Draperies and Top Treatments - Help! What kind of curtains for a patio door?

Hi,

I need some help. We recently purchased our home and put a new patio door in our dining room. We are still without curtains for it because I am lost as to what works there. The door is a sliding door has grills and it measures 77 X 84. Also, in that room is another window that measure 66 X 57 and has cast iron rads with decorative covers under the window. Do I match the window treatments and what suggestions do you have for style and design for both the window and the patio door.
Any help would be greatly appreciated! :)

Pinch pleated, tab, and grommet panels are popular. Vertical and horizontal shades are also popular. Go to www.thecurtainshop.com (http://www.thecurtainshop.com), www.blindsgalore.com (http://www.blindsgalore.com), www.jcpenney.com (http://www.jcpenney.com), www.countrycurtains.com (http://www.countrycurtains.com) to view available options for patio doors.

For the sake of unity and consistency, I'd use the same window treatment on both windows.

Hi,

Just wondering if there are any other suggestions anyone may have. I would post a pic of the room but I have no idea how to post!!!!!:o All suggestions are kindly welcomed!

You can post photos at www.photobucket.com (http://www.photobucket.com) and a link here for folks to view your diningroom. Window treatment choices are many. Similar treatment for both patio door and window would provide a sense of unity. How casual or formal treatments selected would depend on your decorating style. Other factors to consider are the need for privacy, amount of light that needs to be blocked, insulative qualities, the desire to capitalize on a great view, etc.

Drapes are heavy and can be closed for privacy and can provide insulation. Draperies can be a more formal option. Curtains are lighter and more airy, but heavier fabrics are available. They lean toward more casual and offer the convenience of being able to take them down for washing. Vertical blinds, although no longer popular on windows, are still favored for patios. Decorative panels can be installed over them to coordinate with window treatment and pulled aside as needed. Vertical blinds come in a variety of materials and can offer insulative qualities, light filtration, and privacy. The key is to narrow down what type of window treatment meets your needs in your home.

Color, texture, and pattern are personal choices when choosing fabric for window treatments. A safe way to go is to select window treatments similar in color to walls. Today's trend in window treatments leans toward simplicity.
If diningroom is visible from livingroom, the same or similar treatments can unify the two open areas.

Study catalogs and magazines for window treatment ideas. The previous links provide lots of options.

only 1 thing matters when it comes to what kind of window treatments youre gonna get..

That is how much do you want to spend?

custom drapes

tab top cheap drapes

vertical blind

any shade mounted above the door, this usually takes 2 with a sliding door and works best with a valance or cornice to hide the shade/blind when up

panel track

sliding shutters

vertical pleated accordion type shade

roman shades

what do you like and what do you want to spend

Whatever kind of treatment you settle on, it has to work or it's no good no matter how attractive it is. In my experience, patio doors are a busy place. The draperies (if you choose that option) should be easy to draw. That means no tab tops or rod pocket draperies. You should have either a traverse rod or a pole with rings. Ideally, the drapery should be one large panel and stack to the side of the inoperative door. If you choose a rod with rings, make sure you attach a wand to the first ring so that your hands won't be touching the draperies each time you want to draw them. Draperies have a way of being sucked out the doorway due to the air pressure differentials of indoor/outdoor. Many a drapery has been ruined by being caught in the door. Do you have children and/or pets? Maybe a drapery is not the best choice for your lifestyle then? A vertical stacking honeycomb shade would be my choice in that instance for ease of use and efficiency. One of the things I might do is to put the vertical honeycomb on the patio doors with a fabric valance across the top which can match the draperies on the other window in the room. It matches but is not redundant...problem solved!