How to Choose the Perfect Shade for your Patio Doors

Whether you’ve moved into a new house and need to cover those bare patio doors immediately for privacy or you are looking to update your existing décor, it is important to find a stylish and durable shade for your patio doors. Patio doors are often a large focal point in a home and located in one of the main rooms, typically the living room or kitchen.

Style is important, as well as durable construction that will withstand everyday use. Patio doors are the often the most used point of connection from your inside space to your outside space.

Popular Styles of Shades for Patio Doors

SmartDrape

If you like the coverage of a drape, but want a more contemporary look, consider “SmartDrape,” a new window treatment by Norman Window Fashions. Its innovative design allows one single drape to be sheer or solid. This differs from traditional drapery; where if you want both a sheer and solid drape, they must be purchased and hung separately.

SmartDrape offers the appearance of a drape, but with the control of a blind. It turns from sheer to solid with the twist of a wand. It’s constructed from a series of fabric vanes that allow you to walk through the shade unimpeded, even while it’s closed. The vanes are washable and replaceable. It also comes in light filtering or room darkening fabrics.

Vertical Cellular or Honeycomb Shades

These shades offer modern style and elegance, as well as energy efficiency.

Cellular Shades or “Honeycomb” shades are offered in many fabrics and colors from trendy to contemporary and neutral to bright colors. Their honeycomb structure significantly regulates the temperature of your home and helps save energy year-round in hot or cold climates. Their honeycomb-shaped cells trap air and help insulate your home.

They’re fully customizable, with different cell sizes ranging from 3/8” wide to 1& 1/2” and opacity levels from sheer to light filtering and room darkening.

Vertical blinds are also known for their durability and are built to withstand daily use.

Sliding Panels

Custom Sliding Panels are a sleek and contemporary solution for sliding glass doors that will add distinctiveness to any patio door. Mounted to the wall or ceiling, large fabric panels slide back and forth for easy operation and access. These panels come in an array of fabrics like solar, roller and natural woven fabrics.

Essentially, they are the vertical application of these shades and will easily match the other window treatments in your home. Solar fabrics maintain the view while keeping out glare and UV rays. Roller shade fabrics give you more light control and come in sheer, light-filtering and blackout fabrics. Natural shades made from bamboo, jute and natural grasses, offer a rustic or earthy look. Many of these shades are cordless and easy to clean.