Not really “blackout” BUT…
These are a made from a good quality and relatively thick fabric which block a good amount of sunlight but if you’re seeking true blackout drapes, you will need to be creative to achieve a completely dark room with these as they are not lined at all. Since the seller indicated these drapes aren’t true blackout within the description, I purchased a blackout reflective panel that adheres to the window with Velcro adhesive strips and prior to hanging the drapes, applied it to the glass.I’ve never liked the texture of blackout drapes as they feel stiff and plasticky so I opted for a solution that allowed for a richer aesthetic. Obviously these drapes remain closed since the glass has been fitted with a heat reflective panel in order to keep out the desert heat here in Las Vegas, where I live.I am extremely happy with these beautiful velvet drapes and love how they hang, feel, look PLUS they deliver exactly what I was hoping for.The color is perfect and I was torn between several options. I took several weeks of looking at different types of fabrics, colors and at every seller on Amazon to finally make my decision. I was originally going to use a linen fabric with blackout panels sewn into the backing but when I came across these I began to rethink it altogether. I could not be more satisfied with my choice to change the fabric to velvet and to go with a color I’d not considered at all. The stone blue is very forgiving as it has a slightly green hue and is a sneaky “color shifting” shade that would fit just about any pallet. The room is predominantly furnished with dark blues and a plush multicolored area rug with a cream/off white background, the carpet’s muted blues, greens and pastel reddish pink touches just look lovely with these rich velvet, flowing drapes.Upon arrival I threw these in the washer, I bought 2 packages so all 4 panels went in on the “bulky”cycle with warm water. Since they’re polyester I expected no shrinkage. I dried them partially, leaving them slightly damp and hung them immediately. This technique works on heavier fabrics to remove most wrinkles as the weight itself aids in removing fold marks. I employed a hand held steamer (if you don’t own one, get one as it’ll change your life) to get out any stubborn wrinkles. I cannot imagine a better result. You don’t need an expensive steamer as they all use the same technology and I use it frequently instead of an iron.One thing I noticed while setting out on this journey of drape buying online, is that the same exact products are sold by many merchants and prices are definitely not consistent. I found myself chasing my tail when looking for that elusive best price. The day after I hung my drapes, a different seller had the same drapes at a 40% lower price. The photos and diagrams are identical from one vendor to the next plus the color charts and names of each color are the same. To say I felt disappointed to find that had I waited a day to save 40% Is an understatement. But I’d hung the drapes and I work alone and it’s a tricky process when hanging heavier fabric. As I’m not an acrobat and will not allow my husband to be involved, as that quickly becomes a liability due to using a “mansplain” translation decoder ring and putting us in the crosshairs of divorce, I quickly realized that forgetting about losing out on saving some money was not all that important.I highly recommend these and if you are considering a divorce, to get that ball rolling, ask your spouse to “assist” which will likely bring out your inner Cujo.Arrived when promised but mediocrely packaged. Mine were fineYes- order them.