Can You Recommend Blackout Shades (or other) For This Guestroom?

9 years ago

DS & Fam recently visited and found the wood blinds I had in the guestroom weren't sufficient in blocking out morning light. We did a quick fix for the visit by adding a room darkening roller shade but I am eager to remove those & replace with something nicer.

I kept the white wood shades when we repainted because I like being able to have the diffused light they offer 90% of the time when guests aren't sleeping there. Also, I didn't want anything layered or fussy.

The quilt & shams are an unusual shade of gold leaning towards chartreuse. The bedside tables are painted muted gold with dark wicker baskets that match the walnut bed frame & dresser. The wicker pieces are the sage green that match the pattern on the quilt. The room is painted BM White Chocolate.

Any advice on where & what to get for window coverings that will keep the light out when needed but still work with this room? The pic is taken with morning light. Room faces East. No privacy issues here - 2nd floor facing an acre of our woods.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

happilady
9 years ago
I would hang simple non fussy lined drapes that can be pulled closed over the windows. I think they would look fine.

A suggestion for anyone with a guest room- spend the night in it. It can help find any problems. Realize that guests usually won't tell you. I spent the night in my guest room and discovered a noisy fan(which seemed fine until I tried to sleep under it) and bad bedside lighting that made it hard to read by.
0
joaniepoanie
9 years ago
Blackout drapes that can be pulled closed over the existing blinds or blackout cellular shades which you would have to leave at least partially up to get light in there during the day.
0
Related Discussions
Can you recommend a temporary shade cover?
Q
Comments (5)
This seems like the perfect place to plant annuals and change them out twice per year. For summer you could plant anything that likes sun, including perhaps tomatoes or other vegetables. In the fall you could switch to shade tolerant annuals, impatiens come to mind, but I bet there are others as well. Most tropical house plants would probably do well for the winter. By switching, you'd get plants that are suited for the conditions that you are experiencing, and you'd be able to enjoy some variety through the year.
...See More
Heuchera or other Shade recommendations?
Q
Comments (7)
how much sun do you get? I have some purple heucheras in shade (gets about 1-2 hours of early morning sun) that has been doing extremely well. Doesn't multiply as well as the ones in more sun, but still good. Try the Japanese fern, see my link below. They're very pretty and fairly low to the ground (has some purple in it). This will do well in shade for sure! Mine is going on the 2nd year and still quite small. My neighbor has a full grown bush and they don't get any higher than 12 inch. Here is a link that might be useful:
...See More
Who makes the best blackout shades you've used?
Q
Comments (7)
We have made to order Levelor cellular shades from Home Depot in our bedrooms and bathroom. They're the blackout kind and cordless. After about 18 months, one of the shades broke. It's being repaired/replaced by Levelor now. They seem to be decent quality for the most part and go up/down okay. Initially, they ordered the non blackout kind and sent them for installation. They did replace them with the correct kind but we got to live with the standard one for a few weeks. There was a significant difference in the amount of light between the two. You can still see light around the edges so are more like room darkening than blackout, in my opinion.
...See More
Anyone have white blackout shades?
Q
Comments (8)
I have white honeycomb blackout shades and I can tell you they 100% work. The room is absolutely black even in a south facing window. (I wish I knew the name, but I had them made when I was pregnant with our first child - 16 years ago.) My husband switched them to another bedroom for baby #2 - and we are still using them in that room. I actually brought a flashlight to the custom window showroom, and it blocked out all the light. Ours are inside mounted, so there is a tiny bit of light from the sides, but not much. It is so dark in her room, that her nightlight is always on if I don't raise the blinds. They are white on both sides. During the school year I actually raise them just a bit so she has some idea that the sun has come up, because it truly would be completely dark in there. Good luck - you will LOVE them!
...See More
Related Professionals
Caledonia Interior Designers & Decorators · East Patchogue Interior Designers & Decorators · Nashville Interior Designers & Decorators · San Diego Furniture & Accessories · Santa Barbara Furniture & Accessories · Adelanto Furniture & Accessories · Carlsbad Furniture & Accessories · Park Ridge Furniture & Accessories · Westport Furniture & Accessories · Ridgewood Furniture & Accessories · Jefferson Valley-Yorktown Lighting · East Setauket Window Treatments · Fremont Window Treatments · Walnut Creek Window Treatments · Inwood Window Treatments
Annie Deighnaugh
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I'd keep the room darkening roller shades and then add a valance and some side panels. When the shades are up, you won't even know they're there, but are wonderfully functional for your purpose.

Otherwise you could get black out drapery panels and hang them so they can be closed when necessary...otherwise they can be pushed aside and you can just use the blinds like you have been.

Another solution is eyeshades like they give you on the airlines...then you can use any window treatment you like.
0
busybee3
9 years ago
agree about the adding panels to pull over the windows when people are sleeping...

I also love blackout honeycomb shades... if you're careful with the sizing (I find the measurement guidelines that most companies give you is usually too generous) you can have them made fairly tight to the edges so most of the light is blocked...
0
alexdelia4
9 years ago
I would strongly recommend the Bali custom blinds for your rooms. They can be found at any Home Depot. They are extremely nice, and they even take measurements for you at no cost.
0
cat_mom
9 years ago
Room darkening micro pleat shades (ours are Hunter Douglas) can be installed behind your decorative shades. You can raise them during the day, and lower them at night (we wrap the excess cords around the supplied plastic cleats which are mounted on our window trim).
0
User
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thank you for all suggestions thus far.

We replaced the w/w with hardwood last summer & repainted the walls & trim. I was avoiding drapes or curtains in part so I wouldn't have fabric that would collect dust. The room felt so fresh and was so much easier to clean once the carpet was removed. I wanted to keep with that pared down look & feel.

But I'm getting the feeling that I have to go with drapes that can be pulled together when needed if I want to also keep the blinds. I'm not in love with the blinds, but they allow light into the room on hot summer days and freezing winter ones. Otherwise, it's a couple of big windows bare to the elements with shades drawn or shades pulled down and a dark room for a good part of the year.

Sheers would offer that diffused light during the day, but I definitely don't want to layer those and blackout drapes.

I chose bedcovers & furnishings for this room to keep it gender neutral and wanted the same for window coverings.

If you're struck with any other ideas, please let me know. Thanks -
0
voila
9 years ago
Take a look at JC Penney drapes. Blackout/thermal drapes and on sale. Here is a simple cotton that may go well with your quilt.

http://www.jcpenney.com/jcpenney-home-jenner-cotton-grommet-top-thermal-curtain-panel/prod.jump?ppId=1a1f2f4&catId=cat100260235&deptId=dept20022800026&Nao=24&pN=2&_dyncharset=UTF-8&colorizedImg=DP0404201417130635M.tif

Reviews appear favorable.
0
grapefruit1_ar
9 years ago
I would remove the current shades and do grommet top panels. They are available in blackout versions. You can then let in the natural light and have the views.
0

Can You Recommend Blackout Shades (or other) For This Guestroom?

Comments (9)

happilady

joaniepoanie

Related Discussions

Related Professionals

Annie Deighnaugh

busybee3

alexdelia4

cat_mom

User
Original Author

voila

grapefruit1_ar

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Can You Recommend Blackout Shades (or other) For This Guestroom?

Comments (9)

Related Discussions

Related Professionals

UserOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

User
Original Author