{window treatment wednesdays: sliding doors}

Long-Vue from the Sienna Honeycomb Collection

Window treatment solutions for sliding doors is tricky business. Fashion and functionality can combine with solutions from Hirshfield’s. Shannon, the Hirshfield’s Shop at Home resident window treatment expert, shares how to stay stylish while controlling light and allowing functionality with window treatments for difficult to fit sliding doors.

Ask yourself these questions before selecting a window treatment

How often do you use the door? If the door is connected to a deck, chances are you use that door often in the summertime. Consider putting a window treatment that can traverse across a track. Options include Luminette, Verticals, Skyline Sliding Panels, Averte Natural Drape, Vertiglide or Long-Vue sliding cellular.

When the product is raised, is there enough room for you or someone taller to walk out the door without ducking? There are many shade styles that will raise, lower and come large enough for a patio door. Some styles that work well are roller or honeycomb shades.

How much room do you have to stack product, either above the patio door or to the side? The “stack” of a window treatment refers to the amount of space the treatment takes up when it is fully opened. The stack of a blind, for example, is the measurement from the top of the headrail down to the bottom of the blind when the blind is fully lifted to the top of the window. By knowing this, the experts at Hirshfield’s can help determine if a product will fit properly. It will also allow us to determine if product will stack on the window or off.

Does the sun shine into the room from the sliding door? A sunscreen shade works well or a cellular shade for bright rooms. These will help diffuse some of the glare and heat from the sun.  If you have a patio door in a lower level or media room, consider something that will emphasize on darkening the room. Room darkening window treatments allow you to block most of the light and take the glare off of a television.

Are traditional vertical shades my only option? Say it with me: no! Consider a Long-Vue from the Sienna Honeycomb Collection or a Vertiglide from Hunter Douglas. These are both a honeycomb shade done vertically. The greatest thing about these is the amount of light control options you can select from. Choose between sheer, semi-opaque, and opaque fabrics. A minimum stack of approximately 6″ keeps it looking sleek and functional.

Another option that can add some character to a room is the Averte Natural Shade from Horizons Window Fashions. The Averte is a natural material that glides along a track. The track can be covered with a valance or the product can be installed on decorative hardware for a customized appearance. There are no cords on the Averte system, showcasing clean lines while being child-safe.

Function and fashion can combine to keep your sliding door stylish, while controlling light. Choosing a window treatment for a sliding glass door doesn’t have to be a hassle with the help of Hirshfield’s team of professionals.

Since Frank and Elizabeth Hirshfield opened their first store in 1894, it has been our mission to do the best job possible meeting customer needs and solving customer problems. Hirshfield’s. People and products you can trust.