The Different Types of Barn Doors

By Amanda Harvey

Updated on November 7, 2023

A few years ago, the idea of using barn doors inside the home may have seemed ludicrous. Now, sliding barn doors have become a popular trend in the world of interior design, adding rustic charm, warmth and depth to even the most modern spaces.

Eclectic interior design is becoming a widely-practiced process, allowing homeowners to incorporate all their favourite elements from different styles into one space. Interior barn doors can adapt to a wide range of home decor choices, as they can be custom stained or finished to fit any style you choose: from sleek chrome to reclaimed wood. Regardless of your personal decor style, we’ve compiled a list of the different types of barn doors for your home!

Here are different types of barn doors for your home!

French door sliding door_RenoQuotes.com

Classic French Doors

Sliding barn doors can eliminate the use of a wall altogether, bringing two separate spaces closer and allowing them to function as one when necessary. Classic French doors serve a similar function, though sliding barn doors can appear as a rustic-modern take on this traditional look. Customized barn doors add exponential value to a home, and this craftsman meets farmhouse concept is both stylish and functional. Try using black flat track hardware against deep-stained wood doors, serving up a timeless look or consider transparent panels that allow light to flood between rooms. 

Rustic Pantry Doors

Kitchen sliding barn door_RenoQuotes.com

source: Flickr, designmilk

As we have stated, rustic barn doors can be integrated into even the most modern of spaces. A lovely detail for a modern kitchen would be to incorporate barn doors over a pantry or even a storage nook. Flat hardware can offset uneven or rough-edged reclaimed wood, giving modern rooms an updated yet homey feeling. If you’re hoping to keep this look modern and want to avoid rustic charm altogether, and like the idea of covering up a pantry, use distinctive steel or chrome to contrast against clean lines and minimal decor. 

Reclaimed Mini Wood Doors

For multifunctional spaces, consider employing half-sized or smaller sliding barn doors to distinguish between functions or spaces. For example, use doors to hide sleeping areas or to keep an adjacent workspace private. Smaller, customized barn doors can be used to hide a television tucked away in a wall cubby.

Take advantage of the warmth and charm that wooden barn doors can add to a traditional or contemporary space. If you are hoping to paint the doors to blend in with the rest of your decor, make sure to do this prior to installation, and following, watch how beautifully they work to add texture while maintaining cohesion.

Partition Barn Doors

Barn doors can be integrated to separate a room into two, isolating a smaller area from a larger one. Sliding barn doors provide a unique wall divider, offering privacy to a loft space that overhangs the living room, or for a "cloffice" separate from the kitchen. Incorporate your stylish sliding barn doors by painting them in an eye-catching colour to suggest that something might be hidden behind them.

If bold isn’t really your thing, consider painting them in a colour that works with the rest of your decor, adding an extra element of seclusion and surprise without neglecting visual appeal.

Single Sliding Barn Door

Wood barn sliding door_RenoQuotes.com

source: Flickr, shin nakahara 

If your home can't accommodate the size of two large barn doors, use just a smaller, single barn door to add warmth while being space efficient. Consider covering a guest bathroom with a single reclaimed wood door. If that’s not your thing, a barn door could function similarly to a piece of artwork, paint it a bold colour to have it be the focal point and there to make a statement.

Mirrored Barn Doors

For homes that may lack light or space, or both, mirrored sliding barn doors are an excellent option to try and offset these attributes. When long decorative mirrors are installed on sliding stainless steel hardware, they can make a statement or a grand entrance into a hidden living room. If you like the idea of mirrors, but require more light, consider making them glass doors instead. Sliding barn doors in place of the traditional sliding glass provide a sophisticated element link between the inside and the outside.

Get 3 quotes for your barn door renovation project

RenoQuotes.com can help you get quotes for your barn door renovation project. By submitting your project to us, we’ll put you in contact with top-rated contractors. Fill in the form on the homepage (it only takes a few minutes), and you will get estimates from certified professionals.

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