Best Blackout Curtains for Bedrooms: How to Choose | Ona
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Updated October 2026 · By the Ona team
The best blackout curtain for a bedroom is the one that fits the wall, not the one with the boldest label. Blackout fabric only stops the light that would pass through the cloth. The light that actually wakes you up comes around the curtain: over the rod, past the sides, through the center where the panels meet, and under the hem. So judge a bedroom curtain on seven things: an opaque lining, a rod mounted high, a rod extended well past both sides, about 2× the rod width in total flat fabric, panels that overlap in the middle, a hem that reaches the floor from a measured drop, and outer edges that return to the wall. Fabric is one of those seven. Fit is the other six.
This guide gives you a scorecard for judging any blackout curtain for a bedroom, the width and length math with real numbers, and an honest read on the "blocks 99% of light" claims you will see elsewhere. It finishes with which of Ona's four styles suits which bedroom window, and what they cost.
In this guide
- The 10-point bedroom darkness scorecard
- Why "blocks 99% of light" doesn't settle it
- What to look for, criterion by criterion
- Where the light actually gets in
- How wide: the width math
- How long: the length math
- Grommet, back tab or rod pocket for a bedroom?
- Color, lining and what the neighbors see
- Which Ona style for which bedroom
- What a dark bedroom costs at Ona
- Six mistakes that keep a bedroom bright
- Questions, answered
- Sources
The 10-point bedroom darkness scorecard
Score the setup you are planning. Ten points is as dark as a curtain alone can make a bedroom. One point comes from the fabric; nine come from how you hang it.
| # | What you are scoring | Points | How to check before you buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | An opaque layer in the curtain — a sewn-in lining, a coated back or a dark core woven into the cloth | 1 | Hold a sample to a bright window, or look for the word "lined" in the specification. An unlined curtain cannot score this point whatever the color |
| 2 | Rod height above the window trim — 4″ or more scores 1 point, 8″ or more (or a ceiling mount) scores 2 | 2 | Measure from the top of the trim to the ceiling. You need the headroom before you buy the length |
| 3 | Rod extension past each side — 4″ or more scores 1 point, 8″ or more scores 2 | 2 | Measure the clear wall either side of the trim. A bedside table or a corner may cap you at 4″ |
| 4 | Total flat fabric vs rod width — 1.5× scores 1 point, 2× or more scores 2 | 2 | Add up the flat width of every panel you are buying and divide by the rod width. The math is in the width section below |
| 5 | Center overlap when closed — the two leading edges meet with fabric to spare, about 4″ | 1 | This follows from scores 3 and 4. A clip or a magnet holds the overlap in place |
| 6 | Hem reaches the floor — a floor kiss or a puddle | 1 | Measure the drop from where the fabric top will sit down to the floor. A hem above the sill cannot score this |
| 7 | The side gap is closed to the wall — a wraparound (return) rod, a bracket that brings the edge back, or a cornice | 1 | Look at the rod's own specification, not the curtain's |
8 to 10 points is a genuinely dark bedroom from curtains alone. 5 to 7 dims the room and keeps the obvious glare off a screen. Under 5 usually means a correctly made blackout curtain hung on a rod that is too short, too low, or both, which is the most common version of this problem.
Notice what is missing: no percentage, no fabric weight, no brand. Those are the first things a product roundup gives you and the last things that decide a dark bedroom.
Why "blocks 99% of light" doesn't settle it
There is no public standard test behind the light-blocking percentages on curtain listings. "Blocks 98% of light", "100% blackout" and "270–320 GSM triple weave" are maker descriptions, not measurements you can compare between brands.
Three reasons a percentage can't be your deciding factor:
- It describes the cloth, not the room. A figure measured through a flat piece of fabric says nothing about the gap above the rod. A 100% opaque fabric hung 1″ above the trim still draws a bright line across the ceiling at sunrise.
- Nobody states the method. A percentage without a test standard, an instrument and a light source behind it is not reproducible. Few retail listings name any of the three.
- The remaining percent isn't the problem. If a fabric genuinely passes 1% of the light hitting it, that diffuse glow is far dimmer than a 2″ side gap with direct morning sun behind it.
