Theatre Blinds

Theatre Blinds

Buyer's Guides

Theatre Blinds

May 18, 2022

by Christine Bucks

The right window treatments help darken a room, absorb sound and can even help recreate that movie theater feeling.

Enhance Movie Night with Room Darkening Shades, Blinds or Drapery 

When you settle down to watch a movie—whether you’re in a dedicated home theater or a multifunctional media room—you want a space that’s not only comfortable, but gives you the best viewing experience. And while a big flat-screen and cozy chairs are a must, appropriate window treatments should be at the top of your list, too.

That’s because the right window treatments help darken a room, absorb sound and can even help recreate that movie theater feeling through the convenience of automation.

Here’s what to keep in mind for window treatments that take movie night from good to great.

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The Dark(er) Side

When it comes to home-viewing, the darker your room, the better. Even if you’re binge-watching in the dead of night, exterior light can still filter through your windows, creating glare or washing out the image on your screen. Room-darkening (opaque) fabrics can make a big difference.

An opaque fabric almost completely blocks light, making it ideal for a media room or home theater. Opaque fabrics are available for many types of window treatments, including roller and Roman shades, so you have flexibility when it comes to style.

To maximize the effectiveness of an opaque shade fabric, mount the shade outside the window frame to help block light gaps at the sides of the window. You might also consider adding drapery or side panels to your shade. (Drapery, which evokes that old-school movie theater vibe, also works well on its own. Just make sure to add a room-darkening liner to light-filtering fabrics.)

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Luminette® Vertical Sheers, Voyant Fabric in Daylight

Sound Improvement

While a dark room makes movie watching so much better, a dark room with good acoustics takes the experience to another level. Plush furnishings, carpet and acoustical panels all contribute to better sound quality by absorbing sound and preventing excess reverberation—but window treatments can also help.

The heavier and thicker the window treatment fabric, the better the sound absorption. Layering shades or blinds with side panels or drapery can improve sound absorption, too. (If you layer with a heavier, room-darkening drapery fabric, like velvet, then you can go with something a little lighter and semi-opaque for the shade or blind.)

Cellular shades, with their honeycomb construction, also help improve acoustics in a room. In fact, Duette Honeycomb Shades absorb up to 70% of sound energy.

Convenient Control

Add some smarts to your media room shades or blinds and you won’t have to get up off the couch once you’ve settled in with your bowl of popcorn.

And when the final credits roll, raising your motorized shades blinds or shades is just as simple!

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