One Year Later, I Still Swear by These Best List-Winning Pottery Barn Blackout Curtains for the Best Sleep Ever

I struggle to fall asleep if the conditions are not perfect — street noise, bright lights, optimal cool-but-not-cold temperature, etc. After nine years of living in New York City, you would think my body would have caught on that usually I’m lucky if one of my sleep demands is met. In an effort to alter the circumstances, last year, I bought myself a white noise machine and signed up to test some blackout curtains.

The blackout curtains had become the most pressing necessity. For some reason, my apartment building decided to install a near-blinding floodlight that switches on until 9 p.m. and doesn’t turn off until the sun rises. The light shines directly into my bedroom window and onto my bed. This is basically like sleeping directly under fluorescent lights — and my normal curtain did nothing to combat it. I tried to sleep with a sleep mask, but I found it uncomfortable and would push it off my face at night, so I happily signed off to try these Pottery Barn blackout curtains with low hopes. It totally changed my quality of sleep, thus earning a spot on our Best Blackout Curtains list.

These Pottery Barn curtains are constructed out of 100% polyester and include a built-in blackout curtain liner. It comes in three lengths — 84 inches, 96 inches, and 108 inches — and five different color options. These curtains boast the ability to block out the vast majority of light and even reduce some street noise. You have the option to hang it three different ways — rod pocket, back tabs, and ring top. I personally hung mine through the ring top and the Chambray color option. You can machine wash these curtains on the cold, gentle cycle and dry them on low heat, though admittedly I have not done that.

I have used these Pottery Barn for over a year, and they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. A lot of blackout curtains are not stylish, but these Pottery Barn ones defy that precedent. They almost feel like linen to the touch, despite being made out of polyester. Because they’re so long, they create the illusion that my bedroom is bigger than it is.

But most importantly, it blocks out that too-bright floodlight completely. I can’t even see my hand in front of my face. I also use a white noise machine to help me sleep at night, but I do notice a slight difference. The curtains do muffle the sound a bit — like my neighbor letting her dog out at 6 a.m.

Overall, I think that with how many years I’m going to have these blackout curtains, it’s worth the investment. I know that I would want to change out low-quality, silky blackout curtains in favor of something more stylish eventually.

Buy: Pottery Barn Peace & Quiet Noise-Reducing Blackout Curtain, $109, 50 inches by 84 inches, $109