Blackout Bamboo Shades in the Master Bedroom


[Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Select Blinds. Thanks for supporting the brands that support The DIY Playbook.]

When we purchased our condo four years ago (where has the time gone?!) I didn’t have a plan for window treatments in our master bedroom. That was a big mistake because we had huge windows in that room that let in tons of light (not to mention…everyone could see inside our bedroom!). To improvise, we used painter’s tape to secure sheets to the windows and I’m telling ya, it was a scary sight! In the end, I DIY’ed these blackout curtains and they worked out great to give us privacy and keep the light out for ideal sleeping conditions.Our master bedroom bare windows

This time around, I was not making that same mistake! Instead, I made a window treatment gameplan BEFORE we spent our first night at our new house. My plan was to install window treatments in the master bedroom immediately, so we could sleep easily from night one. As for the rest of the house, I’ll slowly figure out where and what we want on each of the windows.

Finding Blackout Bamboo ShadesMaster bedroom before window treatments

For the master bedroom, I knew I wanted blackout bamboo shades. I’m a huge fan of natural woven shades because they add so much warmth and texture to a room, while remaining neutral. After lots of online research, I came across Select Blinds. They have such a variety of products to choose from and everything can be customized…from adding a blackout liner (yes, please!) to specifying the exact length and width of your shades. Select Blinds also has some awesome sales from time to time, so you can get designer looking shades for a lot less.

Choosing The Right Window Treatments

After lots of perusing, I ended up choosing these natural woven shades in the color “jute natural.” I used this handy dandy video to measure for my various window sizes. Honestly, I was a bit freaked out placing the order because I was so worried my measurements might be off. So, I did end up measuring each window a few times just to be safe!Finding blackout bamboo shades for windows

Note: It’s important to measure the depth of your windows if you’re going with an inside mount. A few of my windows have a shallow depth and the minimum depth to install the shades I chose is one inch. If you want them to be flush against your window casing, then that measurement is three inches for these particular shades. I didn’t mind that mine wouldn’t be completely flush, but had to make sure I could still install them on my shallow sill.

How To Install Blackout Bamboo Shadeshow to install blackout bamboo shades

A few of you guys mentioned that you’re a bit intimidated at the thought of installing your own window treatments. Guys, this is a total DIY project and it’s something you can easily do…trust me! I decided to throw together a little video to show you just how easy it is to install blackout bamboo shades.

You can view the video below or watch it over on my Youtube page.

Before & After

Now let’s take a look at the master bedroom with and without the window treatments. I’m telling ya, they make such a difference and warm up the room. Plus, there is furniture in there now! Yayyyy!Master bedroom beforeMaster bedroom before and after renovationBlackout bamboo shades in the master bedroom

Our new blackout bamboo shades

A few of you asked about the view from the OUTSIDE of the window. Well, here’s a photo of that!view outside the house of our blackout bamboo shades

I went with a white silky blackout liner so it looks really pretty from the outside. No dark and dingy windows here!

Also, here’s a look at the blinds drawn. The room gets so dark and I love it. Blackout bamboo shades

Cord free blackout bamboo shades

One other thing I love is the fact that these window shades are cord-free. I went with the cordless lift system not only because it looks better (no cords!), but because it’s kid-friendly and a lot safer. You just tug a little ring behind the shade to pull it up and down.Blackout bamboo shadesOur new blackout bamboo shades

Overall, I’m so pleased with our new blackout bamboo shades. They add so much color and life to our upstairs bedrooms. If you’re looking for new window treatments, I highly recommend these. And trust me, you can install them all by yourself!

Casey


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.