What Curtain for a French Door? The Guide

What sets a French door apart from a patio window

A French door swings open, inward or outward, and stays a passage you walk through. A sliding patio window, by contrast, slides sideways. So the constraint is not the same: on a French door, the curtain must clear the swinging leaf and not block the passage. For a sliding bay, see instead the custom curtains range sized for large openings.

Hang the curtain on the wall, with an overhang on the opening side

The basic rule: fix the rod to the wall, well above the frame, with an overhang on each side. On the side where the leaf opens inward, allow a wider overhang: with the curtain open, the panel tucks away from the door and frees the swing. Enough projection from the wall also keeps the fabric off the door as it opens. Hung this way, the French door is dressed without ever blocking the opening.

The right length: skim the floor

On a French door, the curtain drops to the floor and skims it, without trailing. Fabric that rests on the floor gets in the way of the passage, soils and wears underfoot. Conversely, a curtain that is too short cuts the height of the door. The floor-skimming drop is the right compromise: it dresses the full height without cluttering the threshold. To take the right measurement, see the measuring guide.

One or two panels depending on the traffic

The number of panels depends on use. On a French door you open often, a single wide panel, pulled fully to one side, frees the passage in one move. On a little-used or decorative French door, two symmetrical panels frame the opening nicely. Either way, a dense, well-hung curtain insulates against the cold coming through the door.

Mistakes to avoid

Do not fix the rod flush with the frame with no overhang: the open curtain still hides the door. Do not forget the side where the leaf opens, or the panel blocks the swing. Do not let the fabric trail on the floor in a passage. Avoid too short a projection from the wall, which presses the curtain against the door. And keep the handle reachable once the curtain is up.

The curtain sized from the start: custom

A French door is handled through the measurements: a calculated overhang on the opening side and a floor-skimming height are enough to dress it without getting in the way. Kurtens makes curtains custom to the exact centimetre, in a range of colors and fabrics, delivered ready to hang, sized for your French door and its swing direction. You give your measurements, the curtain arrives at the right size. See the Kurtens custom curtains.

Frequently asked questions

What curtain for a French door?

A curtain hung on the wall, above and around the opening, with a generous overhang on the side where the leaf opens, and a length that skims the floor. A single panel pulled to one side frees the passage on a door you open often.

What length of curtain for a French door?

A length that skims the floor, without trailing. The fabric must not rest on the floor in a passage, where it soils and gets in the way. Measure from the top of the rod to the floor and subtract the small skimming gap.

One or two curtains for a French door?

A single wide panel suits a French door you open often: you pull it fully to one side to clear the passage. Two symmetrical panels dress a little-used or decorative French door better.

How do you avoid blocking the door's swing?

Hang the rod on the wall with a wide overhang on the side the leaf opens, and enough projection so the fabric does not rub the door. With the curtain open, the panel tucks clear of the opening and the leaf moves freely.

Does a curtain for a French door insulate against cold?

Yes, if it is dense and well hung. The French door is a thermal weak point: a heavy curtain dropping to the floor forms a barrier that limits the cold coming in through the door, especially in winter.

A French door is handled through the overhang and the wall hanging. For a curtain sized to your opening and its swing, have it made as Kurtens custom curtains, delivered ready to hang.