The aesthetic value of a barn door can be appreciated by anyone, regardless of whether or not they were “born and raised in a barn.” While traditionally used as the barn’s primary entrance, these doors have since found many other uses.
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Sliding doors, in comparison to swinging ones, are more space-efficient because of the way they open and close. In addition, barn doors typically include a robust wood construction with a striking stain, a decorative wood carving, or a fresh coat of paint. They are usually eye-catching enough to serve as decoration, even if your style isn’t country.
If you’re on the fence about installing a sliding barn door in your home but can see the potential benefits in the bathroom, bedroom, or shared entryway, consider the following.
The Sliding Barn Style Door: An Evergreen Design or Passing Fad?
Sliding barn doors have existed for a long time, but recently they have become somewhat “trendy.” You should think long and hard about your reasons for installing sliding interior barn doors, as with any fashion. True style devotion differs significantly from passing interest in what’s “popular” at the moment. Think to yourself, “Will I still adore these in five years?” and “Will I get my money back if I sell this house in a few years?” You’re good to go if you can see the big picture.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Sliding Barn Doors
Sliding barn style doors offer numerous benefits. These are:
- Ideal for narrower areas like corridors
- Easy DIY installation, no professional assistance needed
- Adds rustic charm to the space
However, there are a couple of drawbacks to consider. These are:
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- Require ample free wall space for smooth movement
- May obstruct views of other decorations if not adequately planned
Some Things to Think About in Advance
Before making alterations to one’s property or starting such a job, there are crucial inquiries to make. Answering these inquiries may determine if sliding barn doors are the best option for your home.
1. How functional are sliding barn doors in house?
When contemplating sliding barn doors for your home, consider both functionality and aesthetics. Traditional styles suit farmhouse or coastal settings, while modern glass barn doors complement minimalist or contemporary homes. Choose wisely for a perfect match.
2. How much personal space will you have?
There are two crucial factors to consider before deciding to install barn doors: acoustics and personal space.
Sliding barn doors allow more sound to pass through than a standard door. One should remember that a sliding barn door’s lightly sealed edge allows more outside noise than a conventional swing door.
A sliding barn door may be inconvenient if you value your privacy and want to keep out family or roommates because conveniently locking a barn door with a sliding feature is impossible. Hook and eye closures or a latch with a strike plate are good options if you plan to install the sliding barn door in the entryway to a bathroom or bedroom.
3. Do you have an appropriately sized door header?
Remember that a well-proportioned header is essential when installing your sliding barn door. A barn door’s header is a sturdy piece of wood that serves as an anchor, allowing the door’s weight to be distributed evenly and preventing the door from swaying. It’s aesthetically pleasing as well.
A header that is the right size is essential when designing the opening for the hardware. It’s simplest to construct a block-finished edge with no ornate trim, allowing the barn door to stand against a clean, contemporary cased entrance.
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Headers are essential for the stability of barn doors, weighing up to 200 pounds each. Make sure there are wall studs at each interval on your track and attach the header to them.
4. Is all of your equipment synchronised?
Matching the hardware on a barn door is more about ensuring the door operates smoothly than making it look good. Keep in mind that the door and its hardware must extend beyond the aperture; otherwise, the door won’t be able to glide past the wall base. The door must be more significant than the gap between it and the frame, plus the outer edge hardware. It’s crucial to get the hardware and pulls in sync so that the ornamental pull doesn’t get caught on the frame. Put a halt in the track to prevent crushed fingers.
Tips for Choosing the Finest Barn Doors
It’s crucial to think about things like size, style, and installation when searching for the perfect barn-type door. Read on to discuss these and other salient features of these fashionable internal doors.
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1. Embracing the Charm of Sliding Barn Doors: A Unique Alternative to Traditional Ones
Sliding barn doors aren’t like regular doors in any manner. In contrast to the hinges used by standard doors, which allow for either inward or outward opening, barn doors consist of a stationary door that is positioned on top of two metal wheels. The doors are mounted to a track that spans the top and one side of the opening. In the instance of a double farmhouse door, the door slides along a track and can open in either direction. Sliding barn doors are a great alternative to swinging doors when space is limited. They also add an attractive rustic touch to any room.
