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  • Blackout Blinds

Blackout Blinds

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IconRoller Blinds IconPattern Roller Blinds IconPVC Roller Blinds IconVertical Blinds IconPVC Vertical Blinds

Plain Blackout Roller Blinds

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Patterned Blackout Roller Blinds

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Banish the sunlight and keep any room shaded in the most stylish and luxurious way with this beautiful collection of energy-saving patterned blackout rollers. From vintage stripes and spots though to modern textures and abstract designs, there is a fabric to compliment all styles of interior décor.

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Waterproof Blackout Roller Blinds

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Perfect for the bathroom and kitchen, this luxurious collection of waterproof blackout rollers features a wide range of colours, textures and patterned designs. Manufactured using only the finest components and PVC fabrics, they're a breeze to wipe clean making them both practical and stylish.

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Plain Blackout Vertical Blinds

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Our collection of high-quality plain blackout verticals is just the thing for keeping the sunlight at bay and giving you additional control over privacy and shade, making them both practical and stylish. Choose from a wide range of luxurious fabrics and find the perfect colour to suit your home’s style.

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Waterproof Blackout Vertical Blinds

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With their sleek and sophisticated lines and high-quality PVC fabrics, this luxurious collection of made-to-measure blackout verticals is the perfect way to bring style and practicality to your windows. They’re waterproof and wipe clean making them the perfect choice for bathrooms and kitchens.

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Shade Your Space in Style with our Premium Blackout Blinds

Blackout blinds are the ideal solution for rooms that need lots of shade or to be kept dark and cool, such as the living room, home office or a baby’s nursery where they will help your little ones get a good night’s sleep. For the kitchen and bathroom, we have a luxurious range of water-resistant PVC and vinyl fabrics that are both a stylish and functional way of keeping the sunlight at bay.

Choosing the perfect blinds for your home, whether for keeping the light and glare off a computer or TV screen, or for blocking out the early morning sunlight, is a breeze with our luxurious collection of thermal fabrics. Manufactured in the UK using only high-quality fabrics and British-sourced components throughout, they're built to last and guaranteed to look fabulous for many years to come.

What are the Benefits of Blackout Blinds?

