Best blackout curtains for a bedroom that faces east

What actually matters

For a bedroom that faces east, the main problem is morning light. You want curtains that block light well enough to make sunrise less of a schedule. Good Housekeeping’s testing focused on opacity first, then on how the curtains behaved at home for installation, light blocking, sound, temperature regulation, and overall quality.

That matters here because blackout curtains are not all the same. Good Housekeeping was blunt that one of its top picks is not total blackout. So if the room gets bright early, a strong opacity score is more useful than a soft fabric description or a pretty color.

Durability also matters. One of the value picks did well in light blocking but did not hold up well in wash tests. Another was efficient at blocking outside light, but testers thought the fabric was thin and the sound and insulation claims were modest at best. In short: for an east-facing room, choose for light blocking first, then decide how much weight to give style, washability, and insulation.

Why these picks fit

The strongest option here is the curtain Good Housekeeping put at the top of its blackout-curtain roundup. It had near-perfect opacity scores, draped nicely, and was easy to hang, but it was not designed to be total blackout.

The value pick is the budget-friendly choice that still delivered strong opacity. Good Housekeeping said it performed as well as many higher-end curtains and darkened the room instantly, though it did not hold up well in wash tests.

The Amazon pick is the affordable option in the group. Good Housekeeping said it blocks most outside light and comes in many colors and sizes, but the fabric felt thinner than other blackout curtains and it was not especially strong for sound or insulation.

A second bedroom-friendly pick also scored near-perfectly for opacity. That makes it useful for morning-sun rooms, even though the Good Housekeeping description does not give as much detail about its drawbacks.

What matters most

For an east-facing bedroom, the main job is blocking morning light. Opacity comes first.

After that, the tradeoffs are straightforward: washability, fabric feel, sound, insulation, and shipping time all matter, but none of them help much if the curtain lets sunrise pour in.

FAQ

Which curtain is the safest bet for an east-facing bedroom?

Good Housekeeping put Red Barrel Studio Heritage Velvet Solid Room Darkening Curtain at the top of its blackout-curtain roundup. It said the curtain had near-perfect opacity scores and did well in both Lab and at-home testing.

Which one is the best value if the room just needs to get darker?

Good Housekeeping’s value pick was Amazon Basics Room Darkening Blackout Window Curtains. It said they did as well as many higher-end curtains in Lab testing and aced opacity tests, but they did not hold up well in wash tests.

Do these curtains fully black out a room?

Not always. Good Housekeeping specifically said the Red Barrel Studio Heritage Velvet Solid Room Darkening Curtain is not designed to be total blackout, even though it performed very well.