French Door Light Filtering Window Treatment

Sheers

• A natural choice for French doors, sheers provide a bit of privacy but still allow light to pass through. Sheers come in nearly every color, which makes them a fail-proof choice for incorporation into existing decor. Look for printed sheers with different textural elements to provide visual interest. Or choose a brightly colored sheer to dress up a drab entryway with a jolt of fuchsia, aqua or orange.

Cafe Curtains

• Cafe curtains hang partway up a French door to allow light to pass above the curtains. Make cafe curtains yourself or look for pre-fab ones in stores. Patterns like gingham, damask and floral prints create privacy for the lower portion of the French doors. You can also pair the cafe-style curtains with a valance made of the same material or a contrasting color. For instance, a red and white gingham curtain can be topped with a solid red valance. The valance and cafe-curtain combination allows light to filter through.

Valances

• If you want to dress up your French doors but don't need to worry about privacy, consider installing a valance. You can hang one large valance to cap both doors or hang individual valances on each door, which eliminates the potential problem of the fabric catching as the doors open and close.

Other Options

• A beaded curtain adds a bit of 60s nostalgia to French doors. Look for one you can mount to the door and affix to the bottom as well as the top. Wooden, bamboo and glass beaded curtains all allow light to filter through while creating a retro ambiance. Or, look to fabric blinds such as
  Roman shades, which can be rolled up during the day to allow light to enter. Adjust the blinds throughout the day to combat different levels of light. Light-colored blinds in colors such as white, oatmeal and beige filter the natural light.