A good night’s sleep makes you feel like you can conquer the world! By creating the perfect environment in your bedroom, you can achieve optimum sleep and wreak the benefits of a solid 8 hours. But how about other places in the home that benefit from room darkening details? Learning as much as you can about the art of room darkening is a great place to start, our Room Darkening Solutions page provides a snapshot, but for more detailed information continue learning below…
Not Just for Bedrooms
Without a doubt, room darkening certainly helps create the perfect environment to fall asleep. But have you thought about other spaces in the home that you’d like to darken at certain times of the day? Let’s brainstorm…
- Media Room
- Home Office
- Home Gym
- Sun Exposed Patio
The Fabrics & Materials
It should be noted, to achieve the appropriate degree of darkness you’ll need to choose the proper materials. First, evaluate how dark you’d like the room and how strong the light is you’ll need to block. This will determine the best room darkening details for your space. Remember the fabrics will need to be opaque to block light or adding a liner under your chosen fabric is an option, too.
What About Shutters?
Sure, shutters can provide light control too! Plantation shutters are also opaque and can block light. With adjustable tilt, you can control more light or less light. Be advised, hard treatments such as these may allow small amounts of light to sneak in through the slats, even with a clean close. The picture below demonstrates the hidden tilt feature, it allows for a clean close, or a “see through” view when open.
When shutters are adjusted to clean close, minimal light can still come through–you’ll notice a subtle glow.
Understanding Light Gaps
When choosing the right treatment for your space, keep in mind these important room darkening details. “Light Gaps” or “Side Gaps” are terms used to describe the light that enters in between the closed shade and window frame. In many cases, this does not affect the experience-most find the room dark enough. At times, we add side draperies to prevent this light from entering.
To be considered *actual* blackout treatments, look to window shades that come equipped with an outer channel that prevents light from entering. The LightLock™ feature, now available for the Duette shades collection, traps the edges of the fabric shade to block light. The shades run along a track that is attached to the window frame, this helps keep the light out.
The Best of Both Worlds
It’s common for spaces in your home to need coverage, but also light too. With dual shades, you can have it both ways! Your room can be filled with sun one minute and darkened the next. This is how it looks…
Dual shades work by adjusting the secondary shade to darken the room. When you require light, roll up the secondary shade–it’s now hidden and out of sight! The light filtering shades remain in place always and provide privacy and energy efficiency. What a transformation!
Which Room Darkening Details Do You Need?
Your home should be as comfortable as it can be and controlling the light can make a big difference. Learning about room darkening details–all the features, function & fabrics–can be overwhelming. We are here to help by finding solutions where you need them most. For expert problem solving and to customize your home to suit your family’s needs, contact us for a FREE design consultation!
