Allesin zen Blackout Roller Shades for Windows (Gray,23"W x 72"H)

The shades arrived well-packaged - but be careful when removing them from the plastic sleeve because the staples that hold in the white plastic square end pieces stay in place and can scratch the black aluminum surface of the valance when the shade is being removed. The build quality of the valance, cassette (roller mechanism holding the shade), and fabric is excellent - and the fabric has a nice pattern/design to it when examined closely. These are 'free stop' roller shades which means the weight of the bar you pull down is counterbalanced and the shade stops wherever you release them, and then are simply inserted back into the cassette by raising the bottom bar. They are definitely darkening, and would provide true blackout effect with no light passing through them. The valance and cassette have sufficient weight, so the three brackets are definitely needed and should be anchored securely into the wall or top of window recess. The fabric facing the interior is black in color, and it's a cream beige facing the exterior. That wasn't precisely clear in the website description, but shows in one pic of the fabric. They're priced quite a bit higher than other similar roller shades - both spring loaded roller and 'free stop' roller shades.