Blackout that works at the edges, not just the middle

The four leak points

Above the roll, down each side, under the hem and, in older properties, along a reveal that is not square. Each one has a specific fix, and fixing three out of four still leaves you awake.

• Cassette head box seals the gap above the roll.
• Side channels hold the fabric edge inside an aluminium profile.
• A weighted bottom bar stops draught lift on a windy Kent night.
• A compensating measure handles reveals that have moved with the building.

Fabrics that earn their price

A three pass blackout coating blocks light and adds a little acoustic softening. Reflective backed blackouts do the same job and bounce summer solar gain back out of the glass, which matters on south facing bedrooms above Folkestone and along the Hythe seafront.

Where blackout is the wrong answer

In a living room you usually want privacy without darkness, so a dim out or a screen fabric is the better call. We would rather talk you out of blackout in the wrong room than sell it everywhere.

Which blind gets a room darkest

A blackout roller in a cassette with side channels gets closest to total darkness. A blackout Roman or roller fitted outside the recess with a good overlap comes next. Blackout pleated and Duette blinds on perfect fit frames suit uPVC windows. Venetians and shutters darken a room but always let a little light through the slats, so we pair them with a blackout roller in bedrooms where darkness matters most.