Blackout Shades for Bedrooms and Nurseries: How to Get a Truly Dark Room
By Braxton Hatch, TruShade 5 min read
Utah summers bring sunrise before 6am and daylight well past 9pm, and in winter the snow bounces bright morning light straight into bedrooms. If you work nights, have a baby who naps in the afternoon, or just want to sleep past dawn, a dark room makes a real difference.
The word "blackout" on a fabric is only half the story. Here’s how to choose the right blackout shade for a bedroom or nursery, and how to stop the light that leaks in around the edges.
The best blackout options
- Blackout cellular (honeycomb) shades. Our most popular bedroom pick. The honeycomb pockets add insulation, so the room stays cooler in summer and warmer in winter, and they’re quiet to raise and lower, which matters when a baby is asleep.
- Blackout roller shades. Clean, simple and modern. A roller in a blackout fabric rolls up almost out of sight during the day. Adding a cassette (a cover over the roll) gives a finished look and blocks light at the top.
- Plantation shutters. Shutters make a room very dim, though not fully dark, since a little light comes through where the louvers meet. Some families pair shutters with a blackout shade behind them for the best of both.
- Layered shades. A light-filtering shade for daytime and a blackout shade for sleeping, on the same window. Great for nurseries that double as play rooms.
Why light still sneaks in
Even a fully blackout fabric lets light in around its edges. A shade mounted inside the window frame needs a small gap on each side to move freely, and that thin line of light is the most common complaint we hear about "blackout" shades bought online.
How to get the room truly dark
- Side channels. Tracks along the sides of the window that the shade runs inside. They close the side gaps and make the biggest difference for a nursery or a night-shift bedroom.
- Outside mount. Mounting the shade on the wall above the window and making it wider than the opening lets it overlap the frame, which cuts down light at the edges.
- A cassette or valance on top. Covers the gap above the roll where light can spill over.
- The right color. Blackout fabrics come in light colors too. A white or cream blackout shade still blocks light, it just looks brighter from the street and fits most bedroom decor.
During a consultation we look at how each bedroom window is built and which of these will work best there, since window depth and trim make a difference.
Nurseries: keep it safe, too
In a child’s room, choose cordless or motorized shades with no hanging cords or chains. Cordless shades raise and lower with a gentle push or pull, and motorized shades can be lowered from a phone or remote without tiptoeing back into the room.
Put the crib, bed and changing table away from the window when you can, and pick a fabric that’s easy to wipe clean.
Blackout helps with comfort, too
Bedrooms over a garage or facing west can get hot on summer afternoons. Blackout cellular shades block the sun and add a layer of insulation, so the room is more comfortable at bedtime and in the winter, too.
Already have a quote?
Send it to us before you sign. With our Price Beat Guarantee, we’ll beat a comparable written quote by $500 on 5+ windows or by $1,000 on 10+ windows. We’ll measure for free, confirm the product match, and give you our price in writing.
Common questions
What is the best blackout shade for a bedroom?
Blackout cellular (honeycomb) shades are the most popular because they block light, insulate and are quiet. Blackout roller shades are a great choice for a cleaner, modern look.
Why do blackout shades still let light in?
Most light comes in around the edges, not through the fabric. Side channels, an outside mount or a cassette on top close those gaps.
Are blackout shades safe for a nursery?
Yes, as long as you choose cordless or motorized shades with no hanging cords or chains.
Do blackout shades come in light colors?
Yes. Blackout fabrics come in white, cream and light grays as well as darker colors, and the light colors still block light.
