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Sliding Barn Doors

7-28-08 sliding door.jpgIf you live in a small space, floor space that most people take for granted often needs to be held accountable. For instance, take the area needed for a regular door. There's about 3 or 4 square feet there that needs to be kept clear in order for it to fully open or close. Not so with a barn door...

 
 
7-28-08 sliding door 2.jpg
Which simply slides to the side, leaving the doorway completely clear and taking up only a few inches of floor space. You could make the door a decorative focal point by using a beautiful rustic, reclaimed wood or a modern design that blends in to the wall. But another option is to place a bookshelf or armoire in front of the brackets, so when it is pushed back it hides behind the furniture. This is a great way to save space and conceal the door if it isn't particularly pretty.


For information on hanging barn doors, click here.

Top Image: Thomas J. Story via Sunset Magazine; Bottom Image: Habitatgirl

Related Posts:
Sliding Barn Door and Wall from Cliff Spencer
Barn Door Hardware

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doors, space savers

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Comments (16)

I really like...but prolly it looks best with really high ceilings. I love the glass "garage door" look that i see at trendy eateries.

posted by SydneyBristow on July 28th 2008 at 3:05pm
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I have to agree with sydney- i bet this looks best in houses with high ceilings.

I would love to do something similar in our future house!

posted by Erin Lang Norris/Yellow Canoe on July 28th 2008 at 3:10pm
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I would love to have that in my Harlem Apt.!

posted by GetTogetha on July 28th 2008 at 3:22pm
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Love the sliding barn door idea, particularly the glass or shoji-screen-style ones.

Not so sure about the one that actually looks like its from a barn, though ...

posted by catspajamas on July 28th 2008 at 3:40pm
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I love this -- have been planning to do it in my kitchen when we remodel. Even more convinced of it now!

posted by madampince on July 28th 2008 at 4:39pm
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A friend of mine who always had a great eye for innovation and design used a salvaged set of barn doors to make a dish/glass cabinet. In an empty nook she built shelves the same width at the double barn door she'd found, and then attached the barn door. It was a floor-to-ceiling cabinet that held all her dishes and glasses and pots and pans. Sliding doors would have been even better, but even as it was, it was great.

posted by laribrooklyn on July 28th 2008 at 4:46pm
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I've been wanting to do this in our family room, where the projector tv lives, but couldn't think how not to loose a partial wall in the process. The "pocket door" effect created by the bookcase is just the ticket!

posted by paintitbright on July 28th 2008 at 4:59pm
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I've always liked the look of these.

posted by Lizzykewl on July 28th 2008 at 6:12pm
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the house at this url has some nice plywood sliding doors.. and the hardware is hidden pretty well
http://www.mys-bomans.be/DN.html

posted by greenlight on July 28th 2008 at 6:51pm
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Where might I find the hardware to create such a door as seen in the first picture? I have a small bedroom filled a new California King bed frame (environment-furniture) and would love to have perhaps a mirrored sliding door to my closet. The wide swing of the current door leaves no room for a bedside table, not to mention the mirror would open the room up a bit while being functional. I tried google to no avail.

posted by adaptdabull on July 29th 2008 at 12:25am
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http://www.barndoorhardware.com/

http://www.johnsonhardware.com/

One thing to keep in mind when installing a sliding barn type door is that you will need the same width of space on the wall that the door will slide onto if you want the space to be 100% open.

Another option is to install a "pass by" system where two doors slide by each each other. That way they can be stacked to the side of the opening and take up only half the space.

posted by art on July 29th 2008 at 5:01am
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We use sliding barn doors a lot in our projects, and they're always a neat, unusual element. Here is a link to a company that has a huge variety of sliding door and barn door hardware components and options:
http://www.doorhdwe.com/pdfs/Coburn_Catalogs/Buyers_Guide.pdf

Leatherneck Hardware, Inc.
www.doorhdwe.com
888.442.4571

posted by RLW on July 29th 2008 at 5:03am
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When I first looked at the photo, I thought these were pocket doors -- took me a minute to realize that the door slides behind a bookcase. Nice solution.

But the point is, pocket doors are cool too, if you have an opportunity to install them in during a renovation or ground-up build.

posted by kimg924 on July 29th 2008 at 5:42am
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We have these where I work. They are really nice and clean looking, but take up a lot of wall space!

posted by Claire K on July 29th 2008 at 6:14am
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Love the use of the french doors. I agree that the barn doors are best used in spaces that have high ceilings. The ones in the picture above make the ceilings feel very low.

posted by Seaside on July 29th 2008 at 9:08am
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My apartment was designed horribly and the bedroom especially. Three doors (1 entry, 1 bathroom, 1 closet) it's a nightmare for arranging furniture.

I have often wished upon a star that I had either sliding or pocket doors. life would just be easier.

posted by Avinony on September 7th 2008 at 10:18pm
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