Window Treatment Ideas: 4 Solutions for a Sliding Door

Choosing a window treatment for a sliding glass door can be a challenge because you don't want to hinder the usefulness of the door. Consider these tips as you dress up your sliding door:

•Use tiebacks to cinch stationary curtain panels aside, especially at the door-handle side, to support door function.

•Mount top treatments high enough above the door frame so the hem doesn't brush heads passing through.

•Hang curtain panels that will be opened and closed a smidge above the floor to keep them clean.

Here, a simple pair of sheer panels moves with little effort and filters light, preserving a favored feature of the sliding door. With all the color and pattern options that exist today, you'll have no trouble finding the perfect sheers to match your home's decor.

The last thing you want to do is weigh down an airy look with a heavy wood or metal rod. Instead, try a hanging system, such as this subtle cable, that supports the panels with simple ring clips.

Purely decorative treatments, such as these side-mounted panels, are perfect for sliders that receive constant use or that frame unbeatable vistas so the view remains barrier-free. The panels don't move, so go ahead and mount the rods out of reach (these are positioned 12 inches above the top of the door's frame) for a design trick that visually adds height to a low ceiling.

Select boldly colored and patterned fabric so panels double as art. A 4-inch contrasting cuff and ruffled top edge dress the panels for formal spaces.

A simple valance, such as this shapely one, gives a plain sliding door a finished look without blocking views or hampering operation. As the focal point of the casual dining area, this treatment packs a visual punch with a zigzag hem banded by solid blue.

To help the valance hold its shape, the fabric is stapled to a U-shape wood frame attached to the wall with L brackets mounted 18 inches above the door frame.

Sliders often get lots of traffic, so dress them with treatments made from hard-wearing or easy-cleaning fabrics. These panels--hung on a 1-inch diameter rod through 2-inch grommets--are fashioned from durable outdoor fabric.

A generous 4-inch orange band framing the playful leaf pattern adds visual presence to the curtains and draws attention away from the ordinary doors.