I bought 4 different sets of curtains, here are my thoughts
I’m reviewing/comparing several sets of curtains. Maybe this will help you narrow down your options. I’m using a double rod. And all my faith is in the anchors in the wall! Haha! My curtain combination consists of the following 4 sets of curtains in 96 inch length:- RYB HOME Linen Textured 100% Blackout Curtains, color: Burlap- Joydeco Faux Linen Blackout Curtains, color: Black- RYB HOME White Curtains Sheer - Linen Texture Semi Sheer, color: White- 100% Blackout Shield Linen Blackout Curtains, color: Cream (not shown in the video) they are on the same bar as the sheer ones, behind the black and brown sets.I intentionally hung my curtains from ceiling to floor; I have 8ft ceilings. At first it was for aesthetics but now I realize it contributes to the effectiveness of energy efficiency. And I intentionally chose to hang a combination of colors and textures for a layered look. The colors and textures give my window and room more interest and dimension. Since this is the hottest room in the house, and it’s on the 2nd floor… and I live in a desert! So I am after maximum heat blocking. I didn’t plan to use this many curtains, it just ended up that way when I wanted to redesign my office. So here is the breakdown.First,100% Blackout Shield Linen Blackout Curtains, color: Cream (not shown in the video) they are on the same bar as the sheer ones, behind the black and brown sets. Rating: 5 starsI’ll start with the ones I’ve had the longest. The one that I have on 10 windows in my home. I’ve had these up for over a year. These are fantastic! They have a gray backing and are truly 100% blackout. And they do a good job blocking heat and reducing the winter cold from coming in. Before I got these, I only had Venetian blinds and they don’t do anything for temperature or light control. My electric bill was hundreds of dollars. I noticed a big difference in the temperature of my home after putting these up. I love the cream color as it is a versatile shade that complements my decor. They were wrinkled upon arrival but a few minutes on the dryer fixed that. They hang well and look great. Well made and energy efficient. And blocks the sunlight. The linen texture is pretty but with the performance of blackout curtains. The listing does not specify if there is a multilayer construction; nonetheless, I find them to be very effective.RYB HOME White Curtains Sheer - Linen Texture Semi Sheer, color: White Rating: 5 starsI also have these on 10 windows in my home. I’ve had these up for over a year. I enjoy having these curtains to let some sunlight in while still keeping some privacy depending on the time of day and inside lighting. They are semi sheer. The linen texture is beautiful and diffuses the sunlight so it’s not so direct. The white color keeps things light and airy. They are well made and hang well. A few minutes in the dryer took care of any wrinkles from the packaging. I’m very happy with these.When I decided to redesign my office, I did not want to remove those 2 sets of curtains because I love them so much. But my office had too much white in it. I needed more contrast to make it look and feel better. So that’s when I added the double curtain rod and more curtains! This was an opportunity to put more color in the room. And I thought additional blackout curtains might be helpful against the heat. I was right!RYB HOME Linen Textured 100% Blackout Curtains, color: Burlap. Rating: 4 starsBurlap is a beautiful medium brown color. And there are multiple shades of brown woven together to make the color. I like the texture of the fabric and the gray backing. It is truly blackout. But the reason they aren’t 5 stars is because the wrinkles in the curtains are a bit aggressive. I put them in the dryer and that did not help. I sprayed them down with a little water then put them in the dryer on 2 cycles… still wrinkled. So I hung them anyway and steamed them… they are still wrinkled! Even despite hanging for weeks. While they are less wrinkled from the start, they are more wrinkled than I want them to be. I hope the wrinkles fall out with more time. Anyway, I do like everything else about these. The construction is good and I love the color. This color was not available in the other curtains I have. The weight is about the same as the cream ones. The listing says it has a multilayer construction which seems effective to me.Save the best for last!Joydeco Faux Linen Blackout Curtains, color: Black. Rating: ALL the Stars! Haha! 100 Stars!Okay now these curtains are ELITE! Now these feel like luxury curtains. They are actually heavier than the other brands I have. The sewing is immaculate. Not that I saw anything wrong with the others. But the thing is, I NOTICED how perfect the stitching was on these. they feel different, like the layers are more robust within the fabric. The listing says it has a multilayer construction which seems very effective to me. The backing on these is also gray but has a different texture than the others. The look of the fabric is similar to tightly woven linen; looks and feels very special. It is truly blackout and they may be slightly better at blocking heat than the others. I had these up on their own to test for a few days. The color is a rich, deep black, all black. And the wrinkles came out easily after a few minutes in the dryer. They hang beautifully. I wish this was available in more colors. If you’re in the market for luxurious true blackout, energy efficient curtains, buy these.All the curtains I mentioned have backtab and rod pocket hanging options. Backtab looks best in my opinion.Oh, and I almost forgot, I do have a 5th set of curtains in the window on a tension rod. I added those when we hit 120° a few weeks ago. But that brand isn’t important.Thank you for reading.