Do you love the look of sliding doors but wonder if they’ll work in your home? With so many options to choose from now, you can find one that complements your personal style. Think sleek, contemporary doors that include glass, a bold color, or different designs and add hardware to match. Or go with a barn door for a more rustic effect.
Barn Doors
To get that traditional barn door look, check out hardware from U.S. Futaba, Knape and Vogt, Flat Track by Leatherneck, and Acorn Manufacturing. You can choose kits that are ready to go or customize your hardware to fit your space. U.S. Futaba has mini barn door kits you can use for TV cabinets and other smaller applications. Some of these manufacturers, like Knape and Vogt and Sugatsune, also offer barn door handles that match your chosen hardware. You can have one large barn door to cover an opening or install two smaller doors.
Pocket Doors
You also have the option of adding pocket doors, which are similar to barn doors. Pocket doors are ideal for smaller spaces where a barn door may be too large. Because pocket doors tuck away inside your walls, they can be space-savers, and you won’t have to worry about wall decor or the placement of outlets like you may with barn doors. Pocket doors can also be locked, so they’re perfect for areas where you’d like privacy. With that said, adding a lock to a barn door is certainly doable. If you are building your home, you have more leeway if you want to install a pocket door. It’s a lot easier to create a space in the wall for pocket doors when you are building or renovating. Knape and Vogt and Sugatsune have a variety of hardware choices.
Sliding Doors
Sliding doors are not as common since the rise in popularity of barn doors and pocket doors, but they’re still used in certain areas of the home, such as the closet. The main difference between sliding doors and pocket doors is where the door goes when opened. With a sliding door, one door overlaps another, while pocket doors are placed inside the wall when open. Knape and Vogt and Sugatsune offer many sliding door options with different features. Knape and Vogt has bi-fold doors that can be used for the pantry or by-pass doors, which work well in closets or between rooms.
Both barn doors and pocket doors are great for any space in your home, especially bedrooms, bathrooms, and home offices. Sliding doors, though no longer as common, are still used by homeowners for specific spaces. Which one you choose ultimately depends on your style preference.