Image courtesy of Room Resolutions

There are many reasons you may want to block light from coming through windows in Seattle. Whether it’s from ambient street light, cars constantly driving down your street, or regular sunlight, blacking out the light from your windows is important for sleep and relaxation.

For those dreaming of better sleep, Sunburst is here to help Seattle homeowners black out their windows.

Which Window Coverings Control Light The Best?

Lots of Seattle window treatments claim to help black out your windows, and you can basically divide them into three categories: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Here’s how they stack up.

Blackout Window Treatments – The Good

The best window treatments to darken your windows should do these things:

• Effectively prevent light from pouring in.

• Operate easily based on your preferences.

• Look good.

The window covering that hits all these marks is Seattle plantation shutters. When you shut the slats, shutters form a seal on your windows, blocking almost all the light. Our premier Polywood shutters also come with built-in weatherstripping that fills in the gaps along your window frame, so very little light enters your home. And unlike cheaper shutters, Polywood is guaranteed to split or crack, which can result in gaps in between the louvers and frame.

And unlike some bargain-bin DIY blackout products, shutters look stylish in any room. Rather than looking like a piece of hardware, they’re as pretty as they are effective.

A second option for the “good” category is light-blocking roller shades. These are made with thick and layered material to block out most of the sunlight, and extend beyond your window opening. There can be some small gaps around the edges of the window where light may seep into the room. But for a window treatment that isn’t shutters, room darkening shades make for a good secondary choice.

Blackout Window Treatments – The Bad

Here are window coverings that don’t quite get the job done when it comes to blocking out light. Any kind of fabric window treatment, from drapes to curtains, can let some light in unless they’re both very dense and extend past the frame of your window.

Blackout Window Treatments – The Ugly

Search for “Seattle window blackouts” in Google and you’ll probably find some do it yourself sheets made to hang in a window frame to block light. Most of them are customizable to your window size and shape, and adhere to the window frame via velcro or something similar. And for the most part, they do what they’re supposed to do.

But the real problems with those products are twofold. First off, they don’t look great. Many of these products sacrifice style for effectiveness. So if you choose to install some of these blackout sheets, do it in a place that you don’t mind looking dull.

Let Sunburst Shutters Washington Help You See

To learn more about interior shutters and other window treatments that can help you get the light control you need in your home, get in touch with your Seattle shutter team. Fill out the form below or give us a call at 360-464-2277 today to schedule a free, no strings attached consultation.