Blackout shades in Miami, and the honest way to get a dark room
Opaque fabric on a roller, made to measure. For bedrooms, nurseries and any room where a screen has to be readable at noon.
- ★ 4.8 111 Google reviews
- Since 2011 in business
- A+ BBB rating, not a BBB Accredited Business
- Top 6 Expertise.com, Miami 2026
- Somfy motorization
Blackout fabric is not the same as a blackout room
An opaque fabric stops the light that would come through it. It does nothing about the light that comes around it. A shade mounted inside the frame leaves a gap on each side, and in Miami that gap is bright enough to read by at eight in the morning.
This is the request we get most often and the one that disappoints people most often, so we tell you which solution your window needs before you order, not after.
Four ways, in the order we recommend them
- Mount outside the frame
With the fabric overlapping the opening by at least two inches on each side. The cheapest fix, and it solves most bedrooms.
- Add side channels
Aluminum tracks the fabric runs inside. They are the only way to stop the light gap completely, and what a media room or a baby’s room usually needs.
- Or layer it
Blackout roller behind, drapery in front. Same result, and it looks better in a bedroom.
- Check the fabric, not the name
Fabrics are rated by opacity, and “room darkening” is not blackout. Some suppliers use the terms loosely. We name the exact fabric and its rating on the quote.
Openness, in plain terms
Openness is the percentage of the weave that is open. Blackout is zero. It is worth knowing where the rest sit, because most homes need more than one answer.
| Openness | What you get | Use it in |
|---|---|---|
| 0% · blackout | No view, no light through the fabric | Bedrooms, nurseries, media rooms |
| 1% to 3% | View at night, strong glare control | West-facing living rooms, high floors with water glare |
| 5% | Good view, decent glare control | Most living areas |
| 10% and up | Best view, least glare control | Shaded exposures, north-facing glass, covered terraces |
Cordless as standard, Somfy if you want it
Every blackout shade we make comes with a cordless lift. Somfy motorization is an option on all of them, and it has to be decided before we order: the motor sits inside the roller tube, so adding it later means replacing the hardware. If it is a maybe, we quote both so you can compare.
More on that on the motorized shades page.
If you live in a condo, read this first
Most buildings require the street-facing side to read white or off-white, and Florida law lets the board enforce it (Fla. Stat. §718.113(5)(c)). On a blackout roller this is solved with a white-backed fabric: the color you want inside, white outside.
We ask your building for its window covering rules before ordering, and the quote comes with the specification sheet in the format your association asks for.
I called them and Romina passed me a quote as soon as she could. The blinds her team installed (very quickly, btw) are really good quality since the sun doesn’t come in at all. I would definitely call them again if needed.
Frequently asked questions
Will a blackout shade make my bedroom completely dark?
Not on its own. The fabric stops light through it, but light still enters around the edges. For a fully dark room you need an outside mount with generous overlap, side channels, or a blackout roller layered behind drapery. We tell you which one your window needs when we measure.
What is the difference between blackout and room darkening?
Opacity. A room darkening fabric lets a little light through and a blackout fabric does not. The names are used loosely across the industry, so we name the exact fabric and its rating on the quote instead of the category.
Can I motorize a blackout shade later?
It has to be decided before we order, because the motor sits inside the roller tube. If motorization is a maybe, we quote both versions.
Do you work in condo buildings?
Most of our work is in buildings. We ask your association for its window covering rules before ordering and build the quote to match them.
Do you speak Spanish?
Yes. You deal with Romina from the first visit to the last install, in whichever of the two you prefer.
Book your free in-home measurement
Tell us about your windows and we will call you to set a time. In English o en español.
- Free and with no obligation, across Miami-Dade and Broward.
- We bring the fabric swatches to your actual windows.
- You get a fixed written quote before paying anything.
Prefer to talk? Message us on WhatsApp
or call (786) 361-9747
Mon-Thu 9-5 · Fri 9-4 · sales@miamiwindowtreatments.com