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Best window treatments for patio & sliding glass doors

Glass sliding doors are one of the most relevant solutions for entrance. The fantastic combination of aesthetics and functional properties makes such designs very attractive for those who dream of a stylish and modern home. Excellent illumination, functionality, ergonomics – several decades of use of sliding glass structures have fully confirmed their compliance with the requirements for the interior and exterior of modern housing.

At the same time, every coin has two sides, and for translucent structures, this is precisely their transparency. In the case of interior doors, it can still be taken for granted; however, it is not always beneficial for the exterior and sometimes not even very appropriate. Excessively bright sunlight or heavy rainfall, the desire to hide from the eyes of curious neighbors or potential intruders – all this requires additional equipment of sliding glass doors.

Indeed, designers have always tried to consider the wishes of the owners of houses and cottages, and the design of such structures was no exception. Today, you can be offered a variety of options that allow you not only to increase the level of comfort and safety but also to emphasize favorably the unique style of your home, both inside and outside.

Window treatments for a glass sliding door: what to look for

It doesn’t matter if you are planning to install glass sliding doors or if the translucent structure in your house is already a fait accompli – in both cases, it is crucial to take the design decision with all seriousness. That is why it is important to focus on several points that designers rightfully consider to be key:

  • The functionality of the design. Many people install sliding structures, including because they want to get a wider opening and keep the doors open for one reason or another – from regularly carrying furniture and other large items to airing in hot summer weather. If this is just your case, you need to think over a design that will not interfere and create discomfort.
  • Door hardware. Depending on the owners’ wishes, sliding doors can be combined with various handles, including those of an exclusive design. When choosing a suitable design option, make sure that it does not interfere with handles and looks pretty harmonious.
  • Attachment features. In most cases, sliding glass doors are also chosen because of their ergonomics – during installation, the doors take up a minimum of space, which allows them to be installed even in relatively thin walls. However, this has its own drawback: due to the lack of depth for decoration, you will have to make fasteners that go beyond the plane of the doors themselves; otherwise, there will simply be nowhere to squeeze them.
  • Stylistic matching. Since all the design options for sliding glass structures will be inside the living room or hall, their compliance with the interior design is essential. While exploring various options for patio and sliding glass doors, try to find the one that will provide the maximum organicity to the design of your home.

And finally, another important point is the upcoming expenses. Sliding glass doors are an expensive pleasure. However, their design does not imply much savings. So, if you would not like to lose money investing in reworking something that was initially done wrong, do not neglect the advice of a designer. The specialist will not only select the most stylish and harmonious window treatment but also recommend professionals who can do everything with the highest quality.

Despite the rather impressive variety of solutions, blinds are still considered the best option for decorating sliding glass doors. And this is quite natural since they simply have no equality in practicality and usability. The only thing left is to choose the right design.

The first thing people usually try to determine when choosing blinds is whether they should be with vertical or horizontal slats. At first glance, it may seem that preferring the second option means taking the path of least resistance, but this is not entirely true.

Firstly, horizontal structures are not very convenient with the constant operation of sliding doors. Secondly, blinds on door leaves of this width can make a serious gap in your budget. And thirdly, horizontal blinds look too soulless and formal, creating a kind of association with a public institution. That is why the choice is prominent – vertical blinds, which have many unconditional advantages:

  • Simple and safe operation. Thanks to a particular design specially developed for sliding doors, the slats slide easily from side to side without any creases or pinches.
  • Variety of design solutions. Traditional and more affordable plastic, lightweight durable metal, and wide slats made of dense fabric, vinyl, and jute, the most natural and rich deep shades – you will definitely have plenty to choose from. Moreover, modern manufacturers offer blind systems, the material and hardware of which allow cutting to length and perfect fit – which means that such a design is truly universal.
  • Ergonomic and compact fasteners. To fix vertical blinds, a minimum of space is required, which allows them to be mounted as discreetly as possible and on walls of any thickness.

However, all this does not mean at all that horizontal blinds certainly need to be ostracized. They may well be used to decorate sliding glass doors in hallways, where they will not harm the interior’s harmony or combine textile framing elements for transparent door leaves.

Window treatments for sliding glass doors: alternative solutions

Of course, the window treatments are not limited to only horizontal and vertical blinds – otherwise, you would not ask any questions of this kind. In fact, there are much more solutions for sliding doors with glass panels – and it would be strange not to mention them, at least in general terms. So, this is precisely what we are going to do now.

Vertical cellular shades

This solution is one of the most unusual and comfortable to use and, according to the designers, one of the most energy-efficient. Thanks to the particular design of the fabric, the cells retain air, ensuring heat preservation – or, on the contrary, coolness on a hot summer day.

Another advantage of cellular shades is the variety of solutions. You can choose a panel of any color that suits you and even order products with impressive technological functions – such as filters for controlling illumination and capturing and absorbing any light – the latter is especially important if a glass sliding door leads from the bedroom to the patio or you have such a design in your media room. 

You can control such structures with the help of guides, adjusting the degree and position of the curtains when opening – to the left, right, or from the middle to both sides.

Sliding panels (Track blinds)

They are slats reminiscent of vertical blinds – with the only difference that, in this case, they are united by a translucent fabric. Closed panels provide a wholly protected space, and open panels provide soft and pleasant diffusion of light. Thus, it is this type that represents a fantastic symbiosis of classic curtains and functional blinds.

If you are inclined towards this particular window treatment, dozens or even hundreds of fabric samples for every taste of any color and density are at your service.

Sliding shutters

Blinds are, of course, very relevant and aesthetically pleasing in their way. However, suppose you gravitate towards the classics, dream of creating an authentic interior in a nautical style or simply live in a region with high temperature and humidity. In that case, you can easily combine sliding glass doors with special shutters made of incredibly durable material – and it will look exquisite.

Such shutters look fresh and impressive, but at the same time, they fold very easily thanks to reliable hardware, and, moreover, they delight with unconditional practicality. The shutters do not fade in the sun, do not crack or deform, and are highly resistant to any atmospheric phenomena.

Draperies

If the style of your home assumes elegance and sophisticated nobility, blinds or panels alone will not be enough for you. Designers propose to complement the design of glass sliding doors with beautifully laid fabric panels for such cases. Moreover, many American manufacturers offer complete sets for the treatment of door leaves. Curtains of various shades from various fabrics are already provided – from light and transparent to denser jacquard and even velvet.

The functional and aesthetic design of glass sliding doors will become not only the finishing touch of the interior and exterior but also a real highlight of your home. Invest the time and effort necessary to create such a project and in the end, the beauty, practicality, and safety will worth it.

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