They say that windows are the eyes into the soul of a house and sometimes you want to block out the rest of the world. There might be many reasons you want to create a blackout effect. Maybe you want to make it easier to drift off to sleep at night, or enjoy a cinema-style movie night. In this article, we will break down some ways you can create a blackout effect in any room.
Pair shutters with curtains
There is one style of shutters that almost fully blocks out the light from your windows. They’re called blackout shutters and they’re designed to, well, block out light. They tend to feature solid panels with overlapping slats that can be adjusted to control light and privacy. They were originally created to keep out the elements. Now they’re installed in homes for various reasons, including noise pollution, allergy protection, weather protection, or simply for their stylish aesthetic.
At Shutterly Fabulous, we don’t call ours blackout shutters. This is because there will always be a tiny bit of light seepage when the shutters are closed, but there are things you can do with our quality plantation shutters to block out even more light. The first thing is, close the slats on your shutters to ensure that only minimal light comes into the room. You can also pair our shutters with curtains to create a full blackout effect.
One of the benefits of shutters is that they help to insulate, soundproof and control light levels. Adding curtains to the mix further improves insulation and with their thick lining they block out any remaining light that creeps through shutter slats.
Get Creative with Tinfoil or Cardboard
Perhaps you have a tight budget and don’t want to spend a lot of money to achieve your blackout ambitions. The good news is that you could achieve the results you want with low-cost and easily sourced items such as tinfoil or cardboard.
Covering your windows with tinfoil helps to create blackout conditions because of the airtight properties of the material. Tinfoil is also an easy material to work with because it can be moulded to fit the size and shape of your windows.
If you don’t have any tinfoil to hand you will likely have some old cardboard boxes lying around. These can be cut up into thick shapes to match your windows and used to cover them. This approach will work well in winter because cardboard will also provide some added insulation. However, in the summer you might want to opt for a different solution.
Consider Travel Blackout Blinds
Another option you could try is travel blackout blinds. These are inserts that you can buy and then cut down to fit the size of your windows. They are often used as a temporary solution in cars when people are travelling and want to sleep during the journey – hence the name travel blackout blinds.
You could use them in your home to create a blackout effect that can also be removed easily during the day. However, if you are after a more permanent solution, blackout travel blinds are not the best option.
Take the Next Step
Creating a blackout effect within your home could help you improve your sleep. So, why not give our suggestions a try and see if any of them make a difference for you?
If you want to know more about shutters and how they could contribute towards achieving blackout, book a free appointment with our shutter specialists today!