The Many Uses of “Black Out” Shades
BWS Design • Nov 14, 2016

Mention black out shades, and people automatically think of night shift workers, who have trouble sleeping during the daytime. But there are actually many other uses for black out shades besides darkening a room in the daylight hours.

Help Your Baby Sleep Better

If you want your baby or toddler to enjoy a good nap during the day, black out shades can be an invaluable addition to the nursery. And if you want to nap yourself while the baby sleeps, a black out shade in your own bedroom will help tremendously.

Enjoy Complete Privacy

A black out shade eliminates the chance that passers-by can see into your home at night — not even silhouettes!

Afternoon Naps for Grownups

Research has shown that a short — 20 to 40 minute — afternoon nap is good for your health. It renews energy levels and makes you sharper and ready to tackle the rest of the day or prepares you for a special night-time event that you know will run late. A black out shade will truly darken your bedroom, sending a signal to your brain for sleep. A good black out shade will also help with outside noise.

City Sleeping

Even in the middle of the night, most cities are filled with light from nearby buildings, streetlights and neon signs. Block it all out with black out shades so you can sleep in peace.

Essential Equipment for Photographers

Whether you’re a professional photographer, or just take photographs as a hobby, a blackout curtain can control lighting like nothing else, plus make the room you use for developing pictures a true “dark” room!  Many professional photographers carry a sheet of black out fabric with them to photo shoots to control the light according to their needs.

Keeping Cool in Summer

Black out shades on the south side of the house will block passive solar heating on a hot day, keeping your home cooler and helping the air conditioner to run more efficiently too.

Keeping Warm in Winter

A good black out shade can reduce thermal loss through your windows by up to 25%, and look great doing it!

Keep Your Home Theater or Media Room Dark

There’s a reason movie theaters are so dark. The movie screen stands out as the only source of light in the room. The same applies to whatever room you use to watch television. Black out shades will keep it dark and enhance viewing.

Help for Migraine Sufferers

When you get a migraine, or even a severe tension headache, light seems to make it so much worse. Taking your migraine medication or aspirin and then lying down in a completely darkened room will help you feel better sooner, and shaving even 10 or 15 minutes off of the time it takes to get rid of your headache makes having a room with black out shades to retreat to a lifesaver!

Protect Furniture, Floors and Artwork

Nothing fades furniture, carpets, hardwood floors and artwork faster than daily doses of sunlight, especially in the summer. Close your black out shades during the day time and protect your floors and decor.

Computer Viewing

Darkening your home office makes computer viewing easier on your eyes. Glare from the sun on the screen can create eyestrain, especially if you work from home and spend a lot of time on the computer.

Black out shades needn’t be the simple black window coverings you might be thinking of. Virtually any fabric shade can be upgraded to include a black out fabric backing, so black out shades won’t “cramp your style” either. You can also dress them up if you prefer a formal or traditional look by simply layering some beautiful draperies on top of them.

You’d be hard pressed to find a more useful window covering than a black out shade. Get yours today at Just Blinds, serving Central Alabama with top-quality window covering solutions for more than 30 years. Contact us for more information about any of our beautiful window treatments anytime.

