PowerView® Automation
Program your window treatments so that they adjust themselves automatically, creating the perfect room ambiance morning, noon and night.
Sheer Shades
Learn more about Hunter Douglas custom window sheers, including our shadings and privacy sheers. Innovative, light-diffusing sheers. Your trusted source for window treatments.
Cellular Shades
Cellular honeycomb shades from Hunter Douglas. An energy-efficient design that traps air in distinct pockets to help keep your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Roman Shades
Custom-made fabric Roman Shades by Hunter Douglas, combining the look of soft folds with the ease and convenience of a shade. Custom-crafted.
Roller Shades
The Hunter Douglas roller shades & solar screen shades collections offer excellent light control and a clean, stylish look in a range of fabrics and materials.
Woven Shades
For a warm, natural look our Hunter Douglas Woven Wood Shades collection of window treatments transforms sunlight into captivating design statements. Choose yours today.
Vertical Shades
Find the right custom vertical shades for any room in your home. Search our most popular window shades.
Wood Blinds
From controlling light to their stylish, sleek look, wood blinds have been a favorite among homeowners for decades.
Metal Blinds
Find the perfect metal blinds for any room in your home. From controlling light to their stylish, sleek look, metal blinds have been a favorite among homeowners.
Vertical Blinds
Discover Hunter Douglas customized vertical blinds featuring elegant styling and translucency in a large selection of colors, treatments, and textures. Lifetime guarantee.
Shutters
Hunter Douglas custom window shutters provide superior light control and privacy with classic styles, long-lasting finishes, and exceptional craftsmanship.
Drapery
Choose from timeless and on-trend fabrics, including lofty textures and alluring jacquards, artisanal embroideries and luminous sheers.
Light Enhancing
Enjoy the beauty of natural light and make any space more captivating, with the following light-enhancing shades.
Room Darkening
Want a darker room for better sleep or optimal movie binging? These shades and drapes help block light at the window.
Energy Efficient
Live comfortably and save energy with these shades. Designer to keep a room warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Door Coverings
Manage natural light and add privacy with these window treatments that work well for sliding-glass and patio doors.
Sound Absorption
Create a quieter, more relaxing room with these window treatments, which help absorb sound, reducing exterior noise.
Top-Down Bottom-Up
For privacy and natural light, position shades from the top, bottom or both. These shades have this feature available.
Cornices
We offer window treatments for any business or commercial setting.
Custom Bedding
We create one-of-a-kind custom bedding designs.
Drapery & Valances
Add the perfect finishing touch to your windows.
Drapery Hardware
Choose from a wide selection of styles.
Fabrics
Choose from our large selection of fabric colors, patterns and textures.
Window Top Treatments
Add color and softness to your window with top treatments.
Wallpaper
We offer a wide variety of beautiful wallpaper designs.
After-Hours & In-Home Consultations
Our schedule is flexible, and we can come to your home for a consultation.
Blind and Shade Repairs
We offer quick and professional repairs for your blinds and shades.
Free Estimates
Get a free estimate for your next decorating project.
Interior Design Consultations
We can help you create your dream interior.
About Us
The Designing Windows experience begins with with a visit to our cozy cottage showroom, where you'll be greeted by one of our friendly staff members to show you all of the many window treatment options available.
Selbyville, DE
There is no better place to start when improving your home than with the collection of Hunter Douglas window treatments that we carry here at Designing Windows.
Dagsboro, DE
We like to say that when you work with Designing Windows you aren’t just shopping, you’re having an experience.
Ocean View, DE
At Designing Windows Inc, we believe that finding a new window treatment should be an experience.
Rehoboth Beach, DE
When you think of creating an ambiance or an atmosphere in your home, you may think of paint colors, features, furniture, or other home décor.
Chincoteague, VA
At Designing Windows, we only carry window treatments from companies we trust, such as Hunter Douglas.
Ocean Pines, MD
From the moment you give us a call or step through the door of our showroom, the team at Designing Windows Inc strives to provide you with an unparalleled window treatment buying experience.
Fenwick Island, DE
Here at Designing Windows, we take pride in showing our customers why so many folks return to us again and again for all their window treatment needs.
Bethany Beach, DE
Choosing custom window treatments shouldn’t be difficult.
Lewes, DE
Take your interiors to the next level today with Hunter Douglas window treatments and PowerView® Automation from our experienced team at Designing Windows near Lewes, DE.
Millsboro, DE
We are excited to provide you with motorized window coverings, free estimates, and window covering measuring and installation by Designing Windows near Millsboro, DE.
Blinds & Shades by Room
Bathroom Bedroom Home Office Kitchen Living Room Media Room Nursery & Kids RoomBlinds & Shades by Window Shape
Angled Windows Arched Windows Bay, Bow, Corner Windows French Doors Sidelights Sliding Glass Doors Skylights Large Windows Panel-Track Blinds Picture WindowsBlinds & Shades by Function
Automated Blackout Energy Efficient Light Filtering Child and Pet-Friendly Cordless Energy-Efficient ShadesAll Design Ideas
See current and past decorating ideas from our 'Fresh Ideas' Newsletter.
