Vivid Doors Bi folding doors are becoming an increasingly popular feature in modern homes. They’re excellent for adding light and space to your house. They’re perfect for entertaining in the summer but when the days get shorter and there’s less opportunity to be outside, a good set of curtains or blinds is a great idea.
Whether you’re not comfortable with the exposure of bi folding doors or want to reduce the reverb, dressing your bi folding doors correctly will allow you to get the most out of them. In this article, we’re going to look at how to do this. If you’re struggling to decide on how to dress them, hopefully this will clear things up for you.
Curtains For Bi Folding Doors
There a few things to consider about fitting curtains to your bi folding doors. The first: is there enough space? Bi folding doors are designed to take up a lot of wall space. Is there going to be enough room for you to install a curtain pole? Consider also the space that curtains will take up at the sides of the doors. Bi folding doors are not only designed to be big but to open to their full width. So if yours haven’t been installed yet and you plan to dress them, ensure there
is room. Take the stacking space of curtains into account as well. Especially if you have a ‘no-wall wall’ layout.
This is not to say that curtains aren’t doable, they certainly are, but it is important to address those factors. The next thing to consider is what their purpose is. Are you looking to keep out glare? A good set of heavy blackout curtains are useful for this especially if the doors are lo
cated in your bedroom. It is important to note that blackout curtains will be quite heavy. Make sure your curtain rail will be able to support this weight! Avoid patterns and effects too, as the weight will cause them to droop if they’re covering a large area.
If the weight of the curtains will be an issue, think about lighter fabrics. Some light muslin curtains will still reduce glare. They won’t take up as much room at the sides too. The same effect can be achieved with some light voile curtains. An added bonus of these is that they will drift in the breeze instead of settling at the sides of your external doors. Light curtains drifting in the breeze definitely contributes to a relaxed, summery aesthetic. Go for white if you’re after that stripped-back Scandinavian look. Lighter fabric such as polyester, viscose or linen will also frame the doors nicely. Go for single or double pinch pleats, these will concertina well. Lighter curtains will be easier in practice to dress up your bi folding doors. Don’t rule out the heavier options if light is your main issue. Just ensure you take all the factors into consideration.
Blinds For Bi Folding Doors
An alternative to curtains for your bi folding doors are a good set of blinds. If you have the spare room to play with, Roman blinds are worth thinking about. Roman blinds normally require at least twenty centimetres of stacking space. If that is workable, they’re a great way of reducing glare and won’t take up room at the sides. You can also compartmentalise Roman blinds. This depends heavily on the layout of your bi folding doors. Think about a set of blinds for each panel, for example.
If space is going to be an issue, look into roller blinds instead of Roman. Cordless roller blinds work really well with external bi fold doors. A good thing about these is that they come in loads of different varieties. You don’t have to avoid patterns and effects too!
Vertical panels can really complement a set of bi folding doors. You
may have to call the specialists in, but if they’ve got some that are right for you, it’s worth it. They can reduce the glare and won’t take up as much space. Be careful to avoid creating an office aesthetic though! If you go for these, ensure the tracks extend beyond the width of the doors if possible. Go for a middle parting as well to avoid one side being too blind-heavy. Be accurate with your measurements to ensure they touch the floor.
Venetian Blinds For Bi Folding Doors
Venetian Blinds are another good option. It’s a classic, timeless design and well represented in the shops. Depending on how much space you’ve got to work with and your budget, these can also be paired nicely with a pair of curtains. Useful throughout the year, if you’re looking to keep light out, some opaque Venetian blinds will do the trick. For example, if you have timber framed bi folding doors, an opaque set of wooden Venetian blinds will work nicely. A positive about Venetian blinds is that they’re well suited to everyday living. You have complete control over light filtration with Venetian blinds. However, it is important to consider their stacking space as they’re known to take up quite a lot of room.
Bi Folding Doors With Built In Blinds
One way around the space issue of blinds is to get them built into the doors, otherwise known as integral blinds. This is another alternative if you want Venetian blinds but don’t have the space. The issues that come with built-in blinds are largely their lack of personalisation and their difficulty to clean.
Built in blinds are good for thermal insulation too. However, bi folding doors are normally built with insulation in mind anyway. When it comes to dressing them, insulation should take a back seat to aesthetic. They are worth bearing in mind if you are strapped for space.
There’s a fair amount to consider when it comes to dressing your bi fold doors. Space is a large factor. Before you begin to deliberate on curtains or blinds, find out how much room you have to play with. If you know this, you can narrow your search results to expedite the process. Curtains are slightly less practical than blinds due to space. However, heavy curtains will do a better job of keeping out glare. Cost-wise, Roman blinds tend to be the cheapest option. These aren’t the most practical though, so consider what you’re sacrificing by going cost-effective.
The best thing to do in terms of dressing your bi folding doors is get in early. Ideally, you’ll think about how to dress them before they’re installed. What should inform your decision is the room it’ll be placed in and the door it is going to be paired with. Ensure you know how much space you have and what style you want. This will make life easier as you can factor in the needs of your choice when the doors are being installed whether that be making sure there’s enough room for the tracks or that they reach the floor.
