This is a blackout valance - I'm not 100% sure what it would really be used for considering it is only about 20% of the window - so its not much of a "black out" if you will. The material is nice and thick but I think dust will be a problem for it based on how the material feels. It does have an older person vibe to it, maybe because of the tassels - if you like that sort of thing then this is for you.