Velvet Blackout Curtains

Velvet blackout curtains in 380 gsm dense-pile cotton velvet — the heaviest curtain cloth in the range — blocking a measured 98.6% of light without a coating, absorbing sound at mid and high frequencies, and cut with a 3 in. chain-weighted hem. Our velvet blackout curtains do the light and acoustic work by being themselves, not by adding a liner.

Why velvet blocks light by being itself

Velvet is the one curtain fabric that achieves near-blackout by being itself. A dense pile is thousands of short fibres standing upright off a woven ground; light entering the pile is absorbed between the fibres rather than passing through. No coating, no liner, no laminate — which is why velvet curtains from the 1930s still block light and coated panels from five years ago are cracking.

Pile density: the number that decides velvet blackout curtains

The number that decides it is pile density, and this cloth is 380 gsm — the heaviest curtain fabric in the range. At that weight it measures 98.6% light block through the cloth. That is marginally short of a 3-pass coating and is the honest figure; against it, velvet drapes far better, absorbs sound noticeably, hangs with real weight, and will still be doing both in twenty years.

Sound absorption — not a marketing line

The sound absorption is not a marketing line. A dense pile fabric hung in folds is a genuine acoustic absorber at mid and high frequencies, which is why theatres, cinemas and recording rooms use velvet rather than a coated blackout. In a bedroom on a busy street it is the difference people notice second and value most.

Nap direction: hang darker or lighter

One thing to know about velvet that applies to any pile fabric: it has a direction. Hung with the nap running down, it reads darker and richer; hung with the nap up, lighter and more lustrous. Both panels in a pair are cut the same way, and the direction is marked on the label so a replacement years later will match.

Sizes and colours

Lengths 84, 96, 108 and 120 in., 52 in. per panel, in pinch pleat or grommet. Hem is 3 in. with a chain weight, which a fabric this heavy needs. Colours: Ink, Sable, Indigo, Moss, Rust and Clay — velvet takes saturated colour better than any other cloth here and pale velvet marks easily.

Dry clean only, steam to lift pile

Dry clean only. A pile fabric crushes permanently in a domestic machine, and steaming is the correct way to lift the pile between cleans — hang the curtain, steam from the back, and brush the nap down while it is damp.

Velvet blackout curtain size guide

How to care for your velvet blackout curtains

• Dry clean only — velvet crushes permanently in a domestic machine
• Steam from the back to lift the pile between cleans
• Brush the nap down while faintly damp
• Never place folded — hang or roll to avoid permanent crush lines

Frequently asked questions

Are velvet blackout curtains real blackout?

Near-blackout — 98.6% block by pile density alone (no coating). A 3-pass coating hits 99.5%; velvet trades the last percent for drape, sound absorption and 20+ year life.

Do velvet blackout curtains absorb sound?

Genuinely — a dense pile hung in folds is a real acoustic absorber at mid and high frequencies. Why theatres and recording rooms use velvet.

Which nap direction on velvet blackout curtains?

Nap down reads darker and richer; nap up reads lighter and more lustrous. Both panels in a pair are cut the same way.

Can I wash velvet blackout curtains?

Dry clean only. Steam from the back to lift the pile between cleans.

Complete the formal bedroom

Layer with sheer curtains for daytime, add matching velvet throw pillows, and a quilted throw at the foot.