The Many Uses of “Black Out” Shades
BWS Design • November 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

What Your Window Treatment Says About You: A Personality-Based Guide

April 23, 2025
Your selection of window treatment products and services is not merely about getting a job done. Rather, if you look hard enough, you can find direct correlations between the type of person that you are and the window treatment that you select. We have created this personality-based guide to help you best discover what kind of window treatment truly matches your spirit. The Dependable Type: Wooden Blinds You are the person that all of your friends can count on. You are the type of person who truly sticks to your plans when you make them, and you are the type of person who will choose wooden blinds for your home. Privacy is important to you when selecting your blinds, and that is why you find yourself pulled into the idea of putting up wooden blinds. Besides that, they happen to be highly functional, and that's not something that you are willing to pass up either. The Planner: Blackout Curtains Those who value truly getting the most value out of their blinds or anything else that they install in their homes will think very carefully about their options. For those people, going with blackout curtains makes a lot of sense. They want to gain as much value as possible out of their options, and they know that they can significantly improve their quality of sleep and so much more when they opt for blackout curtains. These also happen to be a great option for those who work night shifts or other odd hours and yet still want to enjoy their sleep. They need blackout curtains to help increase the quality of that sleep and allow themselves to get their day started right. The Tech Enthusiast: Smart Shades They roam among us: The type of people who are quick to adopt any new technology and get to work figuring out how it can improve their lives. These people are great because they are not afraid to take a risk and because they help to move our society forward. They simply want to get more out of each day, and they often do so by adopting and using the latest technologies. These individuals will gravitate towards smart shades for the following attributes: Innovation - Who wants to stick with the boring old ways of shading one's house? Smarter options are now available, and you better believe that the tech enthusiasts among us are willing to latch on to them. Efficiency - These shades are a more efficient option for those who care about that kind of thing. They can be easily activated and set up to open or close automatically (how cool is that?!). Progressive - The "cool" factor is a big deal for people who fall into this category as well. They might not admit to it right off the bat, but they care deeply about what others think about them. As such, they want window shades that have that cool factor attached to them. The Dreamer: Sheer Curtains Finally, we land upon the dreamer. This is the person who views every day for the possibilities that it can bring. They are not scared off by those with a negative attitude. If anything, they believe that they can change those people! Instead, the dreamer wants sheer curtains because they bring in soft light, open spaces, and bring about a feeling of possibility all throughout the house. Sheer curtains are the ideal option for someone who classifies themselves in this way. They will receive plenty of compliments on their curtains, and they will appreciate how open they are to the world.  Which kind of person are you and which window treatment option makes the most sense for your personality? For more inspiration and ideas, reach out and contact us today.

5 Unexpected Places Homeowners Are Installing Outdoor Shades

March 13, 2025
We all know and understand the concept of installing outdoor shades on a patio. It is the classic way to create a cool and comfortable space for yourself and your friends to spend some quality time together outdoors. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is limiting to think that the patio is the only part of one's property where outdoor shades are appropriate. There are some surprising and unexpected places where homeowners have taken to installing outdoor shades recently. We want to take a look at some of these to provide you with ideas for your next home improvement project. 1) Balconies Some homes are built quite close together, and some homeowners naturally feel like they would like to do more to protect their privacy. Although their neighbors might not intentionally be looking through their balconies, it is easy for the human eye to drift. Thus, some city-dwelling homeowners have made the choice to install outdoor shades in this area. On top of keeping prying eyes off of your property, outdoor shades also block the sun rays from your balcony as well creating a more comfortable space to spend some time. 2) Outdoor Kitchens One of the most delightful social experiences that someone can have is to invite over a large group of friends for a meal cooked outside. It gives everyone the opportunity to share stories, laughes, and a bit of food all at the same time. Of course, this is best done in an outdoor kitchen. Your outdoor kitchen is a space where you should feel comfortable and have the ability to entertain a large group of people all at the same time. This means looking at installing outdoor shades to provide an extra layer of protection from the heat of the sun. Thus, this has become another area where homeowners are quickly installing outdoor shades. 3) Poolside Lounges Now we are really talking! Who doesn't love to kick back with their favorite cold beverage and spend some time relaxing next to the pool? That is what you can enjoy more completely when you set up a poolside lounge with outdoor shades. Poolside lounges are meant to be a place where you can spend several hours at a time. However, it can get pretty hot while doing so if you don't put some outdoor shades in place. Get those shades up so you can let all of your worries melt away as you take in the smell of pool water and sunscreen. 4) Garden Areas Do you enjoy a little gardening in your downtime? You might like it even more after setting up outdoor shades that protect you from the excessive heat of the sun. Gardening is labor-intensive work and can take several hours of diligent labor to do it properly. However, you don't want to overextend yourself and end up getting physically overworked. Keeping some of the sun away is an excellent way to ensure that you don't overdo it. Just make sure that you check up on the sunlight needs of the various plants that you intend to put into your garden before installing outdoor shades. 5) Exterior Windows Did you know that it is possible to reduce your energy bills by installing outdoor shades? It's true! If you place outdoor shades on the exterior windows of your home, you can reduce the strain placed on your air conditioning by naturally reducing the overall temperature within your living space. This means less money out of your pocket and more money for working on your next project.  There are many interesting places where homeowners are installing outdoor shades these days. For more creative ideas on what you can do with yours, reach out and contact us now.