Blind or curtains in nursery?

[mrshopeful]

I am 12 weeks pg and we are decorating the nursery at the moment. Which is better - curtains or a blind? And do we need blackout lining (curtains or blinds) or is just lining (curtains) enough? Has anyone got any recommendations for suitable companies that do curtains and blinds for kids? Any advice welcome, thanks in advance!

[Mumpbump]

We have curtains with black-out lining as the bedrooms face south and it is too bright in the summer for ds to sleep. The light creeps in around the edges, so it's not absolute dark, but better than nothing. Our neighbours have a black-out blind with curtains as well!

I made our curtains so can't recommend any companies...

[SydneyB]

Just a thought: I was fixated on having a really dark room when DD was small but she's gone to a nursery where there is no such thing and seems to be adjusting just fine. All that filling in of the tiniest cracks with curtains and blinds was a waste of time for us I think... Perhaps, I've been lucky but its worth seeing if yours is fine without blackouts as makes it much easier in long run if they can sleep anywhere. Especially if you go away where there isn't a totally black room.

[Catilla]

Sorry no company recommendations, but just a thought:

I wasn't worried about blackout conditions for my ds; indeed our bedroom has high windows we simply cannot cover. However when he was 2 he started getting woken by the early morning light in summer. Now he's just turned 3 and frequently makes trouble at bedtime saying it's still light outside, and wakes earlyish saying it's morning. He is of course right, but life would perhaps be easier if it wasn't so obvious in his bedroom! We have added an attractive piece of cardboard to help :-)

[mckenzie]

Personally we have black out blinds and curtains with black out linings. DS's bedroom gets the sun in morning but DD at the back of the house gets the sun all avternoon and so I use the blinds and curtains during the day to keep her room cool.

With the blinds that you buy ready made or even made to measure you will always get some light coming through at the top and the sides which is why I use curtains as well. Also, personally I think curtains look nicer.

We bought our ready mades from John Lewis.

If money is an issue I can talk you through how to make your own black out blinds. You'll then get more total blackout but they won't be as nice to look at when the are up.

or check out www.easyblindsonline.co.uk.

and congratulations on the pg

[SydneyB]

Having said all that, I do happen to know that JoJoMamanBebe sell handy black out curtains you can clip on back on your existing curtains. They're not cheap £37. BUT I have a pair going if you want to take them off my hands... never used as I kept ordering the wrong size and finally failed to send them back again for umpteenth time. Sorry for 'For Sale' thread out of 'For Sale' topic.

[SpacePuppy]

Both, essential if you want them to go down for an afternoon nap or stay in bed after 4am in summer.

[Lizzylou]

Another blackout blind and then curtains lined with blackout material here...again, essential for early mornings!

We got a local curtain making company to fit the blinds and curtains. A bit pricier than ready made but a better fit, so worth it.

[MrsBadger]

ARgos plain cheapy blackout blinds are fine

We are in the process of decorating the nursery too and are just leaving the old (plain cream, non-blackout) curtains in there from when it was the spare room and adding a blackout blind.

[mrshopeful]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I'm always amazed how helpful everyone is when I post on here! I was thinking of a blackout blind and curtains as well, so may go with that suggestion as it's an east facing room so is very bright at about 5 a.m. in the summer.

[fairyjay]

We used blackout blinds, and a dress curtain over to soften it.