If 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...

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

Shaw's Original Fir...
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.
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!
I would love to have that in my Harlem Apt.!
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 ...
I love this -- have been planning to do it in my kitchen when we remodel. Even more convinced of it now!
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.
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!
I've always liked the look of these.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
We have these where I work. They are really nice and clean looking, but take up a lot of wall space!
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.
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.
For anyone interested, I have searched at length for <A href="http://slidingbarndoors.net">sliding barn doors</A> and <A href="http://slidingbarndoorhardware.net">sliding barn door hardware</A>. I found a company that carries both the doors and hardware. They carry mostly real barn door items, not the indoor stuff. But if you're looking for authentic sliding barn doors, it's the way to go. If you call them up they will actually build a custom wood interior sliding door for you. It doesn't say it on the site, but I know they will do it. Ask for Brian.
www.slidingbarndoors.net
www.slidingbarndoorhardware.net
Thanks for the sliding barn door website! Have you any ideas about sites for sliding glass doors that work the same way and that aren't crazily expensive?