DIY & Home

A Guide To Room Darkening Curtains

Which rooms need darkening? And how do you get that economically? This video explains exactly which rooms benefit the most from blackout fabric and gives very practical advice on making sure you have it facing the right way so that the fabric lasts its longest. Enlarge

A Guide To Room Darkening Curtains

Which rooms need darkening? And how do you get that economically? This video explains exactly which rooms benefit the most from blackout fabric and gives very practical advice on making sure you have it facing the right way so that the fabric lasts its longest.

This is a guide to room-darkening curtains or blinds, and essential for children's bedrooms, particularly if they face southeast or south and also very useful for rooms that you use for television a lot or even for home cinemas which have become more popular these days. The actual product is a cotton blackout lining which can be used as an inter-liner as well. I use it as an inter-liner, and it's got two sides to it.

It's got the rubbery side which is the side you do not want to face the window because that's the delicate side, but it's the side that works. You need to put the side that's the cotton side facing the window. That is going to get the beating sun and it needs to be stronger.

So that is your strong side and when you make up your curtain, particularly if it's only a liner, you need to make sure that that side is facing the window. The sides of the actual product, the weaved side, is the cotton side. That's the side that needs to face the window.

The other side, which is the rubbery side, and the actual product of blackout, which is the side that works, needs to be facing the room. This is because the beating sun will rot this side more quickly if it's facing the window. So even if it's used as an inter-liner and not just a liner, it's a good idea not to get that muddled.

This blackout lining can be bought from any shop that sells curtain fabrics and it costs approximately four pounds a meter. You need exactly the same amount as you do for your curtain linings. Good luck. .