Advice
Blackout for Bedrooms and Nurseries: What Actually Works
Why blackout blinds still let light in at the edges, and the options that really get a room dark, from blind screens to layering with curtains.
By the Emerald Interiors team 4 min read
Here’s something most people only find out after they’ve bought one: a blackout blind doesn’t make a room completely dark. The fabric stops the light, but there’s always a small gap at the sides and bottom, and on a bright summer morning that’s enough to wake a baby or a light sleeper.
The short answer: if you need a room completely dark, choose a blind screen. If you just want it dark enough to sleep well, a blackout roller or Roman blind layered with lined curtains works very well.
Why “blackout” still lets light in
“Blackout” describes the fabric, not the room. A blackout roller blind blocks light coming through it, but it hangs in front of or inside the window with a small gap at each edge so it can move freely. Light creeps round those edges.
The same goes for Roman blinds with a blackout lining, and for shutters, which block most light but not all of it.
From darkest to lightest
1. Blind screens: completely dark
A blind screen is a blackout blind set in a sealed frame around the window. The blind runs in side channels, so there are no gaps for light to get through at all. It’s the only option we sell that makes a room completely dark.
They’re the go-to choice for:
- babies and young children who nap in the day or wake with early summer sunrises
- night-shift workers
- light-sensitive sleepers
- home cinemas
Because of the sealed frame, they cost more than a standard blackout blind and they’re a more technical fit, so we always measure and fit them ourselves. We’ll price yours at your visit.
2. Perfect Fit blackout roller: very little light
On uPVC windows, a Perfect Fit blackout roller sits in a frame close to the glass, so there’s much less light around the edges than with a standard blind. There are no loose cords either, which makes them a popular choice for children’s rooms. They’re priced per pane.
3. Blackout roller or Roman blind with curtains: dark enough for most
Layering is the classic answer. A blackout roller blind does the work at the window, and lined curtains in front cover the gaps at the edges and add warmth. A blackout roller for a 120 × 120 cm window is about £120.
For a softer look, a Roman blind with a blackout lining does the same job and can be made in the same fabric as your curtains.
4. Blackout roller on its own: good for most adults
For many bedrooms, a blackout roller blind on its own is plenty. You’ll see a thin line of light at the edges in the morning, but the room will be dark enough to sleep.
5. Shutters: dark, but not blackout
Closed shutters block most light, but some gets through the louvres and edges. They’re lovely in a bedroom, but if darkness is the priority, pair them with something else or choose a blind screen.
Curtains and darkness
Curtains with a blackout lining help a lot, especially when they’re floor length and overlap the window well on each side. Eyelet curtains can let a little light in over the top of the pole, so in bedrooms they work best paired with a blind.
Keeping children’s rooms safe
Any blind with a cord or chain is fitted with child-safety devices as standard. If you’d rather have no cords at all, Perfect Fit blinds, blind screens and motorised blinds are all cord-free.
Our recommendations
| Who it’s for | What we’d suggest |
|---|---|
| Nursery or young child’s room | A blind screen, with curtains in front for warmth if you like |
| Night-shift worker | A blind screen |
| Light sleeper | A blind screen, or a blackout roller with lined curtains |
| Main bedroom | A blackout roller or Roman blind, layered with lined curtains |
| uPVC windows in a child’s room | A Perfect Fit blackout roller |
We bring blackout fabrics and blind screen samples to every home visit, and we’ll tell you honestly how dark each option will get your room. Book a free home visit, or get a rough price first with our price calculator.
