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How do I Choose the Best Door Panel Curtains?
To choose the best door panel curtains, you will first want to consider what function you want the curtains to perform. For instance, do you want to use long, drape-like curtains to create the illusion of a door where there is none, or do you simply want to put a short curtain over the window in the top half of a door? The length of the curtains and the weight are the two most important considerations when choosing door panel curtains; you will also then want to consider how they'll match the decor in your home.
Door panel curtains may be used to add additional privacy in a room or simply to make a doorway look more appealing; many people install door curtains on tension rods in doorways to create the illusion of a door. Generally the best choices are heavier, drape-like curtains, because these will help to create privacy and will also help to keep heat in the room. Sheer panel curtains are another option; these are not very practically useful, but are very aesthetically appealing and can often be layered for an even more unique look. These are also available in bright colors for children's rooms.
There are two other lengths of door panel curtains that are also common, which serve to decorate the top half of a door, typically one that includes a window or series of window panels. The first type of door panel curtains will typically reach about halfway down the door, can be a good way to prevent people from looking in, and can help to insulate the door from the elements. This can help keep electric bills down in the summer and winter, by sealing heated or air conditioned air inside. Buffers placed along the bottom of a door can also help keep air from escaping.
Cafe-style curtains typically only cover the upper part of the door; they may also come in a set with a smaller upper tier or valance and a slightly longer lower tier. These look good in country style kitchens, but do not have much practical use. Once you've determined what type of door panel curtains you want, you can begin deciding on color and fabric choices; there are a number of different options available to suit every taste or style of room. Door curtains are frequently used in kitchens, but they can be used to add decor to any area in the home.
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Discussion Comments
We bought some Dora the Explorer window panel curtains for my daughters room. When we were changing her room from the nursery to a big girls room, these are the curtains she picked out.
I have some blinds behind the curtains that work well for privacy and to let the light in when she wants to see outside.
The curtains are really more for decoration than anything, but do add the special touch my daughter was looking for. Of course she found some other matching accessories to match her curtains for a complete look.
We live in the country and do not have close neighbors so I don't have to worry about people looking in my windows at night.
The only room I have any door curtain panels is the kitchen. This is more for the look I wanted than anything else. I have these installed at the top of the window, because I love looking out the bottom of the window when I am working in the kitchen.
On all the other windows in my house I have blinds. About the only time these are closed is when the sun is shining in and it is too bright. Other than that, even my blinds stay open most of the time.
Some of my kids friends feel nervous when they spend the night in the country. They always feel more secure when the blinds are closed at night.
When I am in my house with the blinds closed, it has the opposite effect on me, and I feel too closed in.
When my cousin had a french door installed in his living room, he knew that he wanted something sheer to go over it. The whole point of having a french door was to let more light in the room, so he didn't want to negate that by covering it with a thick curtain. Still, he wanted a little bit of privacy and to keep as much heat inside as possible.
So, he got a very sheer french door curtain panel that covered the entire door. This is the kind that goes across a rod on both top and bottom. When he wants to let daylight in, he just scoots the curtain across to the side.
At night, he pulls it back in place. The curtain is very well secured, so it doesn't flap around when the heat blows through the nearby vent.
My sister's house has a sliding glass door in the dining room leading to the porch. In the summertime, she left it uncovered, but once cold temperatures arrived, she knew she needed curtains.
Looking out to the bare trees and gray skies just made it seem so much colder in the house. I'm sure that some heat was escaping around it.
She got the thickest door panel that she could find. She chose burgundy to match the décor, and it made the room seem more elegant.
It sure felt a lot warmer in the room after she put up that curtain. Some of it may have been just mental, but I know that conserving even a small amount of heat makes a difference.
@cloudel – I wouldn't feel secure with even slightly sheer door panel curtains. I have some very nosy neighbors, and we have also had problems with peeping toms in the area, so I want my curtains to be ultra thick.
I only use heavyweight curtains on all the windows and doors that lead to the outdoors. They are also made of very dark fabric. I feel a lot safer knowing that no one can spy on me.
I do have sheer curtains on the door between the kitchen and the living room, but that is just for looks. They are light green to match the walls, and they just add a pretty touch to the room.
My parents had to find curtains for the door window panels when we moved into our new home. The front door had an oval window, and there were two long, narrow windows off to either side of the door. These had their own separate wooden frames.
My mother decided on semi-sheer white curtains for the whole area. They were thick enough to keep people outside from looking in, but if we stood close enough to the curtains, we could see shapes and shadows outside without pulling them back.
She found some door panel curtains that fit the narrow panels perfectly. They are strung across tiny curtain rods.
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