Going Back to Black

11.07.2012

Interior design experts are forever offering useful hints and tips on how to open up a room and make it brighter and airier, but what if your priority is keeping light out rather than bringing it in? Sometimes you want to keep out prying eyes, or block natural sunlight to get some all-important sleep. Photographers need to block out light to help them process their pictures and film enthusiasts might want to create their own home theatre. So, what do you need to do to create a closed, private area as opposed to a light and airy one?

Going Back to Black dress windows with black curtains

The answer of course is to block out natural light entering through windows and even under doors. Dress windows with black curtains or blackout blinds and give any skylights the same treatment. Security doors may feel a little heavy handed in the home, so if you find light creeping in through the door try using draft excluders and a little tape.

Going Back to Black black curtains interior decor

Of course, people vary rarely want to have a blacked out room all of the time (not even photographers) and that’s when those much-proffered tips on opening up a room and making it light and airey come into practice. If you do opt for black curtains or blinds, try balancing this out with lighter walls and spotlights. Fitting spotlights to the walls and ceiling in differing levels of strength will allow you to choose lighting befitting the activity taking place at the time. For example, low lighting for movie watching, or full on spotlights blaring for when you need to wake up and get ready for a night shift, following a day of sleep aided by your blackout techniques!

Going Back to Black black curtains interior