(Image credit: Alexis Buryk) Being awoken by the sun is actually good for you, but there are times when darkening a room aids in sleep especially for napping children, shift workers or others with non traditional sleep schedules and for blocking artificial night time light such as from a streetlamp. Blackout curtains also are energy saving (keeping heat from escaping in the winter and the hot sun from heating up your room in the summer) and help block or muffle outdoor noise. Traditional blackout curtains have a liner behind them to block light. You can find blackout curtains in all kinds of colors and patterns, even light-hued ones. Search online for "blackout" or "thermal" curtains. (Image credit: Pottery Barn Kids) If you already have curtains you love, but want to transform them into blackout curtains you can buy liners à la carte and add them to existing curtains with clips, hooks or by using a double curtain hanger (like this). If you're shopping online search for "blackout liner" or "blackout lining".

Here are a few to get you started: (Image credit: West Elm) If it works with your decor, you can buy heavy and/or dark curtains to give the effect of blackout curtains, but without an additional liner. Velvet, wool or tightly woven cotton, polyester or canvas in dark colors are your best bet. Roller shades generally block out more light than many fabrics, but you can also buy blackout versions for even more blockage. Try pairing them with sheer curtains for light when you want it and darkness when you don't.curtains pocklington (Image credit: I Am Momma Hear Me Roar)elanbach curtains You can purchase blackout fabric to make your own blackout curtains if you're so inclined. ikea thermal curtain lining sells both lining fabric and blackout drape fabric. curved shower curtain rods lowes

JoAnn's sells blackout liner fabric as well. Check out these sites for instructions, tips and inspiration for making your own blackout curtains:Bamboo Blinds With CurtainsWooden BlindsDrapes WoodenVinyl BlindsNursery JournalLive BeautifullyPatterned CurtainsGrey CurtainsCombo DrapesForwardFind cheap tall drapes from Tuesday Morning, Target, TJMaxx to put over girls closet for now. Mount rod inside or shower curtain thing temporarily...or on exterior? Baby & Kids (1) Blackout 84-Inch Window Curtain Panel Pair with Hardware in Natural gray, silver, natural, chocolate 96" PANEL,   84" PANEL Athena Rod Pocket 95-Inch Blackout Window Curtain Panel in Ivory Window Treatments > Window Treatments black, navy, gray, sage, ivory, aqua 95" PANEL,   84" PANEL,   63" PANEL Commonwealth Home Fashions Irongate 84-Inch Insulated Blackout Grommet Window Curtain Panel in White 63" PANEL,   95" PANEL,   84" PANEL SolarShield® Naomi 63-Inch Room Darkening Window Curtain Panel in Linen

teak, linen, blue, smoke Sonoma Rod Pocket/Back Tab 84-Inch Window Curtain Panel in Red red, taupe, plum, cream, navy, silver 95" PANEL,   84" PANEL,   63" PANEL,   108" PANEL SolarShield® Naomi 108-Inch Grommet Top Blackout Window Curtain Panel in Smoke linen, teak, smoke blue, smoke Beautyrest® Malbrouk 95-Inch Grommeted Blackout Window Curtain Panel in Ivory 108" PANEL,   84" PANEL,   63" PANEL,   95" PANEL Beautyrest® Gaultier 95-Inch Grommeted Blackout Window Curtain Panel in Grey New Arrivals > Home Decor grey, spa, chocolate, natural 95" PANEL,   108" PANEL,   84" PANEL,   63" PANEL Beautyrest® Odette 63-Inch Rod Pocket Blackout Window Curtain Panel in Gold sapphire, silver sage, pale gold, ivory, gold 108" PANEL,   95" PANEL,   63" PANEL,   84" PANEL SolarShield® Kate 95-Inch Rod Pocket Blackout Window Curtain Panel in Artichoke Baby Room Decor > Baby Room Decor Decor > All Decor