Ona's position on this, stated plainly: three of our four styles are described by the supplier as 100% blackout fabric, and that is a supplier listing, not an Ona test. We have not tested any style for light transmission, so we publish no percentage, no GSM figure and no lab result, and we tell you that light can still enter at the top, sides and center. What we can give you exactly is which styles are lined, the flat size of every panel, and the math that closes the gaps.
What to look for, criterion by criterion
| Criterion | What good looks like for a bedroom | What to ignore | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | Lined: a face fabric with an opaque layer sewn behind it. Or a coated back, or a triple weave with a dark core | The face color. Light passes through the fabric, not the color | This is the one thing a curtain can do that fit cannot |
| Flat width per panel | Enough panels to reach 2× your rod width in total flat fabric | "Fits windows up to 60 inches". Panels are sold by flat width, and folds eat it | Under about 1.5× the panels stretch flat when closed and the center seam gaps open |
| Length | A length you chose from a measured drop, with a floor kiss or a puddle | "Standard" lengths picked by eye | The hem gap is the easiest point to lose and the easiest to fix |
| Heading | Grommets for curtains you open every morning; hidden back tabs or a rod pocket for the tightest, flattest top | Decorative headings with daylight showing between the loops | Tab tops and rings leave visible gaps along the rod |
| Opacity of the heading itself | A top that sits against the rod with no light channel behind it | — | Grommets ride above the rod, which lifts the fabric top; back tabs sit closer to the rod |
| Weight and the rod | A rod rated for lined panels, with a center support on spans over about 60″ | — | A sagging rod opens the top gap all over again |
| Care | A sewn-in care label you can actually follow | "Machine washable" with no label detail | Coated backings and heat do not mix |
| Child safety | Cordless window coverings in any room a young child uses | — | The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission advises cordless coverings where young children are present |
Where the light actually gets in
Four paths, in the order they usually matter in a bedroom.
| Path | What you see at dawn | What closes it | Scorecard item |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over the rod | A bright band across the ceiling or the top of the wall | Mount the rod higher above the trim, or at the ceiling. A cornice or a ceiling-mounted track closes it completely | 2 |
| Past the sides | Two vertical stripes on the wall or the floor | Extend the rod 8–12″ past each side, and use a wraparound rod so the outer edges return to the wall | 3 and 7 |
| Through the center | A thin vertical line where the two panels meet | Buy enough total width that the leading edges overlap about 4″, then hold them with a clip or a magnet | 4 and 5 |
| Under the hem | A glow on the floor, and a draft on a cold window | Choose a length that reaches the floor. A puddle closes it best | 6 |
The same gaps leak heat. Cornell Cooperative Extension's fact sheet on window treatments says a covering "is effective only when it traps and holds air between itself and the window", and that installation matters more than fabric type. Warm room air pours into the space behind the curtain at the top and spills out under the hem. Closing the top and the bottom for darkness also closes the loop that moves heat. One set of fixes, two problems.
How wide: the width math
Two steps, two numbers.
Step 1 — rod width. Rod width = window trim width + overhang on each side. For a bedroom, start at 8″ per side and go to 12″ if the wall allows. Measure the rod between the brackets, not including the decorative finials.
Step 2 — how many panels.
panels = (rod width × 2) ÷ flat width of one panel, rounded up to an even number so the curtains open from the center.
The 2× is fullness: the total flat fabric you want across a rod so the closed panels still hold folds and overlap in the middle. 1.5× reads flat and tight. 2× is the default. 2.5× and up reads luxurious and stacks deeper beside the window when open.
