You might feel a little bit limited with your choices for horizontal blinds for patio doors. There just aren’t going to be as many materials, patterns, and colors that you would find in most fabric choices if you were just shopping for regular window treatments. This is why you need to pay attention to both the silhouette of the door and the theme of your room. This helps you to determine the small details and styles that you’ll need. You also need to decide whether you want your door to stand out or blend in. This just depends on the architecture of the piece and the other elements that you already have in your room.
If you want a rustic style then wood mini blinds are the way to go. This is the more expensive blind option. Even if you just have a faux white painted blind you can still give it a country edge. Usually this will use a blind tape. This is a fabric element that forms a border. This comes in all kinds of patterns but I still like to see it in white. Sure, you can get trim in traditional hunter green or cranberry ribbon but this contrasts way too much against the white blinds. Look for a traditional gingham check or an ivy print.
The actual wood grain itself should depend both on the door and the molding around it. There tends to be a lot of contrast against white. However, if you are using this in a dining room or you have wood cabinetry in a kitchen or an adjoining space it does make sense to bring this wood tone onto your doors. You can always paint the frame in a darker chocolate brown. Use a high gloss paint so it mimics a mahogany look. Oftentimes wood doors aren’t available to you just because of the price range and the safety concerns. You can still give the same look to a steel door just with the right tone of paint. Adding these blinds on top of that in the same color but in an actual wood product will make the whole thing look a little bit more convincing.
The more feminine styles usually use fabric window treatments which is perfectly acceptable. However, when it comes to your patio doors this can be a huge problem because there aren’t that many options available depending on the type of door that you have. It is possible to use curtains on either side of your door if you have more clearance. This can just be a fixed version. You can even use very decorative hanging systems because they are going to be moving back and forth. You can mount antique doorknobs and then tie the curtains from twine or ribbon. Then add coordinating blinds on the doors for the actual energy efficiency and privacy elements.
If you’re just working with the blind itself and you have a more feminine style such as a shabby chic or cottage look then go for a lighter color blind. This could be a plantation shutter. You can also find painted wood or at least faux wood blinds in white. This is the chicest option for a mini blind because it does mimic more expensive plantation shutters but it still allows in a lot of light during the day.
The other feminine look that you’ll need to coordinate this with is the shabby chic style. Sheer treatments usually reign supreme. However they aren’t always the best for privacy. Look for roman shades that mimic lace even if it’s a print so you can still get a blackout effect. There are also sliding panels which usually seem quite modern because of the track system. However, you can get floral prints on natural grasscloth looks even if it’s made out of PVC. Usually, if you’re trying to use purple, pink, or floral treatments it just seems quite outdated. However, using a sleeker silhouette still ensures that it works and has options for several different design themes.
The more opulent design styles are also difficult to find in blind versions. The Tuscan look provides two different options. The first is a dark wood blind. You might want to use an opulent cornice box over this in a rich upholstered faux silk in a traditional burgundy or a gold tone. Roman shades also help to create a more elegant look for this design.
The modern and contemporary styles call for sleeker window treatments, which is where blinds can really help you out. It won’t just seem like something that you were stuck with because you do have a lot of other options. In fact, if you do have a sliding door in your room you might want to base your entire design around this. Going with a contemporary look throughout can save you a lot of money on your window treatment. This can use a sliding panel system too. It can also have bamboo shades just depending on how much light you need to filter out and if you want your sliding door to stand out. Then determine the overall room style that you have and pick the right patio blind for it.
