So you have finally taken the plunge to design your very own home theater but the only problem is…
There’s way too much light creeping in, ruining your movie theater experience.
On top of that, a noisy environment can be a major problem too.
Fortunately, there’s a single solution to both of these problems.
Enter blackout curtains.
Blackout curtains can block up to 99% of light resulting in a dark and cozy ambiance in your room. They can also help you save up to 25% in energy bills. Also, if can help minimize echoes and soundproof your home cinema experience.
Let’s find out what you should look for before buying a blackout curtain so you can have more comfortable movie nights at home!
Best Blackout Curtains
1. Best Premium: Signature Doublewide Blackout Velvet Curtain
If you have giant windows in your living room, then you should consider buying Signature Doublewide Blackout Velvet Curtain.
This curtain is 100″ wide and ranges from 84″ to 120″ in length. It comes in a variety of colors to compliment your living area. There is a single drape in a pack. The vast size ensures no leakage of light when installed properly.
The curtain is purely made of polyester velvet face fabric, providing an appealing look. It also comes with a polyester plush blackout lining to block the incoming light.
There is a pole pocket provided in the curtain for hanging. Use a reliable and robust curtain rod since this curtain weighs 6.9 pounds. You can either use hooks to hang them or slide the rod through the curtain.
The blackout lining also provides optimal thermal insulation, which will help you in bringing down your energy bill. It can trap heat inside the room in cold temperatures and can also block incoming heat in hot temperatures to keep your room cool.
This curtain cannot be machine washed. However, you can send them for dry cleaning. It will also prevent any wrinkles from forming.
Overall, if you need a royal feel in your living room with additional benefits like thermal insulation from your blackout curtain, the Signature Doublewide is a great choice.
2. Best Budget: Utopia Bedding curtain
If you are tight on budget and need a quality room darkening curtain, the Utopia Bedding curtain is value for money option.
It comes in two dimensions 52″x63″ and 52″x84.” Each pack consists of two drapes having the same dimensions. Both panels comprised of 8 grommets provided for hanging. The grommets measure 1.6″, which is a standard size and goes with most curtain rods.
It comes in a variety of colors. When choosing color keep in mind that a lighter shade will reduce less light as compared to a darker one. If you need to blackout your room completely, go for darker shades.
Both the front and backside of the curtain uses the same material. Therefore, it is reversible to use. The material is also washable, use mild detergent, and machine wash the curtain in cold water. Tumble-dry the curtain on a low setting. It is always better to read the label before washing the curtain.
This curtain also provides thermal insulation to keep your room warm in cold days. It helps in reducing the incoming sound making your room peaceful.
This curtain only comes in two dimensions, though. Therefore, you need to use them on windows with low heights. You can also sew multiple drapes together to increase its length.
All-in-all, given the price, it does a pretty good job of reducing the incoming light.
3. H.VERSAILTEX Blackout Curtains
If you want to block the light and also decorate your room with textured drapes, look no further than H.VERSAILTEX Blackout curtains.
This 52″ wide curtain comes in different lengths from 63″ to 108″. There are two blackout drapes in each pack. Both panels are consisting of eight grommets each which make it simple to install and uninstall.
Microfiber polyester is used to manufacture the curtain. The triple woven fibers ensure decent blocking of light. Weighing above three pounds this blackout drape also presents thermal insulation. It blocks 90% of the incoming light and keeps the room warm when it’s cold outside. Due to its thickness, this curtain is also good at reducing unwanted noise and echoes.
The fabric is soft to touch and feels cozy. You can wash this curtain in a washing machine, read the label to know more about what measures to take. After washing it doesn’t get any wrinkles, therefore, you don’t have to bother about ironing it. However, if you need to iron it, always use an extra layer of cloth between iron and drape to avoid any damage.
It isn’t without its downside though.
Some users might expect more design options since they only offer one design. Although, this might not be a concern for many because they don’t look tacky and goes well in the background.
Overall, if you like simple design and texture then you should buy H.VERSAILTEX Blackout Curtains.
4. RHF Wide Patio Door Curtain
If you are looking to cover your sliding doors, then you should buy the RHF wide patio door curtain.
This curtain comes in a variety of sizes, ranging from 52″ to 100″ in width and 84″ to 108″ in length, this curtain is best suited for your sliding door. Each pack consists of a single blackout drape.
It is made of 100% polyester and provides multiple color choices. There is no texture or design in the curtain; you get to choose from various solid colors. The dark color can block more light as compared to a lighter one. This curtain is known to reduce light by up to 90%.
Another feature of this curtain is thermal insulation. The thermally insulated coating helps you reduce your cooling and heating cost. Some curtains have an extra white insulated layer which generally gets removed when washing the curtain. Instead, this curtain comes with inbuilt thermal insulation properties. This curtain can be therefore washed and dried in a washing machine.
Although this curtain not made with the purpose of sound blocking, it can dampen the sound by 60% as reported by some users.
Some users have experienced the synthetic smell of fabric when unboxed. You won’t get rid of this smell naturally. However, a mild wash before using them will do the job.
