Ryan is looking for some info. He writes: "I have the normal bi-fold doors. Cheap looking, cheap feeling, cringe-inducing, painful to those who pay attention to details. I need to know where to go for replacements like those in the pictures sent from house tours at AT: NY...
Notice the small external hinge hardware allowing for better flush installation. Also, since these aren't actual bi-fold doors, there's no annoying track to come loose or bend to pop that pulley deal. AT and readers, point me in the opposite direction from where the cheap landlords go (read big box home centers). Where do I get them here in Chicagoland?"
Thanks,
Ryan
Ryan:
This seems like a custom project to us. Since the hardware is integral to a job like this, we started by making a call to hardware mecca Clark and Barlow and had a good conversation with a very knowlegeable (and helpful) gentleman named Wayne. He had the lingo down (bi-fold, bi-pass, double door, pivot-style, continuous hinge) and it seems likely that he could make some great suggestions on the door configurations that are possible and which hardware choices are available.
He's happy to take a look at any pictures of closet doors that you like as a way to begin the brainstorming. Email your info with photos to "clarkandbarlow(at)aol(dot)com" and put "Wayne" in the subject line.
Good Luck (and send pictures of the finished project, please)!
Anyone tackled a job like this? Recommendations, resources and ideas welcome....
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I had similar doors. I hung brown velvet curtains from floor to ceiling..4 panels to make access easy. I have placed my headboard in front of it to set it off.
Can you simply add some European-style handles to the doors to dress them up?
I saw an advertisement for this company in the back of a Dwell magazine - we haven't gotten to closet doors yet, but had thought this a good solution when that time came...
http://www.slidingdoorco.com/docs/article-sliding-doors.html
We replaced our plain bifold doors with six panel bifolds instead. I think they were Masonite. They really make the place look much better, though we did have to pay the expense of new doors.