Dressing bedroom windows can be tricky to get right. Too pale and floaty and the light floods in at day break, when you might still want to sleep. Too dark and heavy and you block out the natural light when you want it pouring in.

Thankfully, there's myriad choice when it comes to window treatments that offer style and substance.

Plantation shutters are a fashionable solution, as there are numerous options to suit different requirements. Full height or tier on tier are the most appropriate for a bedroom, due to their light-blocking qualities. Not to mention the fabulous colours and colour combos now available.

Read more about this style classic:shutters.

Solid shutters are another great option for bedrooms, particularly in period properties, as they will block out noise as well as light, and in many cases would have been an original architectural feature. However, you lose the privacy that the louvres provide with plantation shutters, when they are open during the day.

Shutters are also a more permanent and costly option than curtains or blinds.

A smart and simple answer is a black out roller blind, like the example ahead, surprisingly more stylish than you might imagine.

Some of the best window treatments we've seen are combinations of the above.

Plantation shutters, teamed with pale linen curtains offer a soft, serene feel that you may want to create in the bedroom, while still providing the practical benefits.

A sheer white roller blind can be teamed with either curtains or solid shutters, as it will filter sunlight and keep the room bright during the day, whilst ensuring any prying eyes don't see in.

Alternatively, fit a double curtain pole and layer a sheer curtain beneath a heavier drape to provide a similar solution.

Check out the examples ahead and decide which most appeals.

See these ideas forcool and calm bedrooms.

roll up

roll up

After initial reservations about the property, it was the bedroom that convinced the owner to live here. She loves the way the light spills in each morning. Black roller blinds are a simple way to keep it out when required. Get the Look Try John Lewis for made-to-measure roller blinds.

whiter shade of pale

whiter shade of pale

A pale, neutral palette is perked up by pretty pastel shades. Plantation shutters keep the room dark when required and striped linen curtains make it feel fresh. Get the look Visit The Linen Works for comparable bedding.

whiter shade of pale

whiter shade of pale

A pale, neutral palette is perked up by pretty pastel shades. Plantation shutters keep the room dark when required and striped linen curtains make it feel fresh. Get the look Visit The Linen Works for comparable bedding.

layer layer

layer layer

The owner’s love of travel is evident in this room’s tribal-inspired decor, from the rattan wall hangings to the textured Moroccan rug. Get the look The Selena bedlinen, Ko lamps and wall art baskets are all from Caravane.

so solid

so solid

This pared-back space leads to a dressing room and an en-suite bathroom. Solid shutters are one of the properties many period features. Get the look This is the Modernica pendant light by George Nelson. The rug was made bespoke by Studio Four NYC. The bedside table is by Room & Board.

double act

double act

Having worked as a magazine interiors stylist, this home owner has a sharp eye for colour and pattern and is a wizard at finding unusual suppliers. The white blind filters the natural light and provides privacy. Get the Look Curtains in Silk Wool Pink Champagne, Fox Linton.

colour contrast

colour contrast

This was three and a bit rooms originally. The designer knocked it all through to create ‘a proper master suite’. Get the Look Linen used to make curtains and velvet used to trim them, both de Le Cuona.

soft and serene

soft and serene

The bedroom was designed with pared-back furnishings and subdued colours to add to the relaxed feel of the space. Get the look The bath is from W4 Bathrooms. The curtains are in Romo’s Launay Thistledown linen. The side table is from DI Designs. Barker and Stonehouse sells a similar table lamp and shade. The bed is by The White Company.

lighten up

lighten up

With so much natural light flooding in here, it’s the perfect spot to while away a Sunday morning. Get the look This is a Ligne Roset bed, dressed with cushions by Hay and the Field Day throw by Donna Wilson for SCP. The LVSL silkscreen print is by Tanya Ling. The vase is from Wilson, Stephens & Jones. The curtains are from Prêt à Vivre. Find a mirrored table like this at Graham and Green.

cabin fever

cabin fever

Formerly a bathroom and the kids’ room, the master bedroom lacked height. The ground floor was lowered to level the kitchen-living area with the garden and gain more ceiling height here. Part of the ceiling has been removed to reveal the soaring roof rafters and bring the cabin-chic look the couple loves. Tier on tier shutters complement the look. Get the look Walls, Cornforth White Estate Emulsion, Farrow & Ball. Bed, Feather & Black. Bedding, The White Company. Harlosh bedside table, Pinch. Hector wall lights and Doma pendant light, Original BTC. California Shutters offer various styles.

Jacky Parker is a London-based freelance journalist and content creator, specialising in interiors, travel and food. From buying guides and real home case studies to shopping and news pages, she produces a wide range of features for national magazines and SEO content for websites


A long-time contributor to Livingetc, as a member of the team, she regularly reports on the latest trends, speaking to experts and discovering the latest tips. Jacky has also written  for other publications such as Homes and Gardens, Ideal Home, Red, Grand Designs, Sunday Times Style and AD, Country Homes and Interiors and ELLE Decoration.