Light blocking window treatments are in great demand nowadays for all their amazing benefits.
They are a great option for light sleepers as they prevent unwanted light and noise from leaking through the window. That’s right! Most light-blocking window treatments work quite well at blocking out any traffic noise. This type of window treatment is also highly energy-efficient: they can easily keep your room warm during winters and cool during the hot months.
Light-Blocking vs. Room Darkening
There are plenty of window treatment options that come with the additional benefit of darkening the room. However, it is not always the same as completely blocking out the entrance of light into your space. While most options make use of thicker fabric that helps dim out a room, they aren’t effective at blocking out light.
It only seems possible to entirely block out light with the use of a blackout liner. The liner further adds to the thickness of any window treatment. They can be used with cellular shades, roman shades, and even draperies like curtains.
Light-Blocking Window Treatment Options
A variety of window treatment options fall under the light-blocking categories. You can keep the distracting, glaring sunlight from entering your space using shade or curtain options that block light and prevent it from entering. Here are a few options that you can choose from to block out the distracting beams of the sun.
Draperies with Black-Out Liners
This is a classic and stylish light-blocking window treatment option that will always be in style. The right drapery or curtain can do an amazing job at blocking glaring sunlight and heat. They are the ideal option for bedrooms and living areas.
However, it is important to note that regular curtains or draperies can not quite do the job of entirely blocking out light. To ensure curtains have a light-blocking option, they should be lined with black-out liners. When attached to regular curtains, these liners stop any light from passing through the fabric by adding to the thickness and making it opaque.
What’s great about this light-blocking window treatment option? You can easily find already lined curtains, meaning you do not need to spend extra money or look for labor to make additions to regular curtains.
Another way to use blackout liners with curtains is to use a blackout and translucent curtain and mounting them back to back. This allows you the flexibility and freedom of choosing between complete darkness and filtered light.
Cellular Shades
If curtains don’t please you, another light-blocking option is to go for black-out cellular shades. Just like blackout curtains and draperies, blackout cellular shades also use a lining that helps to block out light and heat entering through the fabric.
While cellular shades are a great light-blocking option, these give you more than just light control. You can choose a honeycomb shade that comes with a cellular design if you wish to keep the heat or cold out during summer and winter months, respectively. With this kind of window treatment, you can add a layer of insulation to your windows.
Roman Shades
Roman shades offer a great deal of light as well as temperature control at the same time. These shades offer better light control due to their pleated style. They offer a straightforward way to control the light in your space: all or no light.
You can draw them open if you wish to enjoy the sunlight during winters. Or, they can be a great light-blocking window treatment option as they can also block out light entirely. This is made possible by the fact that roman shades are made with a single cut of fabric, meaning there are absolutely no gaps that can allow the entry of light.
It is, however, important to consider the kind of fabric you are using in your roman shades as they come in a variety of material options. You can improve your roman shades by attaching a black-out liner with the fabric on your shades. This helps completely prevent light from entering.
Moreover, these shades can also often come with an added layer of thermal acrylic foam that acts as insulation. This means roman shades come with the added benefit of helping you maintain your internal environment without any interference of external temperatures.
Blackout Shades
Black-out shades are the most effective window treatment option if you are looking to prevent sunlight from entering your space. Not to mention, these shades are also pocket-friendly. To get the best results and leave no chance to let in even the tiniest bit of light, you can install blackout shades differently.
Mount your shade in such a way that it trails behind the roller on the top. If you do this and fix it to the face of the window frame, it becomes impossible for any light to enter from between or sides of the window frame.
While they are the cheapest and most effective option of blocking the entry of light, they are not quite as attractive. Blackout shades can ruin the ambiance of your bedroom or lounge area. To avoid these issues, it is best that you pair them with another option such as curtains, valences, or decorative shades.
To hide these shades so as not to ruin the look of your home or office, consider installing a recessed pocket above the window frame. Or, you can make use of a dual shade bracket to hang your shade in pair with another window treatment option that is eye-catching in a positive way. It is now also getting quite common for companies to sell blackout shades paired with a decorative shade. They attach the two shades together in such a way that the blackout shade falls behind the decorative shade.
Conclusion
While deciding on a window treatment option for their homes or offices, most people tend to demand a blackout option. This is because it is becoming the need of every night owl and light sleeper these days. Most of us prefer to keep sunlight out while covering our windows as well. Such treatment options also tend to act as noise-blocker at times.
