What about pocket doors? They could be glass panes or solid, depending in your likes/needs, but that way, they would be completely out of the way when you wanted, and available when you needed them.

I love pocket doors! Unfortunately there is not wall space on either side for a pocket door.

I plan on putting in a glass door to our basement when we are finished with the other work we are doing and recovered (I am a foolish optimist, lol). I want to use reeded glass so that light can go up or down but not the sound or view since the doorway is off our dining room. It would also help to show when someone left the lights on downstairs (meaning our sons).

I am not sure if I will use a reclaimed door or start new. I think the labor involved in installing a salvage find might cost more than buying pre-hung.
Good luck and please post pixs.

I have considered this as well because it would let some much-needed light from our side door into our foyer. My only concern is the glass getting broken in such a high-traffic area. Do you think that is a concern for you?

In a previous house a previous owner had removed the door to the basement and ditched it (instead of putting it away in the attic for someone to use later!). I have to say I was about split on having it/not having it. I liked not having it in the way coming and going, and it made the basement feel a bit more open to the rest of the house, but OTOH when the boiler or washer or dryer was going down in the basement, sometimes I wished for a door.

Can you take your existing door off the hinges and live with it for a few days to see if you can live without one?

And I too would like to be able to see when the basement light has been left on!!

We had the exact same scenario. Don't have a picture, but it was a nice solution.
We opted to keep the door because the kids played downstairs...

Thanks so much everyone. Bungalow: We have had the door off for a few days because we had to move furniture downstairs. I really like it off, but it is hard to know if I would like it forever. Colorblind1961: Yeh! Thank you for the pictures. The door looks great. This is exactly what I have heard others do but it is hard to picture. My layout is exactly like your's. The picture with the door open is really helpful. Even though it blocks the door opening at least you can see through it. I am going to show my husband the pictures tonight.

Could you put the door at the bottom of the stairs instead of the top?

Colorblind I love that solution and I'm going to end up copying you! I was worried about a door to the basement area because it ends in a hall FULL of doors. I was worried a swinging door would hit someone in the hall if someone was coming out of the basement area. I think I actually do have room for a pocket door when we demo the hall, but either way, I'm going to do the glass. It's lovely and adds a nice level of safety! Great idea :)

A friend of mine has a a single french bi-fold door. Have you looked into those? Since it folds into itself, you don't have a door always open into the foyer.

I was worried a swinging door would hit someone in the hall if someone was coming out of the basement area.

Yes, that too!!

For my situation I cannot put a door at the bottom of the stairs, it is not framed in and we are not doing any additional construction in the lower level. I don't know much about bi-fold doors but will look into those as well. I am glad I posted this. I looked in the archives and did not see anything yetit seems like others have had the same decision. My guess is that we are going to going with one of these options because I don't think my husband wants to rip out the door frame and rewrap. Due to our water leak, we had to replace our basement ceiling and all the flooring/maybe trim on our main floor so we have a lot going at once. My thought was it would be our only opportunity to make a change. I am very glad I posted my question. I have been away from the board for a long while and forget how terrific everyone is!

Glad I can help domer...I'm usually the one getting help her on this forum, so it's nice to give back.

Copy away igloo! With a house full of 29 doors, a little glass breaks up all that wood.

We replaced the doors to the basement and backstairs with glass doors and like you, we can't leave either open without blocking aisles. We love them.

The right door is to the basement, the left is the backstairs.

Wow, colorblind1961. Your house is amazing with all those colors. They look great together.

Just wondering, but why do you need to leave the door open? I have to leave mine cracked open because the kittens' litterbox is down there. I've considered replacing the solid door with a 15 light (french) door and removing one pane at the bottom (as long as boy cat isn't too fat to fit through). But if I didn't have the litter box down there I would just leave the door closed.

I'm not sure if you want the door left open or left closed. I thought you meant closed. If so, why just put an inexpensive, easy-to-install automatic closer on it so it always closes itself? Seems to me that would be an easy solution.

we have a french door(15 light with bottom middle pane removed for the kitty!) and absolutely love the look...much nicer than the solid door imo.
however, with so much traffic in and out of the basement, the glass is constantly getting fingerprinted and i find with all the panes it's really hard to clean without the smudgey look in the corners...anyone have any tips on how to clean???

We have an elevated bungalow, with an enclosed foyer. We installed french doors on both levels. We wanted some type of door to help with heating/cooling, but also wanted the light. To the basement we have one set double french doors, to the main level we have 2 sets of double french doors.

Basement level doors view from inside foyer

{{!gwi}}

Upper level view inside family room
{{!gwi}}

I really like french doors, interior or exterior. One idea, and I don't know if it would meet code, is to have the door open in, toward the stairs, instead of out into the hall. That would take care of the issues when it is left open....

Thanks for the nice comments Kitchenkelly..the colors are a LOT more subdued IRL - my camera is on it's way out.

Cheril and Roseabbey: Thanks for the pictures. Both your doors look terrific as well.
Sue36 and oceanna: We don't have to leave the door open but wanted to have it more open to the finished basement so it feels part of the living space, especially when folks are actually down there.
jlc712: We thought the same thing about having the door swing in, but it is indeed against code to have a door open over a staircase.
We went online last night and found a nice split french door available special order from Home Depot. We are going to take our measurements in and see if it may work. Then the open door would still block the hallway but not as much. We are still weighing our options but I think we are leaning towards keeping a glass door on versus taking the doorframe out and just wrapping with drywall. Most of the open staircases are wider and our's is just a normal 32 inch door opening. Again everyone's input has been so helpful.

Our main floor level french doors open towards the staircase. In order to meet code there must be a landing before the stairs begin which we have.