How to Use a Barn Door in Any Room

Barn door! The farmhouse-style staple is as popular as ever. No wonder. These doors are charming and super functional, too. Here's some major inspo.

Even a cute laundry zone like this one in Salt Lake City needs to be closed off sometimes — and the family wanted to do it in style. Designer Ashley Winn outfitted it with a custom double-X barn door, painted Sunset by Sherwin-Williams. As Winn says, “A barn door can add so much personality to a space.” Plus, handle-free doors like this one look oh-so-barn-ish, but you can always add one for easier opening.

Question: Can anyone have a barn door?

Yes, if you have the wall space. Plan for enough space to accommodate the width of the door when it’s fully open plus at least 6 inches of clearance between the door and the ceiling to hang the track system. Remember, the door should be bigger than the doorway — an extra inch above and 2 inches on either side. Since barn doors don’t seal openings like regular doors do, they’re not ideal for a hallway bathroom, for privacy’s sake.

You don’t necessarily need a special door — this one, in designer Brooke Rose’s Piedmont, Missouri, home, was an exterior door on an old house owned by her husband’s family. They painted it (Black by Behr), added a sign (from Hobby Lobby) and popped on a white doorknob. “It’s a big statement piece and a bit of family history,” Brooke says.

Question: Which style is right?

If rustic isn’t your thing, flat-panel doors and ones with glass panes look most modern. Hollow-core kinds, which are lighter and less expensive, work for pantries and closets. For bedrooms, solid-core doors are best because they muffle sound. Find them at home improvement stores and online at sites like Wayfair and White Shanty.

Do you dream of an open floor plan — with the option of separate spaces? Barn doors for the win! In this Westport, Connecticut, home, designer Sarah Weiland had the builder make custom doors and install them between the living room and the den. “We were going for a beachy-farmhouse look,” she says. “A simple Z-pattern with vertical shiplap marries the two styles.”

Question: Got any tips for hardware?

Before buying a barn door hardware kit, know your door’s dimensions and weight, since every kit has a maximum weight. The most popular and sturdy hangers (face mount) attach to the front of the door and look like straps. They sometimes hide the rollers. Good sources for kits are Artisan Hardware, Emtek and Signature Hardware.