Sounds like you would like honeycomb shades the are very energy efficient and can be made to the sizes you need.They come in a lot of colors and some other cool options.

Insulated draperies are the way to go!
You can use the honeycomb blinds for added insulation and light control. But full length draperies (even just panels) will really help with cold air that seeps in around the sides of windows & doors. Also, fabric is a great sound absorber.
Valances really help too...but can be pricey.

You can also get them motorized and add a timer. This will let you automatically adjust for proper heat control. Especially with cellular blinds. Check out www.somfysystems.com for ideas.

Would honeycomb shades work for such a wide window and sliding door? Generally how wide can you go with horizontal shades?

Any suggestions for checking out draperies locally? We have a 4-month old so need to find something that blocks light in the morning as well as insulates from cold.

Also, are blinds or draperies coordinated across rooms or just with the room color?

V Rider
Horizontal shades generally can span about 96" or so...depending on the material used...on wide windows, you can get 2 on 1 head rail, or butt them together and cover the top with a valance. (If you are using a valance, butting the blinds together is a great option. Not only do you not have the 2 on 1 head rail up charge, it's also nice if you have a problem, the blinds are smaller if you need to send one back)

The fabrics for your draperies do not need to match but should coordinate. If you have an open plan (?) you can use the same fabric with different treatments, or do the same treatment with coordinating fabrics
Ideally, the draperies will go with your paint and all the other furnishings in the room

Hope that helps

But you can have completely different colors in different rooms!
:-)

First, I would check out the glass in the sliding doors and if they are not safety glass. It would be worth it to have the glass replaced. Over the years, I personally know of two cases of fatalities from walking through a sliding glass door. One was an adult and one was a child. Safety above all. Decals at eye level have also been recommended with the safety glass. As far as window treatments, I like the idea of long panels on either side of the doors. If you are going to open the doors frequently, I can't picture how any type of shade or blind would work. Please be safe!!

Good point. Both these rooms have the original single pane window/sliding doors that I'll have to replace some time in the future. My son won't be walking for the next few months, but we'll add in safety measures.
By panels, do you mean something like this? http://www.levolor.com/products/panel-track/gallery.php
How efficient are they in terms of insulation and light control?

Those are vertical blinds...
When I say panels, I mean draperies. A rod across the top with Fabric on either side of the window or door, that do not close to cover the window or door. These would soften your angles and provide insulation, particularly if you go with an insulating lining. If you need light control or privacy, you would put blinds under the panels...or you would buy draperies that were wide enough to cover the window or door.
Vertical blinds are good for light control but I personally do not like them. They are cold in feel and do not help with insulation. They may be less money but in the long run they aren't worth it. I make custom window treatments for a living, and I'm replacing them with draperies all the time. They are not a homey look, more of a rental/condo thing where I live

thiamom - My only issue with draperies is that they look very traditional/classic which we don't really like. Our kitchen and living room is more contemporary/transitional so can we achieve a matching look with draperies?

janiehburton - My previous post was actually in response to your suggestion. Do you mean draperies when you say long panels?

There are two products that come to mind Hunter Douglas Sillouettes or Adowrap both are a vertical application and will give you some insulation and complete privacy on such a large opening. Check Gator Blinds and Shutters. Com for these and many more ideas

Yes, when I say panels, I'm referring to long pieces of fabric which would be lined in white or off white. They could be insulated or blackout for complete nighttime privacy. I'm picturing the panels being open during the daylight hours. You could have a valence along with the panels, but the window rods now are so attractive, I would just do the straight panels on either side of the door with really nice hardware.

I think fabric choice would be the key element as to the contemporary/transitional style that you prefer. There are many beautiful fabrics with geometric prints such as an Ikat or trellis design for example. The pattern can be very subtle and monochromatic with your wall color choice. Or you could pick a plain fabric such as linen or silk in a solid shade to blend with your wall color. Just ideas!

Draperies, Curtains, Panels, Shades, Blinds etc. - it was just driving me nuts. But I think I finally understand the terminology now: Drapery=Curtains=Panels.

My window is 118" by 58" which seems to be an unusual size, so, can I order these panels online/in-store or would they have to be custom made? Which B&M stores would you recommend for shopping draperies? I've only shopped curtains at Pottery Barn. It was expensive but definitely great quality.