The Different Types of Barn Doors

By Amanda Harvey

Updated on November 8, 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.

Dial 1-844 828-1588 to speak with one of our customer service representatives

Get 3 free quotes for your project!

Submit a project and get 3 free quotes!

Looking for something else?

Table of contents

4 min read

Find contractors near you

Enter your postal code



Related articles

The latest industry news, interviews, technologies, and resources.

11 min read

Editorial Team

07 Nov 2024

Under-Stairs Storage - How to Create a Functional Space

When looking to optimize storage space around the house, every little nook or cranny available becomes priceless. You can even transform areas like that void sitting beneath your quarter-turn stairs. Instead of leaving it unutilized, the space can be converted into storage or a practical area. With a creative eye and a clever mind, there are no limits to what you can do with the space available under quarter-turn stairs. 

3 min read

Editorial Team

08 Nov 2023

Home Renovation + Interior design trends for 2020

2019 is coming to an end, and we are leaving a decade behind us. For many, 2020 promises great things: it’s a return to zero as well as a new beginning. Some will seize the opportunity to finally start the projects that have been put aside, such as pressing renovations.

9 min read

Editorial Team

10 Apr 2025

AC Unit Installation: Your Go-To Checklist

Given that spring is around the corner, quite a few of us are already dreaming of the summer sun. And, when the heat’s involved, air conditioning units aren’t far behind. Installing an air conditioner is a vital step in ensuring thermal comfort within your indoor spaces, especially during those warm summer months. Whether it be in homes, offices, or stores, effective air conditioning can make for a truly enjoyable and productive space. 

5 min read

Christine Simard

04 Oct 2024

7 ceramic stores on the South Shore of Montreal

Are you shopping for ceramic tiles to spruce up your kitchen, living room or bathroom? Well, you are absolutely right, since ceramic has a charm and an allure that can only enhance the cachet of your home. The choice of styles and colors has never been wider for this timeless material.

Bathroom
6 min read

Editorial Team

08 Nov 2023

10 Storage Tips for Your Laundry Room

The laundry room is a space that is notorious for being cramped. Since it is a multipurpose room, there is a constant quest to try to keep this room organized and utilitarian while still being an attractive space in the home. Especially in the case of smaller houses and apartments, the laundry room often lacks much-needed storage.

Storage