Decorating Guides
Beyond Open and Shut: 7 Ways to Use Interior Doors as Decor
Doors aren’t just for walking through. These ideas can add more function — and a dose of fun — to your interiors
Interior doors are a part of the home that often don’t get much thought. They quietly do their jobs, day after day, getting us from room to room, closing off noise when needed. But doors can be so much more than just passageways. When used well, they can change the look of — and the function within — a room. Here are nine ways you can use doors to improve your spaces at home.
1. Transform a closet into a home office. These unusual barn doors enhance the look of this home office, adding dramatic contrast through color, finish and texture to the office area set up in a former closet. They also provide a way to hide desk clutter when the space is not in use. To get this look, choose a closet paint color that contrasts with the barn doors, add a lightweight chair to tuck behind closet doors, and layer attractive storage or decorative items on shelves to add interest. If barn doors aren’t an option, choose double doors to provide ample access to the closet behind.
2. Tell a story. These antique doors from the Paris Flea Market set the tone for French country style in this space. The rustic chandelier and sconces, tall mirror, and floors made of reclaimed walnut continue the mood. Other elements in similar wood finishes layered throughout the room help create a cohesive feel. Also, the white of the sofa echoes the whites in the adjoining room, helping create a flow from one room to the next.
3. Get into the swing. Swinging doors have been successfully used for hundreds of years to provide passage between dining rooms and kitchens or butler’s pantries when hands are full of food or dishes.
Here, a peekaboo window allows users to see who is behind the door before opening it. The simple door design in a neutral color blends well with the creamy white of the slipcovers and light neutral drapes. This neutral backdrop allows the red accents in the wallcovering and slipcovers to pop.
Here, a peekaboo window allows users to see who is behind the door before opening it. The simple door design in a neutral color blends well with the creamy white of the slipcovers and light neutral drapes. This neutral backdrop allows the red accents in the wallcovering and slipcovers to pop.
4. Create a grand entrance. Framing the focal point of a room — here, the fireplace — with well-appointed double doors adds an air of importance to the space beyond. And trimming the doors in the same traditional style and color as the wainscoting beyond creates a custom look. The dark fireplace tile and coffee table here add drama to the neutral space and emphasize the fireplace as a focal point.
5. Hide built-in beds. Sliding barn doors have become popular in recent years as a decorative statement, but they can also be quite functional, as shown in this family room. These bunk beds can be tucked away neatly behind barn doors when not in use. Barn doors are also a great option for hiding utilitarian spaces like pantries, laundry areas or crafting spaces.
6. Bring in natural light with glass. Incorporating glass-paned interior doors, like the pocket doors in this photo — the partially open cream-colored ones in the foreground, not the black-edged ones that lead outdoors — allows natural light to penetrate further into the interior. Just be sure that the interior doors are compatible in style with the exterior ones. For the most light, line up the glass-filled openings in the various layers of doors — that way light can travel further into the heart of the home.
7. Make a statement with metal plus glass. In a twist on the theme of glass-paned interior doors, these black-framed bifold doors add drama and style to the two adjacent rooms. The metal door frames pick up the dark finishes of the coffee table and lamp nicely. The green of the chair in the foreground is repeated in the sofa throw and art in the next room, linking the two spaces.
More
Upgrade Your House With New Interior Doors
5 Questions to Ask Before Installing a Barn Door
Discover the Ins and Outs of Pocket Doors
More
Upgrade Your House With New Interior Doors
5 Questions to Ask Before Installing a Barn Door
Discover the Ins and Outs of Pocket Doors