Who knew a simple interior design accessory like curtains could serve so many purposes? Well, blackout curtains do just that. In addition to blocking out the sunlight, these multipurpose curtains also reduce noise and regulate temperature inside the room. An interior design company in Dubai often recommends them for keeping rooms cool in summers and warm in winters. Isn’t that the dream?
Blackout curtains have become the talk of the town lately, especially in the light-sleepers community. People who sleep during the day because of work or other personal choices, or people who are light sleepers have high appreciation for blackout curtains. They offer privacy, style, noise reduction, and protection from the mean glare of the golden sun.
Let’s discuss some of the best blackout curtains that can help you sleep better.
Blackout Curtains | A Stylish Solution for Better Sleep
Blackout curtains have been featuring advanced technology to help people sleep better. With beautiful and stylish designs, these curtains offer both practicality and aesthetic benefits to users.
Following are the top 8 blackout curtains that we have rounded up for your convenience.
Target’s Pillowfort Blackout Chambray Cotton Kids’ Panels
These blackout curtains feature a polyester backing that instantly puts out the light entering your room. They are appropriately priced for its style and room-darkening properties. Moreover, they come in a variety of colors and sizes to ensure a more personalized window treatment according to your room decor.
The best part is that these curtains are machine-washable, which will save you the hassle of getting them dry-cleaned.
West Elm Worn Velvet Blackout Curtains
Though being on the pricier end, these living room curtains are such a luxury item. You can hang them straight out of their box, without needing to straighten out any wrinkles. These blackout curtains come in a variety of beautiful colors that will add a hint of luxury to your room because of the velvety fabric.
With instant blacking-out powers, these curtains weigh a lot but look really elegant hang on all window frames.
IKEA Majgull Blackout Curtains
A basic and affordable option is the IKEA Majgull, which is tested to block out 95% of the light immediately. These drapes also provide great temperature regulation and keep the room just right to sleep peacefully.
The design and construction of these curtains is very basic but they are an ideal option for people who are not big on style or aesthetics. Moreover, their polyester backing is incredible and provides excellent insulation.
These curtains are better suited for windows of standard size and have limited color options. So if you are someone who is only interested in practicality and affordability, they might be the right fit for you.
Rose Home Fashion Thermal Insulated Blackout Curtain Liner
If you are not in the mood to replace your current curtains but still want your room free of light when it’s time to sleep, this curtain liner could be the best option. Featuring high quality polyester, this curtain liner provides excellent thermal insulation and blacking-out properties.
Furthermore, its sturdy construction and low-maintenance profile makes it the ideal fit for people who cannot manage a lot of upkeep. This blackout liner will go behind your existing curtains and work as an additional layer that blocks out light 100%.
The Rose Home curtain liners are machine washable and highly effective in doing their job. They go well with almost all curtain styles. For sizes, you get six options and can go with the exact or closest fit for your existing curtains. These liners can be used alone as well.
Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Extreme 100% Blackout Rod Pocket Curtain Panels
These theater grade curtains are made from polyester but offer a really silky and luxurious feel. They are budget-friendly yet offer optimal light blockage performance. These curtains don’t feature a separate backing material, but their material itself is thick enough to blackout the room. The fabric is tightly knit and works great against incoming sunlight.
Furthermore, these theater-grade curtains are also designed to provide optimal thermal insulation to keep the room temperature comfortable. They also feature two different types of rod pockets for different diameters of rods.
For some people, they may not be the most stylish or luxurious option, but they do make rooms pitch black. You can also machine wash these curtains as per your ease.
Wade Logan Birglinde 100% Blackout Curtains
For a stylish look and optimal performance, the Wade Logan blackout curtains are an excellent choice. Their linen-like texture and the pleats design give them a luxurious look. You can hang them directly on your curtain rod or through the rings on your rods or rails.
The Wade Logan Curtains feature a thermal insulation lining which can ensure temperature regulation and noise absorption. You can run these through your washing machine’s normal cycle. Their thick fabric will do an incredible job at keeping the light out and your room cave-like dark.
Cameron Thermal Insulated 100% Blackout Grommet Curtain Panel
The Cameron thermal insulated curtain panel is one of the thinnest curtain panels that still does its job well. This polyester curtain is available in a variety of colors and also features a white thermal liner on its side that faces the window. Moreover, this curtain panel comes with multiple length options to suit different heights of windows.
Despite its thin material, this curtain panel provides excellent blocking out of light and noise. The additional backing material offers an extra layer of insulation that keeps all disruptions at bay. It also promises temperature regulation to keep your rooms comfortable and improve energy-efficiency.
