The blinds do keep most of the light out, which is good, I was dissappointed to find them for a lower price (not on sale) at a box store a week after I ordered them, and it's a bummer that you can see the brackets through the window from outside. They do add class to a simple spare room.

My shades came today and I could not be more pleased. They did take a while to get here, but with the holidays and bad weather everywhere, I really shouldn't complain. The fabric is very soft, not stiff at all...which is exactly what I was looking for! I am online now hoping they have this same shade (in the right size) for my dining room! Nothing extravagant about these; however, they are absolutely perfect for the price....actually better than I was expecting!

These are very dark brown and keep the light out mostly -- I'd call it 95%. Some light does come thru -- a very little amount, like a flashlight thru a blanket -- because they are not lined. The fabric is very nice, somewhat elegant, it does look like suede. I bought velcro sticky tape to attach the sides to the window trim to eliminate all light. Easy to install and operate (although one screw head just broke right off when i was screwing it in). You don't really need to do the amount of measuring they suggest -- you just need to make sure they are level. I just eyeballed it and they look perfect. Note that when pulled "all the way up" they still hang 17" down from the top. [Be careful when installing -- I stepped on one and broke the nice weight bar at the bottom and had to replace it.]