Are Barn Doors Right For Your Interior Design?

Barn doors take up less floor space than traditional interior doors and work well for many situations, but are they right for your decorating style and home design? Many times we think of barn doors only fitting into rustic decorations, and they certainly work well for that style. However, they’re also much more versatile than we often give them credit for.

Wall Structure

The first consideration when deciding whether or not to install barn doors in your home is available wall space and structure. You need enough wall space on the side(s) of the door opening for the barn door(s) to roll out of the way. Plan on needing at least as much wall space next to the doorway as the doorway is wide. If the opening is 3 feet wide, you’ll need at least 3 feet of wall space for the barn door to slide along.

Homes with angled ceilings can make installing barn doors problematic. If you want to use barn doors over a doorway near an angled wall, make sure there’s enough vertical space as well as horizontal space. You’ll also need to make sure your door openings, headers, ceilings, and floor are level. If any of these are off, you could end up with a door that hangs slightly ajar or which scrapes the floor when you try to open it.

Room For Hardware

You also need a header above the door for the rail to mount on. If the opening was originally designed for a door this won’t be a problem, but for floor-to-ceiling opening you’ll need to install a header before hanging the barn door.

Rustic+Modern offers barn door hardware in several different styles. Colors include raw steel, black, and oil rubbed bronze. Pricing starts at $150, and barn door and hardware packages are available. We also offer delivery and installation, depending on your distance from our design center.

Matching Styles

Many different decorating styles will work with barn doors. It all depends on the type of barn door you choose. If you’re going for a rustic interior design – such as rustic chic, farmhouse, or log-cabin style – most barn doors from Rustic+Modern will fit right in. Choose from a wide range of woods, including white pine and alder, and several different stain colors. You can also get these doors with a rough texture that mimics reclaimed wood.

For more modern or classic interior designs, the rustic barn doors can form a nice contrast. If you want them to blend in, though, opt for wood that’s smooth and polished with a stain that matches other woodwork in the room. You can even order an unfinished barn door and then paint or finish it yourself to match other decorations.

Plan Ahead

Barn doors are a great choice for many interior spaces. Just make sure you know that you really want them before installation. Installing barn doors involves putting several holes in the walls for the track. Many times you’ll also be re-doing the door frame opening when switching to barn doors. If you want to remove the barn door and go back to a traditional door in the future, it will involve quite an investment of time and money. Plan on your new barn doors being a part of your home for many years to come. We don’t think you’ll be disappointed!