Are you in the market for Blackout Shades for your Bedroom but not sure what to buy?
As the wife of a window treatment installer, you would think I would know the answer to this question. I had no idea there were so many choices I had to make to get the RIGHT treatment for our purpose! I did not even know what questions to ask.
Lucky for me, my husband was a professional in the window treatment business for many, many years. I wanted to share the top 3 blackout shades for bedrooms with the pros and cons, so you too can make an educated decision on what will work best for your situation.
Your bedroom is your sanctuary. Getting a good night’s sleep is vital to your health. The right kind of window treatment can turn your bedroom into a dark, peaceful retreat!
Blackout Roller Shade, Blackout Cellular Shade, or Blackout Roman Shade, all 3
will work well to block out “most” of that sunshine. It mainly comes down to aesthetics, what look you’re going for, and what works on YOUR windows.
All three of these treatments will block light effectively but you will still get light creeping in along the edges. If you like your room very dark, then take into consideration which ones have the smallest gaps.
1. Blackout Roller Shade for Bedrooms
- Works well as an inside mount or outside mount.
- Nice clean flat look. Has more of a modern appeal to it. Available in many colors.
- When in the open position smaller bulk on top looks tidy.
- This shade can tend to be wavy on the sides, especially if you get cheap material.
- Due to the nature of the shade and how it functions and mounts, it will let light in at the top of the shade and on the sides. This style has the largest gaps of all three.
- Of the 3 shades listed here, Blackout Roller Shades would rate second highest in cost to purchase.
2. Blackout Cellular Shade
- Works well as an inside or outside mount.
- Has a softer textured look available in many choices of colors.
- When in the open position, stacks very neatly in the smallest area for a tidy clean look.
- Available in top down bottom up for versatility or privacy.
- This shade will afford you the least amount of light coming in the top
because of the headrail. There is still light that can come in on the sides
no matter how well it is measured to fit. This style has the smallest gaps of all three. - Blackout Cellular Shades are the most affordable of the 3 window treatments listed here.
3. Roman Blackout Shades for Bedrooms
- Works well for inside or outside mount.
- This tends to be a more elegant softer look. Again, available in many color choices, materials, patterns, and gathers.
- When in the open position you can choose between a flatter gather or more cascading gather.
- This shade will block the light at the top of the shade and depending on how it is measured, light will still creep in the sides. This style has bigger gaps but not as big as the roller shade.
- Blackout Roman Shades can tend to get a bit pricey as there are so many choices of materials, patterns, and styles.
There are other treatments on the market designed for room darkening but these are in my opinion the top three. There are a few pros and cons to each of these shades but to the homeowner, one person’s con may be the other person’s pro. It depends on what is most important to you. Function, looks, and the price will all play a part in your decision-making.
One thing to be aware of that is not pointed out enough at point of purchase is the light gaps along the edges. If you like your room very dark then this will be a big issue. There will be gaps because that is the nature of window treatments but you can do something about it. You can opt for curtain side panels or light gap blockers that attach to the edges of your window opening.
I hope this article helped you to make a more informed decision. If you are in the market for “BLACKOUT” shades then you are looking to get a good night’s sleep regardless of the sun shining outside which you will only accomplish with the added product from Sleepy Time Tracks no matter the shade type you choose. Your bedroom is your sanctuary. Getting a good night’s sleep is vital to your health. The right kind of window treatment can turn your bedroom into a dark, peaceful retreat!
