How to Block Light from the Sides of Blinds
BWS Marketing • July 5, 2021

When you pull down the shades, you want to really darken the room. Whether you want darkness for sleeping, watching movies, or telling scary stories before the sun goes down; no-one likes that halo of light around the blinds that shines despite your best shading efforts. Those light edges are not only a little bit blinding, they also disrupt the look of a room with the curtains drawn. It keeps you from fully darkening a space and in the wrong circumstances, that light around the side of your blinds can really wreck the quality of your sleep or your home theater experience.

So how the heck do you block light from the sides of blinds when your blinds are otherwise perfect? Fortunately, there are more than a few clever answers to suit your needs, depending on your style and the way you want to subtly solve this leaking light problem.

 

Blinds that Fit Perfectly Into the Window Frame

One option is to order custom blinds and a mount that allows your blinds to perfectly fit into the space of your window frame. This means that the edges of your stiff blind fabric or light wood slats perfectly fill the space, the edges of each side lightly brushing the inner edge of your window frame. You may still see a sliver of light, but gone are those big gaps of light singing all the way around your window. Pulled down to the sill, your perfectly fitted custom blinds can block almost all light coming through your window.

 

Blinds Mounted Over the Window Frame Edge

Another option is to buy blinds that are an inch or three wider than your window frame and mount them ‘flush’ on the outside of the window frame instead. For this method, Mount your blinds roller just above the top beam of your window frame. Pull down your blinds so that they layer over the left and right vertical beams of the window frame. With a flush frame, the lower end should lapse just below the lower frame beam. With an extended window sill, bring your shade down to rest on the sill itself.

This overlap method will allow your blinds to sit against the window frame, blocking most of the light that might seep through. Again, you may find a minuscule sliver of light around the sides, but far less than the traditional glowing gap around the blinds.

 

Side Channels and Light Blockers

The most effective approach involves a very small additional installation in your window: Side channels and light-blocker strips. A light-blocker is an l-shaped piece of plastic (or metal, or wood) that mounts just inside your window frame. It can then sit just behind or just in front of the edge of your blinds, providing a small panel that blocks only that tiny space between the blinds and the window frame itself.

Side channels are an even more subtle approach. These u-shaped strips also mount inside the window frame, but they are designed to elegantly blend with the frame and ‘capture’ the side edges of the blinds as channels. The blinds will not only block more light due to having the sides blocked, they will also swing less and can look more elegant with the installation of tasteful side channels.

 

Layered Window Treatments

If you’re looking for a more fabric-focused solution, try layered curtains and window treatments in addition to your blinds. Hanging curtains on either side of the window, for example, are excellent at blocking the light that comes from the sides of each window. This is because the folds of curtain fall against the window frame and nearby wall as they fold back and forth. Combined with blinds, layered curtains are a great window treatment solution for a truly darkened room.

 

Tired of light seeping in around your blinds? Contact us today for the perfect custom solution to perfectly darken each of your windows when closed while enhancing your interior design vision.

 

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

Best Options for Sheer Privacy: Your Guide to Private Sunshine

By Autumn Hooper • January 10, 2025
Sunshine can fill any room with a warm glow. It provides natural light and can even lift your mood. But there may be some rooms where you want both privacy and sunshine at the same time. You shouldn't have to block out the light to enjoy private rooms in your home. For these moments, having the right blinds or drapes can make all the difference. The answer is in sheer privacy, sheer and semi-sheer materials that let in the light without allowing others to see through your windows. This is your guide to private sunshine: how to enjoy your privacy and warm natural light in any room. Why Sheer Privacy Matters There are many situations where sheer privacy is ideal. Bedrooms are warm and welcoming when filled with natural light, but privacy is paramount. Sheer window treatments can also bring sunshine into your living room without broadcasting family activities to the neighborhood. And if natural light helps you stay focused in your office, you can maintain professional security without worries by hanging sheer blinds and drapes so your computer screen is never visible through the window. How can you achieve this perfect balance of sunshine and privacy? There are several types of blinds and drapes that can meet your needs. Woven and Fabric Blinds The right fabric or woven blinds can provide the perfect balance between light and privacy. Woven and fabric blinds are rarely completely opaque. Depending on your choice of material and weave, you can determine both how much light shines through and the level of visibility in your sheer material. Fabric blinds use woven fabric to block visual access through your window while also acting as a diffuser for the sunlight. Woven blinds are made of grass or reeds and provide a similar effect. This can be used to cast gentle glowing light into your room at slightly dimmer-than-normal levels while showing silhouettes or less. Slatted Blinds and Plantation Shutters The most traditional answer is slatted blinds and plantation shutters. These methods use opaque angled slats that open to allow in some light without creating an easy line-of-sight from anywhere that a person outside might reasonably be standing. Slats pointed up or down welcome sunshine from various angles during the day but cannot be seen through until the slats are nearly horizontal. Slatted blinds hang from the top, and the angle of the slats is controlled with a cord system. Today, pull cords and hanging loops are no longer used. Instead, a control wand or motorization is used to enhance home safety and convenience. Plantation shutters are wood structures that are permanently installed or fold out over your windows. The slats are structured and controlled by pushing a ridge bar on the back of the shutter slats themselves. Honeycomb Blinds Honeycomb blinds are a type of fabric blinds that use honeycomb cells to provide greater insulation. Honeycomb blinds are not just energy-efficient, they also provide greater privacy by implementing layered fabric to create the honeycomb air pockets. At the same time, the fabric used can bring in sunshine and act as a diffuser to spread gentle sunshine through your room. The honeycombs themselves also diffuse any silhouettes or shadows that might be seen through the fabric of the blind for greater privacy inside your rooms. Semi-Sheer Drapery If you prefer drapes, you can also select a sheer fabric as the innermost layer for your draperies. The fabric and the folds of the drapes combine to provide both a diffuser for sunshine and privacy. Drapery is the most likely to reveal shadows and silhouettes, but a style with more folds when the sheer layer is closed can obscure shapes and activities within to provide the privacy you need. Private Sundrenched Rooms with Just Blinds If you are looking to enjoy diffused sunshine and keep your rooms private at the same time, Just Blinds can help. Contact us today to explore your options for sheer privacy design with custom window treatments.

