decent blackout blinds?

[alison garrett]

Hi,

Can anyone recommend good blackout blinds to darken a toddlers bedroom? We have normal blinds in place already so would be looking for something to go under them. I would like to remove daily to let the daylight in so they would need to be removable. I am also keen not to ruin the paintwork!

Many thanks - any advice welcomed.

Alison

[Pickle]

The best solution I've found is a standard (Ikea) blackout blind sitting inside the windowmframe, with well made roman blinds over the top which sit over the frame.

Gro blinds are good, but a pain if you're having to put them up and down every time you use them.

[oimissus]

blackout curtains. I have rarely seen blackout blinds that keep the majority of light from coming in at the window. Though I admit that I have never seen the appeal of blinds over curtains!

[Mrs TP]

I got a blackout roller blind from John Lewis 10+ yrs ago and it is fab. Although we never quite got round to putting anything prettier over it. I think they do also make covered blackout blinds. My daughter, now at secondary school, sleeps with the blind pulled right down covering the complete window - it is too dark and scary for me!

[bornagain]

John Lewis

[Knomester]

We have one of these in our toddler's bedroom. It does mean attaching velcro to the window frame, but it is the only things we've found which makes sure the no light gets in at all. We put it up each night and take it down in the morning - it's really easy and doesn't take more than 30 seconds.

http://www.easyblindsonline.co.uk/

[alison garrett]

Thanks everyone who replied to this post - sounds like some kind of fixed blinds may be the best solution - I shall check out all the recommendations.

Cheers

[Norfolkvillas]

I use the static blackout stuff that you can buy on a roll from JoJo. This stuff: http://www.magicblackoutblind.co.uk/

My daughter's room has a window with two panes, so I have two bits of the stuff cut perfectly to size so they don't even let in the smallest chink of light. The top one stays on all the time and I keep the blind rolled half way down so that you don't see it, and then I just slap the bottom one up and shut the blind for sleep times. I use the same bits over and over, and the static wears off eventually but I just use bluetak. It leaves no marks, and I find it no hassle to take on and off three times a day. And it really truly does the trick in terms of making the room pitch black.

I've had the roll for a couple of years and still haven't finished it, even though I always take a couple of sheets with me if we're going on hols / staying elsewhere for a night so that I can always ensure enough darkness to prevent early morning awakenings. Money well spent, in my book!

Depending on what your window format is, this could be a solution that requires zero fixings or velcro etc.?

[sharls]

Hi Ali,

Jim and I decided to go for the made to measure black out roller blinds to go behind curtains with back-out material on them. They work a treat in the summer! If not keen to change over, then the static stuff on the roll is great. It's what we use on holiday.

Sharlene x

[NicolaJane]

Probably a bit late for yourself but if anyone else is looking for decent black out blind the guys on the link are brilliant! They do made to measure too...

[KalaBlinds]

I used to use a blackoutblind from Argos, but it didn't stop all light coming in. I think I'd now have a zip screen blind that'd keep out all the light and save you a few quid on the heating bills. They're a bit more expensive than Argos but it's a long term addition to the home as I hate being woken up at 5:00am too.