How to Save Space With Barn Doors

Lacking space in your house? If a traditional swing door would cramp your room, try barn doors instead. Barn doors pull double duty as functional doors as well as a statement piece that can open up floor space when you have a tight room. With the farmhouse trend still taking hold of home décor, it’s no wonder that barn doors are popular with home owners of all kinds. They work with all styles and can complement any home.
Barn doors are a space-saving solution that can take the place of a traditional swinging door. You can use a mounted barn door in a kitchen pantry, playroom or guest bathroom, for example, allowing you to reclaim precious wall space and square footage. Did you know that sliding barn doors can add up to 14 sq ft of floor space due to the lack of a swing door? This gives you a more flexible furniture arrangement while opening up spots for extra shelves or seating areas, for example.
Barn doors of the past were criticized for their noisy, bumpy, or unsteady opening and closing. But with new technology comes better wall-mounted sliding door hardware that allows you to open and close barn doors much more smoothly, making for a better overall experience. Just like soft-close drawers, barn doors can be installed so that they can quietly return to a fully open or closed position with a slight push of the hand.
Ways to Use Barn Doors
In addition to saving space, there are creative ways you can utilize barn doors in your home.
You can:
Conceal a Bathroom
Got a half bath? Use a barn door instead of a traditional one, which will open considerably more space.
Conceal a Pantry
Try a chalkboard barn door to hide your messy kitchen pantry. Use chalk to write down your menu for the week, calendar or events as well as notes, reminders and to-do lists. You can also use the chalkboard theme barn door in your kids’ bedroom or playroom.
Hide Laundry Detergent
You don’t need to use a full-sized barn door to get use out of it. Try a mini-barn door in the laundry room where you can use it to conceal dishwashers, washer-dryer units, trash cans, laundry detergent and supplies.
Store Stuff Behind It
Sliding barn doors allow you to add storage space to narrow hallways or entryways. Artfully hide that cluttered closet, or use it to conceal a storage space for bikes and sporting equipment.
Put a Mirror on It
Use a mirrored barn door in place of a traditional bathroom or closet door. You’ll make the room look bigger, while saving on space that you would otherwise take up with a hanging mirror.
Convert Them Into Shutters
You don’t have to leave your barn door in one piece. Instead, cut it up into many small pieces to make some beautifully crafted interior shutters. Attach hinges and decorative cutouts to make a window covering that will instantly become a conversation piece.
Showcase Your Wall Art
Barn doors can act as gallery walls where you can display your eclectic and unique artwork and photographs.
Contact Dallas Door Designs
For more inspiration on barn doors, check out our selection right here on our website. Then contact us in Dallas at 214-973-0373 to get a free estimate.