Bathroom
See window covering solutions for privacy and moisture-resistance.
Bedroom
See window covering solutions for privacy and room darkening.
Home Office
See window covering solutions for light filtering and glare control.
Kitchen
See window covering solutions for a variety of needs and kitchen styles.
Living Room
See window covering solutions for light filtering and UV protection.
Media Room
See room darkening window treatments for your media room.
Nursery & Kids Room
See child-safe window coverings for baby nurseries and kids rooms
Angled Windows
See blinds and shades for angled, sloped, and triangle-shaped windows.
Arched Windows
See blinds and shades for arched, half-circle or half-moon windows.
Bay, Bow, Corner Windows
See blinds and shades for bay, bow and corner windows.
French Doors
See shutters, blinds and shades for French Doors.
Sidelights
See blinds and shades for sidelight windows.
Sliding Glass Doors
See blinds and shades for patio and sliding-glass doors.
Skylights
See blinds and shades specifically suited for skylights.
Automated
See all options for automated blinds and shades.
Blackout
See our options for blinds and shades that best control light.
Energy Efficient
See blinds and shades that help save energy at the window.
Light Filtering
See blinds and shades for light filtering and UV protection.
Child and Pet-Friendly
See blinds and shades that are safer for children and pets.
Hunter Douglas Products
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Inspiration & Solutions
Interior Design Ideas
Blinds & Shades by Room
Blinds & Shades by Window Shape
Blinds & Shades by Function
A Guide to Choosing Blinds for Your Sidelights
Those slender glass panels beside your front door in your mudroom or entryway are called sidelights. While architecturally appealing, they present a decorative conundrum. Leave them bare, and they look unfinished. Cover them completely, and you block out all that bonus natural light. The solution? Window blinds custom-fitted for sidelights!
At Designing Windows in Ocean City, Maryland, we offer the full collection of Hunter Douglas window treatments with options perfect for sidelights. Read on to learn more about these interesting windows and how we can help you cover them!
Sidelights 101
Maybe you're scratching your head over the term "sidelight." Sidelights are the tall, narrow glass windows that flank either side of a front entry door. Their slender panels allow extra rays of natural light to brighten up your entryway and foyer areas. While sidelights first emerged during the Georgian era as a way to provide light for arriving horse-drawn buggies, their purpose has evolved.
Today, sidelights are all about boosting curb appeal with architectural interest. These vertical glass accents lend an elegant, upscale aesthetic to your entry and can vary somewhat in size and proportions. Still, they remain a staple embellishment in many traditional and modern entry door designs. Despite their delightful style boost, these slim windows pose a decorative dilemma when it comes to adequately dressing them.
The Struggle to Dress Sidelights
Decorating sidelights in a stylish but functional way proves tricky. Naked sidelights feel incomplete and unfinished, but concealing them entirely eliminates their architectural interest and that bonus daylight streaming in. It would help to have a sidelight covering that lets you control light and visibility as desired—not an all-or-nothing approach.
Front Door Sidelight Blinds and Shades Add Aesthetic Appeal
Covering your sidelights with unique sheer shades is an excellent middle ground between a traditional horizontal blind and options like drapery or sheers. These window coverings combine opaque vanes like blinds with sheer panels to diffuse light and provide privacy so that you can customize the coverage of your sidelights when you need it.
Silhouette® Sheer Shades from Hunter Douglas are a horizontal sheer shade made with two panels that sandwich the opaque vanes. Perfect for a variety of window sizes, including sidelights, this unique window treatment allows you to enjoy the best of worlds with your window treatments.
However, for the vertical orientation and narrow shape of sidelights, custom-fit Hunter Douglas Luminette® Sheer Panels for sidelights ensure smooth operation and an impeccably tailored look. Avoid bumpy rotations, stuck slats, and gaps with these vertical sheer shades!
Choosing Blinds for Front Door Side Windows
Window blinds offer a happy medium for sidelight windows. Their tilting slats allow you to adjust light levels from bright to fully dimmed with a simple wand turn. With the twist of a wrist, you can go full sunbeam or full privacy. Blinds also enable easy visibility control—slats can open up entirely for an unobstructed view or close completely for seclusion.
When choosing sidelight blinds, you've got options to ponder. Horizontal or vertical blind orientation? Solid sleekness or airy sheers? Crisp whites or bold pops of color? Our vote goes to Modern Precious Metals® Mini Blinds with over 70 deluxe finishes. These chic aluminum blinds offer easy upkeep and seamless privacy adjustment with the simple twist of a wand.
Blinds for Sidelights in Coastal Maryland & Delaware
Calling all Ocean City and Salisbury, Maryland residents, as well as those residing in Fenwick Island, Dagsboro, Bethany Beach, Ocean View, Rehoboth, Lewes, Delaware, and Southern Virginia locales. The Designing Windows team specializes in outfitting sidelights with impeccable blind solutions.
Our seasoned design pros will collaborate with you to hand-select the perfect blinds to dress your sidelights in style. Dial (410) 524-8909 to schedule your free design consultation or request an appointment online. Our team is ready to take those sidelights from drab to dramatic with customized blind installations.