2. Shape And Size
While 84 inches in height is standard for barn doors, sizes range from 24 to 48 inches wide.
A barn door’s aperture must be slightly more significant than the door frames. Determine the correct size by measuring the door opening width from the inside and adding two to four inches to achieve a snug fit. Knowing the width of the door opening is crucial before choosing a barn door, as interior door openings can range from 24 inches to 36 inches or more.
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In addition to the required width, a barn door needs sufficient spacing adjacent to the entrance to enable the door to slide open. Check that the door has adequate clearance by measuring the wall width on either side of the gate.
3. Crafting and Components
Like traditional exterior barn doors, most modern versions are often constructed from wood. Barn doors are made of pine or alder, both readily available and inexpensive. Both types of wood have appealing grain patterns and bright colours that make them perfect for staining or painting. As a bonus, alder and pine are much lighter than heavier species like oak and maple, making them suitable for use as sliding doors. Glass, glass mirrors, aluminium, and even steel can all be used to create barn doors.
Although the traditional Z-frame panelled door is the image most people have of a barn door, many different styles are available. French-style barn doors are more elaborate, with paned windows and metal frames, whereas a contemporary barn door has frosted glass and clean lines—the sheets of steel used in industrial models.
4. Finishing
Barn doors can be found in various colours and treatments. From white barn door to brown and grey stains to complement multiple decors.You can find barn doors in their unfinished form if you’d like to paint or stain them yourself.
5. Mounting And Installation
To install a barn door, you’ll probably need a screwdriver, a cordless drill, and a hammer, although the doors usually come with instructions on how to do it. The use of a header is recommended for heavier doors.
A barn door may be purchased separately as only the door or as part of a complete system, including the rollers and the track. Double-check that the two are compatible if you buy the door and its hardware individually.
Functional Barn Door Decor Ideas
A barn door exudes rustic elegance and is a simple method to partition off and spruce up any area.
1. Hide Operational Items and Spaces Behind Barn Doors from Visitors.
Barn doors can also be used as a storage solution, providing convenient access while concealing the more utilitarian aspects of your home behind more aesthetically pleasing doors.
a. A Pantry-Like Dining Area Shelves Concealed Behind Barn Doors
The barn doors in this property conceal storage that the homeowner does not want visitors to see and are only opened when hosting a party.
These door panels, which hide a wet bar in a modern dining room, are still rustic in design, but they are constructed of more polished timber and include lovely details.
b. Discreetly Hide Appliances
What’s one of the most incredible benefits of installing a barn door in your home or office? Conceal the less attractive necessities like appliances. Disguise a laundry area behind a stunning barn door if you must have one in your kitchen. Accessing your washing machine and dryer won’t disrupt the room’s otherwise well-designed aesthetic, thanks to the sliding door.
c. Make A Special Ops Retreat
Even though barn doors won’t seem like the secret doors from your childhood fantasies, they can serve the same purpose. You may make your hidden room by installing a barn door and then watching as your guests’ mouths drop when they discover it.
d. Barn-Style Sliding Wardrobe Door
The jumble of clothes, shoes, and purses in your closet will be out of sight in the bedroom, thanks to the barn sliding doors. Barn doors on your cabinets are a great way to hide any clutter that could otherwise be on display.
e. Reduce The Size to A Miniature
Even a half-sized door might have the rustic charm of a barn. If you’re going for a farmhouse look in your kitchen or laundry room, this cute little barn door is a fantastic idea for hiding appliances like dishwashers, garbage cans, or even washing and dryer, like in this one. This barn door looks like it came from the store, but it can be made by a do-it-yourselfer in an afternoon with minimal effort and expense.
f. Forget the TV by putting it in a closet.
