Curtains for sliding glass doors with vertical blinds

Vertical Blind Alternatives - Shades, Blinds and Drapery

• Ideal for big windows and sliding glass doors
• Coordinates with other window treatments
• Glides smoothly and quietly along a track or rod
• Unique appeal with many fabric choices
• Energy efficient, insulating and light filtering options

January 14, 2021

If you’re looking to cover your sliding-glass doors, how do you know which window treatments will work best? While virtually any Hunter Douglas window treatment can be outfitted to cover sliding-glass doors, certain styles are better suited for large expanses of windows simply because they traverse horizontally, making them easier to operate on these applications. Beyond traditional vertical blinds, we have many other innovative window treatments for sliding-glass doors from which to choose.

Duette® Honeycomb Shades Fabric: Architella® India Silk   Color: Sira

Vertical Cellular Shades for Sliding-Glass Doors

Known for their superior energy efficiency,

are ideal for patio and sliding-glass doors—especially if you live in a particularly hot or cold climate. Duette® Honeycomb Shades feature a unique honeycomb construction that traps air in distinct pockets, creating an extra layer of insulation at the window. For even greater energy efficiency, choose Duette Architella® shades with their honeycomb-within-a-honeycomb construction. The honeycomb pleats of both products also stack tightly together when your shade is open for a clean, unobstructed view.

Duette shades come in a variety of pleat sizes, colors, patterns and textures. And most fabrics will be white on the back, so you have a uniform look from the outside. With the Vertiglide™ operating system specially made for vertical applications, you have the flexibility to use either one shade to cover the entire expanse of windows or two independently operated shades of varying opacities for more light control.

If your sliding-glass door is located in an area like a media room where you want to be able to achieve more darkness, choose the LightLock™ system that features an innovative side-channel designed to trap and absorb nearly all incoming light.

Key Benefits of Cellular Shades:

• Their superior energy efficiency is invaluable for large expanses of windows like patio and sliding-glass doors in extreme hot or cold climates.
• With an extensive fabric collection, cellular shades can work with virtually any décor.
• The flexibility of using independently operated light-filtering and room-darkening fabrics on the same shade gives you more ways to control natural light.

Skyline® Gliding Window Panels Fabric: Maya   Color: Zanzibar Grey

Vertical Blinds for Sliding-Glass Doors

While vertical blinds for sliding-glass doors are among the most common type of window treatment used, they’re not necessarily the most ordinary. You can find them in a wide range of colors, textures and panel styles as well as materials, including vinyl, fabric and aluminum.

Skyline® Gliding Window Panels, offer a sleek, contemporary look that maximizes views. Made of flat, vertical fabric panels that slide side- to- side, Skyline panels are easy to operate and are available in over 600 colors and numerous textures, openness factors and opacities.

A unique twist on traditional sliding-glass door window treatments, Cadence® Soft Vertical Blinds have beautifully curved vanes that give the appearance of drapery folds. The curved design provides excellent sound absorption, and the patented headrail ensures smooth operation. Cadence blinds are also available in a number of colors, textures and valance styles to complement your décor.

Key Benefits of Vertical Blinds:

• With so many fabric options and styles to choose from, they’re one of the most versatile solutions for your sliding-glass doors.
• Vertical blinds have minimal stackback, enabling you to maximize your views.

Luminette® Privacy Sheers Fabric: Voyant   Color: Daylight

Privacy Sheers for Sliding-Glass Doors

Luminette® Privacy Sheers offer a cross between sheer drapes and vertical blinds, featuring soft fabric vanes attached to a sheer face fabric. When the vanes are tilted open, the natural light is beautifully diffused. The sheers come in a wide range of fabrics, textures and colors, all available in a room-darkening option. And since you can get any of the fabrics as cut yardage, it’s easy to coordinate other accessories throughout your home. Luminette sheers can accommodate widths up to 192" and heights up to 120", making them perfect for patio doors and other wide expanses of windows.

Key Benefits of Vertical Sheers:

• Vertical sheers have the functionality of vertical blinds with the classic elegance of draperies.
• The sheers beautifully diffuse natural light, creating a soft ambiance in the room.
• With hundreds of colors, patterns and textures to choose from, vertical sheers work well with almost any décor.

Provenance® Woven Wood Shades Fabric: Calliope   Color: Pebble White

Woven Wood Shades

Crafted from natural woods, bamboo, reeds and grasses, woven wood shades for sliding-glass doors are gaining popularity, both for their eco-friendly benefits and their one-of-a-kind look at the window. And since natural woods can hold up to a variety of weather conditions, they are actually less likely to warp over the years. Provenance® Woven Wood Shades are specifically engineered to minimize stretching, bowing, breaking and fading.

Woven wood shades are versatile enough to work with many home styles, from island and Mediterranean to traditional—plus, they’re available in both horizontal and vertical applications. 

Key Benefits of Woven Wood Shades:

• They offer a truly one-of-a-kind, organic feel to any room.
• Natural woods are durable enough to stand up to the toughest weather conditions and maintain their shape.
• Woven woods are extremely versatile and can fit almost any room décor.

Palm Beach™ Polysatin™ Shutters   Color: Bright White

Shutters for Sliding-Glass Doors

Shutters might not be the first window treatment you think of for sliding-glass doors, but their durability, energy efficiency and classic style make them an excellent choice. 

In areas with high heat or humidity, you may want to consider hybrid or non-wood shutters for sliding-glass doors. Palm Beach™ Polysatin™ Shutters, are the most durable option. They have the look of finely painted shutters, but they’re guaranteed never to warp, crack, fade, chip, peel or discolor, regardless of extreme heat or moisture.

Key Benefits of Shutters:

• They’re durable, energy efficient and classically beautiful.
• With so many design options, you can find the perfect shutters to fit your style.
• Because shutters are permanent fixtures, they can actually increase the value of your home.

Design Studio™ Side Panels & Drapery Fabric: Ingrid   Color: Lace

Drapery Ideas for Sliding-Glass Doors

Draperies and side panels add a soft, elegant feel to sliding-glass doors. And while they look gorgeous on their own, consider pairing them with another window treatment for more privacy, and temperature and light control.

So how do you know what will work best? Since drapes are much easier to change out, first choose your window treatment. After that, pairing it with drapery is easy. For every Hunter Douglas window treatment, there’s a complimentary Design Studio™ Side Panel or Drapery that will layer beautifully. The signature fabric collection ranges from exquisite sheers and silk blends to jacquards and velvets. 

Key Benefits of Side Panels and Drapery:

• They create a soft, elegant feel to any room.
• With so many patterns, textures and styles, there are endless design options.
• When paired with a window treatment, they provide extra privacy and light control.

What kind of covering can you put on a sliding glass door?

Can you put curtains over sliding glass doors?