Many of our customers choose shutters because of the long list of benefits they offer and the most notable of these is the appeal of achieving varying light levels through slat control. As shutters are a preferred window dressing for bedrooms and nurseries, light blockage levels when slats and panels are closed is an important consideration for many.
We are regularly asked how effective shutters are at blocking out light and the answer is that whilst there are multiple things that can have an impact on the darkening effectiveness, shutters generally block out nearly all light from a room. In short, shutters are light controlling but cannot claim to be a full ‘blackout’ option due to varying tolerances for comfortable slat movement within the panel. A large proportion of clients find that their shutters provide a complete enough level of darkness for their requirements without any adjustments required.
The question of whether this darkness level will be enough for you and your home comes down to a couple of factors but most significantly the location of the window including proximity to outdoor lights and your sensitivity to light.
You will want to consider in the early stages of your shutter order whether further enhancement of light blockage is important to you as there are some design features that you can opt for to get the most light blockage possible.
Full height shutters extend the entire height of the window so are the most effective style option for light blockage. Tier on tier can be a tempting alternative to standard full height shutters due to the appeal of top and bottom panels opening separately adding another versatility of usage. However, when tier on tier is selected more light bleed is to be expected due to the double rails where the tiers split and a slight gap tolerance is required.
Choosing a larger slat size is also a great way to ensure that less light escapes through the shutters as bigger slats mean less are required for panel coverage. Less slats = less gaps for the light to seep through!
If you don’t have your heart set on louvred shutters then another option to increase the room darkening possibilities of your shutters is choosing solid panelled shutters. Solid shutters are made from our luxury wood materials and embody a traditional shutter aesthetic folding away from the window or completely covering the space.
Shutters are effective at darkening rooms and for most it creates a sufficient level of darkness that is conducive for a good night’s sleep, however if you would like to really boost the darkening effect in a room then our integrated room darkening blinds are certainly worth considering.
Room darkening blinds are an optional extra and a smart solution to increase darkness levels in rooms. The blinds are controlled by a pull string and can be raised and lowered as required behind the shutter. You can read more about our room darkening blinds on our dedicated webpage or by discussing with the team.
If you have any questions about the benefits of shutters or would like to get the ball rolling on your shutter order then get in touch with the team on 02088719222.
