Yahoo Lifestyle Keep Your Baby’s Environment Cozy and Dark With Blackout Curtains
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Keep Your Baby’s Environment Cozy and Dark With Blackout Curtains
Getting your baby to sleep and keeping them asleep all night is a tricky thing at the best of times, but when you factor in the sun rising before you've even smelled your first cup of coffee, it's a total nightmare. Blackout curtains for the nursery can help with that, and our top picks prove they can look great at the same time — I promise.
According to experts, blackout curtains for nurseries even have health benefits. Pediatrician Dr. Pierrette Mimi Poinsett, MD of Mom Loves Best, says, “Blackout curtains can help promote sleep. The brain releases melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep in response to darkness.” As time changes or if you happen to have a baby that tends to be an early riser, blackout curtains can help them fall asleep and stay asleep. They also help keep the room at a stable temperature, which Poinsett notes is another benefit that helps keep your baby comfortable while they snooze. They can keep the heat out in the summer and the warmth in during the winter — and that alone makes them worth their cost.
They’re not perfect, though, so you should consider a few things. First, Poinsett points out, “The curtain pulls should be out of reach of children to prevent strangulation risk. A child’s crib or bed should be at least 2 feet away from the windows.” She adds, “Some children also develop a fear of the dark around 2 years of age, so it's wise to use a dim night light to help assuage the fear."
What to Consider
As long as they're out of reach and there's light enough for comfort and safety, there are a few main things you want to consider when you're shopping for blackout curtains for your baby's nursery.
Size
Ideally, the curtains should rise at least eight to 10 inches above the top of the window, and drape as much as that below, but to the floor is better for light blocking. Though, if your baby is mobile and plays in their nursery, this isn’t always the best option. Sticky, dirty hands and white curtains aren’t exactly a match made in heaven. Also, if they’re not secured well enough, your baby may pull the rod down. I’ve found that the C-shaped curtain rods that can be drilled right into the studs are the sturdiest and provide the most light-blocking capabilities, as they tend to be closer to the window or wall than other rods.
Style
Blackout curtains tend to fall into two categories: lined and unlined. Lined blackout curtains are really the best for temperature regulation, and also if you want a light-colored curtain that blocks the sun. They do tend to cost more, and that's certainly a consideration.
If you don't want it to be dark all the time but still want some privacy, blinds or sheers behind the curtains are a great option. Having had both, I prefer flush-mounted cordless blinds for the nursery and sheers in my own room. Blinds might not be as pretty, but they allow the blackout curtains to be super close to the wall.
As far as fabrics for nurseries go, I really like a machine-washable curtain. Linen and other fabrics can be gorgeous, but if your baby accidentally (or not so accidentally) flings a dirty diaper at the curtain in a fit of “why am I dressed?” rage, you’re not going to want to explain that to the dry cleaner. (Ask me how I know.)
Every curtain on this list has been chosen for quality, style, and performance. And, of course, cost was also a big factor we took into consideration. While there are some higher-end options on this list, I've tried to make most of my choices more affordable to most. Blackout curtains can be a premium product, and often the price reflects that, but there are plenty of solid options at every price point.
Check out our top blackout curtains for nurseries below!
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1) Blackout Curtains for Bedroom
Utopia Bedding
amazon.com
$22.95
These curtains have everything: they’re machine-washable, they’re made with three layers of fabric woven into one, and the rod pocket is a few inches below the top of the curtain. They come in multiple sizes and colors, and they’re only $21 per panel.
I dare you to find a better curtain at a better price. — it simply cannot be done. I know this because these are what are in my daughter’s room, and she slept in until a whopping 6:15 this morning.
The fabric feels luxurious, even at the low price point. It has a velveteen-esque quality to it thanks to the tight weave, and it catches the light from the room in such a lovely way. As for the light outside, it blocks it nearly entirely. Some does come around the edges, but it’s truly minimal.
amazon.com - 3/9
2) Shining Star Glow-in-the-Dark Curtain Panel
pottery barn
potterybarnkids.com
$138.00
They not only block out the light, but they also absorb and dimly reflect the light in the room with a glow-in-the-dark star print.
Made of gorgeous, machine-washable fabric, this set of two panels makes for a lush windowscape in a gender-neutral style. The lining is dense enough to keep out the elements and light but are light enough that it's not going to pull on the rod or pleat strangely.
potterybarnkids.com - 4/9
3) 2-pack Blackout Curtains
H&M
hm.com
$135.00
I know, I know — H&M is not what most people think about when it comes to decorating their baby’s nursery, but hear me out. These curtains are pretty much a blank canvas. They block tons of light and are lined with a dense, thermal lining — and yes, they’re machine-washable. You don’t get much more neutral or casually elegant than these, and that’s what makes them so great.
I have these curtains in my son’s room, and they work really well at letting him forget that there is an outside and that he does indeed need sunlight as he plays Xbox for hours. They look a bit like an artist’s dropcloth, giving them a chic vibe, and they’re every bit as thick. These curtains do allow for a tiny bit of glow-through, but the light is extremely negligible, and not enough to disturb your sleep.
I hemmed my son’s to allow for cables to run freely beneath, and they still work gorgeously, even without touching the floor.
hm.com - 5/9
4) Blackout Curtain Panel Dots
Cloud Island
target.com
$21.99
When I was researching blackout curtains for nurseries, more than five different parents told me not to sleep on the Cloud Island blackout curtains from Target. I actually got to see them in action, and not only is the quality impressive, but they're totally baby glam.
They are thermal-lined, machine-washable rod pocket blackout curtains that pleat beautifully on a standard or C-shaped rod. The gold polka-dot pattern is much brighter and more metallic than the picture would have you believe.
target.com - 6/9
5) Universal Blackout Curtain Liner
Pottery Barn
potterybarn.com
$69.00
So you found your dream curtains only to realize that you need blackout curtains? Don't worry — I got you. These are curtain liners that go right on the back of your standard curtain, instantly transforming them into blackout and thermal curtains. They're machine-washable, and oh, so dense.
potterybarn.com - 7/9
6) Extreme 2-Pack Norway Theater Grade Blackout Curtains
Sun Zero
kohls.com
$31.61
So your baby has a south-facing window? Those are, admittedly, a nightmare. You need something drastic, extreme even, to effectively block light. These machine-washable curtains are theatre-grade, meaning that no light is getting in, even though they're not rod pockets.
They're thicker than any other blackout curtains for nurseries on our list, blocking out more heat and light than all the others. Design-wise they're pretty plain, but that's a small price to pay if your kid is in bright light in the early morning hours.kohls.com - 8/9
7) 100% Blackout Curtains for Bedroom
H.VERSAILTEX
amazon.com
$41.99
Affordable, extra-long curtains are available. These are 108 inches long, 52 inches wide, and fully lined. Best of all, you get two panels for around $40. They come in several colors, and you can hang them with rings or through the rod pocket. They’re machine-washable and -dryable, and the velveteen fabric is so pretty up close.
Parents told me that they love these so much that they’ve put them all over their house purely for the thermal benefits.amazon.com - 9/9
8) Top-Down, Bottom-Up Cellular Shades
Boolegon
amazon.com
$86.54
Yes, these are blinds, but they’re a great option if you don’t want curtains at all. They are cut-to-size, top-down, bottom-up, cordless, blackout cellular blinds.
Because they open from the bottom or the top, you can choose how much light you want to be let in and from where. It pinpoints the light blocking, which is great if you have light bouncing in from one area, hitting you right in the eye.
Side note — these are also great for your living room if that’s where you watch television, to get that glare gone!
amazon.com
