Blackout Blinds in Media Rooms

Media rooms really got popular when everyone had money to burn. Now that money is tighter, media rooms may seem like something we can’t afford. While we may not be able to afford the media room of the past with the huge projector screen and movie-theater seating, there are things you can do to make your room feel more like a media room.

Media rooms are dark. Consider painting the room a darker color: dark grays, browns, or reds really give the "theater" look. Since many of us don’t have an extra room in the basement with no windows, you’ll also want to cover the windows. This is where blackout blinds come into play.

First, decide on your favorite type of blackout blind. I suggest a darkly stained wood blackout blind or a darkly stained faux wood blackout blind. These will really add to the "moody" atmosphere you’re trying to create. If that’s too dark for you, consider a lighter stain or painted blackout blinds. For a really dramatic look, I suggest choosing cloth tapes over routeless blinds, and selecting a light color for major contrast between the cloth tapes and darkly stained wood. Choosing routeless blinds will give you a seamless look and doesn’t cost any extra (cloth tapes may).

For extra help in blocking out all of the light, you should consider choosing an outside mount for your blackout blinds. This means that the blinds will cover the entire window, not hang inside the window casing. This is great to keep light from seeping in from between the blinds and window casing. You can create a very dramatic and contemporary look by extending your blinds 6 – 8 inches past the window casing. When you open the slats, it will look like a very contemporary media room.

There are many different ways you can use blackout blinds: they don’t need to be your mother’s standard window blind.