Window Dressing Bi-Fold Doors

Bifold doors are known for the abundant amount of light they let in. This can be a fantastic feature when light is in short demand. Though you may find yourself needing to block the light on certain occasions (Mid-day movie marathons, a late summer afternoon nap, a sunday lie-in, all the important things in life).

We also believe that just practicality shouldn’t negate style! Which is why we’ve put together a few options for dressing your bifold doors – options that look cute, and allow the flexibility you need for those mid-day naps!

Dressing bi-fold doors with curtains

If you’re looking for a grand option, curtains are a great choice for bifold doors! 

The most important consideration with this option is that you fix a sturdy curtain pole – especially if you’re hanging blackout curtains, which tend to be heavier than standard fabric. It’s also important to measure the length of your bifold door to ensure you get curtains that are long enough to run the length of the door – with longer doors (3m+), you may need to take special considerations to make sure the curtains don’t sag.

We’d recommend a combination of voile curtains, and blackout curtains – to cover all bases year-round

Voile curtains

Light muslin or voile curtains are unobtrusive and can look spectacular, even if they aren’t quite as effective at excluding light and sound. In the winter, you may also opt for draught excluders to help retain heat.

Dressing bi-fold doors with blinds

Blinds are often a better choice than curtains for dressing bi-fold doors. They’re exceptionally versatile and don’t require as much consideration as curtains may! We’ve listed a few of our favourite options below:

Roman blinds

Roman blinds are designed to scoop up when not in use. They’ll need a bit of wall space above the door to be installed. Roman blinds tend to be quite heavy, making them a great option for blocking out the light when you need it. What’s more is some roman blinds can be mechanised, giving you control over your shade with the click of a button! 

Roller blinds

Roller blinds collapse into a cylinder at the top of the door, which takes up little room. We’d recommend these in fabric, rather than plastic. These are much lighter and often very easy to use. If you prefer a more natural look, wooden venetian blinds offer the same look and feel as roller blinds.

Vertical blinds

Also worth considering are vertical panel blinds. Vertical blinds function more-or-less like curtains, opening from one or both sides. While they can often look quite corporate, there are options that offer a softer look – wooden panels or a unique colour, for example.

Though we’d recommend making sure that your bifold door doesn’t interfere with these blinds when open. Often, bi-fold door panels will expand into the room when open, pushing against the blinds. In this case, the blinds will either need to be fitted further away from the door, or your door will have to be deep set in the wall.

How to Choose Your Bifold Door Dressing

There is no one ideal solution so before you decide, consider the following factors…

• If you want to save money: Go with roman blinds, they tend to be the cheapest option.
• If you want extra privacy: Any opaque option will work – though blackout curtains will be the best for this. Avoid Voile curtains, unless they’re dressed alongside blackout curtains.
• If you want more light: Go for an option that is versatile, both roman and roller blinds can cover the entire glazing, or open it entirely up.