I feel the same way, and have my eyes on these really pretty blinds I saw at Calico Corners but they're pricey. I don't even know the name of them, but basically they're a higher end blind with sheers over them so when the blinds are closed they look like drapes and when the blinds are open (but not drawn back away from the window), they have sheer material in between them. That material allows you to look out, but not the other way around, even at night. They have a really elegant look to them, I've seen something similar at other stores too like Home Depot & Lowes, but like I said, they are a bit pricey. Sorry I don't know the name, but maybe someone else that reads this will know what I'm talking about and have a name for them.

lukkiirish - would those be something like a silhouette? Sheers but with material between that you control the light/coverage with? I should also mention that these would be in my family room, which is far from elegant! :) I just hope to find something between elegant and my plastic vertical blinds. I don't have a Calico Corner near me but I will have to pop into Lowe's and Home Depot to check these out. Thanks for the tip!

I had vertical blinds as well over my sliders. I wanted something else. I ordered thermal drapes on clearance from JC Penney. I figured if I didn't like them, I could take them to my local store and return them for free. They are gold in color and compliment my wall color. They are hung with clip rings on a rod that extends past the window to allow room for them to rest along each side of the window. I got the rod at Big Lots. After they arrived, I held them up and loved them. So the vertical blinds came down and the drapes went up. If you go this route, order them very roomy in width so they are easy to close at night and cover the entire slider. Mine are washable too. I've had them for about 5 months now. I have 3 children and 2 pets that go in and out the door and they still look great and I haven't had to wash them yet. I'm so glad I made the change!
(Sorry - no pictures!)

Do you really even need a window treatment? We have semi-sheer panels in the bedrooms, but none in the main rooms. We've got two big sliders in a house that already has a lot of floor-to-ceiling glass. But we're got a lot of privacy and trees.

I have two sliders, originally with vertical blinds, which I hate. Yes, they provide privacy and some light control, but I just hate how they look. I've replaced them both with plain ivory panels from Pottery Barn. They work for privacy if not for light control, which doesn't matter to me, since I can never have enough light, including the early variety in my bedroom. I have those C-shaped tieback things on either side to sweep them out of the way during the day or when I've got cats/people traipsing in and out.

Here are a couple of solutions: Bali soft vertical blinds and Luminette Privacy Sheets

With toddlers, I'd keep the verticals. I have double (sheer and light filtering) Romans on my slider, the cords are a pain and they would be dangerous with toddlers. I'm going to get hanger bolts tomorrow to use on some cabinet knobs, screw them into the walls to use as cleats but I wouldn't trust that solution with little ones.

I have the Luminettes on my sliding glass doors to the patio. Check out the link attached.

Here is a link that might be useful: Luminettes

I have used a layer of sheers and a heavier drape on double traverse rods in contemporary, casual and traditional applications. I usually mount them so they pull completely back to the trim around the slider. Sometimes to one side, sometimes a split draw (to each side).

Have you seen these from JCPenneys? If I still had sliders I'd have the ones on the right.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sliding Panels

I bought cream colored cotton duck tab top panels, 3 per window for fullness, and hung them on a heavy-ish rod. We've got 2 sliders in our family room that lead to the deck, and I needed light filtering (plus night time privacy).

I liked that they were simple to take down & launder when needed...and with dogs, they needed it frequently.

I really like the look of Luminettes, but I think they might be too attractive to my cats, especially since the cats like to look out the patio door at all hours.

What I actually have is Gila heat-blocking film (windows face west) and pinch-pleat draperies. The draperies are a standard pair (drawing to both sides), not a one-way-draw patio panel, even though the sliding door slides from only one end - PO liked symmetry, but not enough to install French doors instead. There is a cornice that was built wide enough for them to stack outside the windows, but the traverse rod isn't as wide as the cornice would allow.

I have the sliding panels that Justa posted above from Penneys. I'm not happy with them. They proceeded to stretch out and since they now drag on the floor I am going to have to looks at folding the bottoms up and gluing them...not sure if I can get an even hem since each panel stretched a different amount. I like the look, but wouldn't use them again. They also do not provide privacy, but that could probably be variable dependent on the type of natural material used.

twingirlsmom - sorry for the delay in responding to your question, but yes, that is what they are like. I hope you have luck finding something at HD & Lowes. I think I'll try to find time to run in there and at least see what brand they are, they were soooo purdy!

wow, thank you all for the great ideas. I like the look of the Luminettes. I also like the look of the sliding panels from Penneys but certainly don't want to deal with the issues that wigardenerwannabe mentioned (thanks for that info). I had thought about doing draperies in the past but wondered if that might look too formal for my family room? Or am I incorrent to assume that draperies only belong in a more formal room (or at least the kind that have a drape and a sheer)? I really just wish I could afford to have someone come in and make all these choices for me since I just don't seem to have a knack for this!

Oh my gosh, wgwb. I had no clue they'd stretch. That's good to know. I do love the look, but that makes them entirely undesirable!
Before we moved here and have only french doors I thought about using the track from verticals and adding fabric with mini grommits in it to attach to where the slats once attached. One of these days I might try that to use as a room divider in the basement with an old set of verticals I still have.

thought about doing draperies in the past but wondered if that might look too formal for my family room? Or am I incorrent to assume that draperies only belong in a more formal room (or at least the kind that have a drape and a sheer)?

Some kinds of draperies are certainly formal - most velvet or satin, and some "constructions" that involve multiple swags, pelmets, etc. - but others are not. Straight panels with grommets or a rod pocket are more casual, and clip rings are intermediate, I'd say, depending partly on the metal or wood finish. For example, a wooden pole and rings would feel less formal than antique gold or bronze.

I am currently dealing with this problem. Since we moved in 3 years ago, I have had a blanket over my bedroom slider. We need darkening and energy saving(thermal) as we live in Northern IL. I am looking at JCP Majestic which comes as a pair of drapes or a patio draw. I am wondering how the pair of drapes would look over the slider. We do not go out the door a lot, except to hot tub, but often open it. Also, has anyone tried the ring clips? The Majestic patio says to use a one way traverse rod, but I like the idea of clip rings. Thanks

I had luminettes in my prior home. They were okay but one of them came unattached from the top thing and it was a pain to reattach. Like verticals, they are made of plastic so someone (2 DS's probably or dog) must have pulled them at one time or another.

I know have sliding panels, unsure of maker but not JCP's. They are in the basement and have a bamboo look to them which we love. They are easy as they open like curtains and so you open in the morning and then close at night for privacy. Oh, and yes, they are going to be pricier than verticals. We have a 3 panel slider so this worked great for us because the door that opened was the center one.

Good luck!