ruby, chocolate, black, artichoke, cafe, ivory 84" PANEL,   63" PANEL,   95" PANEL Foray 95-Inch Blackout Grommet Window Curtain Panel in Sand navy, emerald, maize, stone, pewter, sand, brick 84" PANEL,   95" PANEL,   108" PANEL,   63" PANEL Emery 63-Inch Rod Pocket Insulated Total Blackout Window Curtain Panel in Blue Haze maize, smoke, blue haze, spice, black, oatmeal 63" PANEL,   84" PANEL,   108" PANEL,   95" PANEL Sebastian 63-Inch Rod Pocket Insulated Total Blackout Window Curtain Panel in Mocha gold, mocha, natural, charcoal, burgundy, blue 63" PANEL,   95" PANEL,   84" PANEL,   108" PANEL Decorinnovation Sheer Overlay 84-Inch Grommet Top Blackout Window Curtain Panel Pair in Pink lilac, beige, mint, pink SmartBlock™ 60-Inch Rod Pocket Insulating Room Darkening Curtain Liner in White Bedding > Bedding > Comforter Sets 40" X 60",   40" X 117",   40" X 90",   40" X 104",   40" X 80" Insola Naomi Blackout Window Curtain Panels

84" PANEL,   95" PANEL,   63" PANEL Intelligent Design Seto 63-Inch Room Darkening Grommet Top Window Curtain Panel in Grey Majestic 63-Inch Blackout Lined Grommet Window Curtain Panel in Blue East Coast Rustic Bedroom > East Coast Rustic Bedroom Kyle Schuneman > All Kyle Schuneman mineral, champagne, aubergine, espresso, steel, blue, cream Paradise 63-Inch Room Darkening Grommet Top Window Curtain Panel in Indigo spa, stone, ivory, pepper, mocha, flax, spice, silver, indigo 108" PANEL,   63" PANEL,   84" PANEL,   95" PANELAre these insulated curtain lines also blackout liners? Do they block out nearly all outside light?2. Are these liners suitable for hanging on a separate slider track (separate from the curtain track) using regular drapery hooks (see image) No, they are insulated more for heat, not for light.No, the liners are attached to the curtains.Since moving to our new home over a month ago, I have had blackout curtains on my “to-do” list. 

And while waiting for those curtains to be made……I’ve had blankets and tablecloths hanging from the curtain rods.  My little guy has had a Valentine Tablecloth (with large hearts all over it) hanging over his window.  He keeps asking when his “real” curtains will be ready.  Sorry buddy……the time is now. I have finally begun making curtains for the kiddos room……and making them into Blackout Curtains.  In a seriously simple way. Nothing fancy……just a piece of Blackout Lining added to my curtains.  It stays right in place and unnoticed…………unless you separate the fabric from the lining.The lining is in place on the left and then is pulled out of the way on the right.  The lining is added right up at the top of the curtains.  And hangs perfectly straight, slightly smaller than the curtain dimensions. And you’d never be able to tell from the front of the curtains. Would you like to make your own Blackout Curtains (a really simplified version)??

First of all, I bought my curtains from Ikea because I loved the fabric of these grommet curtains.  However, I didn’t want the grommets.  Lucky for me, the curtains were too long so I just cut the grommet section off at the top. So if you have existing curtains or if you’re making new curtains, you can simply add some blackout lining to the back of your curtains.  I went to Joann Fabric and found some blackout lining for $6.99/yard but it was half off.  (It comes on a big roll back by their upholstery fabric and you can buy it by the yard.)  So I bought like 12 yards of it so I could use it with all of the bedroom curtains.  And because I bought so much of it, they wound it right back on the roll that it comes on.  (Here’s the kind I bought.) This blackout fabric has 2 sides to it.  A fabric side and a smoother vinyl feeling side.  The whiter side of mine is the fabric feeling side and I wanted it to face outward and the more beige side (smoother vinyl feeling side) to lay right against my fabric. 

I think the unspoken rule to is to have your white curtain lining face the window so that passersby outside only see white.  (By the way, you can iron this blackout lining on a low setting……but be sure to iron on the fabric side.) If your curtains are already constructed, just cut your piece of curtain lining slightly smaller along all edges, and then attach your lining near the top of the your curtains.  Perhaps right below whatever sort of hem you have at the top. If you’re making your curtains from scratch (or have cut off the top like I have), hem both sides of your curtains first and then hem the bottom.  Next, fold over the top a 1/2 inch and then another amount that’s big enough to go around your curtain rod.  Iron flat and pin in place. Then cut a piece of blackout lining that is slightly smaller than your curtain panel (about an inch smaller along all edges).  Next, slide the top edge of your lining under the folded over section of fabric at the top.