Charming Barn Door Living Room Ideas

Barn doors are back in style! But instead of seeing them in actual barns, we’ve begun to see them re-purposed and installed indoors. A barn door is an instant conversation piece in your sitting room. They add a rustic look to any space and give it a warm, cozy, and homey feel. The raw, utilitarian appeal of the barn doors definitely gives lots of personality to them and makes them an instant focal point when placed in any room.

The country-style sitting room in the picture above definitely looks great, with the addition of a double barn door that opens to the dining area. It uses a re-purposed French door with glass viewing windows and is antique-finished to complete the rustic vibe found in farmhouses. It’s a definite stand out against the white walls of the room.

How to Decorate with Sliding Doors

Can any door be a sliding barn door? This depends on what aspect of barn doors you want – if you like the rustic appeal and charm of the barn door, and the door you want to use is plain and modern-looking, you might have to change its finish to match your aesthetic goal. However, if the exposed sliding rail of the barn door is the only important aspect of it you want, then any door can be virtually converted into a barn door.

A re-purposed door would definitely be the best choice for most barn door installations, especially those that are made of solid wood and look a bit weathered or worn out. You might have one in your storage or backyard, or you might be able to cop one in a flea market or second-hand stores. For instance, a cottage-style room that features small double barn doors with classic crossbuck detail and a weathered finish completes the look. It offers versatility of style that definitely matches perfectly with the traditional furniture pieces and gives it a more laid-back vibe.

If it is re-purposed or flea-market-bought, then you might have to adjust its measurements according to the opening you will apply it on.  A distressed or reclaimed barn door can be used to add a vintage touch to any room. This style can be used for farmhouse-style designs, modern designs, or anything in between.

Make sure you leave a few inches to fully overlap the opening when it’s closed. You can then purchase barn door-style sliding hardware in any hardware store or even online. You will want to check if the maximum weight capacity of the sliding barn door hardware you purchase is appropriate for your door. Otherwise, you can easily buy ready-made sliding barn doors with matching hardware as a set.

If the drywall you’re installing your barn door to doesn’t have enough support, you can add a solid piece of wood to reinforce the header where the rail will be installed. This installation can be done as a DIY project if you’re handy or hire a contractor with experience.

Barn Style Door Opening Measurements

Smaller barn doors are typically 36 inches wide and 80 inches high and can go up to  42 inches by 96 inches high. These are, of course, the typical barn door sizes appropriate for indoor use, and would probably be around the size you need for most interior door applications.

These sizes can be easily bought ready-made, but if you need a bigger or smaller size, you might need to have a custom door or a resized old door to cut to your size.

The track of barn doors is typically 72 inches to 84 inches for single doors but can be longer if you’re using double barn doors. Do keep that in mind, as you need enough space for the track to allow wider doorway opening.

A big door means it’s heavier, so a bottom roller guide was also installed for a smoother slide. You can find many different rolling track products to match the design style and home decor you have, whether it’s an old-fashioned antique roller or a sophisticated matte black track for a modern farmhouse.

Barn Door Cost

You can repurpose an existing door or the one you found from the flea market. The cost of hardware for these doors, on average, is between $30 to $100, depending on its materials, size, and weight capacity.

If you’re buying a ready-made set, it will cost $300 up to $1000, but if the doors are made from vinyl or pine or any cheaper material, the price can start at around $200. The price will definitely vary depending on the material and the size of the doors.

 Reclaimed Wood Door – This is another great idea on how to use your extra solid wood pieces hanging around in the workshop – rework it into a barn door! This keeps the live edge of the wood intact for a more natural look. This works excellently as a statement or accent piece at the entrance to an office to add sophistication and character.

Distressed Sliding Doors – Old doors that might have been naturally distressed or otherwise manually distressed – can also be used as barn doors. You can have a normal white-painted design with a distressed finish that uses black-finish hardware. A distressed finish might go well in an entrance to a mudroom where there are matching built-in storage and organization cabinets to add to the look.

Contemporary Doors – If you want a more contemporary look to match your interiors, you can install normal wood-framed glass doors with your hardware. Aside from using wood-framed glass doors, you can also use hardware in a brushed stainless steel finish for a more modern look. Designers can offer different installation options and types of glass panels to get the level of privacy you require.

Modern Glass Sliding Panel Door – If you want an even more minimalist modern look, you can purchase frame-less glass designs that use tempered glass fixed on brushed stainless steel hardware. Make sure your hardware comes with a damper/buffer, especially for double doors, to avoid accidental glass breakage.

Contemporary Glass – Mixing a bit of the old and new, this contemporary design features both wood and frosted glass to help create separation and privacy.

Adjoining Sliders from Living Room to Bedroom – Double barn doors are a nice way to separate the bedroom from the common room, especially in apartment spaces. The large openings enable you to open up the space when needed and close it completely when in need of more privacy. Using it to close off the bedroom, always make sure that the construction has some noise-dampening qualities. A contractor can provide you with information on different materials and help you determine the best soundproofing options for your space.

Entertainment Center with Slide Style Doors – Aside from being used as openings, barn doors are also nice to conceal your recessed entertainment center. These are specifically designed to conceal only the TV area at the center so that it just looks like a wall accent with shelves on the sides. These mini sliding barn doors work perfectly to conceal a wall-mounted television and add style to this design.

Shiplap Barn-Like Doors – If you have shorter lumber pieces lying around, you can also turn them into a shiplap-style sliding wall panel. This example shows how to creatively conceal the entertainment center.

Bathroom Sliding Plank Door – Barn doors are also a nice way to conceal small bathrooms or powder rooms. The knotty planks add a shabby chic charm that goes well with traditional decor and a homey atmosphere.

Inexpensive Pine – Use a pine barn door for the bathroom to save up on space. The light color of the pine wood nicely complements the light color scheme of the space.

Sliding Laundry Door – Having one to conceal your laundry area is a smart way to hide a usually messy area. The large double doors allow you to have more space when they’re open but conveniently hide it when not in use so that you can lounge in the sitting room more comfortably without thinking about the laundry you have yet to do. You can also use one large barn door to conceal a small laundry area under the stairs.

Sliding Home Bar Door – Aside from using it to conceal laundry areas and entertainment centers, you can also use barn doors to conceal a bar area or small recessed pantry storage. It doubles as a cover and an accent piece, so it’s a win-win!

Dark Slider – If you don’t want your doorway to stand out too much, it would be a nice idea to use a finish or color that matches the other doors in the space. 

Red Sliding Divider Door with Black Hardware – If you would really like to make a statement and add a pop of color, you can paint it with a bold color of your choice! Bright and bold colors can add character to a layout. Use other home decor, pillows, throw blankets, art, and accessories with the same color to create a cohesive design.

Sliding White Doors – White barn doors are a safe choice as they will definitely look good whatever interior style you have. This apartment uses a special white double-wide doorway to divide the sitting area from the other parts of the unit.

For more information and inspiration on incorporating sliding doors into your home design project, see our sliding door ideas for your home.