This curtain panel is machine washable and iron-safe and comes with the grommet hanging option.
Amazon Basics Travel Window Blackout Curtains
If you are looking for a set of portable blackout curtains, the Amazon Basics travel window drapes are an excellent option. They offer an instant blackout in any room on the go. You can set up these curtains on your window using the pre-attached suction cups. These cups go easily on any glass window. However, you will have to take the entire thing off the window if you want any sunlight during the day.
Since these curtains don’t carry any rod pockets, rings, or grommets, you can’t push them aside to let the sunlight enter your room. But, they work incredibly well and are highly effective at their job. You can carry these curtains with you wherever you go and set them up on any kind of clean glass window.
A travel bag which can easily fit into a suitcase also comes with these curtains. The velcro tape around the edges prevents any gaps from forming and letting light in through them. You’ll find these curtains in a variety of colors and kid-friendly patterns.
What To Look For When Shopping For Blackout Curtains?
Material
The material of blackout curtains plays a significant role in determining their light control/blockage effectiveness. Not only does it impact its performance, but it is also a key factor in the looks and aesthetics of the curtain.
Most blackout curtains are made from polyester because of its tight knitting and durability. The tight knitting and higher thread count of a fabric can ensure better opacity and ultimately more effective light blockage. Furthermore, even if a curtain doesn’t have polyester construction, it will almost always have a polyester liner at the back that enhances its ability to snuff out the light.
Multiple other materials are also used for room-darkening drapes, such as cotton and linen. Velvet is one of the most luxurious looking materials that will add a hint of elegance and style to your room.
Similarly, linen curtains also make a stylish addition to rooms. Linen curtains are always backed with an opaque liner because linen isn’t as tightly knit as polyester. A linen curtain can’t offer much coverage or light blockage on its own.
The linen fabric is airy and has a loose weave, which is more about beauty than practicality. However, to offer both aesthetics and optimal effectiveness in terms of light control, linen curtains are backed with polyester lining.
Size
Curtains are always available in a variety of sizes, which is why it’s important to select the correct size for your window. Curtain sizes vary, ranging from 42 inches to 54 inches in width and 63 inches to 95 inches in length.
It is important to choose curtains that are longer and wider than your window, so as to get enough coverage and avoid any light leaks.
Hanging fixtures
The header of blackout curtains usually has three different types of hanging fixtures; these are grommets, rod pockets, and loops/clips. Grommets fixtures are the metal loops that are set into the header of the curtains. The curtain rod passes through the rings for a flowy and casual look.
Rod pockets are sewn into the fabric creating a pocket along the width of the header. The curtain rod passes through the pocket for a cleaner and elegant look. Make sure to get curtains with the right size of the pocket, i.e. the one that is compatible with the diameter of the curtain rod.
Lasly, some curtains also feature clips or rings that get attached to the curtain rod rings and hooks.
Opacity
The opacity of a blackout curtain is its most significant feature. If a blackout curtain is not opaque, it’s ineffective. The fabric of the curtain should be weaved tightly to provide your desired opacity. Most curtains promise 95% opacity for light sleepers or daytime sleepers to enjoy complete blackout for undisruptive sleep.
However, if you aren’t a daytime sleeper and afraid of missing your alarm clock’s wake up call, you might like curtains with some light transparency. 80% curtain opacity might be good enough for you.
Additional features
A lot of blackout curtains claim thermal insulation, which can be a great feature to keep your room temperature regulated according to the weather.
A good thermal blackout curtain will feature three different layers of fabric to ensure optimal insulation. The thick material of the curtain prevents outside air from seeping through and messing with the inside temperature. This also reduces the need for HVAC, leading to lesser energy expenses.
Some blackout curtains also promise noise reduction. This feature can be excellent if you are a daytime sleeper and work at night. Such blackout curtains will dampen all outside noises, whether its traffic, kids playing, or your neighbors mowing the lawn.
In addition to the blacking out properties, noise absorption can be an amazing feature that both daytime sleepers and light sleepers can benefit from.
In conclusion
A peaceful atmosphere will promote deep and healthy sleeping habits. Light sleepers never seem to get enough rest when they are constantly being disturbed because of light or noise. Similarly, daytime sleepers who work during the night also need a proper sleeping environment to get a peaceful shut-eye. Thanks to blackout curtains we can achieve all these things.
You can buy blackout curtains online or visit your nearest store depending on your convenience. Investing in the right type of blackout curtains will ease your struggle to sleep through the night (or day) and get the rest you deserve. Sleep well!