This cute barn door concept could solve your marital dispute over the new flat-screen TV. Sliding doors are a terrific way to transform a casual family room into an elegant living space by concealing bulky devices like a 70-inch television that nobody can stand to see.
g. To the Home Bar, through Sliding Barn Door
Barn doors are not limited to hiding utility rooms and media centres; they may also be used to hide a wet bar or a small recessed pantry. It’s a door and a decorative element in one, so it’s a win all around!
h. Cabinet For The Bathroom With Sliding Barn Doors
A bathroom cabinet can serve multiple purposes when a barn door is installed. These functions are as follows: On one side of the shelving unit, toiletries are put away neatly, while the other side features open storage where lovely decorations can be displayed.
2. Make better use of unused space.
You can gain solitude without the added bulk of a conventional door by installing a barn door in the opening to your bedroom. Don’t assume there isn’t enough room to install a sliding door; instead, use the walls on each side of the doorway as inspiration. Is there a possibility that your barn door may slide open to conceal a portion of a wall that otherwise would display artwork?
3. Make Your Home Office More Versatile
The optimal office door position might range from fully open to fully closed to anywhere in between, depending on the individual. Furthermore, a barn door allows you to control the amount of light and airflow into your home office without taking up valuable floor space in the corridor.
4. Section Off Your Bathroom
Utilise a barn door to divide up your bathroom into several functional areas. You may make it simpler for two people to use the bathroom simultaneously by installing a sliding barn door between your shower and your toilet. This will not need either person to compromise their privacy in any way.
5. Lock Up Your Mudroom
Even though mudrooms are interior rooms, they are transitional spaces: your house doesn’t truly begin until you’ve stepped foot outside your mudroom, removed your muddy shoes, and slid off your jacket. A barn door is a terrific way to acknowledge this and can be a great way to add character to your mudroom.
Sliding doors provide easy access while delineating a space from the rest of your home’s interior.
6. Barn Door As a Room Divider
Sliding barn doors can also split a room into two or more sections without too much floor space. You can separate the rooms without sacrificing the rustic character of your home by using a barn door as a room divider.
7. Adorning a Bed with a Barn Door
It turns out that this “barn door” does not open! However, it is an excellent example of a rustic standout piece in this fortunate boy’s bedroom.
8. Baby Gate with Barn Door
Let the baby start the journey of life in style. This baby gate, which takes its inspiration from barn doors, is anything but an ugly mess.
9. Coverings for the Windows
When you can instead add some shade to your home with barn doors, there’s no reason to install curtains. Here, the combination of grey and white window grills and the barn-style mini doors produces a charming atmosphere reminiscent of a cottage while also protecting the living area from the effects of any type of weather.
Fresh And Modern Barn Door Design Ideas
Sliding barn doors can be used for various purposes in interior design, from adding a touch of rustic charm to a contemporary kitchen to providing a stylish partition between living spaces.
1. Add arched modern glass barn doors in a living room
A view that would not usually be intriguing can be made more captivating by installing barn doors in the space. Barn doors can be installed in place of any existing door, whereas pocket doors must be cut into the walls themselves, necessitating extensive remodelling. These substantial doors, made to measure, are the ideal partition for the combined living and dining area. The glass makes the doors seem lighter and airier, which is a stunning addition to the building’s design.
2. Blend In a Barn Style Door with Your Room Decor
Sometimes a barn door is chosen because it is the most practical option for a given space, rather than its aesthetic value. The clean lines and airy feel created by a barn door design are perfect for a bathroom-to-bedroom nook. It’s a surefire way to improve any decor.
The barn door is more of a supporting character than the main attraction in this home office because it has been painted with Navy clay paint. This adds visual interest and dimension to the room, while the clay paint creates an ominous atmosphere befitting an office.
3. A barn door made of mirrors
You won’t have to remove the mirror when you replace your standard door with a bathroom or closet barn door. Incorporating a mirrored door into your home is easy with the help of this stunning rustic barn door concept. Whatever you decide to reflect on, be mindful of the tenets of excellent feng shui.
