. Light gets into that gap and creeps in down each side, between the edge of the fabric and the wall behind it.
It is a feature of how every Roman blind is built, not a flaw in the making, which is exactly why fitting inside the recess helps so much: the recess walls close off that gap at the sides.
Blackout Lined Or Blackout Bonded: The Lining That Makes The Difference
Quick answer: For a truly dark room you want a blackout lining and interlining made up as separate layers, not a cheaper bonded lining.
A sheer or unlined Roman blind will give you no blackout at all, so for a bedroom the answer is a proper blackout lining combined with interlining. Interlining is a soft, felt-like layer that sits between the face fabric and the lining. It is wonderful for insulation, for softening sound and for keeping draughts out, and it gives the blind a plump, generous, luxurious feel. Katherine's workroom lines and interlines as standard because the blind simply looks and performs better for it, folding far more beautifully.
There is one question that tells you whether you are being offered a quality blind or a shortcut, and it is worth memorising.
'A lot of cheaper products use what they call blackout bonded lining, where the interlining is bonded to the blackout lining. It is cheaper and quicker to make. But put a bonded blind next to one that is properly blackout lined and interlined, and the interlined one looks far superior. So ask your curtain maker: is it blackout lined and interlined, or is it blackout bonded? If you want the best, insist on lined and interlined.'
The reason cheaper suppliers reach for a bonded lining is speed. There is only one ready-made layer to attach to the face fabric, rather than two separate layers built up by hand, so it costs less and it is quicker to produce. The trade-off shows in the finished blind: a properly lined and interlined Roman has more body, hangs with more weight and holds its folds far more crisply. It is the kind of difference you feel the moment you run the two side by side, even before you think about how each one performs against the light.
One nuance worth knowing: if you love the relaxed, scooped look of a soft Roman blind and you have chosen a heavy face fabric, Katherine will sometimes leave the interlining out, because that is what lets the bottom of the blind fall into a soft curve rather than sitting flat and stiff. It is a judgement made fabric by fabric.
Katherine's Key Takeout: Ask any maker one question: is it blackout lined and interlined, or blackout bonded? The answer tells you in seconds whether you are buying real quality or a shortcut.
★★★★★ 'Katherine made four gorgeous Roman blinds for my bedroom. Every part of the process was a pleasure. I loved the fabric she suggested and there was a huge amount of choice. The blinds were expertly fitted and the whole thing was seamless. My new blinds are a joy.' — Catherine J
Inside Or Outside The Recess: Which Gives Better Blackout?
Quick answer: For blackout alone, inside the recess usually wins, because the recess walls cover the side gaps. But the right choice depends on the window.
Fitting inside the recess does cost you a little daylight during the day, since the blind sits across part of the opening even when raised. On a large window that hardly matters. On a beautiful period architrave, a recess-fitted blind often looks perfectly balanced and elegant. On a small window, Katherine will often mount the blind above the opening and out to the sill width instead, which makes the window look bigger and avoids losing precious daylight. And on a dormer window there is frequently no choice at all: it has to go inside.
When a blind is face-fixed outside the recess, her rule of thumb is to take it to the sill width and around 15 centimetres above the window, so it kisses the top of the glass. Any higher and you see blind, then wall, then window when it is raised. Fabric width matters too: most fabrics are 135 to 140 centimetres wide, so if going to the sill width would tip you over that and force an extra width of expensive fabric with seams, it is often more sensible to fit to the frame width instead.
Katherine's Key Takeout: On a small window, fitting the blind above the opening and out to the sill width makes the window look bigger and saves your daytime light.
How To Get Total Darkness Without Giving Up Your Roman Blind
Quick answer: Fit a zipped or cassette roller blind inside the recess behind the Roman. It seals the edges for complete darkness while the Roman stays on show.
This is the answer for anyone who wants real darkness but doesn't want curtains. Behind the decorative Roman you fit a second, plainer roller blind whose fabric is held down each side, either by an actual zip or by runners that trap the edges. Sealing the sides like that is exactly what blocks the light a Roman on its own cannot, so the room goes properly dark while the Roman hangs in front doing all the looking beautiful. People use the terms zipped blind and cassette blind for this, and they mean much the same thing.
