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What are benefits of blackout blinds?

Mar 26 2021

The first days of spring are already behind us and daylight saving time is almost here!  When our clocks go back an hour, we suddenly experience longer days and shorter nights. If you don’t have the right window coverings in your bedroom that might cause troubles with your sleep. Blackout blinds are a perfect solution for those who are sensitive to light changes. Whether you work nightshifts or need a midday nap, with the right blackout blinds you can instantly darken your space. In today’s post, we will go more in-depth into blackout blinds and fabrics so you can make sure that you choose the right window covering for your room.

What are blackout blinds?

The term blackout blind usually refers to the blind made of fabric that is nontransparent and creates light filtering. Some blind types such as Roller Blinds or Vertical Blinds use pre-designed blackout fabrics, other blind types such as Roman Blinds have a blackout lining available to prevent the light from coming into the room.

Blackout blinds are great for privacy and light control. The blind will not only reduce the light coming into the room but also hide the view and give you ultimate privacy. Blackout fabrics are usually slightly thicker than regular fabrics, increasing the thermal efficiency of a window covering. The blind will keep your room cool in the summertime by reducing UV rays entering the room and retain the heat inside in the winter months. Sometimes, the harmful UV rays can cause fading of certain types of furniture, carpets and fittings. Having the blackout window covering will help reduce the effects of sun damage.

Which blinds are best for the blackout fabric?

There are many styles of blackout blinds. Blackout fabrics are available in different shades and don’t need to be in dark colours to work well. White and light coloured fabrics will also effectively darken up the room. For Roller and Vertical Blinds, the 'blackout' part of the fabric refers to a backing applied to the fabric during the manufacturing process of the fabric.

Roller Blinds are one of the most popular blind types for blackout fabric. They are easy to operate, affordable and work well in different types of rooms. At Your Blinds Direct, we have a wide selection of Blackout Roller Blinds are available in a huge range of colours that will accentuate any room.

 Blackout Vertical Blinds are another popular choice for practical and functional window covering. Many of our Roller fabrics are also available in Vertical fabrics so you can keep the same style whilst having a variety of blind types. Our made to measure Vertical Blinds will offer you excellent control over light and privacy. The vertical slats can orientate around for flexible light control.  Blackout Vertical Blinds are also suitable for patios and larger windows where you need effective light control. Please note that you will still experience light gaps between the slats of Blackout Vertical blinds.

Blackout Roman Blinds are a stylish and functional option for a window covering in any room. This blind type is easy to operate and provides you with optimal light and privacy control. When lowered, the fabric completely covers the window. However, the light can still peek around the edges of a blind, that’s why Blackout Roman Blinds are especially effective when paired with blackout curtains. At Your Blinds Direct, we have Roman Blackout linings available in ivory and white colours that will fully darken up the room. The linings are only visible on the rear of the blind. Roman Blinds look amazing in traditional interiors and add a touch of sophistication to any space. They are a must for softening up any window reveal.

Are Venetian Blinds blackout?

Although, our Faux Wood Blinds and Aluminum Blinds are not made of a ‘blackout fabric’ they will still successfully darken up your room. The light won’t come through PVC or aluminium slats but might leak out the cord holes. The bigger the slat’s size, the more sunlight it will block and the more ‘blackout’ the blind will be. Therefore, our 50mm Faux Wood Blinds will be a better solution for bedrooms than 35 mm ones.

We still recommend using our Venetian Blinds in the bedrooms, as they look great and give you flexible light control. However, if you are sensitive to light in the mornings, then Blackout Roller or Blackout Roman Blind may be a better choice.

Where to use blackout blinds?

Blackout blinds can be used across all the rooms in the house. At Your Blinds Direct, we have a wide selection of fabrics and designs that will be suitable for different spaces.

Blackout blinds are a perfect solution for bedrooms as they can create a dark environment needed for good quality sleep. Whether you want a nap during the day or sleep in longer in the summertime, the blind will block any sun rays coming into the room and keep your space dark. Blackout blinds are especially great for people that are easily disturbed by the light changes while sleeping.

Nurseries and children’s bedrooms are also popular choices for blackout blinds. The dark environment will help elevate your child's sleep quality. All the blinds available on our website come with child-safe devices or have a child-safe mechanism (motorised).

Our made to measure blackout blinds are also a great solution for sunny offices and schools where digital boards are used. The bright light might make it hard to read from a computer screen or digital board and a blackout blind will create a dark space for comfortable reading.