Blackout Blinds
Tired of waking every morning with a stripe of blinding sunlight across your eyes? Or perhaps you need a way to dim the lights in the baby's room so he'll nap, or in a conference room so that you can project a presentation on a screen. No matter why you need to block the light from entering a room, you will need the right window blinds for the job.
If you're looking for a window covering option that will block out nearly all available light from your rooms, your best option is blackout blinds. Blackout blinds are generally roller blinds - heavy fabric on a mechanical roller - with a few differences designed to eliminate as much available light as possible.
The first difference is in the construction of the blind itself. Rather than rolling freely up and down over a roller that is attached at the top of the window frame, blackout blinds are fitted into side channels attached to the inside of the frame to hold the blind close to the glass and prevent light from entering along the sides.
The fabric itself - or a special lightproof treatment - is the second difference. There is no one particular fabric that's used universally. Different manufacturers swear by different combinations of acrylic, fiberglass, aluminum and other products to reduce light transmission and reflect heat away from the window and out of your room.
Blackout blinds come in a wide variety of colors and styles to suit almost any décor. The newest treatments don't count on color to reduce light leakage. It's all in the material of which the blinds are made. You can choose colors, patterns and prints that coordinate with any decorating style,
Maybe your need isn't for total light blockage. There are other options that are more suitable for dimming the light in a room and helping to keep it cooler in the heat or retaining heat during the winter. Often referred to as 'dim out blinds' they are usually made of similar fabric with some light blocking properties, but aren't fitted into channels to block all light. They come in the same range of colors, patterns and styles designed to coordinate with any room décor, so shop around to find window treatments that fit your rooms perfectly.
Another recent entry into the blackout blinds market is cellular blackout blinds. Cellular blackout blinds are not available from every manufacturer, and are often a custom order from others. Like blackout roller blinds, they come in both room darkening and light filtering colors. They offer many options that standard blackout blinds don't - top down or bottom up raising and lowering, for example. The colors available range from white to lavender to sea green to rose, and can block as much as 80% of the light from entering your room.
If you're buying blackout blinds from an online dealers be sure to visit their web site to get detailed measuring instructions. Since blackout blinds of any kind must be cut to measure, you'll seldom get a refund if you make a mistake with the measurements or choose a color that doesn't suit your rooms.
Garry John has contributed many articles to home improvement sites including this article on blackout blinds.
Latest News
Interior decorators in Central Jersey reflect clients' tastes Scarlet Scuttlebutt, NJ - By BRANDON LAUSCH • Staff Writer • November 27, 2008 BRANCHBURG —The sales pitch of custom interior-decorating business Decor&You basically comes down to ... |
Decorator turns Dubuque theater into holiday site Chicago Tribune, United States - "You either got it or you don't," said Meyer, a man with a penchant for interior design and storytelling. "And, no, I'm not going to do anybody's house. ... |
Fathead(R) Offers to Decorate the First Daughters Rooms with Jonas ... MarketWatch - ... about decorating their own rooms, we wanted to reach out to the First Lady's transition team to offer our expertise in the 'Department of the Interior', ... |
 NewsReleaseWire.com (press release) | : New Home Staging Design Guide Takes Guesswork Out of How to ... NewsReleaseWire.com (press release) - In fact, even if you’re an interior designer, decorating to sell and decorating to live are two completely different objectives and need to be handled ... |
Top 10 Home Decor Trends for 2009 - Interior Genius Imperial Valley News, CA - Carmen Natschke -- editor of "The Decorating Diva" -- sees a revival of what she calls “Hollywood Regency.” According to her Web site, this style is ... |
 WHIZ | Holiday Decorating Safet WHIZ, OH - "You want to make sure that you use interior for interior and exterior for exterior. And something safety-wise for your interior, you want to make sure you ... |
Interior decorating trends toward rich color, vintage look Tampabay.com, FL - "We are drawn to old-culture decor — a Tuscan farmhouse kitchen — but we want state-of-the-art appliances in that kitchen. So we are drawn to both vintage ... |
 Pittsburgh Post Gazette | Business partners use house to show off design, decorating talents Pittsburgh Post Gazette, PA - "A house should be more than a place to eat and sleep," said Mr. Tot, 56, a North Side resident and owner of Nolen Painting & Interior Decorating. ... |
Local shop offers interesting vintage Christmas decor Huntington Herald Dispatch, WV - Brass Rabbit Home Accents has been selling interior decorations for the past five years. "I've been in this kind of business for 15 years and I felt like it ... |
Lights, music, Christmas: Area houses decorated to brighten spirits Southeast Missourian, MO - A little bit of extra lighting in the interior of the home will include lights around tall bookcases. "Their greenery was natural. ... Glenn House serves as alternative to Parade of Lights |
Resources
-
Sorry Currently Unavailable