Blackout shades, or nah?

I need new shades for my bedrooms and bathrooms. I was going to get just plain light filtering shades, but someone suggested I get blackout shades instead. My husband and I don’t care for them—we don’t like sleeping late, so enjoy the sun waking us—but a lot of people seem to think they’re all but a requirement.

We use the house when not renting it, so it’s one of those situations where we have to compromise our personal choices with what’s good for a rental.

Is this something we really do need to do? Have you found guests get mad when they have light-filtering shades only?

3 Likes

I say yes to blackout shade. If you don’t want to sleep late leave one up or down a little.

9 Likes

I think they are a necessity. I comb pictures of listings looking for them and sometimes even confirm with the host prior to booking. Even when I do want the sun to wake me, I don’t want any ambient light from the street or elsewhere when I go to bed.

Ikea, naturally, has some really decent ones. They are that honeycomb type which is also great for energy savings.

Edit to add: A blackout shade with light-filtering curtain is a great combo if you don’t have any reason to avoid curtains.

2 Likes

Agree. There are so many compromises that you have to make in this scenario, at least as @KKC said you have an easy solution to this one!

JF

1 Like

@Mallory If you do get them, you can at least list them as an amenity. It’s under family amenities. I don’t host families but still tick the box off because it’s definitely something some guests will look for.

Get the blackout shades. People who like sleeping in a dark room will seek you out.

3 Likes

Yes, blackout shades are a good idea. We’ve had a number of guests who have to sleep during the day, and they rely on them.

3 Likes

This is what I do. Easy & cheap.

It seems many of my guests are light sensitive when trying to sleep.

Personally I want blackout shades as an option to use. My work schedule varies so if I’m traveling and/or working late, I appreciate the option of having a darkened room.

We’re no blackout shade kinda folks, When on holiday we usually want to be up and out exploring, not sacked in. We take afternoon naps. We really do love the “Dawn Chorus” of birds waking us…

4 Likes

I appreciate this suggestion, @JJD but to be honest, I hate curtains even more than I hate shades! :crazy_face:

It’s hard to balance the preferences I would want for my own space (and I will be using the space) and what guests expect. As everyone is replying, I feel like a six-year-old: “But I don’t waaaaaannaaaaa!” Which in a way answers my question about if I should do this or not.

I guess my question is how much extra money do I stand to make/lose by having/not having blackout shades? If it’s nominal, I’ll probably go with my preference, but if it’s significant I might suck up not being able to draw shades in my own house…

For context, it’s a beach house with enough land around it that there’s serious privacy from neighbors. We wouldn’t even install shades at all (we don’t have them or curtains or blinds in our own home, as it’s the 6th floor of a building with the nearest building being far enough away that privacy isn’t much of a concern), except that the home has five bedrooms and a lot of outdoor game-playing space, so we assume people will be showering/changing after the beach when there are people in the yard

Thanks to everyone so far for the advice!

1 Like

I vote for nah.

Guests that black out the bedroom compensate by turning on a light in the bathroom/hallway/etc. :upside_down_face:

1 Like

I got complaints before I installed the black outs, fortunately in private comments.

2 Likes

I can only tell you about my experience which seems to be the opposite to everyone else who has posted here!

We have two rentals are they are almost always fully booked, back to back. We don’t have blackout blinds. So if we did, it wouldn’t be possible for us to be more booked, if that makes sense.

You’re a beach location (we are about a mile from the beach) and it might be that our guests (and yours) haven’t come to stay with you to sleep in. I find our guests are often outside watching the sunrise when I’m just staggering into life. I don’t know but blackout blinds might be more suitable for more urban areas?

I enjoy making the most of a day but where I live, summer sunrise can be as early as 4.30 am! In addition, two of my guest bedrooms face south, so are recipients of bright sunlight from May-September.

I have black out roller blinds that serve two purposes for me;-

That side of the house was built in 1740 (when insulation or a/c wasn’t an issue…) and the rooms can become unbearably hot with sunlight flooding in. In hot weather I use the blinds to block out sunlight before guests arrive, and create a cooling breeze with the windows open. It is up to guests to then decide what they do going forward; close windows, close blinds, sleep in a fug. I’m always astonished at how hot a room some people will sleep in!

Drawn blinds also allow me to leave windows open but discourage my marauding cats from sleeping on guest beds should it rain. A room, visible from outside through a window, seems to invite ingress and muddy paw prints.

From a personal viewpoint, I’m usually up late if on holiday and do not want to be woken before 8 am. I also find being woken by bright light gives me headache, although that might be something to do with late night conviviality!

1 Like

Yes. I hate when I get to place and I can’t make the room dark

3 Likes

I added lots of things to my household because of guests suggestions .
I didn’t have curtain in bathro and though it’s second floor and there is no houses across it made guests feel uncomfortable.
I had lots and lots of comments about blackout curtains . I think it’s a must for many people

1 Like

Here is your answer: https://time.com/5189387/dark-room-sleep-study/

2 Likes

@Giorgi Yes, this is exactly the direction I’m going with the blackout shades, both for myself and my guests. I’m not as concerned with the sun coming up in the morning, that’s nice and natural but I try to go to sleep in a dark room.

If I were filthy rich, I’d have blackout shades that slowly lift at a time I could set so as to naturally let the sun come in and wake me up in the morning. But, alas, I have only Ikea blackout shades and a sunrise clock. But it works :slight_smile:

1 Like

But both and get a double curtain rod. So you have both black out for when you want it and lighter ones for when you don’t. Like at all the hotels you get both. This is a quick and easy fix.

It really depends on your type of listing and the kind of guest you have or want.

We do not have any black-out schades, and in over 700 reviews we had maybe 2 remarks.
But these were the “hang around the house all day” kind of guest.

More than 99% of our guest are the active/outdoor type. They like to get up early.

If you have guest that are less Active and like to stay in bed, like in a beach resort, I would put in black-out schades.

1 Like