Overall, If you need to cover your sliding door using a soft blackout curtain with additional benefits of thermal and sound insulation, then you should buy RHF wide patio door curtain.
5. Nicetown Full Shade Curtain Panel
If you are looking for an elegant solution that’s effective and won’t break your bank at the same time, you might want to look into Nicetown’s full shade curtain panel.
This curtain panel comes in a variety of sizes. Ranging in width from 42″ to 100″ and in length from 45″ to 108″. However, you have to choose from available dimensions, using multiple sets is recommended if you are covering a large window. Each set consists of two blackout panels.
The curtain has a black liner to block the sunlight. It also prevents harmful UV rays. The black liner also makes the curtain thick enough to absorb some of the incoming sounds. I won’t say it blocks all the noise, but it does a pretty good job of dampening the sound.
The curtain has a triple woven fabric layer. It is made entirely out of polyester, and also provides you with thermal insulation. It helps you keep out the summer heat and winter chill. It also traps the inside temperature and air in the room. It leads to lower power consumption by your air conditioner and heater, thus, reducing your energy bill. It can be machine washed and ironed at a mild temperature.
There are grommets provided for easy installation of the curtain. It has an inner diameter of 1.6″, which is the standard size.
The curtain weighs 4.6 pounds, and a regular curtain rod can’t handle the weight. However, you can replace your existing curtain rod with a stronger one.
Overall, it blocks 90% of the incoming light and provides optimal sound insulation. You should buy Nicetown’s full shade curtain if you are a night shift worker.
Benefits of Using Blackout Curtains
Blackout curtains can block up to 99% of light resulting in a dark and cozy ambiance in your room. In addition to that, these curtains are also known to provide thermal insulation. It means they can maintain the temperature of your room at a certain level.
Most of the heat or energy leakage generally happens through a window or a door. Gaps and thin glasses leads to the exchange of heat between your room and the atmosphere outside. When your room is thermally insulated the heat is trapped inside. Thus, making it easy for your air conditioner to bring down the temperature using less energy. Similarly, if it’s cold outside thermally insulated curtains keep the room warmer. You can save up to 25% of your energy bill by installing these curtains.
Another often overlooked benefit is uninterrupted sleep. Sleeping with lights around can lead to many health risks. It’s necessary for every human being to attain an unbroken sleep. However, suppose you are a night shift worker and need to sleep in the afternoon, then it becomes difficult. Irregular sleeping patterns invite unwanted health risks. These curtains provide you with a night-like ambiance to help you sleep better. Also, it blocks any light coming from street lights in the night as well.
In a nutshell, there are more benefits of using blackout drapes than only making your room dark.
Buying Guide: Things to Look For Before Buying One
1. Size and Dimension
Windows come in all sizes and finding a drape to fit your window best can be exhausting unless you are opting for custom made curtains. Therefore, keeping that in mind, all the curtains mentioned above come with a width of at least 52″.
The length of the window also varies for everyone. I suggest buying a curtain which is at least 12 inches broader from both sides and longer than the height of your window. By doing this, you will be preventing any leakage of light that might occur.
2. Color and Design
While buying regular curtains for home, the primary concern is its color and design. However, when it comes to the blackout curtain, they are available in limited options. Therefore, I have listed items that provide multiple color options for you to choose from.
Another thing to keep in mind while choosing the color is its effectiveness in blocking the light. Lighter colors tend to bar less light as compared to darker ones. Unless there is an extra black lining on the curtain, always opt for a darker shade.
3. Material Used & Build Quality
Most of the blackout curtains use synthetic fabrics, which are better at blocking light than linen and cotton, but many of them are ugly. Blackout curtains have a specific job to do, but they’re still a prominent piece of home decor so they should look as smart as possible.
Many manufacturers use synthetic materials and also provide a variety of shades for customers. Consider the place you want to install the curtain-like bedroom, living room, or home theater and choose accordingly to either use a synthetic material or natural.
Blackout Vs. Room Darkening
A minor difference between the two is the amount of light they block. Blackout curtains will give a completely dark room. Whereas, room darkening curtain will allow some light to pass through. I suggest using room darkening curtains in the children’s room. Complete darkness may upset their circadian rhythm, which is also known as the biological clock. This may lead to improper bodily functions.
4. Are They Washable?
Many blackout curtains are only allowed to be dry cleaned. However, some of them are machine washable with a mild detergent but that will lead to wrinkles, and synthetic materials are not good with ironing. I recommend using an extra layer of cotton cloth if you need to iron your drape. It is always better to send them for dry cleaning.
Always read the label on your curtain before washing it.
Are Home Theater Drapes Worth It?
Absolutely.
Media room blackout curtains not only blocks 80 to 100% of light to enter the house, but it also prevents harmful UV rays. In addition to that, these curtains provide thermal insulation for keeping your room temperature at the desired level for a longer time. It will also help you in keeping it quiet in your room by its sound dampening quality.
Happy movie nights!