Blackout curtains are lifesavers. If you work at night, they allow you to sleep through the day without having your sleep disrupted by the glare of the sun. They have been used since World War II in Britain to hide house lights from Nazi planes. Now, this type of curtain continues to live on and bring convenience to every household.
There are two types of blackout curtains—made-to-measure and ready-made. Ready-made ones don’t feature a separate lining, and the back of the blackout curtain fabric is coated with the blackout layer. On the other hand, the made-to-measure blackout curtain has a separate lining with coating on the reverse.
How Blackout Curtains Work
A blackout curtain mainly blocks light—there are some brands today that claim to block 99 per cent of light. Since it blocks light, it creates a “night” atmosphere despite the sun being high up in the sky outside. Individuals who live in northern cities where the sun is out over 20 hours a day can highly benefit from a blackout curtain. Furthermore, this type of curtain is also used to create total darkness in rooms, such as a home theatre system.
Aside from barring light, blackout curtains can also obstruct noise by 40 to 50 per cent. How much sound this type of curtain can block will also depend on the brand.
Blackout curtains can also help you save energy. It’s because it can keep the heat inside during the winter and prevent the light and heat out from coming in during the summer season. So, your heat, ventilation, and air conditioning system would not have to work so hard. That said, a blackout curtain can help reduce the utility bills that will help you save more money in the long run.
How to Buy a Blackout Curtain
If you want to get blackout curtains, there are plenty of choices out there. However, if you are looking for high-end ones, prepare to splurge. On the other hand, there are many affordable ones that you can get that will also give you a lot of benefits. When it comes to choosing a blackout curtain, it’s all a matter of your preference and why you need it.
Whatever you choose to buy, a blackout curtain is a good investment. Generally, blackout curtains have heavier and thicker fabric and come with a lining at the back. There are many patterns and colours to choose from. If you have a huge window or smaller-than-average windows, you can get a made-to-measure curtain, while ready-made is for standard window sizes.
If you haven’t used blackout curtains at home, then we highly recommend that you give them a try. These curtains are perfect for helping you get a restful sleep throughout the day, and it also creates a “hotel” vibe in your home. Most hotels use blackout curtains because of their benefits, and guests enjoy them. Typically, the ones used in hotels are high-end, which you won’t normally need in your home. As mentioned, you can always get affordable ones and still get incredible benefits from them.
If you’re looking for high-quality blackout curtains in the United Kingdom, check out our products!