How would you sort out this window/door configuration WRT curtains/blinds?

[Soonish]

We have an awkward French door/window situation in our kitchen.

The entire frame seems to be UPVC (not my choice - we just moved in) and I can't figure out a way to attach a curtain rail, or blinds - thought about venetian ones but they would sort of hang down a long way, and be heavy to lift up so we could open the door.

The ones you get that attach to the window itself look great but are out of budget. Though I may have to cave in at some point.

Any ideas at all? Would you have long curtains going across the whole bay, in a kitchen - concerned about fire risk as well as getting muddy etc.

If it's double-glazed I wouldn't have a curtain at all, unless it's really overlooked by neighbours.

I thought of that (don't think they did before us) but at night my children won't go in the kitchen unless there is a curtain or something, as it's pretty dark outside and it freaks them out. It freaks me out too tbh!

Not overlooked as such but there's a public space out the back which anyone can go into and see the back of our house. So really just so I know no one is standing out there staring in while I can't see them

I'm personally not a fan, but what about vertical blinds in the appropriate lengths?

Sorry, have to run out so this may not be entirely appropriate, but I know there are poles that attach to the ceiling.

I should think you could fix a slim pole to the top of the frame - you can screw lightweight things to UPVC. Then you could have a single curtain that pulls to the less-used side of your doors and is not particularly gathered, so it doesn't take up much space. For you that would be the right side. Have a small hold-back on a hook to keep it from billowing about. Just a cheap lightweight washable Ikea curtain might be OK, hem it to be well clear of the floor so it stays out of the mud.

You could put a small co-ordinating roller blind on the two side windows.

You can get Venetian Blinds that fix inside the uPVC window frame. If you open the door, the blinds go with it.

Example here: your-blinds.co.uk/blinds-for-doors/

Amazon do packs of cheap disposable pleated blinds that stick onto the glass or plastic. They last for quite a while and look OK, you just cut them to size.
Might tide you over for a year or two until you want to spend more.

Sorry, didn't see that you knew about the fitted blinds and the budget. They aren't massively pricey though. My mum had them done for the same sort of set up you've got and they were no more than £200.

How about a nice room divider in white to "blank off" the window area at night? You can get some really lovely ones, it would fold away neatly in the day, and you'd probably be able to use it elsewhere in the house too

You should be able to fix them into the ceiling. There may be wood just under the plasterboard, right up against the wall. Hope that makes sense.

Thank you so much everyone. Some fantastic ideas. I think it would cost us about 200-250 to do all of that bit in perfect fit blinds which is doable long term but not really immediately as we have other more critical expenditure - replacing walls and ceilings etc, that sort of thing!

I had no idea about the disposable blinds. I will go and look at those immediately.

Also nice idea about the room divider. I've yet to figure out where the stud work is in the kitchen but you never know, it may be possible to fit something somewhere to the wall or ceiling.

thanks again x

You could even use something like one of these, OP - it doesn't have to be actually fitted to anything, and as I say you could use it elsewhere too

www.google.co.uk/search?q=room+divider+white&client=firefox-a&hs=KdC&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&channel=sb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=p4cxVOyhEMrcaoLcgKgL&ved=0CEEQsAQ&biw=1252&bih=580

Thank you - those are really nice but I think having lots of children going in and out will make it impractical for us. I long for a more sedate life.

I've decided to go with stick on window film for the time being, I think - it will obscure the lovely view but at least we won't feel so exposed at night.

Then I will try and save for some perfect fit blinds.

Thanks for all the suggestions.