2025 Colors of the Year: How to Use Them in Your Home Design

By Autumn Hooper • December 10, 2024
Every year, the leading paint and decorator brands release their Color of the Year. Each organization theorizes which colors will be at the peak of interior design trends for the next 12 months, and the 2025 Colors of the Year have been released. If you want your interior decor to match the mood of the year with the latest magazine-spread designs and eye-catching arrangements, now is your chance. 2025: A Year of Bold and Somber Tones 2025 rings in a year of regally subdued tones. They are at once both bold and somber, creating relaxed yet elevated living spaces through strong colors and muted hues. This is a marked contrast from the light and airy palette created by the colors of the year from 2024 featuring soft pinks, warm honeys, and renewing blues. This year, the leading tones are dark red, deep purple, and dusty neutrals that make a space feel at once both cozy and formal. Stately Reds If you love dark reds from brick to mohogany, then this is your year. Both Behr and C2 have named dark yet natural-tone reds as their colors of the year. They are perfect to make a room feel luxe and stately without the overwhelming quality, making these reds the perfect base color for walls and a great accent in an elegant room. Rumors by Behr - A dusty red that is both light and dark at the same time. This muted town is a smooth, creamy rendition of faded brick that looks perfect with warm colors and red-hued wood furniture. Raku by C2 - A bold, dark mahogany red that looks great for interiors and exteriors inspired by the ancient Japanese tea ceremony. Regal Purples Purple is back in bold refrain for 2025 interior design. Between Violet by Minwax and Purple Basil by Glidden, you have an incredible palette to create the most regal of interiors, from primary colors to accents that pop. We love these rich tones that make any room stand out from the typical warm tones and neutrals that have ruled the roost for a decade. Violet by Minwax - Violet by Minwax is not your typical violet. It is a deep, rich aubergine, the color of royal robes and the most luxurious paint. This majestic color will stand out no matter how you use it. Purple Basil by Glidden - Purple Basil is a dusty reddish lavender that shares tones with charcoal and plum. It is somehow both somber and cheerful, warm yet subdued. Purple basil is a wonderful color for both primary walls and bold trim without overwhelming the space. Relaxed Blues Last year, blues were bright and full of energy with an aqua-green undercurrent. This year's blues are more relaxed, blending well with neutrals whether you're looking for a chill space or a summer tone. Quietude by HGTV / Sherwin Williams - Quietude is the eggshell of blues. It is soft and faintly blue in hue while still giving the light neutral feel of a nearly-white painted room. It has the faint hues of a lightly cloudy sky. Encore 8002 by Valspar - Encore 8002 is a bold, rich blue on the cheerful side of royal blue. It's deep but not dark, embracing what makes blue such a great color for decor. Mapped Blue by Dutch Paint Boys - Mapped Blue reflects green-blue theme of last year but with this year's dusty trend. It's soft and comforting but with a touch of surprise that's not your everyday medium blue. Subdued Neutrals While red, purple, and blue may be our boldest tones, it's neutrals that rule the 2025 Color of the Year list. From deep yet soft Truffle to warm almost-pink cinnamon, you will find a surprisingly gorgeous palette of neutrals to work with as primary, accent, and rich detail tones in any room design. These colors can fall into the background or make your room pop. Truffle by Stainmaster - Truffle is the darkest of the 2025 neutrals, blending honey with charcoal for a warm bold tone that looks amazing in boho or minimalist styles. Mochi by Little Greene - Mochi is a warm medium neutral that naturally supports wooden furniture of all hues. It has undertones of milkey coffee but reflects light in a way that still brightens a room. Caramelized by Dunn-Edwards - Caramelized is a tone that approaches boldly from the cheerful side, reminding us of dessert landscapes and faintly orange sunset skies. Cinnamon Slate by Benjamin - Cinnamon Slate is a soft neutral that is just this side of dusty pink. It's described as a dreamy, velvety purple and brown that can add subtle richness to any space. Mocha Mousse by Pantone - Mocha Mousee is a sophisticated neutral that reminds us of soft earth and smooth wood. Using the Colors of the Year to Inspire Your 2025 Interior Design These colors aren't just for paint, they can be used to enhance every element of your space. One of the best ways to introduce diversity and annual color trends into your home is through blinds and drapes. Choosing the perfect blinds can update your style to magazine-worthy arrangements for every year and season. Find the latest colors and styles at Just Blinds today.