This does look great, but if anyone is after a cheaper (and slightly more 'DIY' option), you can also try this:
a) buy a plain blackout roller blind eg. from John Lewis - v easy to install. Fit inside the wall framing your sash window, right to the edge. This cuts around 75% of the light but you still get a little 'light leakage' around the sides and from the bottom.
b) buy a pretty blackout lined curtain, to your taste (we got ours from Dunelm Miln, but loads of people do off-the-shelf blackout lined curtains) and fit this OUTSIDE the window, on the main bit of the wall (as you normally would). This cuts an additional 15% of the light.
c) finally - and this is the clever bit - sew a little velcro tape (can buy off amazon) in 4 places: along the left side, along the right side, along the base of the left curtain, along the base of the right curtain. Then stick the matching bits along the wall where the curtain would meet them (they're clear - you can't see them). This basically 'sticks' down the edges along the sides and the base and cuts out another 5-8%.
When it's all done it's VERY dark (though not 'pitch' - IMO there is really only one way to achieve this and that's with both a pelmet and professionally lined, floor length curtains). Pretty good for an E-facing room!
The whole 'solution' cost us around £80.... plus a bit of elbow grease!
This does look great, but if anyone is after a cheaper (and slightly more 'DIY' option), you can also try this:
a) buy a plain blackout roller blind eg. from John Lewis - v easy to install. Fit inside the wall framing your sash window, right to the edge. This cuts around 75% of the light but you still get a little 'light leakage' around the sides and from the bottom.
b) buy a pretty blackout lined curtain, to your taste (we got ours from Dunelm Miln, but loads of people do off-the-shelf blackout lined curtains) and fit this OUTSIDE the window, on the main bit of the wall (as you normally would). This cuts an additional 15% of the light.
c) finally - and this is the clever bit - sew a little velcro tape (can buy off amazon) in 4 places: along the left side, along the right side, along the base of the left curtain, along the base of the right curtain. Then stick the matching bits along the wall where the curtain would meet them (they're clear - you can't see them). This basically 'sticks' down the edges along the sides and the base and cuts out another 5-8%.
When it's all done it's VERY dark (though not 'pitch' - IMO there is really only one way to achieve this and that's with both a pelmet and professionally lined, floor length curtains). Pretty good for an E-facing room!
The whole 'solution' cost us around £80.... plus a bit of elbow grease! :D
