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Look! Pocket Doors

4-23-08pocketdoors1.jpg

Pocket doors are an old school small space solution, and they're a feature that we'll really miss when we move out of our current apartment. Besides allowing flexible arrangements of space, they're energy efficient. In the winter, we would close our pocket doors and cut down on heating half of the apartment when it wasn't in use. In summer, they opened up such great circulation that we were able to stop using air conditioning...

 
 

4-23-08pocketdoors2.jpg

We wish more modern buildings were designed with pocket doors, especially since they're so adaptable to flexible small-space living. Green architects, take note!

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Look!, green ideas, small space solution, energy efficient, pocket doors

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Comments (13)

Love pocket doors. Have spec'd them for all new doors in our (small) house.

posted by rapidtransitman on April 23rd 2008 at 5:30pm
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Hello, chair. It's been awhile. You seem well.

posted by Thomos on April 23rd 2008 at 6:23pm
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I have one pocket door in my home and wish there were more. In so many situations, they make so much sense. They disappear and take up no living space when they are open. They might not work in all situations, but I too would like to see them used more.

posted by JohnnySlimane on April 24th 2008 at 3:28am
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We have pocket doors in our current apartment that we almost never close, so when we do, it feels like there's a weird blank space. But otherwise I think they're really nice.

posted by vera in dc on April 24th 2008 at 4:11am
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I wish I had pocket doors in my space. I have been tempted many times to take down the doors I have

posted by bigcityboy2 on April 24th 2008 at 4:36am
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We need more pocket doors - esp in small spaces like bathrooms and powder rooms where swinging doors just get in the way.

posted by bepsf on April 24th 2008 at 6:55am
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Just curious, that really is a cute chair... any name?

posted by woodleyparkzoo on April 24th 2008 at 7:31am
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Good point. I wonder why they're not used more often these days.

posted by Gustaf on April 24th 2008 at 8:35am
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woodleyparkzoo, it's the Gubi Chair. We got ours on craigslist.

posted by sarah c on April 24th 2008 at 9:09am
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Pocket doors are great. Problem is, the hardware you can buy for them at the local hardware store is really bad, the door doesn't run smoothly no matter how carefully you install it. And to hire a real carpenter to make a good one for you costs a fortune. Maybe if we all keep searching the web for better hardware, someone will notice and start selling it.

posted by lagunacharmer on April 29th 2008 at 6:14pm
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Johnson Hardware is a great source for all things pocket door and door hardware.

www.johnsonhardware.com

They even recommend Ron Hazelton's video on their site. You can order new hardware from Johnson's Web site.

posted by JuicyK8 on April 30th 2008 at 12:07pm
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FYI... pocket doors are an often recommended building or remodeling tip for those who use wheelchairs. It's much easier for someone to push the door to the side then to have to back up to make room for the door, etc.

posted by epiffani on May 12th 2008 at 8:03am
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And if the available wall doesn't permit installing a pocket door, a barn door is another possibility....

posted by aearle on August 6th 2009 at 12:42am
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