Blackout curtains and blackout shades are most often used in bedrooms and media rooms where you want to eliminate any light from entering through the windows. However, most window covering products are room darkening and not truly blackout because the edge of the window covering creates a “halo effect” of light. If you want to prevent any light from entering to achieve a true blackout effect, you will need to cover the gaps to eliminate the “halo effect” from your windows by using a layered window treatment that combines blackout curtains with either roll shades, cell shades or blinds.
Blackout Window Treatment Solutions
Why Blackout and Room Darkening?
- Ideal solution to achieve absolute darkness
- Eliminates 99% of light entering your room
- The best approach for home theaters, bedrooms and spaces that require complete privacy
- Inside ensures complete light blocking
- Multiple options and styles available for effective room darkening
Why Choose Blackout Window Treatments?
Window treatments and coverings offer various levels of light control and privacy. Blackout window treatments are designed to block all light from entering a room by using tight fitting mounts that block the most light. Blackout window treatments are associated with a good nights sleep, as multiple studies have showed that exposure to light while sleeping obstructs the quality of ones sleep.
For people who work night shift, room-darkening solutions are a game changer as their quality of sleep is improved by creating the ambiance of night by eliminating exposure to natural daytime light. If you are looking to keep your energy use bills in check, the use of blackout window treatments will keep your house cool by keeping the heat out during summer months and reduce heat loss in the winter months. Your homes energy consumption can be reduced by as much as 25%. Another added value of blackout window treatments is ensuring your peace of mind with added security for your home. We offer solutions to increase the privacy of your home by ensuring that no one can see inside especially at night.
Blackout Window Treatments for Bedrooms
Getting enough deep REM sleep is a vital part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our bedrooms are exposed to light and noise pollution, which can interfere with our quality of sleep. Blackout window treatments offer the perfect solution to ensure that your bedroom is an optimal dark and quiet space that is beneficial to getting sleep required. (Privacy, light control, child proof, convenience, functionality)
Blackout Window Treatments for Media Rooms
There are essential elements needed to create a successful media room, which include selecting the right television or projector, comfortable seating, effective sound system and window treatments. Window treatments are often an overlooked item when designing a media room, but are crucial to blocking out external sounds and light for optimal viewing pleasure. Installing darkening/blackout window treatments will remove all light from casting a glare on the screen as well as add that decorative touch creating a movie theater feel in your own home. Shades work best in media rooms, as they provide a solid covering with no gaps thereby eliminating any light from seeping in.
What are the best products for Blackout and Room Darkening Solutions?
Personal taste as well as functionality will play a large part in selecting the best window treatments for your room. Multi-layer treatments that combine blackout curtains or roller shades with a top treatment that will eliminate the ‘halo effect’, is our preference for maximum light blocking.
Room Darkening versus Blackout Shades – What are the differences?
Room darkening shades are designed to reduce the amount of light entering a room. Theses shades are not designed for complete darkness, but they will eliminate almost all light. In contrast, blackout shades create complete darkness by minimizing any gaps that create the ‘halo effect’ of light coming through your windows. This is achieved by combining window treatments creating a layered effect that include blackout curtains with blinds, roll shades or cell shades.
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Best Blackout Window Covering Products
In order to achieve the maximum level of darkness, we recommend using layers as no single treatment will completely black out a room as light will seep in around the edges and at the top of the window. We recommend starting with a base layer such as a shade, blind or shutter, adding drapery topped with either an architectural or fabric cornice.
Three Blind Mice offers several combinations if you are looking to achieve the highest level of darkness in your room.
Blackout Shades
Blackout Curtains
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If you desire a true 100% blackout, we recommend the following window treatments:
Roller shades with side channels are a great option to help you achieve complete blackout and are one of our favorites to motorize. The side channels, which are responsible for eliminating the “halo” effect, can be customized to suit your home’s decor and come in varieties of aluminum, bronze, and white. Today’s designer roller shades can also come in many different colors, fabrics, and patterns depending on your preference. Watch a video demonstration of these motorized blackout roller shades with side channels in action.
If you’re looking to completely darken your room but maintain elegance in your decor, using blackout curtains with motorized drapery tracks is a good option. Newer drapery tracks can curve around your curtains for an optimally dark room. And you have many options when it comes to motorizing these treatments or setting up a manual pull system. Please note, this demonstration shows a normal drapery fabric, not blackout curtains.
One final way to eliminate the “halo” around the edges of light-filtering & room darkening window treatments is to create a multi-layer treatment that combines blackout curtains or roller shades with an additional window treatment to stop the light at the edges. One of our favorite combinations is to use roller shades with a valance/top treatment, and side panels. As shown in this video, beading is used to add extra elegance to your window coverings.
In the video below, you can see Coulisse’s Dual Roller Shade allows you to control light similar to a wood blind or sheer shade while giving you the clean look of a roller shade. As you will notice the bottom rail and head rail are finished with a nice nickle finish and square lines. This product can be motorized or it does come in a manual operation.
FAQS
To maximize privacy in your bedroom, choose opaque window treatments with a blackout lining. This will prevent outsiders from being able to see inside your room while also blocking out light and reducing noise. You can also opt for window treatments that cover the entire window, including the frame, to enhance privacy further.
Yes, blackout shades are energy-efficient. They can help keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, effectively reducing energy costs.
Yes, blackout shades are suitable for all types of windows, including skylights, bay windows, and french doors. You can choose from various mounting options to ensure a proper fit for your specific window.
Yes, blackout curtains can be combined with other window treatments to provide additional light blocking or privacy. For example, you may choose to use blackout curtains in conjunction with blinds or shades to create a layered look.
Blackout curtains are available in various colors and patterns, from neutral shades such as black, white, and gray to brighter colors and bold patterns.
Blackout curtains can be hung in the same way as regular curtains, using a curtain rod or other type of hardware. It's important to ensure that the curtain rod is sturdy enough to support the weight of the curtains, which can be heavier than regular curtains due to the additional lining.
Yes, most blackout curtains can be washed in a washing machine. However, it's important to check the care instructions on the label before washing to ensure that you are using the correct method.
Room darkening curtains are designed to reduce the amount of light entering a room, but they are not completely opaque and may allow some light to pass through. On the other hand, blackout curtains are designed to block out all light and create a completely dark environment.
Yes, blackout curtains can help reduce noise by absorbing sound waves and preventing them from entering a room. This can be particularly useful for people who live in noisy areas or near busy streets.
Yes, blackout curtains can help reduce energy costs by providing insulation and reducing heat loss through windows. This can be particularly beneficial in colder climates, where keeping heat inside the home is important.