By: Natalie Elmhurst
Updated: 4/16/2025
In decorative terms, French doors are a lot like fashion’s ‘little black dress’: A time-honored look that’s versatile, classic, and adaptable to just about any setting. Even though the French door design itself dates back several centuries, these doors continue to look fresh and inviting today.
By definition, a French door is a slim, usually wooden door with glass panes extending for most of its length; the doors usually come in pairs. Originally, French doors were crafted with the idea of merging the benefits of a window—creating an open, airy feel—with the function of a doorway. Interestingly, the idea of incorporating windows into doors also addressed the 17th century problem of bringing daylight into a room for more hours, before there was electricity!
With its enduring blend of beauty and practicality, the French door never went out of style. Another plus: in interior settings, French doors can bring light into hallways and other rooms that do not have windows, while still offering the ability to close off a room when needed.
Because French doors offer the look of a paned-glass window and the function of a solid door they present a few logistical challenges. But with a little bit of know-how, they're easy to overcome:
With those guidelines in mind, here are three window treatment choices with a blend of form and function ideally suited to French doors:
Roller Shades
Cellular (Honeycomb) Shades
Wood Blinds
A final point: Motorization shades for French doors can bring a new level of functionality to your French door. Being able to tilt, raise and lower them remotely with the touch of a button is not only easier, but it eliminates any potential concern about hitting that breakable glass by moving the shade manually.
Want to learn more about smart window treatment options for French doors all through the house? Contact us today for a free design consultation.