Black out blinds - do you need anything else....curtains etc with them

[united4ever]

Looking at some blackout blinds: www.hillarys.co.uk/inspiration/blinds/blackout/

This would be for the bedroom. Do they do they provide enough light blockage to not require anything else like curtains with them? Are they fitted right up to the edges of the window recess to prevent light coming in through the edges?

Any other pros/cons? This would be for a 60's style house. I can see full length curtains have a luxurious feel in a period property but ours doesn't really have that feel. Does not having curtains impact insulation noticibly?

Thanks

If you want total blackout then this type http://www.blocblinds.co.uk/windowblinds/blocoutt_blinds
Would be my recommendation.

it's fitted into a channel down the sides - really effective at blocking pretty much all the daylight !

Otherwise with standard blank out blinds, you'd usually need to add further blackout things, like curtains etc for better light blocking ...

We use a tiny squares of sticky Velcro on the blind and the window frame in the dcs room.
I got the double sided sticky Velcro squares in a stationery shop.

It works very well just on its own and stops all light.

Just pull the blind down completely, and stick the Velcro pieces on to the back of the blind, and then press the blind into the frame. Then seperate the Velcro pieces, and you have the Velcro perfectly positioned.

Have the fuzzy side of the Velcro on the blind, and the hooky side of the Velcro stuck to the window frame as the hooky side will catch on the blind as it rolls.

A normal blackout roller or roman blind will let quite a lot of light in at the edges. Adding curtains will block most of this but not all (as even curtains have gaps at the sides).

We do the velcro thing as Venus suggests in DD's room. However the sticky back velcro loses its stick after a short time, so now we just leave the blind closed all the time!

I wish we'd got the channel ones like OnePlan suggests. They are known as "cassette blinds" I believe. They are like roller blinds but with a strip down each side so all light is fully blocked. I think they are the only truly blackout solution.

Depends how dark you want it though!

Curtains do give some noise reduction and heat insulation - especially if you get fully line and interlined, but that's expensive.