Living Room Sliding Door Curtain Concepts

Sliding glass doors are a beautiful way to bridge indoor and outdoor living spaces. However, decorating and styling sliding door curtains can be tricky.

Benefits of Adding Curtains to Living Room Sliding Doors

Before deciding on a style, consider why you want to add curtains in the first place. Here are some of the top reasons:

• Privacy - Curtains allow you to control visibility and block views when desired.
• Light control - Layered curtains filter sunlight and add blackout options.
• Insulation - Some heavy curtain fabrics help insulate rooms.
• Style - Curtains let you customize the room's aesthetic.

Once you determine your needs, you can narrow down the right curtain type and style.

Popular Living Room Sliding Door Curtain Styles

Layered Curtains

A layered curtain style uses two separate curtain panels. Typically, a sheer underlayer filters light while a heavier overlay adds privacy and design. Linen, lace, chiffon and polyester blends work well for lighter inner layers. Velvet, faux silk or embroidered fabrics make beautiful overlays.

Floor to Ceiling Curtains

These curtains make a dramatic statement, spanning from floor to ceiling to cover the entire sliding glass doorway. They are usually quite wide and made of medium-weight fabric. Gather them at the sides with tie-backs for an elegant frame effect.

Cafe Curtains

Cafe-style curtains cover the lower half of windows and doors. They add privacy at eye level while allowing light through the top portion. These casual curtains work well for kitchens and casual living spaces. Cotton blends and lace fabrics are common choices.

Blackout Curtains

As the name suggests, blackout curtains block light. Typically made from tightly-woven, often lined fabrics, they prevent any outdoor light from entering a room. These heavy curtains help insulate and darken rooms fully. They come in colors besides black too.

Living Room Sliding Door Curtain Ideas by Theme

Match your curtains to the overall living room decor theme. Here are ideas for some popular styles:

Modern and Minimalist

For contemporary spaces, opt for simple panels in muted solids or subtle geometric prints. Floor-to-ceiling linen curtains create clean lines. Sheer shades maintain views outside.

Boho or Eclectic

Embrace rich colors and textures like ruby red velvets or purple embroidered cottons. Mix patterns and fabrics for an eclectic vibe. A lace under-layer peeks through velvet or brocade overlays wonderfully.

Traditional and Classic

Formal living rooms suit traditional jacquard or damask drapes in neutrals like cream and taupe. Add warmth with rod-pocket curtain headers and decorative tie-backs in metallics or carved wood.

Coastal and Beachy

Large patterned fabrics like ikat, palm prints or nautical motifs capture the coastal aesthetic well. Lightweight linen or cotton panels allow ocean breezes to filter through easily. Tie-backs with shells or hemp add nice accents.

Choosing the Right Living Room Sliding Door Curtain Fabric

Fabric choice impacts the look, function and feel of curtains. Consider these options:

Light and Airy Fabrics

Breezy, sheer fabrics like polyester chiffon, lace and linen allow light through while offering slight privacy. These light-filtering materials won't block views or hinder sunlight much.

Rich and Luxurious Fabrics

Velvet, brocade and faux silk curtains create an elegant, polished look. The colors and textures add depth and luxury to formal and traditional decors. These fabrics may be too heavy for patio doors in windy areas though.

Blackout Fabrics

Specialty blackout fabric, often with insulating foam or plastic backings, prevent light leakage completely. Lined iterations block light better than single panel blackouts. Useful for media rooms or bedrooms, these thick curtains also help control room temperature.

Outdoor and Patio Fabrics

Curtains meant for outdoor patios and porches utilize weather-resistant material like polyester, acrylic and olefin blends. These fabrics stand up well to sunlight, wind and moisture while offering some weather protection indoors.

Calculate Proper Curtain Lengths and Widths

Allow ample length for the curtains to puddle attractively on the floor. Add 20 inches for under-mounted rods or 30 inches for overhead mounts. Make curtains very wide, at least double the width of the sliding door itself. This fullness allows the panels to stack nicely and cover the doorway fully when open.

Curtain Rod and Hardware Options for Sliding Doors

Tension Rods

Quick and easy to install without drilling, tension curtain rods for sliding glass doors use powerful springs that compress to fit the doorway then extend for stability. Choose wide rods that cover the entire door opening.

Custom Rods and Tracks

For floor to ceiling looks, heavy drapes and large doors, install custom curtain rods anchored securely into walls or ceiling. Curved extenders that mount inside or outside the door frame work beautifully as well. Consider decorative finials to coordinate with other accents.

Additional Living Room Sliding Door Covering Ideas

Expand your options with these alternate sliding glass door treatments:

Blinds

Opt for faux wood blinds in wide slats or sleek aluminum mini-blinds mounted directly onto doors. Add top-down/bottom-up functionality to control privacy and lighting.

Shades

Solar shades and cellular shades made from materials like bamboo filter light while preserving some views outside. These casual shades stack neatly to allow full door access.

Film

Install decorative window film to glass doors directly to add instant privacy without affecting room lighting much. Etched, stained glass or rice paper film types complement various decors.

Avoid common pitfalls like curtains that end abruptly or fail to cover door edges by measuring carefully. Mount rods wide and high to accommodate the stack-back and movement of door-adjacent panels.

Add lining behind sheer treatments for improved insulation. Warm up slick glass and metal frames with traditional wooden blinds and classic lined draperies. Anchor lightweight curtain panels with discrete clips or Velcro at bottom edges and overlaps.

Up the cozy factor by layering panels in similar tones and textures. Contrast sheers against blackouts for depth and dimension. Infuse personality with eclectic patterns and Prints or inject sophisticated style with elegant fabrics and tie-backs.

When decorating and styling sliding door curtains in your living room, consider factors like privacy needs, room dimensions, seating arrangements, and overall aesthetic. With so many styles and options available, you can easily customize the perfect curtain solution.