H.VERSAILTEX 100% Blackout Linen Curtains 84" L 2 Panels Natural

Why it's worth it

Faux-linen panels with a white flocked blackout backing that blocks light without the plastic sheen most blackout curtains have. It's the choice when you want the window to look good from inside and outside.

The backing is the detail worth knowing about here. Most blackout linings are a dull gray, which is what makes cheap panels look cheap from the street. These use a white flocked backing instead, so the outside of your house shows white curtains rather than a gray plastic-looking film. If you live somewhere with neighbors close by, or an HOA with opinions, that's a genuinely practical difference.

The linen texture holds up to daylight scrutiny. Owners repeatedly describe these as looking more expensive than they are, and several bought a second set for other rooms after living with the first. The fabric is 100% polyester woven to look and drape like linen, and it's stiff enough to hold its shape rather than collapsing into limp folds. It works in a living room as easily as a bedroom.

From our review of 8 blackout curtains for bedrooms, by David Sinclair, Managing Editor

What we like

• +The backing is the detail worth knowing about here
• +The linen texture holds up to daylight scrutiny
• +Eight anti-rust grommets per panel fit rods up to 1.5 inches, and the pair covers 104 inches — the same total width as our top…

What to know

• –The blackout claim is stronger than the reality for some owners
• –They arrive wrinkled and they need help