10 Window treatment ideas for glass sliding doors

Getting the right window treatment for your glass sliding door can be a challenge. You obviously need something that blocks out cold and heat, adds privacy but doesn’t obstruct the door’s function. Forget about your old fashioned vertical blinds and choose something appealing and unique. But why are these window treatments very important? [one_half_first] Also referred to as patio doors, glass sliding doors open up the living space to the outdoors bringing in the natural beauty and the sunlight. But just like anything else, it has its setbacks as well, and that is bringing in some unwanted things too. For instance, the high amount of sunlight that comes in leads to eye squinting. Glass is also a poor insulator compared to walls, which means that a lot of heat is lost during winter. Despite our desire to welcome the outdoors, we love our privacy and wouldn’t want it to be the other way round. [/one_half_first][one_half_last][/one_half_last] However, if we have the right glass sliding doors window treatment, we can experience the advantages of these glass doors. As you choose a window treatment for the glass sliding doors, these are some of the things that you should know about them.

• A good window treatment should never hinder your ability to get in and out of the door. Sliding doors are normally used in high traffic places.
• The window treatment must always open in the vertical direction since the door slides usually open vertically. This allows flexibility since you cannot open it more than required.
• In case there are other windows, it is recommended that you select a window treatment that matches the others.

Stick with Curtains

Affordable, easily changeable, and classic, curtain panels are good options for sliding doors. To keep them out of the way in the day and prevent the young ones from getting them caught in the door, you can use the tie back system. For your top treatments, make sure they are mounted high enough on the door frame in order to prevent the top treatments from brushing onto people’s heads. Also remember to keep the curtains an inch above the ground, since it’s a place of high traffic, the curtain is likely to become grungy or pick up dirt.

Plantation Shutters

These easy-to-customize and classy shutters will bring that unique charm to your house and you won’t have to sacrifice functionality or hardiness. The shutters will easily open to give you a beautiful view and fold close at night over your windows. Once the shutters are open, they are entirely out of the way thus reducing the chances of damaging the shutters.

Side Mounted Panels

These are perfect aesthetic appeal, ideal for super neighborhoods and yards where you don’t need to block your neighbors. They are also recommended for homeowners who are lucky to have an access to a scenic view through their door. If your room has low ceilings, you can create more space through mounting the rods very high above the door frame – this gives your ceiling that extra visual increase. The mounted panels are basically for pleasing the eye and it’s therefore, wise to pick bold patterns or bright colors for that “work of art”.

Get Creative with Blinds

If you have enough money, then consider buying another sliding door that comes with inbuilt blinds inside the glass. This not only acts as a functional window that doesn’t need any maintenance, but also gives you blinds that cannot be broken by pets and children. So, before you get rid of vertical blinds because they are probably old, look for modern alternatives in the market.

• Cellular Verticals - these are soft fabric vanes that have got pocket cells that allow you to darken the room or filter the light. If you want to boost energy efficiency, simply close the pocket cells and an insulating layer will be formed.
• Wood Verticals – they are the ideal light filtering solutions. Wood verticals are made from linen-look, jacquard, and chenille. For an enhanced darkening of the room, insert the fabric verticals inside the channel panels.
• Wood verticals – these are recommended for those who have wood blinds on the windows. Now your sliding door won’t be an ugly thing anymore. All your window treatments will be blending together.

Shoji Screens

Shoji screens will add warmth and privacy to your patio door. In case you are not familiar with Shoji screens, they are wooden grids that have rice paper inserted and are currently used as window treatment. Apart from decoration, shoji window act as insulators from heat and outdoor cold, giving you access to sunlight while maintaining your privacy. Shoji screens are also attractive due to the paper patterns together with grid change with the sunlight outside. Shoji screen treatments are unique and there are various options that can be used together with other shoji décor such as wall hangings and lighting.