Ona's flat widths per panel are 42″, 52″ and 70″. A pair is two panels; the wide grommet panel is sold singly.
| Bedroom window (trim width) | Rod width at 10″ per side | 2× flat fabric needed | Ona combinations that reach it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36″ | 56″ | 112″ | 1 pair of 52″ panels = 104″ (1.9×) · 2 wide 70″ panels = 140″ (2.5×) |
| 48″ | 68″ | 136″ | 2 wide 70″ panels = 140″ (2.1×) · 2 pairs of 42″ panels = 168″ (2.5×) |
| 60″ | 80″ | 160″ | 2 pairs of 42″ panels = 168″ (2.1×) · 2 pairs of 52″ panels = 208″ (2.6×) |
| 72″ | 92″ | 184″ | 2 pairs of 52″ panels = 208″ (2.3×) · 3 wide 70″ panels = 210″ (2.3×) |
| 96″ | 116″ | 232″ | 4 wide 70″ panels = 280″ (2.4×) · 2 pairs of 52″ panels = 208″ (1.8×, tighter than 2×) |
Two honest notes on that table. A single pair rarely reaches 2× on anything wider than about 36″, so a dark bedroom window often takes two pairs or several wide panels. And an odd number of panels (three wide panels on a 72″ window) only works if you are happy for one panel to stay closed at one end, or to stack all three to one side.
Worked example: a 36″ bedroom window, 8-foot ceiling
The trim is 36″ wide. The top of the trim sits 82″ above the floor. The ceiling is 96″.
- Rod width: 36 + 10 + 10 = 56″
- Fabric wanted at 2×: 56 × 2 = 112″
- One pair of 52″ panels: 104″ flat → 104 ÷ 56 = 1.9× fullness. Good folds, and about 48″ of fabric beyond the rod width to form them and overlap the center. Just under the 2× threshold, so it scores 1 of the 2 fullness points; two wide 70″ panels (140″, 2.5×) would take both.
- Rod height: 82 + 8 = 90″ above the floor, six inches below the ceiling. That scores both height points.
- Drop to measure: from the planned fabric top (about 90″) to the floor = 90″. Order a 90″ length for a floor kiss.
- Score: lined (1) + 8″ above the trim (2) + 10″ per side (2) + 1.9× fullness (1) + center overlap (1) + floor kiss (1) = 8 of 10, and 9 with a wraparound rod. Swap to two wide panels for the second fullness point and it reaches 10.
Worked example: a 60″ bedroom window, 9-foot ceiling
The trim is 60″ wide, its top 84″ above the floor, ceiling 108″.
- Rod width: 60 + 10 + 10 = 80″
- Fabric wanted at 2×: 160″
- Panels: 160 ÷ 42 = 3.8 → round up to 4 panels, which is 2 pairs of 42″ panels = 168″ (2.1×). Two pairs of 52″ panels would give 208″ (2.6×) and a deeper stack when open.
- Rod height: 84 + 12 = 96″ above the floor. Drop to the floor = 96″ → order a 96″ length for a kiss, or 96″ with the rod at 92″ for a 4″ puddle.
- A rod spanning 80″ with four lined panels on it wants a center support bracket. That bracket sits behind the overlap, so it does not open the center gap.
Our curtain calculator runs this math against Ona's real sizes, and the measuring guide shows exactly where to put the tape.
How long: the length math
Measure the drop: from where the top of the fabric will sit down to the floor. Not from the rod, and not from the window. Then pick a hem:
- Float — the hem sits about ½″ above the floor. Order the length ½″ under your drop.
- Floor kiss — the hem just touches. Order the length equal to your drop.
- Puddle — about 4″ of fabric gathers on the floor. Order the length 4″ over your drop.
For a dark bedroom, a kiss or a puddle. A float leaves a small hem gap; a hem that stops at the sill leaves a large one.
| Your measured drop | Float (½″ above) | Floor kiss | Puddle (+4″) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72½″ | 72″ | — | — |
| 80″ | — | — | 84″ |
| 84″ | — | 84″ | — |
| 86″ | — | — | 90″ |
| 90½″ | 90″ | — | — |
| 92″ | — | — | 96″ |
| 96″ | — | 96″ | — |
| 104″ | — | — | 108″ |
| 108″ | — | 108″ | — |
| 116″ | — | — | 120″ |
Ona lengths available: 63, 72, 84, 90 and 96″ on the 42″-wide grommet pair; those plus 108″ on the 52″-wide grommet pair and the velvet pair; 63 to 108″ plus 120″ on the back-tab and rod-pocket pair; and 90, 96 and 108″ only on the wide grommet panel. The longest drop Ona covers is 120″, on one style. There are no custom lengths and no hemming service.
