Ideas for properly blacking out an awkward recessed bedroom window - is my idea mad??

[Secontale]

I have an awkward window in my toddler’s bedroom and now it’s getting lighter in the evenings and mornings, I need to achieve proper blackout!! I have a blackout blind, but of course light leaks at the top and sides. I have blackout lined curtains above but light leaks at the top (stupidly got eyelet curtains - will be changing those for pencil pleats and maybe putting the track along the outside of the window opening). Then the remaining issue is the sides. The window is completely recessed into the wall and it’s in between a wall and a chimney breast so the curtains can’t be pulled past the window opening. Here’s my mad idea - attach magnets or Velcro to the inside of the wall recess and the edges of the curtains, so they stick right up to the edge of the window?? Is this mad?? This will become baby’s room when baby arrives and so I am happy to invest some time / energy into getting this right as I remember sticking all sorts of things on the window to try and get it proper blackout when toddler was a baby!!

Sticky magnets will work or double sided Velcro tape on the blind and the wall where the light leaks in works too. Command do them so easy to remove from walls
etc when you want to.

Not mad at all. You know they make baby blackout blinds with velcro, ready made. Attach with suckers and velcro and covers the glass. Doesn't require hanging. Might save you a job. Lots listed on Vinted.

I am your toddler! Had exactly the same problem with light leakage at the side of a black out blind and waking at dawn and I’ve used Velcro at the sides. It definitely works, but having two raised bumps on either side of the blind makes the rolling up a bit bumpy and your blind won’t roll flat and does tend to crease a little. I think it’s worth it! Just a thing on the pencil pleat curtains though, it’ll help but you still get issues at the top… my next plan is to take curtains up to the ceiling like a hotel. One day I’ll get full blackout, for now, yes Velcro works!

I have a feeling I've seen a velcro-on blackout blind for sale before.... I'd keep it seperate from the curtains and just have it as a piece of black out material you velcro over the window in summer months.

I have a similar thing for my portable air conditioner hose (allowing a hole for the hose and blocking the rest of the open window) which just velcros onto the window frame. It holds up fine.

You can get travel blackout ones that sucker to the window

Look at complete blackout blinds that have a side track . You can achieve a total blackout
Blinds to go do a version

Amazon sell blackout fabric with a roll of Velcro and you cut it to size. I have it in my little boys room.

This would be my answer. Travel blinds are a huge pain.
The full blackout ones are called cassette blinds and we got ours from Blocout I think.

Ahh great idea to use Command ones, that future proofs a bit!

We have one of these but it never quite did the job, I think because of how close the edge of the window is to the surrounding walls - works well enough when we travel though!

We have Bloc blinds in kids’ rooms, total blackout as the blind slides into a cassette at each side of the window so no light leakage.

When I moved house and had no curtains up yet, to give privacy I simply put a piece of stiff cardboard (from unpacking boxes) into the window recess. Instant privacy and blackout, just removed it in the morning. You could do the same, keep what you have already there, cover both sides of a piece of cardboard with some nice wallpaper, so it looks smarter, put it in the recess every time you want blackout, take it out when you don't. The beauty of using cardboard is that it isn't going to injury any one if it falls out. Just make sure the cardboard size you cut is as big or slightly bigger than the recess, so you have to push it in a little. Fast, cheap easy solution.

Make a cardboard shape to cover the window within the alcove and cover it with curtain fabric. Put it on the window to block out all light.

Thick curtains that completely cover the window will work too.

I’d love to do curtains to the ceiling or a pelmet but the wall and ceiling is so awkward - there’s a slope cutting across the corner!!

Don’t use magnets in a child’s room. Use Velcro.

Ooooh will have a look into this!

Oh yeah, d’oh! Thanks!

Tricky because of the blinking picture rai!

https://www.blinds-2go.co.uk/blackout-blinds-with-side-tracks?gadsource=1&gadcampaignid=22694883068&gbraid=0AAAAAC9Dimbk1a590L8XvFUuQqSJNdVe&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIh6DO8Z2alAMV3pdQBh2Qeyq7EAAYASAAEgK14DBwE

having just seen your last photo, if the dado rail fits flush to the window frame get someone to chisel it out so the blinds frame fits flush.

Pics (see my pp)

Missed the post about the picture rail.

Ok so this looks awful but is really effective- tin foil! You literally wet the window, stick the foil in and then use a knife to fit it perfectly. Works amazingly for keeping heat out too