'If somebody doesn't like curtains but wants really good blackout, and there is enough space in the recess, a zipped roller blind behind the Roman is such a good idea. They are not terribly expensive and they really are a good bit of kit. It gives you complete blackout, but it does depend on having the space.'
There is even a clever dual version that combines an insect net and a blackout blind in one: net side down during the day so you can throw the window open without letting flies in, then turned to blackout at night.
Katherine's Key Takeout: If you love a Roman blind but need genuine darkness, you do not have to compromise on the look. A zipped or cassette blind behind it gives you both, provided the recess is deep enough to take it.
Are Blackout Roman Blinds Safe For A Nursery?
Quick answer: Yes. The headrails have a built-in safety cog that releases the chain under a downward pull, and every blind is made to the 1.5-metre regulation height.
The Roman headrails Katherine uses have a small wheel the chain sits over, which clicks into the headrail and releases under a sudden downward pull, much like a seatbelt. That stops the chain becoming a choking hazard, which is why it should not be screwed tight to the wall. Every blind is still made to regulation, with the chain set 1.5 metres off the finished floor.
Roller blinds are different. They don't have that built-in cog, so a roller's chain is both made to the 1.5 metre height and fitted with a retainer fixed to the wall.
Will A Roman Blind Be Enough If You Sleep During The Day?
Quick answer: On its own, rarely. To sleep through full daylight you will want to layer up, and realistically add curtains.
If you need to sleep through daytime, Katherine would steer you towards layering, and towards curtains, which give the deepest blackout of all. A Roman blind is a wonderful part of that scheme, but it is rarely the whole answer for daytime sleep.
How Much Do Blackout Roman Blinds Cost?
Quick answer: From around £500 to £1,000 for a standard window. The blackout lining itself adds only about £1 per metre.
The cost sits in the making, not the lining. A Roman blind done properly is enormously time-consuming, and a single blind can take one person a full day to make by hand. If you have ever wondered where those hours go, it is worth watching a maker build a large blackout interlined Roman blind from start to finish, where the sheer amount of careful hand-work behind one blind becomes obvious. That craftsmanship, alongside the quality of the materials, is what you are paying for and what you see in the finished result.
★★★★★ 'We have used Katherine a couple of times now for new blinds. Her attention to detail is second to none and her support matching the blinds to the colour of the room is invaluable. The blinds are high quality and her fitter is excellent. We will definitely be using her again.' — Clare T
Frequently Asked Questions
Do blackout Roman blinds block out all light?
No. A blackout-lined Roman blind fitted in the recess reaches around 95 per cent. A small amount of light will always show at the headrail gap. For complete darkness, pair it with a zipped roller blind behind it, or choose curtains.
Can you have a patterned or coloured blackout Roman blind?
Yes. The blackout comes from the lining behind the fabric, not the face fabric itself, so you can choose almost any pattern or colour and still have full blackout performance.
What is the difference between blackout lined and blackout bonded?
A blackout lined and interlined blind has separate layers built up by hand for a superior look and feel. A blackout bonded blind fuses the layers together to save time and cost. The interlined version looks and performs noticeably better.
Are Roman blinds safe around young children?
Yes. The headrails have a built-in safety cog that releases the chain under a downward pull, and every blind is made with the chain set 1.5 metres off the floor in line with regulations.
Do blackout Roman blinds help with warmth and noise?
Yes. The interlining that goes into a quality blackout Roman blind adds genuine insulation, helps with draughts and softens outside sound.
Ready For A Blind You Will Love Waking Up To?
Whether it is one blackout Roman blind for a bedroom or a full set across the house, every project starts with a conversation about your windows, your room and exactly how dark you need it to be. Katherine and her team work from their London workroom across London, the Home Counties and the Cotswolds. Get in touch to book your consultation, or call on 07954 377927.
Katherine Brown is a London curtain and blind specialist who has been creating bespoke window treatments since 2008, from sleek modern apartments in the city to family homes in Fulham, and the complete heritage restoration of Serlby Hall in Doncaster.
