One of the most ‘on point’ trends in home decor, home improvements and lifestyle in recent years is the phenomenal uptake in blackout blinds.
What are blackout blinds?
Blackout blinds are simply blinds made of strong, sunlight-resistant material that totally restrict any sunlight to pass through them.
Similar to the wartime ‘blackout curtains’, blackout blinds eliminate all light from penetrating through them, and are ideal for blocking natural light or high glare from the sun.
Where should I use blackout blinds?
Once only used in luxury and high-end hotels, blackout blinds can be used behind – or in place – of traditional or decorative curtains/blinds.
Anywhere you need to restrict light access through a window or opening, you can use blackout blinds. Whilst usually fitted in bedrooms, blackout blinds can also be used in living rooms, offices anywhere light/brightness needs to be reduced or eliminated.
What are the advantages of blackout blinds
Generally, anyone that sleeps in a bedroom using blackout blinds will improve their sleep quality – and perhaps even sleep for longer. This is because standard curtains will allow some light through, which often disturbs even the deepest sleeper.
Humans are used to resting at night-time and rising with the sun, and often even drawn curtains cannot prevent being raised from a deep sleep to a lighter slumber. By using blackout blinds, any increase in light outside will not pass through the blind, thus leaving the sleeper in a deeper, more comfortable sleep.
Also, for shift and night-time workers that have to sleep during the day, blackout blinds will also help. By blocking out all sunlight in a bedroom, it will be just like sleeping in darkness – but during the day.
It could be the case that a person is sleeping a constant eight hours at night, but in places with lots of external light (e.g. sunny climates, well-illuminated city centres and areas with little cloud) the use of blackout blinds will definitely improve the sleep quality by keeping a room entirely dark.
Too much sunlight can also be an issue to particular health problems, and in such cases artificial light may be preferred. By using blackout blinds, all natural sunlight can be eliminated and only artificial light be used instead.
How can blackout blinds be fitted?
First of all, blackout blinds need not just be black! The term refers to the effect (blackout of light) rather than fabric colour, and in fact they are commonly produced in black, grey and white colours.
For the more fashion conscious, blackout blinds are also available in specialist colours – e.g. magnolia, duck egg, silver or even pink – although this depends on the manufacturer, range and supplier.
Blackout blinds are generally supplied as roller blinds, and can be used on their own or behind other decorative or fashion blinds.
Curtains can also incorporate blackout material, although it’s more common to have either blackout blinds behind curtains or another track of blackout curtains behind the decorative curtains.