  • Blackout blinds are extremely effective at blocking out sunlight and other sources of light pollution such as streetlights to create a dark environment ensuring a restful night’s sleep.
  • They’re thermally and energy efficient. By providing an extra layer of insulation at the windows they help regulate your room’s temperature, keeping spaces cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and so saving you money on your energy bills.
  • Blackout blinds are made from opaque materials that offer complete privacy at your windows, preventing anyone outside from seeing into your home.
  • They can also help to suppress distracting sounds from outside, contributing to a quieter and more peaceful living environment. Their effectiveness at blocking out noise will depend to some degree on the type of blackout blind you choose.
  • By blocking out unwanted light and noise, blackout blinds can improve sleep quality and protect your natural sleep cycle.
  • Improved sleep quality due to reduced exposure to light pollution can have positive effects on overall health and well-being.
  • Blackout blinds are extremely versatile and can be used in any room of your home, including bedrooms, living rooms, home offices, and media rooms, to create a comfortable and functional space. PVC roller blinds and PVC vertical blinds are also blackout and ideally suited to kitchens and bathrooms.
  • If you’re a big movie fan, blackout blinds can enhance movie nights, and days, by creating a dark, cinema-like atmosphere in your living room.
  • They’re available in a wide variety of styles, colours, and materials, making it easy to find a design that perfectly complements your interior décor.
  • They can also help with productivity. In a home office setting, blackout blinds will minimize glare on computer screens, creating a more focused, distraction-free atmosphere.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do blackout blinds work?
Blackout blinds are extremely effective at blocking out the light and darkening a room. Whilst their opaque material blocks 100% of the light, their effectiveness depends on the type of blind and how it's installed. If it is installed inside the window recess, there will be light leakage around the sides of the blind. This can be overcome to a large degree by hanging the blind outside of the window recess and ordering a blind that’s bigger than the recess by a reasonably generous margin on all four sides. Blackout roller blinds and Roman blinds with blackout lining are generally the most effective options for most windows.
Do blackout blinds keep a room cool?
Yes, blackout blinds do help keep a room cool during the summer. They’re completely opaque so they’re perfect for blocking out the sunlight, which is the major source of heat. Their thick fabric also acts as an insulator and thermal barrier preventing heat transfer through the window. Blackout blinds with a lighter-coloured backing will also reflect the sunlight rather than absorb it, helping to make the room a more comfortable temperature.
Do blackout blinds help you sleep?
Blackout blinds help you to sleep by blocking out the light signalling to your body that it’s time to rest. They’re particularly helpful for people who struggle to get off to sleep when it’s light, shift workers, people with irregular sleep schedules, parents of young children and children themselves. They can however make it harder to wake up naturally by keeping the room dark in the morning, so consider using a sunrise alarm clock for a gentler wake-up call.
Can you see through them from outside?
No, you cannot see through blackout blinds from outside either during the day or at night, as the fabric is completely opaque. They’re designed to provide privacy as well as block out external light, which also means they prevent shadows from being visible. The only time it may be possible to see inside is if they don’t fit the window properly and have gaps at the sides. This is more likely with ready-made blinds that haven’t been trimmed to the correct size. Made to measure blackout blinds are made to precisely fit the window, so there will be no gaps.
How long do they last?
Their lifespan will vary greatly depending on the materials used, usage, and overall quality. High-quality, made-to-measure blackout blinds typically last about 12-15 years, whereas lower-quality readymade ones may only last up to 5 years. Regular cleaning, maintenance and proper care will help extend their life.
What's the difference between blackout and dimout blinds?
Dimout blinds filter or reduce the amount of light entering a room but do not block it out entirely, whereas blackout blinds are designed to completely block out the light. The amount of light that dimout blinds let in will vary significantly depending on the fabric and its density. Some dimout blinds can create an almost blackout effect, whilst others will diffuse or just soften the light.
Which blinds are best for blackout?
Various types of blinds are available with blackout options including roller blinds, Roman blinds and vertical blinds. The most popular, effective and budget-friendly are blackout roller blinds followed by blackout vertical blinds then blackout Roman blinds.
Do you need them in bedrooms?
It depends on how much sunlight the bedroom receives, if there is artificial light outside at night or if you find that the rising sun wakes you up before you need or want to. If any of these are true, you probably do need blackout blinds. Blackout blinds are not for everyone, some people find waking up in a dark room a little disorienting. Alternatives like dimout blinds made from thicker fabric may be more suitable if this is the case.
Are they waterproof?
Blackout blinds can be both waterproof and not, depending on the material they’re made from. PVC and vinyl blackout blinds are 100% waterproof and ideal for bathrooms, kitchens and shower rooms. Blackout blinds made from polyester are not waterproof and are better suited to bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms.
Are they energy efficient?
Yes, blackout blinds are a great way to improve your home's energy efficiency. Their thick, opaque thermal lining acts as an additional layer of insulation at the windows. This prevents heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer, helping to regulate a room's temperature all year round and reducing energy costs. For maximum effectiveness, choose made-to-measure blackout blinds to ensure a snug fit at the windows.
Is it better to have blackout curtains or blinds?
Both are effective at blocking out the light. However, if installed correctly, blackout blinds are better at achieving near-total blackout, are easier to adjust for varying light and privacy needs, take up less space, and are more budget-friendly. Ultimately the best choice will depend on which look you prefer, room style and budget. If you're looking for a total blackout, you can always install both.
What colour is best, do they have to be black?
The colour of blackout blinds doesn't have any impact on their ability to block out light, so they don’t have to be black. They can be any colour you choose, including white and patterns, as long as they have a special blackout lining. It’s more important to make sure they’re measured and made to fit the window correctly.
Are they better inside or outside recess?
Whether fitted inside or outside the window recess, blackout blinds block out most external light. Fitting them inside the recess gives them a neater more finished look, but there will be a small amount of light leakage around the edges of the fabric. To block out as much light as possible, hang them outside the window recess, making sure they are bigger than the recess by at least 5cm on all four sides.
Do I need them in the living room?
They’re not necessary for most living rooms, but they can be beneficial if you want to block out harsh sunlight, create a home theatre atmosphere, take afternoon naps, or stop glare on your TV or computer screen. They can also help to reduce heat buildup on sunny days, reduce heat loss on cold days and provide complete privacy if your living room is overlooked.
What’s the difference between thermal and blackout blinds?
Thermal blinds help to insulate your home, whilst blackout blinds block out the light. Most blackout blinds are also thermal blinds, but not all thermal blinds are blackout blinds. This is because the coating or lining used to achieve a blackout is completely opaque and also has thermally insulating properties.
What are the disadvantages of blackout blinds?
Blackout blinds excel at blocking out the light, their design does however limit precision light control. Unlike venetian blinds, whose slats can be raised, lowered and tilted to almost any angle, creating the perfect balance of light and shade, blackout blinds are either up, down or somewhere in between.

How to Measure and Fit

Getting the perfect fit for your windows couldn’t be simpler, just follow our handy step-by-step measuring and fitting guides.

If you have any questions, please ask.

Delivery & Returns

UK mainland delivery is free on orders over £179. Otherwise, it is just £7.95 per order, regardless of how many blinds you buy.
For information on our hassle-free returns policy, please see our Returns Page.

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My whole house has been kitted out with blinds from English Blinds over the years. Always exactly what I ordered, perfectly sized, quickly and efficient. So easy to order online. Highly recommend.
Great quality blackout blinds. Excellent value for money given the finish and quality. Easy to use website and great communications. Have used English Blinds four times now and will in the future.
Great price and quality compared to others I've had over the years. Easy to use website and swiftly delivered. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. Excellent service.