Turn Old Blinds Into Privacy Shades For Your Glass Door With A Clever DIY

Blinds are a popular type of window treatment. Take mini blinds, for example. Their versatility, ease of use, and affordable price make them an easy choice. Granted, with their typical minimalist design these may not be the most aesthetically magnificent window coverings, but that simplicity is what allows them to easily blend with various interior design styles. However, once mini blinds start looking worn or outdated, it's tempting to replace them. Not so fast. With a little ingenuity you can upcycle your old mini blinds and turn them into attractive privacy shades for your glass door.

By simply adding fabric to the equation, you can turn those old affordable blinds into what look like the more expensive Roman shades. Once mounted on your glass door, the modified blind uses its lift mechanism to gather the fabric into folds when raised and lie flat when lowered. So begin by gathering all the supplies and tools you'll need for this DIY project. Grab an old mini blind that fits the size of the glass insert on your glass door and fabric of your choice. You'll also need a tape measure, scissors, a marker, fabric glue or hot glue, a safety pin, double-sided fabric tape, and an iron.

After gathering your supplies, measure the area you want the shade to cover and cut your fabric to size, allowing an additional 2 to 3 inches on each side for hemming. Now lay the fabric on a flat surface and use the double-sided fabric tape to hem all the raw edges. Fold and press the raw edges to create the hems, then apply the hem tape one fold at a time and iron again. Alternatively, if you can sew, go ahead and sew the hems for a more durable hold.

Next, fully extend the mini blind and lay it over the hemmed fabric. You can either use corded or cordless blinds but just make sure their opening and closing mechanism still work. Identify the lift cords running vertically through the slats, taking care to distinguish them from the ladder strings that hold the slats in place. At the very bottom, that cord has a button. Pull out that button and detach it by cutting off the cord (but keep the buttons safe for later use) and pull out the cord from the top. Do the same for the other center cord.

With the center cords out of the way, cut the ladder strings that are attached to the slats, remove the slats and put them aside. We'll only need a few slats, say about five (just divide the length of your fabric by 7 to 8 inches to determine the exact number you need). Now return the five slats one by one on the center cords. You'll need a safety pin tied to the end of the cord to make passing it through the slat's hole easier. Finally, reattach the buttons to each cord right below the bottom rail. Make a few knots at the end of the cord and press the buttons securely back in position. Now you're ready to put everything together.

The next step is to attach the remaining blind components to the fabric using glue. Begin by attaching the top rail to the top edge of the fabric and the bottom one to the bottom edge. If using hot glue, apply a generous amount on the rail and hold it in place on the fabric for a few seconds for proper bonding. Now space out the slats evenly on the fabric then attach them one by one to the fabric using the glue. Be careful not to glue the center cords. Once the assembly is complete and its operation has been checked, the shade can be mounted on the door. Take the two brackets that came with the mini blinds and attach them on the top section of the door. Now mount the blind in place on the brackets via the top rail. And that's it. You've made your own Roman shades that gives your glass door a more decorative appearance.

If you want to jazz things up a bit to change the style of your DIY shades, experiment with different fabric designs. For example, checked fabric like gingham will result in vintage-like shades, while animal print and greenery would be great for rustic or bohemian designs. And instead of fabric, you can also repurpose an old tablecloth or go for a shower curtain hack to create the same shades.