There are two main reasons to decorate a window with a balcony door. Firstly, you need to close it from views from the street, and secondly, this is required by the design of the room. Designing an exit to a balcony is much more difficult than a regular window, since it has an asymmetrical design consisting of two levels: a balcony door and a window opening. The difficulty is that the door must open freely, and curtains can be an obstacle to this. Let's consider how to solve the problem and make using the balcony comfortable.
Features of choosing curtains for a loggia
Nuances of selecting curtains for open and closed loggias:
- For balconies located on the south side, it is better to choose products made from denser materials that provide good protection from the sun, such as blackout.
- Windows with a northern orientation can be decorated with curtains made of light fabric.
- More dust accumulates in this room, so you should not choose double-layer and too fluffy curtains.
- It is advisable to decorate a small balcony in an apartment with simple and laconic models and abandon thick curtains and lambrequins.
- For an open loggia, curtains or classic curtains made of simple fabrics, without unnecessary draperies and folds, are suitable.
Functional purpose of drapery for balcony windows
Often, a balcony functions as additional space for storing kitchen utensils, or a bicycle or scooter. In this small room, clothes are often dried after washing, and boxes with vegetables and fruits are placed. Therefore, it is advisable to protect the balcony from direct sunlight.
Another important rule: at night, the balcony windows should be closed from prying eyes. Most apartment owners necessarily glaze their balconies and provide lighting inside these rooms.
What types of curtains are best to choose for a balcony?
Curtains should not only be in harmony with the various elements of the loggia’s interior, but also correspond to the characteristics of this room.
Curtains (tulle, veil, organza)
They perfectly allow air and sunlight to pass through, they do not weigh down the balcony space and develop beautifully when the wind blows, thereby creating a feeling of spaciousness and lightness.
The photo shows the interior of the balcony and weightless white curtains on the windows.
Roman curtains
When raised, Roman fabrics create graceful draperies. In the lowered position, they fit snugly against the window and occupy a minimum of balcony space.
The photo shows a balcony with windows decorated with Roman blinds.
Roller blinds
Roller blinds with varying degrees of light transmission not only perfectly protect the loggia from the scorching rays of the sun, but also radically change the design of the room and give it a very stylish look.
The photo shows light roller blinds on the windows in the balcony room.
Blinds
Blinds as part of the decor of a balcony door
The most modern and convenient type of protection from the bright sun today are blinds. They provide not only an original and stylish environment, but also greatly facilitate the use of doors and windows. Just pull the string and the blinds will rise up or move to the side to the level you need. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about fabric curtains. After all, in order to move them, you need not only to put effort into each one, but also to make sure that when open they look neat and presentable. There are many types of blinds, which differ from each other not only in color and model, but also in the arrangement of the strips in space and the way they are folded. So, most often there are either horizontal or vertical blinds. Both of these types are characterized by increased resistance to wind and drafts. Blinds, in which the stripes are located horizontally, are adjacent to the balcony door and no wind can knock them down. But the vertical ones have a small weight attached to the end of each strip, which prevents them from swaying too much in the wind.
A more original type of blinds are wooden or bamboo curtains. They are a non-standard and very practical solution for decorating a balcony door.
Dimensions
There are two main lengths of curtain structures.
Short
Shortened options are the most convenient and practical. They are especially relevant in small balcony spaces where you need to save space.
Long
Such floor-length canvases create a more complete design and unique comfort, and are suitable for a loggia combined with a room.
The photo shows long pink curtains in the interior of the balcony.
Curtains that are additionally attached with Velcro
They are very easy to fix at the bottom of the window frame. Often such curtains are selected exclusively to fit the size of the window, and not to fit the floor. Due to the savings in material, they are much cheaper than standard options. When thinking about where to buy balcony curtains, you should consider the option of sewing curtains according to individual parameters.
Color palette
It is the main basis in creating a certain mood in a room.
- White. White curtains look aristocratic. This versatile option goes well with any palette and all shades.
- Beige. This pastel color creates a soft and calm environment.
- Green. Products in pistachio shades bring liveliness and vigor to the loggia room, but at the same time create a warm and soothing atmosphere.
Preferred Materials
Housewives want curtains to be as practical as possible. That is, so that no special effort is required when washing or cleaning.
