Blackout vs. light-filtering blinds: Which one is right for your home?

Choosing the right blinds for your home is about more than just looks. It’s about creating the right environment for how you live, whether that means blocking out the early morning sun for a better sleep, or welcoming in natural light while keeping your privacy intact.

Blackout blinds and light-filtering blinds are both popular options, each offering different levels of light control and comfort. In this article, we’ll walk you through what sets them apart and help you decide which one suits your space, routine, and lifestyle best.

What we'll cover:

Versatile light control and maximum privacy

Blackout blinds are designed to block out light completely. Made from opaque materials, they create a dark, restful environment by preventing any sunlight or streetlight from entering the room. This makes them a popular choice for bedrooms, nurseries, and media rooms where light control is essential.

Beyond helping you sleep better or enjoy a glare-free movie, blackout blinds also offer practical benefits. They can help insulate your windows, keeping rooms warmer in winter and cooler in summer. And because they eliminate visibility from both inside and out, they provide the highest level of privacy at any time of day.

Despite the name, blackout blinds don’t have to be black. We offer a wide range of colours and finishes, so you can enjoy total light control without compromising your interior style.

Read more about blackout blinds here.

Soft light and daytime privacy

Light-filtering blinds are designed to let natural light in while gently diffusing it throughout the room. Rather than blocking light completely, they soften harsh sunlight and help reduce glare, creating a bright but comfortable atmosphere. This makes them ideal for living rooms, kitchens, and home offices, the spaces where you want daylight without direct exposure.

These blinds also offer a level of daytime privacy by obscuring the view from outside, while still allowing you to enjoy the benefits of natural light. They can help protect furnishings from UV damage and contribute to a warm, open feel in any space.

If you like the idea of soft, ambient light with some protection and privacy, light-filtering blinds could be a great fit.

What to consider when choosing your blinds

Which one suits your space and lifestyle?

Choosing between blackout and light-filtering blinds depends on how you use each room and the kind of atmosphere you want to create.



If you need a space to be dark and private, such as a bedroom, nursery, or media room, blackout blinds offer complete light control and full privacy both day and night. They block all incoming light, eliminate glare, and can help create a restful, uninterrupted environment that is ideal for sleep, relaxation, or watching movies.

For rooms where you prefer a lighter, more open feel while still managing glare and maintaining some privacy, light-filtering blinds are a great fit. They allow sunlight to enter while softening its intensity, making them well suited to shared living spaces where natural light is welcome without the harshness.

Both options are available with motorisation, so you can enjoy the convenience of remote or automated control whichever style you choose.

Choose the look and function that suits your space

Both honeycomb and roller blinds are available with motorised or manual operation, and can be customised to suit your window size, fabric preferences, and control needs.

Combining both styles into one

If you want the flexibility to enjoy natural light during the day and full privacy or darkness at night, there’s no need to choose just one type of blind. Both roller and honeycomb styles offer dual solutions that give you the best of both worlds.

Roller blinds

With our roller blinds, a twin-bracket system allows you to install two separate blinds on the same window, typically one blackout and one light-filtering. Each blind operates independently, so you can lower the light-filtering blind during the day for soft light and privacy, then switch to the blackout blind when you need total darkness. This setup is ideal for spaces that serve multiple functions, such as living rooms that double as media spaces or guest bedroom

Honeycomb blinds

An option available with our  honeycomb blinds, the duo style combines two fabrics within one clever and seamless design. The system features a single headrail with both a light-filtering and a blackout fabric layered together, giving you precise control over light and privacy throughout the day and night. This design offers a more integrated look, with a smooth transition between the two fabrics as you adjust them.

Both systems are compatible with motorisation, so you can switch between settings easily and create a setup that adapts to your lifestyle, room by room.

Choosing between blackout and light-filtering blinds really comes down to how you use each space and what kind of light control you need. If you’re looking for total darkness, extra privacy, and a more restful environment, blackout blinds are a strong choice. They’re ideal for bedrooms, nurseries, and media rooms where blocking out light is key. If you prefer a softer, more natural feel with gentle daylight and daytime privacy, light-filtering blinds are better suited to your needs. They work beautifully in living areas, kitchens, and workspaces where natural light is part of the atmosphere.

If your space needs to do both, offering brightness during the day and full privacy at night, consider a dual solution. With either a twin-bracket roller setup or a duo-style honeycomb blind, you can enjoy flexible light control around the clock.

Not sure which option is right for your home?

Our team is here to help you find the perfect fit with tailored advice, fabric samples, and a free measure and quote.