Solutions · French doors & sidelights
Window Treatments for French Doors and Door Glass
French doors and the glass beside a front door have one thing in common: the treatment is mounted to something that moves. It has to clear the handle, stay put when the door swings, and leave the door easy to use. That rules out anything that hangs loose and points to shutters or shades mounted to the door itself.
Option 1 of 4
Shutters on the door
Custom shutters can be built with a cut-out for the handle and mounted to the door, so they swing with it. For sidelights, narrow panels built to the exact width close sightlines while the louvers still let daylight in. Shutters at the entry also match shutters on the front windows, so the house reads as one design from the street.
See shutters on the door →
Option 2 of 4
Door-mounted cellular shades
Slim cellular shades fixed at the top and bottom of the glass cannot swing when the door moves, and their cells add insulation to a lot of glass.
See door-mounted cellular shades →Option 3 of 4
Roller shades with a hold-down bracket
A flat roller panel with a bracket at the bottom stays against the glass every time the door opens.
See roller shades with a hold-down bracket →
Option 4 of 4
Drapery on a wide rod
Hung wide enough to clear the doors completely when they are open. Drapery softens the room, though it takes wall space and does nothing while the doors are in use.
See drapery on a wide rod →Side by side
| Option | Best when | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Shutters on the door | You want the most finished look | Needs a cut-out built around the handle |
| Door-mounted cellular | The doors are mostly glass and you want insulation | Fixed at top and bottom on the door |
| Roller with hold-down | You want a clean, simple look | Needs the bottom bracket to stop it swinging |
| Drapery | You want softness and height | Needs wall space beside the doors |
What we check before recommending one
- Whether the doors swing in or out, which decides how much clearance there is
- Where the handle sits and how far it projects
- Cordless operation on anything mounted to a door, since a cord on a moving door snags
- Whether frosted film is the better fit. Film keeps the glass obscured day and night; a shutter or shade gives the same privacy with the option to open it
Installed in Texas homes
Photos from projects measured and installed by our teams.
Common questions
What window treatment works best on French doors?
How do you cover the glass beside a front door?
Should shades on a door be cordless?
Find your local team
Every Love Is Blinds team measures and installs in person. Find your city for local reviews and the team that covers you.
See the options at your own windows
Free in-home consultation: samples brought to your door, every opening measured by us, and a written quote that includes installation.