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Layered Curtains: How to Pair a Sheer with a Blackout or Dimout on a Double Track

Layered curtains explained: a sheer for day and a blackout or dimout for night on a double track. Which layer goes where, colours, lengths and fullness.

By the JOTEX Fabrics product teamUpdated 3 min read

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Short answer

Layered curtains hang a sheer at the back, next to the glass, for daytime privacy and a dimout or blackout in front for night, on a double track. Open the main curtain by day and close it at night. Use about 2 times fullness for the sheer, make it the same drop as the main curtain or 1 to 2 cm shorter, and pick colours that work from outside too.

Why two layers

TimeSheer (back)Main curtain (front)Result
DaytimeClosedOpenSoft light, privacy from neighbours, less glare
EveningClosedClosedFull privacy with lights on inside
SleepingClosedClosedDark room with a blackout
Fresh air or a viewOpenOpenClear window

A single sheer cannot give privacy at night, because with the lights on inside you can see through it from outside. A single blackout makes the room dark in the day. Two layers solve both. See Blackout vs Dimout vs Sheer.

Does the sheer go in front or behind?

  • Sheer at the back, next to the glass. It stays closed most of the day and filters the sun.
  • Main curtain at the front. It is the one you see in the room, so it carries the colour and texture.
  • Some designers reverse it in living rooms, with the sheer in front for a softer look and the main curtain hidden behind. It looks lighter but does less for heat and light.

Good to know

A ceiling double track or a curtain box gives the darkest result, because light cannot spill over the top of the main curtain.

Blackout or dimout for the main curtain?

RoomMain curtainWhy
BedroomBlackout, or a curtain with blackout liningDark for sleep and cooler on a west window
Living roomDimoutPrivacy and softer light without a cave
Home office or TV roomDimout or blackoutControls screen glare
Children's roomBlackoutDay naps and early sunrises

In the JOTEX range, LAUREN is a plain dimout of about 225 gsm, 300 cm wide, in 68 colourways; TEKUSU MIDORI is a silicon-backed blackout of about 400 gsm; and the POSH Creation LINER is a 100 gsm blackout lining, 280 cm wide, for lining a face fabric you love. See Blackout Curtains and Dimout Curtains.

Colour: the two layers together

  • White or ivory sheer with any main colour is the safest pairing and looks uniform from outside.
  • Tone-on-tone: a sheer one shade lighter than the main curtain looks calm and deliberate.
  • Contrast: a dark main curtain over a pale sheer frames the window strongly.
  • Outside view: in a condo, many owners keep sheers white or ivory so the building looks even.

See How to Choose Curtain Colours.

Making and measuring

  • Measure each track separately; the front track is often slightly longer.
  • Sheer drop: the same as the main curtain, or 1 to 2 cm shorter so it does not show below it.
  • Fullness: about 2 times or more for the sheer, and the heading's usual fullness for the main curtain. See Curtain Fullness Explained.
  • Same heading on both looks neatest; S-fold on both layers is common in condos.
  • Motorised double tracks can give each layer its own motor. See Fabrics for Motorised Curtains.

Tip

Extra-wide sheers such as CALLIE, about 325 cm wide and 89 gsm, make the back layer seamless across a wide window. See Wide-Width Sheer Curtains.

Sheers for the back layer

Sheers in the JOTEX range, updated from the catalogue. See the sheer fabric page.

Browse sheer fabric →

Blackouts for the front layer

Blackout fabrics and linings in the JOTEX range, updated from the catalogue. See the blackout fabric page.

Browse blackout fabric →

Frequently asked questions

Does the sheer go in front or behind the curtain?

Usually behind, next to the glass, with the main curtain in front. Some living rooms reverse it for a softer look, but that does less for heat and light.

Do I need a double track for two curtains?

Yes. A double track, or two parallel single tracks, lets each layer open and close independently.

Can people see through sheer curtains at night?

Yes, when the lights are on inside. That is why a dimout or blackout in front is used for evening privacy.

Should the sheer and main curtain be the same length?

The same, or the sheer 1 to 2 cm shorter so it does not show below the main curtain.

What colour sheer goes with a dark curtain?

White or ivory works with any main curtain colour and looks even from outside. A slightly lighter tone of the main colour also works well.

Curtain maker, upholsterer or designer?

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