Snickysnacker -- the ones I purchased are Robert Eclipse Black-out Energy Saving Panels -- Thermaweave Panel. They are really soft and drape beautifully. Graywings -- the problem is that the way they're hanging in the second bedroom is a workaround. My husband -- who needs to sometimes sleep in there because of a bad back -- took the decorative rod out of the dip in the front of the bracket and just pushed it up against the wall. Not really a good look, and you can't really slide the curtains to open them because the rod is just resting on the back of the bracket,rather than being held securely. But what it showed us is that if these curtains are closer to the window the amount of light that can sneak over the top or around the sides is reduced to almost nothing! Why is it that all the brackets that hold round rods extend at least 4 inches from the wall? I don't need that much clearance. Are there any alternatives? (thank you both for responding!)

I have french doors at the end of my dining room, and no matter what the color of the drapes, they are going to look like a big blob when closed. You might consider mixing the drapes with patterned or textured blinds, in which case you could open the drapes most of the time, particularly when you were in there. Or if you are handy, sew a patterned panel into the bottom of the drapes. But no matter how you slice it, closed long drapes are a big blob of something on a wall. If it were me, I'd spend the money on blinds for the windows and mix them with the current drapes. Another option I considered for privacy was fake or real stained glass inserts.

Yes, they do! With the light blocking of the blackout fabrics, the sunlight that gets amplified by the glass windows (creating a greenhouse effect) is stopped at the window level, preventing it from further heating up your living room, bedroom, etc. We also have several other ideas in terms of heat blocking!

You can get a 3/4 inch blackout cell/ cordless in "White Knight " ( YOUR dimensions) @ Home Depot for 312.80. It will look as a pale gray when dropped down, and that is BECAUSE it is blackout. If you don't need the blackout, just privacy? You can have a clean white. If it's up all the way in broad daylight? Or partly down? And It works for you? Fine! I have used plenty of these in kids rooms. No cords, cheap enough and surprisingly decent. There are other colors.......pick an accent depending.! Just don't paint what you have lol - simply a great way to make a mess and destroy the shade, anyway. Not EVERYTHING is a DIY OPPORTUNITY https://www.homedepot.com/custom-blinds/Configurator?productId=534127