Blackout Shade Solution for Old Windows
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Anonymous
| Does anyone have any recommendations for a blackout shade solution for a child's bedroom with old windows? We have an older house with original exterior windows - which are lovely, but have raised window pane frames so when we attempt to cover them with blackout shades, lights comes through the sides. We're hesitate to do curtains/rods and would prefer something less permanent/damaging to the walls. Thanks in advance! |
Anonymous
| Outside mount shade first. If still not dark enough, add drapes. |
Anonymous
| Do you want to be able to open the shades? I have bought white poster board and cut it to fit the size of the window/glass to block out the light. |
Anonymous
|
We did outside mount with curtains in one room.
In another we used outside mount black out curtains with French rods. The rods curve to the wall so the curtain is flush to the wall, leaving no gaps. In teen's room, we used an extra wide single panel with a French rod, so that opens to one side only and when closed there is not gap in the middle. There are two windows, so we open one the left and one to the right to frame the wall. |
Anonymous
| Outside mount roller or cellular shades will come closest. |
Anonymous
| Outside mounts are best you can do. We hired a designer and they told us no matter what you will still get some light seepage around edge. Drapes help but also a hazard with little kids (pulling on them). It’s not the old windows causing the problem, it is the window trim which you would probably have on new construction too. |
Anonymous
| Why would you want to build that sleep association for your kid? |
Anonymous
| We went a long time with just a little tension rod, but ultimately it didn't work and it was just not that big a deal to get an inexpensive mounted curtain rod and blackout drapes. Our handyman did the mounting, but you could try a taskrabbit type service to do it if you don't have a handyman (or handy self or handy spouse). |
Anonymous
Same poster - hit submit too soon. +1 to the "french rod" idea that PP mentioned. Our rod curves toward the wall, which eliminates some of the light seepage. |
Anonymous
| We have Sleepout brand blackout curtains, which suction to the windows. They’re not attractive, but they work really well. We use them for bedtime in the summer to save us from 5 am wake ups, but not for nap time or winter. |
Anonymous
| + 1 on sleepout brand shades working very well (and trust me, I have tried other brands in my desperation!). They come with various clips, as well as helpful tips, for making the shades work for weirdly shaped or old windows. |
Anonymous
You again? Be quiet. OP, do inside mount plus outer drapes or just buy paper blackout shades and tape them down with painters tape around the edges. |
Anonymous
| I've used white, blackout lining sewn into the drapes and blackout drapes without extra lining, and glad I did both. It depended on the windows and how often I intended to open the drapes for sunlight. The lining made the drapes much heavier. I extended the drapery rods sufficiently on top of and to the sides of the windows to prevent any light from entering the room. |
Anonymous
I am a NP who agrees with that PP. you don’t need perfect, no gap blackout in the room. Kids are fine with some light (I used blackout shades but was fine with some seepage and my kids have never had issues sleeping) |
Anonymous
we have cellular shades plus pbk blackout curtains over it... we have just cellular blackout in our room and the curtains in baby's room are very helpful. |