By ceiling height, with the rod set as high as the wall allows:
| Ceiling | Typical drop to the floor | Usual Ona length |
|---|---|---|
| 7 ft (84″) | 78–80″ | 84″, puddling 4–6″ (the shortest length that still reaches the floor) |
| 8 ft (96″) | 86–92″ | 90″ or 96″ |
| 9 ft (108″) | 96–104″ | 96″ or 108″ |
| 10 ft (120″) | 108–116″ | 108″ only if your drop is 108″ or less; above that, 120″ on the back-tab pair is the only length that reaches the floor |
One extra inch to allow for: grommets ride above the rod, so the fabric top on a grommet curtain sits a little higher than the rod itself. Back tabs and a rod pocket sit closer to the rod. — until that is measured, check your drop against the hung curtain before you cut any rod brackets in.
Grommet, back tab or rod pocket for a bedroom?
All three can be dark. They differ in how the top of the curtain meets the rod and how easily you open it.
| Heading | How the top closes | Opening it every morning | Bedroom verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grommets | Metal rings slide on the rod; the fabric top rides above it | Easiest. One pull | The default for a curtain you open and close daily |
| Hidden back tabs | Loops sewn behind the panel; the rod disappears | Slides, with a little more friction | The flattest, most tailored top |
| Rod pocket | The rod threads through a sewn channel | Stiffest. Gather it by hand | Best where the curtains mostly stay closed, which suits a bedroom you darken all day |
Avoid tab tops and plain rings in a bedroom you want dark: both leave daylight showing between the loops along the whole rod. More on each in grommet vs rod pocket vs back tab curtains.
Color, lining and what the neighbors see
Blackout curtains do not have to be dark. The opaque layer sits behind the face fabric, so a light beige or greyish white panel with a blackout lining blocks light through the cloth the same way a black one does. Ona's supplier-listed blackout styles come in colors from Ivory and Light Beige through Sage Green and Denim Blue to Black.
Three things color does change:
- How the room feels when the curtains are open. This is most of the time, so weight it.
-
What you see from outside. From the street you see the back of the curtain: the lining or coating, or on a triple weave the face color.
- Sun on a sun-facing window. A lighter surface facing the glass reflects more sun than a dark one. Ona makes no heat or temperature claim for any style.
What color does not change: whether the fabric is blackout. That comes from the lining.
Which Ona style for which bedroom
| Your bedroom | What to prioritize | Ona style |
|---|---|---|
| Standard window, curtains opened every morning | Easy daily use, lined construction | Linen Texture Blackout Grommet Pair — 42″ or 52″ flat per panel, 63–108″ |
| You want the flattest, most tailored top, or the longest drop | A concealed heading, and 120″ availability | Back-Tab & Rod-Pocket Blackout Pair — 52″ flat per panel, 63–120″ |
| Wide window, slider, or you need 2× fullness without four panels | Fewer, wider panels | Linen Texture Blackout Wide Grommet Panel — 70″ flat, 90/96/108″, sold singly |
| Deep color and softer light rather than full darkness | Look and drape | Velvet Room-Darkening Grommet Pair — room-darkening, unlined, not blackout |
| A child's room | Cordless window coverings, lined construction, neutral colors | Any of the three lined styles. CPSC advises cordless coverings where young children are present |
The four styles, side by side
| Grommet pair | Back-tab & rod-pocket pair | Wide grommet panel | Velvet pair | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Supplier-listed 100% blackout fabric | Supplier-listed 100% blackout fabric | Supplier-listed 100% blackout fabric | Room-darkening, not full blackout |
| Construction | Lined: textured face, blackout backing | Lined: textured face, blackout backing | Lined: textured face, blackout backing | Unlined velvet; supplier specifications list 100% polyester |
| Thermal | Listed by the supplier as thermal insulating; no insulation rating | Same | Same | Same |
| In the set | 1 pair · 2 panels | 1 pair · 2 panels | 1 panel | 1 pair · 2 panels |
| Heading | Metal grommets | Hidden back tabs and a rod pocket | Metal grommets | Metal grommets |
| Flat width per panel | 42″ or 52″ | 52″ | 70″ | 52″ |
| Lengths | 63, 72, 84, 90, 96″ (42″ wide); 63, 72, 84, 90, 96, 108″ (52″ wide) | 63, 72, 84, 90, 96, 108, 120″ | 90, 96, 108″ | 63, 72, 84, 90, 96, 108″ |
| Colors | Light Beige, Linen, Greyish White, Sage Green, Light Grey, Dark Grey, Denim Blue, Black | Ivory, Linen, Light Beige, Sage Green, Cappuccino, Light Grey | Same 8 as the grommet pair | Dark Green, Burgundy, Dark Gray, Sage Green |
| Price | $189–$239 per pair | $189–$219 per pair | $139–$159 per panel | $139–$149 per pair |
| Scorecard point 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No — unlined |
"Linen texture" and "linen-look" describe how the face fabric looks, not its fiber; "Linen" is also one of the color names. Not every color comes in every length. Each listing also shows a higher compare-at price above the selling price.
