wrote:
Hi,

I am looking for some house decorating tips. Specifically, what kind of
window covering to use for our patio door that looks like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/84914799@N00/

It's a pretty typical sliding patio door. As you can see, it's in
the kitchen, and it backs out to our backyard/patio. Left to the patio
door and behind the fridge (not visible in the pic) is another door
that leads to the garage.

The patio door is eastern exposure, so I definitely want some kind of
covering because

(a) I don't want the morning hot Colorado sun beating on the fridge,
(b) For privacy.

So I'm trying to think what my options are. Vertical blinds are out
of the questions, as I hate those. Basically, I'm looking for
something that would be easy to quickly pull open and close, and that
would still allow quick and easy access to the patio door when I want
to go outside. Oh, and it's got to be something that my cats
wouldn't tear apart.

So far, the only idea that I've come up with is regular curtain rod
and curtains. I would appreciate any feedback or advice.

Thanks,
Bubba

P.S. Please let me know if there is a better newsgroup to post this to.

I don't like vertical blinds much either, so here is what I did. I got
vertical blinds (cloth) and used the same paint on them that I used on
the walls so they sort of disappear. I only painted the blinds, not
the hardware. Then I took material and hung a rod around the hardware.
I put the material over the rod on the side that does not open and
then pulled it back like a standard curtain with a pull back and let
the bottom puddle in the floor. Then took another piece of matching
fabric to create a swag that hangs all the way across the rod and
blinds hardware and finished off each end with a rosette of the cloth.


It dresses up the doors and draws your attention to the drapes instead
of the doors or the blinds. And the blinds tend to blend in to the
walls around them. Hope this gives you an idea.