[davidag02]

My theater room has a french door that leads out onto a balcony. Each door has a large window, and I'm getting a lot of ambient light from it during the daytime. Currently it has blinds over each window, but they are large wooden blinds, and since they are mounted to the surface of the door there is a lot of light bleed both around the blinds and through them. My first thought was a blackout curtain, however, it would need to stick out from the wall pretty far to extend past the blinds. Also, we use that balcony pretty frequently, so I don't love the idea of having to pull back a curtain every single time.

Other options would be to replace the blinds and install some one of those window panes that has blinds built in. This would be the lowest profile option since it's built in, however I haven't come across any that are truly blackout, so I'd probably still want a curtain over them. They are also expensive.

I'm also entertaining window tint, but I'd have to go pretty dark to get any real benefit, and the wife isn't too fond of a permanent blackout.

Anyone got any good solutions for this?

 

[Neurorad]

Blackout, Roman, or other shade on each door.

Blackout shades typically have a channel on each side of the shade, but the term is used loosely. Usually it's a roller blind bounded on each side by a track, and might be tricky and unsightly as a surface-mount unit on each window.

If you get something without channels, you'll need to make sure the shades sits closely against the doors. Some roller shades hang about an inch out.

Not sure how dark these are, but worth a look.

Plantation shutters stick out, but are pretty good at blocking light. You need to use round knobs, or account for the lever with a weird shape.

I think custom Roman blackout shades, one above each pane of glass, is your best bet. Local shade shop - you can see the fabric before you buy it. And, can be assured they will be flat against the door.

 

[GoZags13]

The blinds inside the french doors are nice but they tend to be just ok at light blocking. There are some good quality ones (Pella windows makes one), but they're crazy expensive.

Are you going for 100% dark, or dealing with direct sunlight in the evenings? I have french doors with built in blinds, and they do just fine for us. Only time it's an issue is if going for the 100% dark feel during the day, but in the evening and night it's no issue. Another (more intensive but useful) idea is look outside. Would it make sense to build a covering over the balcony? It could make the balcony more useful (rain cover) and also block sunlight from directly hitting the doors. Not a cheap or easy solution, but one that could add value to your house, and increase your enjoyment of the theater and balcony.