Sheer vs Blockout Curtains: Which Is Right for Your Room?

Choosing curtains becomes much easier once you separate two decisions: how much light and privacy the room needs, and which heading works with the hardware already fitted. Sheer and blockout describe what the fabric does. Eyelet and tape describe how the curtain hangs.

There is no single correct curtain for every window. A bright living room may need soft daylight rather than darkness, while a bedroom usually benefits from stronger light control. In some rooms, the best answer is a layered window: a sheer for daytime and a blockout curtain for the evening.

Linen & Co’s ready-made curtain collection includes light-filtering sheers and blockout curtains in both Eyelet and Taped headings. The important part is choosing the combination that suits the room and ordering the correct quantity.

Sheer or blockout: the quick answer

What sheer curtains actually do

Sheer curtains soften direct sunlight and reduce the hard contrast between a bright window and the rest of the room. They add texture and movement without making a space feel heavy or closed in, which makes them useful in living areas, dining rooms and rooms with a view.

Sheers also provide gentle screening during the day. They are not, however, a complete privacy solution. Once the room is illuminated at night and it is darker outside, silhouettes and activity may be visible through the fabric. For bedrooms, street-facing rooms or any space requiring dependable evening privacy, pair the sheer with a blockout curtain.

The current ready-made sheer ranges include Whittaker, Ella and Arissa, with different textures, colours and levels of visual softness. Compare the product images and fabric details before deciding which finish suits the room.

What blockout curtains actually do

Blockout curtains reduce incoming light more strongly than sheers and provide a more private, substantial window covering. They are a practical choice for bedrooms, guest rooms, nurseries, shift workers’ rooms and spaces where screen glare is a concern.

“Blockout” does not automatically mean a completely dark room. Light can still enter above, below or around the sides of a curtain, especially if the rod or track sits far from the wall or the fabric does not extend well beyond the window opening. The window position, heading, fullness and installation all affect the final result.

If stronger room darkening matters, allow suitable coverage beyond the window, choose the correct drop and ensure the hardware allows the curtains to close properly. The current ready-made blockout ranges include Obscura, Celeste, Nebula and Daloa.

Which curtain works best in each room?

Bedrooms and guest rooms

Start with blockout curtains when sleep, privacy and early-morning light are the priorities. For a softer hotel-style finish, layer a sheer behind the blockout. The sheer can remain closed during the day while the blockout closes at night.

Living rooms and lounges

Choose sheers when you want to soften bright daylight while keeping the room light and open. Choose blockout when the room faces strong afternoon sun, needs greater evening privacy or contains a television that catches window glare. In a multi-purpose lounge, layering gives you the most flexibility.

Dining rooms

Sheers usually work well in dining spaces because they filter daylight and add a finished backdrop without dominating the room. If the dining room is street-facing or used mainly at night, add a second privacy layer.

Home offices and media rooms

Screen position matters more than the name of the room. A sheer may be enough to soften daylight in a home office, but it will not control strong glare as effectively as a blockout curtain. In a media room, blockout is generally the more practical starting point.

Hotels, lodges and guesthouses

Guest rooms usually need dependable privacy and stronger light control, making blockout curtains the practical main layer. A sheer adds daytime screening and gives the window a more complete finish. Measure every room separately—even apparently identical rooms can have small differences in track width, floor level or finished drop.

Eyelet or tape: choose the heading that fits your hardware

Once you have chosen sheer or blockout, decide how the curtain will hang. The heading must match the rod or track already fitted unless you plan to replace the hardware.

Eyelet curtains

Eyelet curtains slide directly onto a compatible curtain rod. The eyelets create clean, even folds and a modern finish. They are straightforward to hang and easy to open and close. Because the rod passes through the eyelets, they are not designed to hang directly from a standard curtain track.

Taped curtains

Taped curtains use curtain hooks with a compatible track, rail or rod-and-ring system. The heading creates a gathered, more tailored look and works well when a track is already installed or when you prefer the hardware to be less visually prominent.