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

10 Apr, 2024
Up Your Home Office Game With These Inspirational Ideas As the the remote work trend grows, more people are working from home now than ever before. The home office has become an essential part of home design, and it's become more than just a spare room with a desk. Your home office is your personal workplace, one that you have complete control over. What began as a backup plan has become a permanent fixture, and you can design it any way you want. Whether you've always dreamed of a bright and sunny office, a light-protected focus zone, or an adaptive space that shifts with your mood, it can be yours. All that stands between you and your dream office is a little redecoration. Design Your Ideal Home Office Everyone has an ideal office environment. Each of us is happiest and the most focused under different conditions. It's one of the things that makes working from home so great compared to working in corporate-designed shared office. Envision the office environment you've always wanted. Do you want bright colors or stately elegance? Potted plants or mounted screens? A dedicated design table or extra space to move around? Your ideal home office is at your fingertips. Repaint and Refinish Your office can be any color palette you desire. All you need is a few cans of paint and wood finish to make it happen. If eggshell white isn't your thing, you can choose an all-new palette of colors and finishes. Design an office that makes you feel calm and focused, with an elegance that makes you smile every time you enter your inner sanctum. You can make your office feel light and airy or beautifully formal. You can design the perfect backdrop for video calls and create an uplifting work environment all at the same time. Consider a solid color for the walls, a nice accent for the trim and cabinetry, and a complimentary wood or metal finish for your desk and furniture. Rearrange the Furniture Speaking of furniture, this is your chance to optimize your ergonomics. Try an all-new desk design that perfectly supports your working style. Give yourself a wrap-around space with plenty of storage or a lightly furnished space where you can exercise and clear your thoughts. Place organizational features in the perfect locations for your reach and workflow and docking stations for all your devices. Give yourself the perfect number of screens, get your keyboard and mouse at just the right height, or even get a desk that converts between sitting and standing heights. Find the perfect office chair and enhance your comfort with a mini-fridge or kettle that makes your day complete. Take Control of the Light Levels Light levels play an important role in any working environment. You can install a brighter bulb or even a smart bulb in your overhead lights for clear, high-quality light to work by. You can add accent lights and task lights to illuminate specific areas of the room. If you love natural light, you can also take control with dynamic shades and blinds on the window. One of the best upgrades for a home office is adaptive light-filtering shades. You can set the light based on your mood and focus level any time of day. You can combine black-out blinds with cellular or Roman shades for an efficient and layered look, and even motorize your shades to control exactly how much natural light you let in depending on your task and the time of day. Integrate Smart Home Features Smart home features are a great update for your home office. A smart speaker can act as an intercom with the rest of the house, help you keep notes, and play music through linked Bluetooth speakers in the room. Smart lights and smart-home-connected motorized blinds give you complete control over the light levels in your office. You might also enjoy little extras like a voice-controlled fan, a smart thermostat to keep your office at exactly the right temperature, or digital frames to display your own album of artwork and photos. Enhance Your Home Office with Custom and Smart Blinds  Here at Just Blinds, we can help you transform your home office into your ideal work environment. Select your favorite design, fabric, and color of light-adaptive shades and blinds powered by smart-home motorized systems. Contact us today to find home office window treatments that are beautiful, uplifting, and delightfully versatile.
06 Mar, 2024
You are looking to change your windows, but you have some questions. Would plantation shutters look good in my house? Are they still in style, and how long do they last? New shutters are not permanent, but they are an undertaking, and plantation shutters will last a lifetime if you want them to, so you want to ensure that you get them right the first time. The good news is that plantation shutters never go out of style, and there are many benefits to dressing your windows with this durable option. What Are Plantation Shutters? Plantation shutters are window coverings that instantly add an air of elegance to any room. They are usually made of wood, but some newer versions use faux wood to achieve the same look. They are installed on the interior of the window and function much like regular blinds since you can angle the wood slats like you would traditional blinds. Not only do they look amazing, but plantation shutters also come with significant benefits. What Are the Benefits of Plantation Shutters Of course, plantation shutters have many benefits. Otherwise, people wouldn't talk about them as much as they do. Here are just a few of the more talked-about benefits of plantation shutters. Pure Aesthetics Plantation shutters' solid look instantly gives them a high-class aesthetic that people will love. Adding these shutters can instantly enhance the look of a room like a fresh coat of paint. Privacy and Light Control These heavy shutters will completely block outside light when fully closed. Since you can adjust the shutters to be fully horizontal or vertical, you can easily adjust how much light enters a room and from which direction. If no light gets in, that also means that no one can see through your blinds, making these the best shutters for total privacy. Sound Suppression Again, since these shutters can be closed and are made of thick material, they are an incredible sound barrier. This is a fantastic option for those living near noisy streets and highways. Durable and Easy-To-Clean One more reason people love switching to plantation shutters is their ease of care. They last a long time, don't get brittle or break like traditional blinds, and are way easier to clean. They also take less time to finish and look better. Energy Efficient Since these shutters are so thick, they act as insulators, preventing air exchange through the windows and keeping sunlight from heating surfaces in the house. What to Consider When Choosing Plantation Shutters Not all plantation shutters are the same, and there are a few things you should consider before buying. Work With a Reputable Company Unfortunatley, some companies see shutter installation as a job and not part of someone's home. Plantation shutters need precision installation to reach their full potential, so you want to work with a company with proven results and reviews. DIYers may be considering installing these shutters themselves, but it takes professional tools and experience to get them exactly where they need to go. The Size of the Shutters Sometimes called louvers, the slats of the blinds come in many sizes. The size of the louvers will impact how the room looks, so it is essential that you try different looks to see how they transform your room before you make a final decision. Materials You will want to decide if you want a more traditional look with wood or a more contemporary look with faux wood. Other materials, such as locks, invisible hinges, and shutter pulls, can also upgrade your shutters. Are They A Good Investment?  Plantation shutters cost a little more, but they are one of those home improvements where you get what you pay for. They last a lifetime, so over the lifetime of your plantation shutters, you would probably end up buying the equivalent cost, if not more, in traditional blinds. Finally, their energy efficiency means that these blinds will likely pay for themselves in energy costs over time. For a long-lasting, quality product, choose plantation shutters. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and give your windows the love they deserve.
Share by: