Which Curtain to Choose for a Bedroom: A Guide by Priority
A bedroom curtain is chosen by three priorities: darkness, thermal comfort in summer and winter, and quiet against noise. For most bedrooms, total blackout is the decisive criterion: it stops light passing through the fabric. The Kurtens 3-in-1 curtain, at 620 gsm, blocks 100% of light*, attenuates up to 22 dB* and has a thermal performance of up to 7 °C, measured in a laboratory*, covering all three needs in a single curtain.
To choose, rank your priorities: sleeping in the dark, keeping a good temperature, or finding quiet, knowing that the 3-in-1 curtain answers all three at once.
Priority 1: darkness for sleep
In a bedroom, blackout is the first criterion. A high-performance blackout curtain blocks light from the street, streetlamps and early morning. A 100% blackout fabric lets no light through the cloth; how dark the room gets also depends on how well the curtain covers the window. To go further, see our dedicated article on blackout curtains for the bedroom and sleep.
Table: which curtain for your bedroom priority
Here is the dominant priority of a bedroom and the suitable answer.
| Priority | What you need | Kurtens 3-in-1 answer |
|---|---|---|
| Sleeping in the dark | Total blackout | 100% of light blocked* |
| Bedroom too hot or too cold | Insulation at the window | Up to 7 °C, measured in a laboratory* |
| Street noise at night | Mass in front of the glass | Up to 22 dB* attenuation |
| Ambiance and drape | Dense fabric, made to measure | 620 gsm, made to the dimensions you enter |
*Performance stated by Kurtens. Real performance depends on exposure, glazing and fitting.
Priority 2: temperature, summer and winter
A bedroom can overheat in summer or lose heat through the window in winter. A thermal curtain limits heat exchange: closed during the hot hours, it blocks solar radiation; drawn in winter, it reduces the cold-wall feeling. If summer overheating is your main problem, follow our complete guide on the bedroom that is too hot in summer. The Kurtens 3-in-1 curtain has a thermal performance of up to 7 °C, measured in a laboratory*.
Priority 3: quiet against noise
If the bedroom faces a busy street, night-time noise can be heard right into the bedroom. When noise comes in through the window, the three dense layers of the Kurtens 3-in-1 curtain, at 620 gsm, help attenuate it: up to 22 dB*, which softens street noise. To understand what makes a curtain perform, see our guide on how to choose curtain weight.
The curtain that combines all three
Darkness, temperature and quiet coexist in most bedrooms. Rather than trade off, a technical curtain handles them together. The Kurtens 3-in-1 curtain brings together three layers for 620 gsm: it blacks out at 100%*, attenuates up to 22 dB* and has a thermal performance of up to 7 °C, measured in a laboratory*. Made to the dimensions you enter, with the recommended overlap, it covers the whole opening and limits light leaks at the sides. Configure yours in the custom blackout curtains, thermal or soundproof collection.
The child's bedroom: a special case
In a child's bedroom, blackout makes the room dark for daytime naps and early bedtimes in summer, when it is still light out. The choice of range and the dimensions to order are detailed below, in the section “Which blackout curtain should you choose for a child's bedroom?”.
Sizing the bedroom curtain
Blackout and insulation only count if the curtain covers the whole opening. A curtain that is too narrow lets light in on the sides, one that is too short loses insulation. Made-to-measure, with the recommended overlaps, limits these leaks. Compare the functions in the custom curtains collection.
Which curtain should you choose for a bedroom?
Choose first by how much light you want to keep. To make the room dark, take a blackout curtain: the Kurtens single-layer blackout blocks 100% of light in one layer, and the 3-in-1 adds thermal insulation and noise attenuation. For a bedroom that stays bright by day, take a light-filtering curtain, paired with a blackout one at night.
- 3-in-1 thermal soundproof blackout curtain (620 gsm, three layers, 14 colours): 100% blackout*, up to 22 dB of attenuation* and a thermal performance of up to 7 °C, measured in a laboratory*. For a bedroom facing a street, exposed to the sun or cold in winter.
- Single-layer blackout curtain (315 gsm, 6 colours): total darkness in one thinner, more fluid layer, reversible. It is neither thermal nor soundproof.
- Linen-effect light-filtering curtain (265 gsm, 6 colours): it filters about 70% of the light and screens the room from view by day. It does not make the room dark.
The table above helps you rank your priorities. All three ranges can be configured in the custom curtains collection.
Which lightweight curtain should you choose for a bedroom?
Two lightweight curtains meet two different needs. The linen-effect light-filtering curtain, at 265 gsm, filters about 70% of the light: the bedroom stays bright and screened from view by day, but it does not make the room dark. The single-layer blackout curtain, at 315 gsm, stays thin and fluid while blocking 100% of light.
In the evening, with the lights on, silhouettes can be made out behind a light-filtering curtain. For privacy at night, pair it with a blackout curtain hung on a second rod. The light-filtering fabric, 100% polyester, does not crease or shrink. For its drape, allow a curtain width of 2.5 to 3 times the width of the rod. See the light-filtering curtain collection.
The single-layer blackout curtain suits you if you want darkness without the weight of a thick curtain. It is reversible, with the same mottled look on both faces, but it insulates against neither cold nor noise. If the bedroom is cold or noisy, the 3-in-1 remains the right choice.
Which blackout curtain should you choose for a child's bedroom?
Choose a 100% blackout curtain, made to your dimensions and wide enough to cover the whole window. The Kurtens single-layer blackout curtain makes the room dark with a lighter layer. The 3-in-1 also blocks 100% of light and adds thermal insulation and noise attenuation, for a bedroom exposed to the sun or facing a street.
Even with a blackout fabric, light can get round the curtain, especially at the sides. Fit a rod that extends 15 cm beyond the window on each side (200 cm window, 230 cm rod) and order a total curtain width of 2 to 2.5 times the rod width, split into two panels. In the configurator, enter the flat width of each panel.
The colour does not change the blackout: a pink, yellow or sky-blue single-layer curtain makes the room as dark as an anthracite-grey one. See our selection of blackout curtains for baby and children's rooms.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important criterion for a bedroom curtain?
Blackout. A curtain that blocks 100% of light*, like the Kurtens single-layer blackout or 3-in-1 curtain, lets no light through the fabric, even in broad daylight or facing a streetlamp. How dark the bedroom gets also depends on light passing around the curtain.
Can a bedroom curtain also insulate from heat?
Yes. A thermal curtain closed during the hot hours blocks solar radiation and limits the heat entering the bedroom in summer. The Kurtens 3-in-1 curtain has a thermal performance of up to 7 °C, measured in a laboratory*, and also helps against cold in winter.
Does a curtain reduce street noise in a bedroom?
Yes, partly. When noise comes in through the window, the three dense layers of the Kurtens 3-in-1 curtain, at 620 gsm, help attenuate it: up to 22 dB*, which softens street noise.
Do I need a different curtain per function in a bedroom?
No, not for darkness, temperature and noise: a multi-layer technical curtain combines blackout, thermal insulation and noise attenuation. The Kurtens 3-in-1 curtain, at 620 gsm, covers these three priorities with a single curtain, rather than layering several solutions. A light-filtering curtain is only added if you also want a bright bedroom by day.
Which curtain for a child's bedroom?
A 100% blackout curtain, which makes the room dark for daytime naps and early bedtimes in summer. If the bedroom is also exposed to the sun or cold in winter, the Kurtens 3-in-1 adds thermal insulation. In every case, the curtain must cover the whole window.
Key takeaways
A bedroom curtain is chosen by priority: darkness first, then temperature and quiet. Total blackout is the decisive criterion, but a comfortable bedroom often needs all three functions. A technical curtain combines them: the Kurtens 3-in-1 curtain, at 620 gsm, blocks 100% of light*, attenuates up to 22 dB* and has a thermal performance of up to 7 °C, measured in a laboratory*. It is made to the dimensions you enter. Configure yours in the custom curtains collection.
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