Blackout is only as good as its edges
In a cinema, conference hall or hotel meeting room, the main job of the window covering is to stop light completely. Blackout fabric is light-proof, but even a thin line leaking round the window frame washes out the picture on the screen. That is why we do not measure to the glass but to overlap the window generously on every side.
Heavy fabric and double systems
- Blackout roller blind: the first layer, close to the glass, stops the light.
- Heavy drapes: hung in front with full pleats, they help with blackout and give the room a finished look.
- Double curtain system: a roller blind and drapes, or sheers and drapes, on one track – bright for daytime use, dark for presentations.
Acoustics
Bare walls and large windows bounce sound around. Thick, pleated drapes reduce some of that reflection, so a speaker’s voice comes across more clearly. Curtains are no substitute for acoustic panels, but in an echoey room the difference is noticeable.
Motorised curtains
In high-ceilinged halls, nobody wants to reach curtains by hand. With motorised curtains every window closes at once by remote or wall switch, which makes life easier for the AV team when a session starts.
The survey
On site we check window sizes, ceiling height, suitable surfaces for tracks and the position of power points. To prepare, read how to choose curtains and blinds and check our curtain and blind prices.
