Blackout Blinds Buying Guide

Blinds are fine alternative to curtains, being more affordable, easier to maintain, and still offering privacy. However, if there is one aspect of blinds that is often lacking when compared to curtains, it’s their ability to completely block out daylight.

Granted, there are some style of blinds that are more effective than others, but for the most part if you want a blackout effect for a room, curtains may be better suited for the job. Unless you opt for blackout blinds that is!

How they work …

Blackout blinds are different from other blinds in that they are not a specific style, rather an additional feature offered on many style of blinds. This tends to be exclusive for blinds using fabric, meaning you will usually get blackout variations of Roman, roller, and vertical blinds.

The main idea behind blackout blinds is to be able to block out as much daylight or harsh street-lighting as possible, as well as offering even more privacy compared to other blinds. This is great in many situations, such as those bright mornings that flood your bedroom with daylight or offering more privacy in a downstairs toilet. To achieve the blackout effect, blinds are fitted with a thicker fabric that helps to block out as much natural light as possible, helping to keep a room darker and cooler.

Styles …

Blackout blinds are available in a few styles, most typically as roller blinds, but you will also find vertical and Roman blinds with blackout features. As a result, there’s a massive selection of style options for anyone looking for blackout blinds!

A common misconception about blackout blinds is that the fabrics used will need to be dark to be effective. However, it is very possible to get light-coloured blackout blinds, with whites, creams and other soft colours widely available.

This means you can get a blackout blind in almost any colour, making it easy to find a specific style that caters to the décor of a room.

Advantages

Of course, the most obvious advantage of blackout blinds is the ability to block out as much light as possible. There’s many situations this can be very useful, such as in a bedroom to avoid being woken by streaming daylight or blocking the sun glare from a screen.

As many styles of blinds can have this feature, there is a massive selection of designs available, with various colours, textures, materials, and patterns to choose from, making it easy to find a style that matches your décor.

Blackout blinds are also very effective at retaining heat due to the thicker material lining the blinds. Conversely, if a room is being overheated by sunlight beating down on a window, blackout blinds are great at blocking out UV rays and keeping the room nice and cool – perfect for the summer months!

They offer the perfect compromise between curtains and blinds, offering the best of both worlds!