Privacy curtains that balance light and seclusion

It depends on how much light control you need. Sheers filter and soften light without significantly reducing it. Light-filtering fabrics reduce glare while keeping the room bright. Blockout-lined curtains eliminate light almost entirely. Your local consultant will assess each room and recommend the right fabric for the level of light control you are after.

A blockout-lined curtain provides the most complete privacy, preventing any view into the room day or night. A light-filtering curtain provides strong daytime privacy but is less effective at night when interior lights are on. Your consultant will advise on the right option for each room based on when and how much privacy you need.

Yes, to a degree. A light-filtering curtain allows good natural light transmission while obscuring the view from outside during the day. For rooms where nighttime privacy also matters, pairing a light-filtering curtain with a blockout blind on a dual track gives you full control at any time of day. Your consultant will recommend the right approach for each room.

Sheers provide soft daytime privacy by softening the view from outside, but they do not obscure it entirely. At night with interior lights on, sheers offer very little privacy. For rooms that need stronger daytime privacy or any nighttime privacy, a light-filtering fabric or a layered approach is more effective. Your local consultant will help you find the right balance.

A properly fitted blockout curtain blocks almost 100% of light. However, light can still enter around the edges if the curtain does not extend sufficiently beyond the window frame on all sides. Your consultant measures and positions the curtain to minimise this as much as possible.

A light-filtering curtain during the day keeps the room bright while preventing a clear view from outside. Pairing it with a blockout or roller blind on a dual track gives you full privacy in the evening. Your consultant will assess your specific window and street exposure and recommend the right combination.

For most bedrooms, a blockout or triple weave curtain delivers the best combination of privacy and light control for sleep. In bedrooms used during the day, a light-filtering fabric or a layered approach gives you more flexibility. Your consultant will advise based on your bedroom, its orientation, and how you use the room.

Yes. All Russells curtains are custom-made to your exact measurements in our Nelson workroom, backed by our Guaranteed Perfect Fit. Your consultant takes every measurement during the free in-home visit.

They’re one of the safest choices you can make. Curtains don’t need cords or chains to work, so there’s nothing dangling for little hands or curious paws. We’d steer you away from cord controls — and if you’d rather not draw them by hand (which can mark the fabric over time), a wand or automation keeps things easy and safe. Just ask and we’ll talk you through it.