Image courtesy of Room Resolutions

There are many reasons you’d want to block light from coming through windows in Boston. Say you want to dampen ambient street light, constant traffic going by, or ordinary sunlight, blocking the light coming from your windows is necessary for relaxing and getting quality sleep.

For those dreaming of better sleep, Sunburst is here to help Boston homeowners block light through their windows.

What Window Coverings Black Out The Best?

Many Boston window treatments claim to darken a room for better sleep, and you can pretty easily divide them into three groups: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Here’s how they stack up.

Light Controlling Window Treatments – The Good

The best window treatments to darken your windows should do these things:

• Effectively block light from pouring in.

• Adjust easily depending on your needs.

• Look stylish.

The window covering that best fits all these criteria is Boston plantation shutters. When you shut the slats, shutters form a kind of seal on your windows, letting almost no light in. Our patented Polywood shutters also come with built-in weatherstripping that covers the gaps around the frame, making them even more effective. And unlike vinyl shutters, Polywood is guaranteed to warp or split, which can cause gaps in between the louvers and frame.

And unlike some bargain-bin DIY blackout solutions, shutters look great in your home. Rather than looking like a piece of hardware, they’re as good looking as they are functional.

Another option in the “good” category is light-blocking roller shades. These are made with thick and dense material to block out most of the sunlight, and extend beyond your window opening. There can be some slight gaps around the edges of the shade where light might seep inside. But for a window treatment that isn’t shutters, light-blocking shades make for a good secondary choice.

Light Controlling Window Treatments – The Bad

In this category we have window coverings that don’t quite cut it when it comes to blacking out a window. Any kind of fabric window covering, from curtains to drapes, will allow some light in if they aren’t both very thick and extend beyond the edges of your window.

Light Controlling Window Treatments – The Ugly

Search for “Boston window blackouts” in Google and you’re likely to find some easy to use DIY sheets made to hang in a window frame to block light. Most of them are customizable to your window size and shape, and stick to your frame via velcro or another adhesive. And for the most part, they work fairly well.

But the drawbacks with those products are twofold. First off, they don’t exactly look good. Many of these products sacrifice style for function. So if you put in of these blackout sheets, be sure to do it in an area that you don’t mind looking kind of drab.

Let Sunburst Shutters Boston Help You Control the Light

To find out more about plantation shutters and other window treatments to help black out your windows, get in touch with your Boston shutter team. Fill out the form below or give us a call at 781-352-2205 today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation in your own house.