Sliding glass doors are nice because they allow a lot of natural light into your home while remaining functional. However, you may want to control the amount of light or the possibility of peeping eyes that can see into your home. Some window treatment designs, like valances, simply do not work with sliding glass doors, while others seem too mainstream.
- Vertical Blinds
Vertical blinds can give you privacy without losing the functionality of your sliding glass door. They can be manipulated to let in as little or as much light as you prefer and can be completely pushed out of the way in order to open your door all the way. The downside of these blinds is that they are rather noisy and if they are opened too roughly, the vertical slats can come loose, fall out, and have to be reattached.
- Drapes
Drapes are great window treatment idea for keeping light out if you prefer a dark room. They also keep your energy bill down by holding heat out and keeping your room nice and cool. However, they can make a room seem old-fashioned and feel smaller. Drapes can be drawn back to allow you full functionality of your sliding glass door, but drapes need to be vacuumed or dusted often. It’s much easier to wipe down blinds or shutters, so keep that in mind when considering drapes or curtains. If privacy is your main concern, drapes and curtains are your best choice. However, drapes are best if you're concerned with the visual design of your window treatments.
- Plantation Shutters
These shutters are absolutely gorgeous and they provide many options for privacy and light filtration. They can be completely slid apart to allow one hundred percent sunlight in, or they can be closed to give you total privacy and shade. Shutters can also be completely slid together with the slats opened slightly for partial sun and privacy. Plantation shutters allow you to use your sliding door with ease and they are not easily broken or damaged. These shutters are also great for energy efficiency and lowering your heating and cooling bills.
- Shoji Screens
These Asian screens are made of rice paper and are extremely beautiful options for sliding glass door window treatments. They give total privacy and they do not interfere with the functionality of a sliding glass door like some window treatment ideas. However, they do not do much to keep heat or cold from escaping your home. They filter out a very small amount of sunlight, so they aren’t a good option if you’re looking for full light control.
