My living room faces west and it gets terribly hot after 3 PM. I'm torn between blackout curtains, roller shades, or those Japanese panel blinds I saw in a store, but I don't know which one keeps the temperature down better. My apartment is small so I need something that doesn't take up much space.
If space is tight for you, combine Japanese panels with a reflective silver film on the window (those stickers or films you apply on the outside) and you'll notice the temperature difference almost right away.
The panels alone work fine, but that combo is what really helps you keep the cool because you block the heat before it even gets into the room. Either way, when you go to buy the panels make sure they're thick fabric or have blackout backing, because the really thin ones don't do much against the western sun after three o'clock.
You don't necessarily have to choose just one option, but if space is what's squeezing you, I'd go straight for Japanese panels - they take up less room when they're closed and they control light pretty well if you pick them in dark tones or with blackout material.
Blackout curtains work well for blocking heat, but in a small apartment you end up losing useful space with all the folds, and roller shades are more practical but honestly they don't insulate temperature as much as you'd think.
My advice is to go to a store before you buy and feel the materials in the sun, because the difference between a cheap panel and a quality one is noticeable, and you don't want to fix your problem for just a week.
Avoid regular curtains if space is tight, because when you open them they take up room on the sides.
Japanese panels work well for temperature control and are compact, but if you want something cheaper and more efficient, try putting reflective film on the windows before hanging any curtains - that seriously cuts down the heat without blocking all the light.
Blackout curtains work but they tend to create that cave feeling if you keep them closed for too long. With panels or roller shades combined with the film, you'll notice the difference in your AC bill and your living room won't look like a dungeon.
Japanese panels are going to give you the best balance between thermal control and space, but the important thing is that you specifically look for ones with double-layer or blackout fabric - those block way more radiation than single-layer ones.
Truth is, in small apartments like yours, any traditional curtain when you open it eats up valuable space, so panels are your best bet.
If you also want to maximize insulation, consider putting them as close to the window as possible, because the air that stays between the glass and the fabric helps keep so much heat from getting in.
I'd honestly go with Japanese panels with blackout fabric, which is what they've already recommended to you, but here's what nobody mentions: pay close attention to the rail system because some have gaps where hot air leaks through and that kills all the thermal benefit.
The good ones have side seals that close the window properly.
Also, consider putting an extra panel just for the afternoon (the west side is brutal!) without needing to cover the whole window if you don't want to darken it completely, because that way you keep some light but block the direct heat.
I have a similar situation in my apartment, and after trying several things, Japanese panels with blackout fabric worked best for me - the heat definitely dropped and when I close them they take up almost no space.
What really worked for me though was combining them with those reflective films you stick on the outside of the window, because they block the heat before it even gets in instead of just darkening the inside.
If you want something cheaper to start with, a thick blackout curtain will still control the temperature, but in small apartments they're going to take up a ton of space when you open them - panels give you more freedom to move around without them being in the way all day.
Everyone here's giving good advice about the panels, but honestly what's really gonna change your life is a combo: get the Japanese blackout panels (like they suggested) but also put a reflective silver film on the outside of the window. I did it at home and the difference is incredible. Seriously, that reflective film is what most people miss - it rejects the heat before it even gets in, so the panels don't have to work so hard. For a small space it's the best thing you can do without it looking too obvious from outside.
Forget about regular blackout curtains if your space is small, because even though they control heat well, when you open them they take up a ton of room on the sides and you end up losing square footage you don't have. The thing nobody mentions is that a lot of Japanese panels you see in stores are garbage - they have loose fabric that doesn't block anything. You have to specifically look at the thickness of the fabric and the type of weave, because that's what really makes the difference with temperature.
Compact rollers with blackout fabric are probably your best bet if you want simplicity and they take up almost nothing. I used them myself in my kitchen that faces north and the change was noticeable, especially in the afternoons. That said, if you're up for Japanese panels, look for the ones with double layers of fabric and a reflective material inside. Sounds complicated but you can find several in stores, and those really do keep the temperature a lot better than the basic ones.
What I'd do in your place is combine them: a blackout roller for total control when you need darkness (and it takes up practically nothing), plus a reflective film on the outside of the window. Those films are cheap, easy to put on, and they make a crazy difference with the heat coming in at sunset. Try the roller first, because it's the least commitment, and if you still want more temperature control, you add the film. Honestly, after three in the afternoon in a small west-facing room, every degree you can take off the space counts.
I have a west-facing window too and I'm telling you that the combo of Japanese panels plus reflective film on the outside works better than any curtain alone, because the film stops the heat before it even gets into the room. Blackout panels are great for darkening, but they control temperature less than you'd think; the silver film is what really makes the difference. Like they mentioned, the panels take up little space when they're folded away and give you flexibility to let diffused light through depending on the time of day, so for a small apartment it's your best bet.
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