These curtains were exactly what we needed to blockout a street light that made the window a huge nightlight, keeping me awake at times. I do not think they would be sufficient for blocking the sun. The orange is a pretty orange, not dark. They match the rug you can see in one of the photos (which is a Wayfiar purchase, along with the cafe rods, both of which I love).  I added curtain weights inside the hem.  For the width of the windows I think it would have been nice to have wider panels but that wasn’t an option for this product so I am considering purchasing another pack of panels. Overall very pleased.