What a dark bedroom costs at Ona
Most bedroom windows that score 8 or more need two pairs, or two to four wide panels. Two automatic offers stack on eligible items, so the per-pair price falls as the count rises:
- Buy 2, get 1 free — for every three eligible items, the lowest-priced one is free.
- Bonus 20% off 4+ items — 20% off the order once it holds four or more eligible items.
Both apply automatically at checkout. A pair counts as one item and a single panel counts as one item, and you can mix styles, colors and sizes. Worked at the $189 pair price, with every item the same price so the "lowest free" rule is unambiguous:
| What you add | List total | After buy 2, get 1 free | After the bonus 20% | Effective price per pair |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 pairs | $378.00 | $378.00 | $378.00 | $189.00 |
| 3 pairs | $567.00 | $378.00 | $378.00 | $126.00 |
| 4 pairs | $756.00 | $567.00 | $453.60 | $113.40 |
| 6 pairs | $1,134.00 | $756.00 | $604.80 | $100.80 |
Four 70″ wide panels at $139 come to $556.00 list, $417.00 after the free panel and $333.60 after the bonus 20%. Mixed prices change which item comes off free, so check the cart total — the cart shows both offers as they apply.
Shipping is free within the US and orders arrive in about 10–14 days. Returns are accepted for damaged, defective or incorrect items only. Ona sells curtains only: no rods, rings, brackets, hooks or tracks, and no custom sizes or hemming.
Ready to score your own window?
- Shop blackout curtains — the three lined styles with supplier-listed 100% blackout fabric.
- Shop bedroom curtains — every style that suits a bedroom, including the room-darkening velvet.
- Find your size — enter your rod width and your measured drop.
Six mistakes that keep a bedroom bright
- Buying a rod the width of the window. It guarantees two side stripes and gives up both rod-extension points (scorecard item 3). Add 8–12″ per side before anything else.
- Buying one pair for a wide window. One 52″ pair on an 80″ rod is 1.3× fullness: the panels pull flat and the center seam opens. Work out the 2× figure first.
- Measuring the drop from the rod instead of the fabric top. Grommets ride above the rod, so a curtain ordered from the rod height can end up short.
- Stopping the hem at the sill. The glow on the floor is the easiest point to win back.
- Choosing by percentage. Two curtains, the same fabric: one scores 9 and one scores 4. The label is identical.
- Hanging an unlined curtain and expecting blackout. No fit closes a gap in the cloth itself. Ona's velvet is honest about this: it is room-darkening and unlined.
For the full method on everything else that leaks light in a bedroom, see how to make a room completely dark and what blackout curtains are and how they work.
Questions, answered
What are the best blackout curtains for a bedroom?
The best blackout curtain for a bedroom is a lined panel hung on a rod mounted 8″ or more above the window trim and extended 8–12″ past each side, with enough total flat fabric to reach about 2× the rod width, panels that overlap in the middle, and a hem that reaches the floor. The fabric is one factor out of seven. Everything else is fit.
Do blackout curtains block 100% of the light in a bedroom?
No. Even when no light passes through the fabric, light still enters above the rod, past the sides, through the center where the panels meet and under the hem. Ona's three lined styles use supplier-listed 100% blackout fabric, and light can still enter at the top, sides and center.
