French Door Window CoveringFrench doors present some interesting
challenges as well as ideas for window coverings and
treatments. The first question you need to answer is if you
need to protect the French doors from heat loss. For
insulation purposes, you have to choose thick curtains or
shades that provide for warmth. The best solution is to get
modern double pane or triple glazing windows so that that the
French doors provide for their own insulation. This way, you
can focus on the window treatments for decorative and light
modulation purposes |
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Most French doors open outward, although some do open
inward. For outward opening French doors, the most popular window
covering are curtains. When installing curtains, make sure that you
install the curtain rod high above the French doors. This allows the
maximum light through when you open the curtains. Additionally, you
way want to use a long curtain rod so that the curtains or drapes
can be pulled clear of the hinge when opening. This is to prevent
the curtains from getting snagged.
Some French doors open
inward. Because there is no space to draw the curtains when the
French doors open inward, the solution is to install the curtains
directly onto the door. To do this you install the curtain wire on
the top portion of the door, making sure that you can open and close
the door without any problems. You will also want to use sheer
curtains so that you get the privacy without blocking out the light.
In addition to curtains and drapes you can also use blinds
and shades for French doors. Although the most classic and elegant
look is to use curtains, you can still achieve a nice decorative
look with blinds and shades. In this case, it is best to install the
blinds and shades directly on the door as you would do with curtains
on an inward opening French door. The use of cellular or bamboo
shades are a popular choice. Try to pick light weight and
translucent blinds or shades so that you can see the outline of the
French doors when the light shines through. Also, if you open the
French doors frequently, you will want to have window treatments
that are not too heavy as to make it difficult to move the doors.
As you can see, there are many choices for window treatments
for French doors. Remember to start by asking yourself how often
will the doors be opened and whether the window treatments serve
more a decorative purpose or functional purpose such as heat
insulation.
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