Bedrooms have one job at night: stay dark. But 'blackout' on a blind label means different things to different brands. Here's what actually works — ranked from best to worst by how many calls we've had from customers replacing the cheap option.
1. Cassette blackout roller (best overall)
A roller blind with a coated blackout fabric inside an aluminium cassette and side-channels eliminates the light leak you get around the edges of a normal roller. This is what we fit in nurseries and shift-worker bedrooms — typically 99%+ light block. Cost: £180–£260 per window fitted.
2. Plantation shutters with solid panels
Not technically a blind, but worth mentioning — solid-panel shutters (no louvres) deliver near-total blackout and last 20+ years. The premium option for principal bedrooms where you want the architecture to do the work. Cost: £400–£600 per standard window.
3. Day-and-night (zebra) blinds
Two-layer fabric that lets you switch between sheer and opaque. Decent light control during the day, poor blackout at night. Good for spare bedrooms and box rooms where blackout isn't critical. Cost: £120–£180.
4. Roman blinds with blackout lining
Soft, textile look — works in older properties where rollers look too contemporary. Blackout lining brings them up to ~85% block, not full. Avoid pale fabrics; they backlight against streetlights. Cost: £220–£380.
5. Pleated honeycomb blinds
Great thermal performance — air trapped inside the cells genuinely reduces heat loss. Blackout versions exist but the perforation for the operating cord lets pinpricks of light through. Best for top-floor bedrooms where heat loss matters. Cost: £150–£250.
Child-safety: what to insist on
Since 2014 every blind sold in the UK must comply with BS EN 13120 child-safety standards. In a child's bedroom, specify cordless (spring-operated) or motorised. Never accept a continuous-loop chain in a kid's room, even with a tensioner — they fail.