Yes, I have them in front of black velour in our guest room--I shut the velour into the french doors for the first half, and the second half it is closed in the top drawer of the dresser and then draped over a chair right next to the window.  Then I used a bounce flash off the ceiling as a fill.

Tip: North-facing windows give great light for photos!

Dad, if you're reading this, start brainstorming about how to make some sort of collapseable structure to hold a fabric backdrop.  I was thinking maybe PVC pipe?  Then I could sew a curtain rod pocket into the fabric and slide it through.  At least eight feet tall, about that wide too.  Anyway, something to think about.