How wide should bedroom blackout curtains be?
Aim for about 2× your rod width in total flat fabric. Set the rod width first: window trim width plus 8–12″ on each side. Then divide the doubled rod width by the flat width of one panel and round up to an even number. A 60″ window usually takes a rod of about 80″ and four panels, not two.
How high should I hang blackout curtains in a bedroom?
As high as the wall allows. Four to six inches above the trim is the usual minimum; eight inches or more, or a ceiling mount, closes much more of the top gap. The top gap is the brightest one in most bedrooms, because it throws a band of light straight across the ceiling.
What length blackout curtains do I need for an 8-foot ceiling?
Usually 90″ or 96″. With an 8-foot (96″) ceiling and a rod set high above the trim, the drop from the fabric top to the floor is typically 86–92″. Measure that drop, then order equal to it for a floor kiss or 4″ over it for a puddle.
Do blackout curtains have to be dark or black?
No. The opaque layer sits behind the face fabric, so blackout curtains come in Ivory, Light Beige, Greyish White, Sage Green and other light colors as well as Black. The color changes how the room looks, not whether the fabric blocks light.
Is one pair of curtains enough for a bedroom window?
Often not, if you want the room dark. One pair reaches about 2× fullness on windows up to roughly 36″ wide. Past that, the panels stretch flat when closed and the center opens. Check your own numbers with the width formula above rather than the "fits up to" line on a listing.
Blackout or room-darkening for a bedroom?
Choose blackout if you want the room as dark as possible, and room-darkening if you want daylight softened and some privacy. Room-darkening fabric lets some light through the cloth itself. Ona's velvet pair is room-darkening and unlined; the other three styles are supplier-listed as 100% blackout fabric.
Are velvet curtains blackout?
Not automatically — velvet is a fabric, not a rating. Ona's velvet pair is unlined and room-darkening rather than blackout, so how much light comes through varies with the color and the daylight behind it. For a dark bedroom, choose one of the lined styles.
How do I block the light gap at the top and the sides?
At the top, raise the rod, or mount it on the ceiling, or add a cornice board over it. At the sides, extend the rod 8–12″ past the trim and use a wraparound rod so the outer edges return to the wall. At the center, buy enough total width to overlap about 4″ and hold it with a clip or a magnet.
Are blackout curtains safe in a child's bedroom?
Use cordless window coverings in any room a young child uses: the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission advises that the safest window coverings where young children are present are cordless ones. Ona sells curtain panels only, with no cords, and no rods or hardware. Keep any rod cords, cables and blind cords out of reach.
Will blackout curtains make a bedroom warmer in winter?
They can slow heat loss at the window, though not by much. Cornell Cooperative Extension reports that conventionally hung draperies cut heat loss through a single-glazed window by 5–10%, rising to about 25% for tightly woven, separately lined draperies sealed at all four edges. Those are general figures for curtains, not measurements of any Ona product. All four Ona styles are listed by the supplier as thermal insulating, with no insulation rating.
Can you wash blackout curtains?
Follow the sewn-in care label on the panel you bought. Coated and lined backings are often marked for a cool, gentle wash with little or no heat, because heat and abrasion can damage the backing. Ona does not publish a care routine that overrides the label.
Has Ona tested its curtains for light blocking?
No. The blackout and thermal descriptions come from supplier listings. Ona has not independently tested any style, and none carries a measured light figure, a GSM rating or an insulation rating. That is why this guide gives you a fit scorecard instead of a percentage.
Sources
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC to Consumers: The Safest Window Coverings When Young Children Are Present Are Cordless, 2022. https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2022/CPSC-to-Consumers-The-Safest-Window-Coverings-When-Young-Children-Are-Present-Are-Cordless
- Cornell Cooperative Extension, Department of Design and Environmental Analysis, Cornell University. Energy Saving Window Treatments, Housing Fact Sheet, reviewed and revised October 2000 (Mark Pierce). https://monroe.cce.cornell.edu/resources/energy-saving-window-treatment
- Ona product facts: live product listings, October 2026. Light and thermal descriptions are supplier-listed and have not been independently tested by Ona.