Vertiglide

These cellular shades have also found their spot on sliding doors. Vertiglide is not only an energy efficient window treatment but also an ideal choice for sliding glass doors since it’s also available with vertical pleat system. This enables it to coordinate perfectly with the various shades in the room. Chains, wands, or chords will not be required for this huge traffic area. Cellular shades come in different degrees of privacy and light control, but when it comes to glass sliding doors, people are ever asking for more. For instance, with Vertiglide DuoLite, you can easily have two treatments in one. This means one opaque that doesn’t allow light to pass through and the sheer one that protects you from UV ray during the day but allows the light to pass through. Vertiglide is made with different fabrics on its different sides but every fabric is huge enough to accommodate the entire opening of its width. Depending on your requirements, you can move from sheer to privacy in just a few seconds.

 Sheer Verticals

This is where you combine the functionality of vertical blinds with the traditional sheer draperies. Basically, this type of window treatment has vertical vanes and sheer billowing in between. To change from privacy to a light-filtered view, simply rotate the vanes from a completely closed view to completely open mode.

Skyline Gliding Window Panels

If you are looking for that modern, sleek. The Skyline panels are suitable for the expansive windows and doors. There are many designs out there in the market and most of them have numerous panels that allow you to attach a single head rail regardless of the number of window and door width which makes the stack back minimal.

  Factors you Should Consider as you find the Perfect Window Treatment

1. Function vs. Fashion

Before deciding on the best treatment for you sliding door, it is crucial that you clearly understand your motives. A good sliding door is supposed to bring in natural light and easy and fast access from outdoors to interiors. But at the same time, it is good to get a window treatment that gives full access to the light entering your room. For some people, their main interest in the window treatments is the beauty appeal that comes with them. You obviously need something that will bring life into your living room and complement your existing décor, but is it functional as well? The type of window treatment you settle for should never hinder the door’s functionality.

2. Material Selection

There are a variety of fabric materials for window treatment out there. As you go shopping, free your mind and stop limiting yourself to the same old vertical blinds and actually look for something that will bring the ‘wow’ factor. The good thing about materials is that they can be textured, patterned, loaded with color or just simplified. As you make your material selection, know that your concerns are natural light, privacy, and temperature control. Whichever window you select for the sliding doors, keep in mind that there is a variety of materials out there that will transform your room into a paradise. Before you choose your fabric, consider its purpose and room. For instance, if your room is not spacious, the Panel Glide Blinds are recommended because of their small retractable mechanisms. Such types of blinds are recommended due to their retractable mechanisms.

3. Temperature Control

Temperature is the biggest priority for most of the homes because of various weather extremes. One of the greatest uses of window treatment that we must always look for is their capability to control your home’s temperature, resulting to lower utility bills and more comfort. It is therefore logical to select a material and style that will keep your home warmer in winter and cool in summer. UV rays will not only damage your skin, they are responsible for your floors and furniture fading away if there is no enough protection from the windows. A good window should maximize energy and prevent sun damage. The Roman Blinds are known for their ability to maintain the regular room temperature. In addition, the Roman Blinds are known for their sunscreen materials like materials that helps in preventing the harmful UV rays. To take away the boring effect of the bland glass doors, drapery panels can be maximized to serve as the frame of the doors. If there is a lack of drapery panels, one can just use some pieces of artworks or designs to trace the frame of the windows, just so the rectangular shape of the sliding door would not be boring. Actually, the usual vertical blinds can still be used, since there are already many designs available in the department store. However, these blinds may seem too ordinary. Vertical blinds can be spiced up with the use of swag or a cornice board. One can even put a shelf above the glass to serve as an added decoration. There are also stencils available in the department store. One can just choose from a wide variety of patterns available. However, to make it more customized, one can just design his or her own stencil. It is easy to make, and it depends on the own style of the room’s occupant. It is best recommended to try posting the stencil first on another surface before directly applying it on the wall. This would allow for some adjustments when necessary, especially on the color and on the design of the pattern These are just some of the bright window treatment ideas for glass sliding doors. They need not be complicated and most of them can be done in just a few hours. In the end, it is always up to the preference of the occupant.