7 Ways to Use Barn Doors in Your Custom Home Design

February 25, 2021

Farmhouse and its variations are popular interior design styles. When it comes to farmhouse design, barn doors are a classic element. Whether you’re going full farmhouse or for something more subtle, here are a few ways to use barn doors in your custom home design to inspire you:

1. Use a Sliding Barn Door to Cover a Pantry

One of the ways to use barn doors in your custom home design is to use one as a cover for an open pantry or a walk-in pantry. It can be installed to easily slide back and forth.

So, you can easily access your pantry when you need it and keep it closed off when you don’t. This can also help keep pets and small children out of it when you’re not looking.

You can even make your pantry barn door a chalkboard door to help keep track of ingredients and inventory, keep a running grocery list, plan out meals for the week, assign chores to people, or just give your family something to doodle on.

2. Hang a Barn Door at a Room Entrance

You can also hang a barn door at the entrance of a room. It doesn’t have to slide open and closed, but it’s generally a good idea to have that function. This can be a stylish and fun way to add some privacy to a room when you want it and leave it open when the room is not in use.

A barn door could easily be used as a stylish entrance to a home office, a closet, a laundry room, or even a bathroom in the master suite. A barn door on a rail is also one of the ways to maximize space in a small bathroom. If you don’t have to account for a hinged swinging door in a frame, you can squeeze a little more function into the layout. 

3. Use Reclaimed Barn Board in Other Ways

Using a repurposed or reclaimed barn door as a door is a straightforward way to use barn doors in your custom home design and is a way to incorporate architectural salvage into your home design too. But, it’s not the only way you can use them. Reclaimed barn board can be used on walls or in flooring.

It can also be used in furniture, as a tabletop, small doors for a media console, a TV cover, as a headboard, or as bookshelves for farmhouse decor that goes beyond a standard door for a room.

4. Turn a Barn Door Into Window Treatments

Instead of curtains or other standard window treatments, why not repurpose a barn door instead. The right-sized door can be split in half and hung on a sliding bar to allow you to let the light in or block it out while also adding a unique farmhouse aesthetic to the room.

5. Make Bathroom Cabinet Doors Look Like Small Barn Doors

Another way to use barn board and incorporate a barn door look in your custom home design is to make your bathroom cabinet doors look like small barn doors.

This can be a subtle way to add a rustic farmhouse style to a bathroom while also adding a unique design element. It can also be a great addition to help complete a farmhouse master bathroom design.

6. Use a Barn Door as a Baby Gate

If you are growing your family or have dogs that you need to keep off the stairs or out of a specific room, consider using a barn door as a baby gate.

Not only is it sturdy, but it looks great too. Plus, you can customize the look to your needs and make the latch as complicated as you need it to be.

7. Go for Carriage Doors on Your Garage

Although carriage doors are not necessarily a standard barn door, they are a closely related style and can still give you a farmhouse look. In fact, carriage doors on your garage are one of the modern farmhouse exterior design ideas that can give you a classic country look with a modern twist. Plus, they can range in style from more rustic interior design to more modern looks to help match the exterior style of your home to the interior theme.

These are just a few ways to use barn doors in your custom home design and are a great way to incorporate natural wood into your custom home. With any interior design style, there are often a ton of different ways to use design elements to get the look you want.

It can be overwhelming to handle it all on your own. Instead, partner with a custom home builder that has an in-house design/build process. They’ll help you handle the details and make sure you get the end result you want.

If you’re ready to bring your dream home to life, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090!