The modern window curtain industry suggests paying attention to the following materials:
- moisture-resistant fabric/polymers with special impregnation (usually used for the manufacture of roller blinds, Roman shades, blinds);
- cotton and linen, despite all the contradictions (they collect dust, stains are difficult to wash off, and quickly fade in the sun), are the most common and sought-after natural materials for sewing kitchen curtains;
- modal - an artificial fabric similar to natural silk or velvet, does not wrinkle, does not shrink after washing, has excellent hygroscopic properties, is often found on sale with the addition of cotton (it makes the material cheaper in price);
- bamboo, or bamboo viscose - has tensile strength, lasts a long time, does not accumulate static electricity and dust, the more expensive the cost, the fewer chemicals are used in production, which means the fabric is highly environmentally friendly and hypoallergenic;
- acetate or “artificial silk” - it is better not to use without special impregnations. Among the advantages, it is worth noting the ease of draping, ease of cleaning from dirt, wrinkle-free structure, and a pleasant shiny texture. Disadvantage - it is highly electrified (can be removed using special impregnations).
The worst material for kitchen curtains is silk. Yes, it looks great, drapes amazingly, but is very difficult to care for.
Design and drawings
Various designs allow you to create a unified composition in the room and save it from lifelessness.
- Flowers and vegetation. They enliven the balcony space and create a special mood in it.
- Monograms. Curtains decorated with monograms create an elegant and pompous interior.
- Geometry. Original geometric designs in the form of stripes, circles, diamonds or squares give the loggia an unusual and memorable look.
Ideas in different styles
Even balcony spaces have their own stylistic directions.
- Provence. It is better to decorate a balcony decorated in Provence style with light linen curtains; such a composition will look very elegant and will turn the loggia into a real paradise.
- Modern. In this style, simpler and straighter models are appropriate. Solar roller blinds or wooden blinds will perfectly highlight a fashionable and stylish interior.
- Classical. Here they choose models that combine functionality and aesthetics and at the same time maintain warmth and comfort in the space.
Recommendations from professionals
Don't be afraid of different combinations and experiments. The combination of materials that differ in texture, as well as curtains that are completely different in appearance, looks very interesting in kitchens where there is a balcony door. After all, thanks to asymmetry, there can be no limit to imagination.
When choosing curtains with different patterns, you must stick to one color scheme, which should include no more than three colors. Otherwise the room will be very colorful and inspiring.
If you want to organize your space in an interesting and unusual way, play with colors. Choose plain fabrics or fabrics with a pattern, thanks to which the design will look especially original.
If fabrics have different textures, you should choose them so that the shade is approximately the same. This will allow the color contrast of the selected fabrics not to be distracting.
If you prefer straight curtains and generally sort everything, choose curtains of the same length and appropriate style. So, when closed, they will add symmetry to the window opening, even if you choose some options for new curtains for the kitchen with a balcony door.
Photos for non-standard types of windows and balcony shapes
Several varieties of window openings and loggias of unusual shapes:
- Sliding windows. Classic horizontal slats or roller blinds with a ceiling profile would be appropriate here.
- Panoramic glazing. Roller blinds or blinds with fastening directly to the balcony frame will emphasize the delightful feeling of space and freedom on the loggia with panoramic windows.
- Angular. Curtains should focus attention on the unusual silhouette of the balcony and give it even more sophistication.
- Semi-gr. Translucent curtains will gracefully emphasize the semicircular shape and will not spoil the view from the loggia.
Roller or roller blinds
The products have a laconic, neat appearance. In combination with a convenient folding and unfolding mechanism, they make them a favorite type of curtains for a loggia or balcony. They are a textile fabric that is wound on a roller attached to the top of the window. Can be mounted on a window profile, on a sash or on a wall. Roller blinds have several options:
- The canvas is attached only at the top, while the bottom and sides are not fastened and hang freely.
- The canvas is fixed at the top, and movement up and down occurs along vertical guides. They are called cassette roller blinds.
If the sash has a ventilation mode, then it is recommended to install the second option on such a window. It tightly fixes the fabric when unfolded. In addition, when the window is open, roller blinds are silent, because they do not sway from the wind.
There are two types of lowering mechanism:
- manual using a control chain;
- electric, controlled from a remote control.
Rolled structures use dense fabric impregnated with moisture- and dust-reflecting compounds. The canvases are easy to care for - just wipe them with a damp cloth while unfolded. When assembled, the roll is practically invisible and does not clutter the window profile, but slightly reduces the opening angle of the window.
They are made from various materials, in any color scheme. You can choose a roller blind to suit any interior.
Options for attaching to the cornice
Various types of fastenings allow you to create even more thoughtful curtain designs.
- Velcro. When the windows on the balcony are too large to reach the ceiling and there is no space left to install a curtain rod, Velcro curtains that can be hung without drilling would be an excellent option.
- On hooks. They are universal fasteners that are quite convenient and easy to use.
- Braid. Gives curtains beautiful and lush vertical folds and allows you to model their shape.
