Adding Door Panel and Sidelight Window Treatments for Light Control and Privacy
Front and back doors with windows are great for letting in light and allowing us to see who is knocking. Door windows can lose heat in the winter and let in heat in the summer, however, and allow unwelcome visitors to look into our home. One solution to these problems is to install door panel curtains, which are gathered on small rods at the top and bottom of the door window.
Fabrics used for door panel curtains include lace, sheers, Waverly type designs, country patterns, textured cottons and loose weaves. Some people choose alternative materials such as beaded curtains for door panel coverings. There are fewer types of pre-made panels, but they are a convenient choice if you do not sew. If you do sew, a door panel is very easy to make. It is a simple rectangle of the correct size with rod pockets on the top and bottom and small hems on the sides, usually measured to one and one half fullness in the width to allow for gathering.
Doors with sidelights (narrow windows flanking the doors) pose a special challenge in terms of window treatments. This Kempler Design video present several options for sidelights:
The material you choose for covering door windows and sidelights should coordinate with the rest of your home decor. Since the door is the first thing people see in your home, it should be treated in an attractive way. Any treatment you choose should be movable enough to allow you to see out when someone is at the door.
If you favor patterned fabrics, Waverly door panels are ideal for single door window curtains or French door curtains. Hannah’s Garden Waverly Door Panels are made from an English garden style country floral print cotton fabric with a design of butterflies, dragonflies, flowers and raspberries against a natural color background. They have top and bottom 1 1/2 inch rod pockets and are available in lengths ranging from 30 to 72 inches. Door panels are also available in other Waverly prints such as the Mimi Colorful Floral Print (French blue/lavender and dusty rose/mauve patterns) and the Cianci Beige Floral Print.
