Barn doors add style to space
Barn doors are a brilliant way to conserve space. The idea has been around for a while now, so it's not the hottest news. Still, I'm a huge fan of this type of room closure in tight spaces, such as small rooms, hallway openings and bathrooms.
Because barn doors slide side to side instead of swinging open, you can add usable floor space to any room and improve function enormously.
One tip that can save you future headaches is to invest in excellent hardware so the door is guaranteed to operate for the life of your home. Older homes often have more rooms, but they tend to be on the smaller side. To upgrade a bedroom into a playroom, why not swap one of the traditional swinging doors for a playful wall-mounted chalkboard sliding door? Your little artists can draw for hours on a rainy day or during quiet time.
Additionally, a sliding barn door can add up to 14 square feet of floor space, which means more room for toys, games, an indoor teepee, forts or indoor basketball with an over-the-door hoop. A playroom can never be too big.
If you have a small room off your entryway, sliding doors are perfect for maximizing the usable area for a home office, study or even an occasional guest room. When plotting out furniture arrangements for cramped space, every inch counts.
For example, I furnished a retirement suite for a delightful older couple, and the second bedroom was immediately off the entry. That room had to function as a guest room and the TV room. We increased usable floor space and fit a queen-sized sleeper sofa by removing the swinging closet door and replacing it with a sliding door.
When you want to get creative and divide a large room into two, add a sliding cover to a pantry area or bookshelf, or take a walk-in closet to the next level. Barn doors are also perfect for closing off a workspace in a closet. They surpass bi-fold doors in terms of ease of use and trouble-free operation.
The door style chosen can reinforce your overall design theme, as you can select from smooth Craftsman style, rustic barn wood or opaque safety glass.
I recommend the Johnson Hardware 2610SC Soft-Close Wall Mount Sliding Door, which supports up to 200 pounds, or a metal or wooden door that's 1 to 1¾ inches thick and up to 60 inches wide. Sometimes the style of the hardware becomes a design feature because it is exposed metal or iron.
Search The Barn Door Hardware Store or Rustica Hardware websites, the latter of which is located and makes products in Utah. For both rustic and modern hardware and doors, check out the Rejuvenation website. And if you are looking for clean, contemporary European hardware, visit the Hafele website.
Choose your hardware deliberately because it is a very pronounced feature and it can be affected by your various conditions. For example, if you live on the water, be aware of finishes that might rust or tarnish. You will want stainless steel or powder-coated metal. Natural iron will weather, as will brass, copper or chrome.
Hardware is such a decorative accent. You have the ability to use an accent finish or blend the finish to match all the other hardware in the interior. It's best to blend with some other feature in the room, so that the doors do not protrude visually. You don't want them being the first thing noticed when people walk into the space, say, by painting them barn red or robin's-egg blue, because that defeats the idea of expanding the area.
• Christine Brun is a San Diego-based interior designer and the author of "Small Space Living." Send questions and comments to her by email at christinebrun@sbcglobal.net.
© 2017, Creators Syndicate