Curtain over front door? or something else?

[LedZeppelin]

Our front door is half glazed - a bit like the picture. We also have a clear glass window above the door. It's nice that they lets light in but when it's dark outside and the lights are on, everyone can see in (especially up the stairs through the window).
It's been suggested we put a door curtain over the door - do people under the age of 90 still do this? Is there anything else we could do that's a little nicer? we thought fabout getting a blind but wouldn't that look odd too? or flap about? Long term we're going to get another (porch) door put on but we need something now as I can't walk downstairs in the morning in my underwear

[herhonesty]

You could frost the windows with frosting film with a gap round the edge. Look at brume.co.uk

[Virgil]

I think most people have curtains on their doors if only for insulation don't they?

[LedZeppelin]

Thanks herhonesty, that brume stuff looks great ! Never heard of it before.

I don't know, Virgil, do they? My only memories of door curtains are from my Gran's house circa 20 years ago! I do quite like the idea of shutting them over a door at the end of a day though.

[LedZeppelin]

Ahh that brume stuff looks ideal for the window above the door, but not for the panes in the door itself since they're not smooth.

[jaynebxl]

We have a curtain over our door and I think it is great. Stops draughts from the glass and the letter box.

[fluffygal]

I don't know anyone who has a curtain over the door- it is quite old fashioned although sure it helps massively with drafts. I would do the frost film.

[jaynebxl]

Frost film doesn't stop draughts from everywhere though. And the curtain isn't old fashioned if you pick a nice one. I'd rather go for warmth than be too worried about a few people thinking a curtain might not be very trendy.

[PigletJohn]

I think most of the old people who used to have curtains over the door have pegged out by now.

You can get a special hinged, lifting curtain rod that enables you to open the door and the curtain will come with it, lifting so it doesn't drag on the floor even when you open it from outside. Called a Portiere rod. Probably £25 upwards though a fashionable shop will charge as much as you want to pay. It will only do the door though, not the window above, as it is fixed to the door and the frame.

[jaynebxl]

I saw that! PigletJohn just talked about fashionable shops selling curtain poles for doors. Yes!

[PigletJohn]

I'm sure I saw a link where someobody was looking at a painted wooden shelf for £700 yesterday

[Virgil]

Most people I know have curtains over their doors to stop draughts. I do and my house isn't grannyish honestly!! My friends do too apart from one but her house is ultra modern and she has no curtains anywhere.

[PigletJohn]

might be a regional thing

where are you?

[PessimisticMissPiggy]

I had a door curtain when I lived in a rented house with a crap wooden door. Fantastic for keeping out draughts. I'd have one again!

[Virgil]

I'm in the East Midlands but Im from further South. We have a very large hallway with windows at the side of the door and so the curtains go across the windows (which are single glazed) and across the wooden door. It's not a curtain attached to the door IYKWIM.

[wendybird77]

When we were house hunting we saw a lovely house with curtains for the doors - they were a beautiful vintage-y fabric. Very french looking. I'm considering one for our door if we ever get the house to a reasonable state of finished. I do think they suit period homes in a certain style. I'd do frosted film for the window over.

[LedZeppelin]

Ooh portiere rod! Didn't even know such things existed! I'm not sure DH would buy one of those though, they look a bit fancy for us. So maybe I got I wrong and door curtains aren't so naff after all. Where would one buy one from? My drop is almost 3m. Tight budget. Needs to be draught proof too! No idea what would look ok either!

[Piffpaffpoff]

I have curtains at my front door. Lovely big thick ones! Primarily for insulation purposes, but our door has glass panels and then there are glass panels either side of the door so it also gives us a bit more privacy.

[CaptainNancy]

We have a curtain over the front door, as it opens directly into the sitting room, and it makes it bloody freezing!

If we had a glazed door I definitely would too.

If the heating thing isn't an issue, maybe a cheap roller blind over the back would allow naked wandering?

[herewegoloubylou]

Door curtains are great for draught prevention, and mean you can have a nice period door instead of a nasty pvc one.

[F0rrest]

Sorry to resurrect an old post. We're thinking of a curtain over the door. For those who have one, does it not get in the way a bit if you're trying to open the door from the outside? Similarly, is it not difficult to close properly when you're leaving the house?

To solve those problems, we'd wondered about having our front door open outwards. Any thoughts?

[wowfudge]

Hi - with a portiere rod you won't have any problems with the curtain getting in the way. That's the whole point of them. When I bought one a good few years ago it was from a catalogue - one that sold clothes, etc.

[Palomb]

We've got a thermal curtain at our front door. It slashed our heating bills! I am nowhere near 90

[Sleepybeanbump]

Well I bought my house from an interior designer, and she had a portiere rod and a curtain over the front door. If it's a nice, say wrought iron, rod and nice curtains it will look nice.

I've seen room shots in the Laura Ashley catalogue with them I think.

[chelle792]

I have a curtain over my front door. It matches my living room curtains. There's nothing nicer than pulling those curtains at the end of the day when everyone is home - shutting the world away