Blackout Curtains: The Ultimate Solution for a Serene Nursery

Whether preparing for your first baby or you are redesigning an existing nursery, taking into account the essential tips on how to design a nursery is important. Once you’re done with the main setup, the last but not least thing to decide on are the curtains. And this brings us to the most commonly asked question – “Should I get blackout curtains for nursery, drapes, or motorised blinds?”. Well, the answer for this question is pretty obvious – black out curtains, because the reason is pretty simple. Blackout blinds won’t make any buzzing noise when you open and close them as some motorised blinds do. Plus, they are great for providing the room with the needed warmth thanks to the large selection of thick materials.

As the name implies, blackout or also known as blockout curtains are great for blocking out the light of the sun or artificial light, unlike drapes. They are especially great for those nurseries that are exposed to a lot of sun during a great part of the day. According to some studies newborns should have at least 3 naps during the day, so the sun entering the nursery won’t be of much help in such a situation. Instead of darkening the room completely with blinds (which is not beneficial for the baby as it can easily confuse night and day), a lighter colour block out curtains can prevent sun rays to enter the room while still providing the needed amount of light in the nursery.

What are Blockout Curtains Made of?

Generally speaking, black out curtains are usually made of tightly woven, dense or layered fabric like polyester, velvet, felt and suede. Nowadays, the number of blackout materials has increased a lot, and thanks to the newest technologies, today’s blackout curtains can even offer the highest rating of UPF50+. These features make blackout window curtains the safest choice for nurseries. The newest 3-pass blackout technology usually consists of blackout linings and coatings which are followed by three layers of foam – white, black, and another layer of white foam. The foam is applied on the back part of the fabric so it won’t interrupt the decorative fabric finish, while completely blocking the light, on the other hand. Regarding the options, blockout window curtains are available in a range of colours, designs and patterns in order to satisfy different customers’ needs and style. Usually, they can come in dark colours like dark brown, navy, and grey all the way to lighter colours like beige, ivory and even cool white.

As you can see, the benefits of installing such curtains in nursery rooms are many, but the truth is that there are many more.

Great Temperature Control

For those who happen to wonder ‘Do blackout curtains block heat?’, the answer is yes. According to manufacturers, these curtains have the ability to control the temperature during every season. Since babies can overheat easily, these curtains are the ideal option for the summer as they can block the heat coming from the outside while helping to maintain safe room temperature. On the other hand, babies can lose body heat much faster than adults, so the blockout window curtains are great for blocking the cold from the outside while retaining the heat on the inside.

Energy-Efficient

Thanks to their ability to regulate the room temperature, black out curtains can reduce electricity bills throughout the year. This means that they can decrease the amount of money spent on air conditioning and heating in the long run. So expect for installing them in the nursery room, one should think about installing them in every room of the home.

Block Outside Noise

Except for controlling the room temperature, these curtains have proven pretty useful in blocking some outside noises that can enter through closed windows. Cars passing sound, neighbours yelling and barking dogs are some of the noises blackout window curtains can block out (when the windows are closed).

Easy to Use

Without a doubt, curtains are one of the most functional and easy to use window coverings available on the market. They can be opened and closed with ease thanks to the well-fitting curtain rod. These curtains are extremely appropriate for nursery rooms as they can be handled even with one hand. When the baby is ready to sleep, parents can quickly close the curtains for creating a more serene and nap-ready space. And, when the baby is awake, they can quickly slide the panels to let natural light enter the room.

Protect the Decor

Since the main purpose of these curtains is to block the light and the harmful sun rays, they are also great in protecting the room’s furniture, décor and flooring in general. Unlike thinner curtains that cannot prevent sun rays from entering the room, the blockout ones have proven to be great at that. The main ‘culprit’ for this is the foam backing which acts as an insulator and doesn’t allow the sun to alter the curtains colour and decorative finish.

Additional Info by Manufacturers

One should keep in mind that these are general tips and may not be appropriate for all types of curtain fabrics. For specific cleaning instructions, it’s best to follow the curtains’ cleaning instructions indicated on the label.

• Some fabrics might be appropriate only for hand washing. Rubbing and wringing such materials is a huge no no.
• When stained, it’s best to be washed with previously dissolved detergent prior to the wash.
• It’s best to be washed on a gentle cycle, maximum 60c.
• One should check the cleaning instructions. Some fabrics can only be dry-cleaned.
• Spills and stains should be treated as soon as possible.
• The use of industrial or harsher cleansers should be completely avoided.