Barn doors have become a popular option in interior design. They add a unique look and functionality with the bonus of being easier to install than a regular door which requires exact framing. I have come across three ways to use barn doors in your home in my work; perhaps you will be inspired to try them out.

1) Sliding Barn Door Between Rooms

My client had been looking for a way to have a sliding barn door in her home. While I was helping her add custom doors from the main entryway to the home office, she decided to add a barn door to close off the kitchen area from the space. She had found a picture as an example and we worked together to design the size, style and amount of window vs. wood. One of her goals was to allow a quick check into the office without having to open the door, so 1/3 glass, 2/3 wood ended up working best. We chose commercial-grade hardware to ensure the door was supported well and moved smoothly. Since the custom doors I had installed on the other side of the room were glass, the first thing one sees upon entering the home is the cool barn door. It sets a modern, updated tone to the home, which was a goal for the project. Click here to read more about this barn door installation.

2) Sliding Barn Doors on Cabinetry

Another client was looking for custom storage around her fireplace. She wanted a modern, open look but needed the flexibility to have closed options as well. Adding sliding barn doors instead of regular cabinetry doors to one side achieved her goal. She could move them over the not so pretty stuff her family needed to store like game consoles, while keeping the modern look of open shelving. I think the hardware just adds to the fresh, modern vibe. Click here to read more about his project.

3) Historic Barn Door as Art

My client’s family owned a horse farm on Meridian Avenue in Indianapolis that had a storied past. Now that the property was to be sold and the barn that she had spent a lot of time in was to be torn down, she wanted to preserve a piece of her memories. She took me to the barn, and we removed the top portion of a horse stall door, cutting it out of its rusted bolts. She cleared it up and we mounted it with sliding hardware to the wall of her dining room.

Fun story – after removing the door, she took me to the upper level of the barn which housed a regulation-sized basketball court! Turns out many of Indiana’s greats played ball here. It was amazing to see original barn planks painted up as a basketball court.

Using Barn Doors in Your Home

There are some things to consider before you decide to install a sliding barn door in your home. First, be sure there is enough structural support behind the wall and within the hardware to support the weight of the door. Also, barn doors do not provide privacy like regular doors do – there is a gap between the wall and the door to allow for the sliding mechanism, where a regular door shuts into a frame. Finally, a barn door takes up additional wall space.

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions about using barn doors in your home. Send me an email or give me a call at (317) 679-5890.