Holiday Gift Guide 2010: Lightcatcher Blackout Curtains Review

If you’re shopping for a gift for the home that the whole family can enjoy, how about a decor item that is functional as well as stylish – Lightcatcher Curtains!

Lightcatcher Solid Baby Pink Window Panels and Valance – $29.99 & Up

A few years back, I had the bright idea that I would make custom curtains for my bedroom. The colors are very vibrant – purple and pink, in the same exact shades as this blog. A friend gave me a beautiful matching bedspread and pillows that were punctuated by splashes of red, so when I was in the fabric store, I thought it would be a great idea to buy red vinyl and make really bold curtains. And since it was vinyl, all I had to do was cut the fabric – no hemming! Score!

Unfortunately, I did not calculate the measurements quite right. As you can see here, my curtain starts a good 4″ above the window – and since my bed is directly below it, when you roll over first thing in the morning you get an eyeful of bright sunlight.

The second window is even worse. As you can see, I once again miscalculated the size – this time in the width. The curtains would just barely stay shut, and would inevitably fly partway open. This window faces the street, so it’s very disconcerting to wake up and see pedestrians staring at you laying in bed in your SpongeBob pajamas. So, I did what any good seamstress would do: I put masking tape on the curtains to hold them together. Oh, of course that was only supposed to be temporary, until I had time to fix them – but working on curtains is somewhere on my priority list next to “Alphabetizing my CD collection” and “Spinning wool”. So, it just stayed like this.

Realizing that I would never have time to finish these curtains, I knew it was time to get help. So when I had a chance to review Lightcatcher Curtains, I was all ears – not only could I upgrade my curtains, but I also had the chance to try blackout curtains for the first time to reduce light in the room while I sleep! Lightcatcher curtains use what they call “INSULDARK technology”, which aims to enhance darkening and thermal control.

I received a pair of Lightcatcher Pink Baby Dot Window Panels, which went perfectly with my cheerful decor. The two panels could both go on one large window, or in the case of small windows like mine, you can place one panel on each window. For the daytime, you could easily hang these to the side, but I actually have to leave my bedroom curtains shut during the day – my computer is in here and the glare makes it hard to see the monitor if I leave them open.

Like the big spot where the masking tape tore paint off the wall? UGH!

As soon as I placed the first curtain over my notoriously bright window, I could see an immediate darkness fall over it. It does an excellent job of blocking out the light and has definitely made the room dimmer in the morning. The curtains are also very cute, so it’s a winner in my book!

LightCatcher Curtains would make an especially thoughtful gift for parents of newborns, light sleepers, or those who are sensitive to light.

You can find Lightcatcher Curtains online at LightCatcherCurtains.com. They can be purchased at buybuy BABY – 54″ and 63″ panels are $29.99 each, while 84″ panels retail for $34.99.