If curtains don’t fulfil your personal taste – blinds are a fantastic alternative. They’re inexpensive, easier to maintain and still offer privacy. Still, curtains are often preferred due to their ability to completely block out daylight. However, this has now all changed thanks to blackout blinds and they’re superior light filtering properties.
These types of window dressings use opaque materials to block light – say hello to a better night’s sleep and goodbye to any glare on your computer and TV screens. And if you want to take comfort and convenience to the next level – electric blackout blinds could be the perfect antidote.
This guide will discuss everything there is to know about blackout blinds, from their benefits to the best styles, as well as also discussing their automated counterpart.
Blackout blinds are different from other blinds in the sense that they’re not actually a specific style on their own but rather an add-on feature offered on some styles of blinds. And blackout blinds tend to be exclusive to fabric blinds, so you’ll typically get blackout variations of Roman, Venetian and roller blinds.
Blackout blinds are designed to block out as much daylight or harsh street-lighting as possible, as well as offering better privacy in comparison to other blinds. This makes them ideal for those blinding mornings taking over your bedroom, and for areas where you require a little more privacy, for example the bathroom.
To achieve the blackout effect, the blinds are fitted with a thicker material to block out as much natural light as possible, keeping your room darker and cooler.
These nifty designs work perfectly in any room where light control is your main objective. If you want to shut off from the world and relax in the bath, it may be a good idea to consider blackout blinds for the bathroom window. Or if you’re struggling with glare when you’re tucking into your dinner, the dining room may benefit from this add-on feature. Blackout blinds are also great for offices, and with so many people working from home now, light can be a distraction where several monitors and screens are being used. Therefore, you can take advantage of blackout fabric to help control privacy and light, and in turn maximise your productivity. Having said that, they’re not restricted to any specific room so if you like them from more of a style perspective – go ahead and experiment!
Generally, streetlamps, car lights and general lighting in your home can sometimes be a disturbance. And scientific research indicates that light can be a huge disruption in getting a quality night’s sleep. Maybe you’re someone who works night shifts, so you sleep in the day, you’ve got a little one that’s napping during the day or you’re just someone that needs complete darkness to fall asleep. Whatever your situation – blackout blinds may be the answer to your prayers.
When we’re in the comfort of our own homes, privacy is top of our priority list. And blackout blinds can certainly deliver this with their thick fabric, to create a safer and more comfortable living space – particularly in bedrooms and bathrooms. As an added bonus, blackout blinds not only hide outside view, but their blackout fabric also hides the view from the inside – clever right? This is especially useful for protecting your interiors and furniture from sun damage when those brighter summer months come around. Plus, you just might save some money too!
With winter on the horizon, blackout blinds are perfect if you want additional insulation for you home. This is due to the fact that the blackout material is thicker, so it has a stronger defence against escaping heat. Likewise, you can look forward to a cooler home if you keep blackout blinds down during those sizzling summer months. And with added insulation, you may even see reduced energy consumption, and therefore you benefit from more money saved on household bills – what more could you want?
Blackout blinds also have the added bonus of being noise proof – the perfect antidote for those residing in urban areas or near motorways/main roads. Therefore, you can enjoy peaceful living no matter the time of day – bliss.
The blackout feature is typically most common with the roller blind style. They showcase a piece of fabric that rolls up into a cassette, for a clean and minimalistic aesthetic. This makes them perfect for small spaces and modern interiors. Best of all, they’re available in any colour you could imagine, from grey tones to bubble gum pink, as well as different patterns.
Blackout roller blinds are fitting for most rooms, but in particularly entrances, dining rooms and conservatories. For wet areas like bathrooms and kitchens, go for a blackout roller blind that’s made from a waterproof or moisture-resistant material, to avoid mould damage.
For those who want the best of both worlds – double blackout roller blinds are also a fantastic option. They’re designed to hold two different blind materials on one blind – one translucent fabric and one blackout fabric. The translucent material allows gentle light filtering whilst still providing a level of privacy. On the other hand, the blackout fabric can then be put down when you want to block out light. The result is that you can enjoy the benefits of both, without installing two sets of blinds – a win win situation!
So, if you want a pleated appearance that brings depth and texture to rooms – this style is the one for you. Like blackout roller blinds, they will work wonders for entrances and formal lounges, and if you want to add a touch of elegance to a bedroom. Blackout Roman blinds are available in anything from plain fabrics to pastel and colourful shades – there’s always something to complement your home furnishings.
Or you can incoporate decorative tapes to your blackout Venetian blinds, which cover the pull cords and holes in the blind slats, so that you can still live your blackout dream. We recommend looking for blinds with wide slats, or ones where the slats delicately overlap one another. This can increase blackout functionalities and stop light from streaming in. Blackout Venetian blinds can be used just about anywhere in your home – the choice is yours! However, you should keep in mind that some fabrics are more suitable for certain areas of home in comparison to others. For instance, real wooden Venetian blinds are well matched to rooms like bedrooms, home offices and living rooms. This is because wet rooms like the bathroom and kitchen can cause wood to warp and bend – ruining the look of your blinds as well as decreasing the effectiveness of the blackout feature. For these areas, opt for wood effect, aluminium or uPVC blackout Venetian blinds. This style of blind is available in a huge range of colours, so whatever your interior design goals, they’re very much attainable. Whether you want to create an inviting and comfortable atmosphere with warm tones, or you’re looking for a more modern and airy setting with cool tones – the sky’s your limit.
Looking for a solution that allows gentle light to filter in, or one where you can look outside without prying eyes looking in? Look no further than electric roller blinds. They take up little space in your window, so you can enjoy a clean, elegant appearance. In the summer months, you’ll want to protect your interior décor that you’ve worked so hard on. And the perfect antidote – electric Roman blinds. They’re extremely popular for being utilised as a form of interior sun protection. Therefore, you can keep the sun out of your home in a stylish way, at the same time as keeping the area nice and cool – what more could you want? For a look that will stand the test of time – electric Venetian blinds are the way forward. Like electric Roman blinds, they’re also great as a form of interior sun protection. And you’ll never have to worry about whether they’re in the right position. With one tap on your smartphone, you can tilt the slats depending on the position of the sun, so life at home can always be comfortable and convenient. All these motorised blinds are available in light filtering materials, from full blackout to transparent so you can have ultimate control over light filtering and privacy. And best of all, they can be fitted by anyone with basic DIY skills, since they don’t require any prior electrical knowledge.
All in all – there is a blackout blind to suit any home interior as well as personal taste. Whether you go for blackout Roman, Venetian or roller blinds, you can enjoy maximised privacy from prying eyes, as well as light filtering features to help you drift off into a peaceful slumber. But if you want to go a step further, put your trust in home automation with electric blackout blinds, for a solution that will do all the work for you. After all – your comfort and convenience are top priority.