'Lights out, blackout'

If you can’t take the heat, then get out of the kitchen.

Or grab a set of blackout curtains, because that’s exactly what I did.
The untimely heat wave that hit the East Coast this past weekend made me draw several conclusions:

1. I am ill-equipped to fashionably survive the hot summer season.
2. I must go shopping immediately for jumpsuits, shorts and dresses.
3. My upstairs is hotter than a sauna when the temperature rises.

Regarding no. 3, I knew that something had to be done when my fluffy Pomeranian (who recently got a short haircut) was panting from the increase of moisture in the room.

When I lived along the Mediterranean in France during those especially scorching summer months, I might have welcomed ‘a little bit of heat’ upstairs. In fact, I think I did without an air conditioner the same summer that I returned to the States – sleeping comfortably underneath a fleece blanket (can you imagine) with the windows open.



But that was then, this is now.

Not too long ago, a colleague had gifted me a set of black blackout curtains printed with stars to use in my bedroom. Unlike other curtains, blackout curtains are made of a thicker polyester fabric in order to block sunlight and insulate the home. And different from blinds, blackout curtains reportedly drown out noise from the outside – ideal for those living with lawn-mowing neighbors. The curtains date as far back as World War II (above left), when the British would cover their windows to prevent any flicker of indoor light from shining through. It was said that Nazi fighter planes were likely to bomb the structure if they suspected there were people living within.

I first discovered its use working as the occasional fashion stylist among a team of hair/makeup, models and photographer. The blackout curtains are invaluable to photographers looking to block sunlight or cover mirrors when shooting.


With a pool of sweat building over my brow, I clawed at the plastic casing that held the curtains. (I noticed the zipper at the top of the package only after I had shreds of plastic on my wooden floor.) I had decided that the lucky windows to hold them would be the ones facing East, in the direction the sun rises. About 15 minutes later, I had significantly blocked out most of the sun from the one side of bedroom.


And I had brought instant relief my on-the-verge-of-a-heat-stroke puppy and myself.

Find yourself in a similar situation? From jacquard to zebra-striped blackout curtains in your living room or home theater (above left), go to Decor Innovation to get them:

- S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of planetgreen.discovery.com and blog.audiovideointeriors.com