4. Give Some Chevron a Shot
Adding varied textures and patterns to a space can dramatically alter its atmosphere with no effort. Use this chevron-striped barn door as inspiration to quickly transform any room. Glueing wooden planks together or painting a pattern onto a sheet of plywood are two natural ways to add texture.
5. Try Some Vibrant Colours
Colourful barn doors are another fantastic way to get attention. Painting a prefabricated barn door is a simple way to make it your own and include it into your design scheme, whether you’re obsessed with green or want to try a new favourite colour.
The process of painting barn doors is simple so you may try out a wilder tint. Ideally, you’ll develop an accent that makes a strong impression. And even if the worst happens, you can always paint over the door!
A sliding door in a vibrant hue like red, yellow, green, or orange can be a welcome change from the standard black or neutral grey, instantly lifting the mood of the room.
Colour-coordinating your hardware is another option. A barn door consists of the door itself, a handle, and a track. The doorknob and the track are two parts, and metal is frequently used for both. You can make your door stand out by matching the hardware to the paint. If your door looks uniform, use the same metal for the knob and the track.
6. Add Vintage Charm with Barn Doors
If you prefer a classic look, barn doors from another era might be a great addition to your home. Antique or old barn doors are a great decorative touch if you’re going for a retro vibe in a particular room. They give off the impression that something genuinely exceptional is hidden behind that wall mounted sliding door.
7. Modify Traffic Flows to Improve Efficiency
Adding barn doors to a bathroom’s en suite space is a terrific idea. Why? They won’t fully divide your bedroom and bathroom, but they will provide a much-needed buffer zone between the two. You can close the sliding doors for the bathroom entrance whenever you need peace and quiet. When you want the spacing to feel flexible, slide it back open.
8. Chalkboard Sliding Shop Doors Or Kitchen Barn Door
Installing a chalkboard barn door above your pantry or kitchen door provides you with the ideal surface to jot down a restaurant menu or maintain a grocery shopping list for the entire household. This barn door design works wonderfully in an industrial or residential setting.
9. Compensate One Door for Double Barn Doors In French Style
The majority of the time, barn doors operate independently. However, if you acquire a couple of them, you will be able to combine the sophistication of French doors with the earthy air of barn doors, and the overall result will be visually arresting.
Don’t skimp on your home’s entryway; it’s a primary first impression. Exquisite vintage doors like barn doors are found in every home and office where love for interiors persists. And with some ingenuity—and the proper hardware—you can also make the barn door of your house a show-stopping addition to your home or office interior. Get in touch with the interior designers at NoBroker today to learn more exciting tricks of the trade!
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FAQs
Q-1 How can I modernise my barn door?
A-1 Consider painting your barn doors a striking colour for a more up-to-date appearance. To make the colour, you pick pop, use paint or lacquer with a high sheen. Try vibrant hues like orange, lime green, turquoise, or red.
Q-2 Will a barn door still close with furniture in front of it?
A-2 Barn door nightstands and bathroom vanities are just two examples of how this versatile door style may be used. Sliding barn doors are a modern way to get more storage for household essentials.
Q-3 Can a barn door be made soundproof?
A-3 There are two types of seals needed to seal the barn door completely: compression seals at each end and sliding seals at the top and bottom. Compression seals, often known as weather strips, are the simplest to set up. The rubber strips used on garage doors are more expensive but last much longer.
Q-4 Is it possible to hinge a barn door?
A-4 Simply said. Though an overhead track system is a common choice for hanging barn doors, it is by no means the only option. Bypassing the track system and installing the door on hinges is a simple alternative for installing barn doors.
Q-5 Do you have to pay more for sliding barn doors?
A-5 A sliding barn door may have a higher upfront cost than a swinging door, but it may save you money in the long run. You could even settle on a less expensive door than the more conventional options you’ve been considering.
