Sliding Door Project

Our first home project of 2024 is complete! This was a big one, and we didn’t even realize how much value it adds to our home until it was finished. Our main objectives when we decided to take on this project were 1) use the space in our living room more efficiently, 2) allow more light to come into our living room, and 3) create more of a flow between our outdoor patio and our living room/kitchen. I can confidently say that the longer we live in this house, the more we want to customize and make it our own and this really feels like putting our signature on the house in our own special way. We couldn’t be happier with how it has turned out and I’ve been so anxious to show y’all the finished product!

Before vs After

Since renovating our back patio in 2021 and then getting a dog in 2023, we spend a decent amount of time either outside or in our living room with the door to the backyard open. We put a storm door on the outside to serve our needs in the meantime, but it left something to be desired and we realized over time that having two door mechanisms to maneuver was cumbersome and taking up a decent amount of space in the living room because it was perpetually open, save for at night or when we left the house. Naturally then, the time between idea formation to deciding on a contractor and design was very quick, and we had our installation scheduled for beginning of January. Our contractors were professional and transparent, and worked directly with us to solve any issue that arose during installation creatively and efficiently. It honestly looks as though it was built into the house the whole time!

Curtains or Roller Shade?

Once the door was finished, we were on a mission to find the perfect curtain or shade to cover the sliding door at night for added warmth and privacy. We ultimately had to rule out a curtain because of the lack of wall space left between the door and the window on either side, so retractable shade it was. We picked up a ton of swatches to weigh our options from the Shade Store (above) and in keeping with the aesthetic of our living room, narrowed in on either a neutral color or some shade of blue. After about a week of emailing back and forth with the representative from the Shade Store who was incredibly patient and attentive with us, we finally landed on the color Sky (top left) with a fabric valence on the top; the day of installation couldn’t come soon enough!

The Finished Product

Voila! After a quick and easy installation from the Shade Store, our beautiful roller shade and matching valence has completed our first major home project of 2024! We’ve been loving the freedom and extra light this new upgrade gives us during the day, while giving us the opportunity for privacy and peace at night time. We’ve also made up our minds that sliding glass doors will always be our preference in any future home, so having this first experience under our belts has been extremely valuable in informing the features that really are important to us.

Be on the lookout for more home projects that we’ve got on the books this year!