How to measure ready-made curtains

Measure the hardware and the finished drop you need—not the old curtain. Use a metal tape measure where possible and record every measurement before ordering.

1. Confirm the hanging system. Eyelet curtains require a curtain rod. Taped curtains hang from hooks on a compatible track, rail or rod-and-ring setup.
2. Measure the full width. Measure the track from end to end. For a rod, measure between the finials and exclude the decorative end caps.
3. Measure the drop. For Eyelet curtains, measure from the top of the pole to the point where the curtain should finish. For Taped curtains, measure from the track or hook position to the finished length.
4. Check the surroundings. Confirm the floor level and check skirtings, heaters, furniture, handles and anything else that may affect the finished drop.
5. Choose the length. Linen & Co ready-made curtains are available in Standard Length at 220cm and Extra Length at 250cm, depending on the selected product.

Ready-made curtain widths vary by range. Check the listed width on the specific product page before calculating quantity. As a practical guide, multiply the pole or track width by approximately 1.5 to 2 for suitable gathering, then divide by the selected product’s listed width and round up. Sheers generally look better with fuller gathering, closer to twice the track or pole width.

If the listed width is unclear or your measurements sit close to the available width, contact Linen & Co before ordering so the quantity can be checked.

Important: ready-made curtains are sold as 1 Drop

Linen & Co ready-made curtains are sold as 1 Drop, not as a pair. The quantity box refers to the number of individual curtain panels you will receive.

• Order quantity 1 for one individual curtain drop.
• Order quantity 2 when you need a conventional pair that opens from the centre.
• Order more than two drops where the total width or desired fullness requires it.

Do not decide quantity from the window glass alone. Use the full rod or track width, allow for gathering and consider whether you want one curtain drawing to one side or a pair opening from the centre.

Can sheer and blockout curtains be used together?

Yes. A layered treatment gives you soft daylight and daytime screening from the sheer, with stronger privacy and light reduction from the blockout curtain when it is closed. This works especially well in bedrooms, guest rooms and lounges that need different levels of control during the day and evening.

A layered setup needs compatible double hardware and enough space for both curtains to move freely. Confirm the heading and hardware before ordering the two layers.

Before you place your order

• Choose sheer, blockout or a layered combination.
• Match Eyelet curtains to a rod or Taped curtains to compatible hooks and hardware.
• Measure the full rod or track width and the required finished drop.
• Confirm Standard or Extra Length.
• Check the specific product width before calculating quantity.
• Remember that each ready-made curtain is sold as 1 Drop.
• Check the selected colour, size and quantity in your cart.

Ready-made curtains fall under Linen & Co’s Standard Delivery range. Check the current product and delivery information when ordering.

Frequently asked questions

Do sheer curtains give privacy at night?

Not reliably. Sheers provide gentle daytime screening, but visibility increases when the room is lit and it is darker outside. Add blockout curtains where evening privacy matters.

Will blockout curtains make my room completely dark?

They reduce light strongly, but the finished room may not be completely dark because light can enter around the edges and heading. Wider coverage, suitable fullness and well-positioned hardware improve room darkening.

Can I hang Eyelet curtains on a track?

No. Eyelet curtains thread directly onto a compatible curtain rod. Choose Taped curtains if you are using a standard track and hooks.

Are ready-made curtains sold as a pair?

No. They are sold as 1 Drop. Order two drops when you need a pair, or additional drops when the window width and desired fullness require them.

Can I use sheer and blockout curtains together?

Yes. Layering gives you soft daylight and daytime screening from the sheer, with stronger privacy and light reduction from the blockout curtain when it is closed.

What if I prefer a fitted, made-to-measure window treatment?

Blinds are a separate made-to-measure option with a different measuring and ordering process. If you prefer a fitted finish or more precise control at the window, explore Linen & Co blinds.

Shop all ready-made curtains and choose the light control, heading and colour that suit your room.