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Are Blackout and Thermal Curtains The Same

Want to dress your windows for success? Whether you’re looking for an excuse to sleep in or you’d like to create a cosy space to relax in the evening, thermal and blackout curtains are a great option.

Jul 19, 2024
Poppy Ashworth
Poppy Ashworth
Product Manager / Soft Furnishings Expert

Poppy has always been passionate about soft furnishings, a love that stems from her family. Her grandmother taught her mother to sew, a skill her mother passed on to her. When Poppy was 11, her mother earned a degree in Textiles, deepening her fascination with turning houses into homes with personal touches like curtains, cushions, and bed linens.

Now a product manager at Graham and Brown, Poppy applies her expertise and passion to each project. With multiple years at the company, Poppy has developed a keen eye for creating spaces that reflect individual personalities and visions.

blackout lining  - greenhouse green


Whether you’re looking for the perfect excuse to sleep in or you want to create a cosy space to relax in the evening, thermal and blackout curtains are a great option. As well as filtering out sunlight, they can add privacy and warmth to any room. They also give you a sense of detachment from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, letting you unwind in peace.

From jungle-inspired ferns and bold botanicals to geometric patterns and standard stripes, there’s a pair of curtains to help you create a special place you can call your own at Graham & Brown.

Colours, textures, and patterns galore

A country cottage or a contemporary apartment, a family home or an upscaled warehouse conversion – no matter what type of home and décor you have, Graham & Brown blackout curtains will enhance and harmonise with your space. Beautifully woven linen-blend designs with textural nuances sit alongside curtains with more subtle weaves and a softer finish. Each type brings freshness to any room, instantly reviving the look and feel of your interior.

You’ll also find patterns and colours that perfectly partner with our paints and wallpapers, giving you a synergistic effect and immediate visual impact.

But it’s not just about the looks – there are some practical advantages to thermal and blackout curtains, too. Summer or winter, blackout curtains from Graham & Brown can form a key element of your interior design plan.

restore emerald blackout curtains

The benefits of blackout curtains in summer

As well as adding a stylish touch to a room, blackout curtains can also play a crucial role in healthy sleep. LED streetlights can harm your sleep patterns, as can that early-morning sunrise at 4am. If you work shifts and need to catch up on some sleep during the day, you want to create a comfortable and serene space without being woken by bright lights.

Installing a pair of blackout curtains will cut out a large proportion of ambient light so you can drift off easily and stay asleep for longer. By preventing unwanted light from shining in, blackout curtains can help you fall asleep faster on summer evenings and enjoy the occasional lie-in when the sun rises early.


Are blackout curtains always black?

No, blackout curtains don’t have to be black. What makes a good blackout curtain is the density of the fabric and the special lining. This reduces the amount of light passing through, keeping your room darker.

At Graham & Brown, we love colours, patterns and new designs. So, you’ll find blackout curtains in bold shades such as red, green and blue, as well as softer neutrals and beautifully patterned options. As long as they have that heavy, dense lining, white blackout curtains will work just as well as black ones.

The additional weight will not affect how your blackout curtains hang, either. As with any curtain, you must ensure the fit is perfect (both length and width). Graham & Brown blackout curtains are bespoke, specifically made to your exact measurements. Whether you have small cottage windows or floor-to-ceiling expanses, our curtains are custom-made to look gorgeous and perform flawlessly.

borneo powder blackbout curtains

The Benefit of thermal curtains in winter


Once the winter months start creeping in and the thermometers go down, thermal curtains offer a practical and elegant solution to staying warm. Poorly insulated windows allow heat to escape, lowering the temperature and increasing energy bills.

Thermal curtains are a great way to regulate the temperature of your home, play a big part in keeping your heating costs down, and look elegant, too. Well-fitted thermal curtains work by creating air pockets between the window and your room. Air is a great insulator and can maximise your home's energy efficiency by keeping the room cool on hotter days but locking the warmth in during the colder months.

This type of curtain is a perfect option if you live in an older property with single-glazed or sash windows with gaps around the frame, as these typically lose a lot of heat.

If you live on a busy street or a main road, those cosy thermal curtains could also make your world a more peaceful, tranquil place by helping to block external noise.

Make your home your own with Graham & Brown

Our thermal curtains come with pencil pleat headings, which can be fitted onto a sturdy curtain pole or a track. They blend in with any interior and keep the light out. Perfect for any home, thermal curtains will transform your space into a chic yet homely retreat with minimal effort.

If streetlights have been keeping you awake at night or the first signs of autumn send the temperature plummeting in your bedroom, replace your old curtains with thermal/blackout curtains. Not only are they a practical answer to keeping unwanted light out and the heat in, but they look incredible, too.

Browse our collection of thermal curtains and blackout curtains today and make your home your own.