Whether you plan to build or buy a home, remodel a room or seek ideas to expand your “green” footprint, we are all in the beginning stages of constructing our dreams. Each month, this column will invite you to look beyond the usual ideas and consider alternative, cost-effective and eco-friendly options. With so many topics to explore from top to bottom, room to room, inside and out, the goal of a vision is to take a firm step forward and begin living the dream.
Most would think a door would be among the trivial concerns when considering the bigger picture of a home or individual rooms. Rather than the function of merely opening, closing, and locking, today’s homeowners have gravitated toward a piece of America’s heritage, a sliding barn door. Appealing for its unique look and ability to save space, the options are not limited to wood, wrought iron, or dressed in panels of steel. In fact, combine the three materials and add glass for an impressive look. It is understandable why the barn door has increased the value and the time in selling a home.
Farm House Frenzy
Components of the ole’ farmhouses have become a modernized attraction to today’s homeowners. We now see distressed wood planks used beyond the floor, and placed on the walls and ceilings. In addition to the traditional farmhouse styled windows, which span from the ceiling to the floor, homeowners also rallied to own a substantial sink in width and length, termed a farmhouse or apron sink. Resting lower, the deep well sink quickly became a home feature for its promise of comfort, beauty, and size.
Around 2011, the old rustic barn doors made an appearance to divide a room and lend a focal point. Of course, if you have memories of the country, an interest in antiques, or are attracted to the clean lines, any reason would lead you to install a sliding barn door in your home.
Accent Prone Delivers Style
“A lot of our clients want either the barn doors or furniture designed with doors on the very same rail system,” says Justin Lingafelt, co-owner of Accent Prone. “These accent pieces are selling quickly.” To match what Lingafelt terms, “the bones of the store to resemble the product,” he decided to build two barn doors and place them on rails. Lingafelt claims he is a beginning carpenter in skill; yet, he felt making the doors was relatively easy. (Accent Prone does not sell the barn doors; however, a reference can be given if you prefer a specific style or something unusual.)
Before Buying, Consider…
While not all rooms lend themselves to the ease of incorporating a sliding door on a rail system, it’s important to consider the following facts:
- The barn door will need to be wider than the opening of the door, and the rail should exceed the doubled width of the door. For instance, a 36-inch barn door will require a 75-inch rail to suit the door stoppers and allow the door to fully open. (Molding surrounding the door will not affect the rail system nor the operation of sliding the door.)
- Hardware comes in a variety of colors and materials, and can be purchased online or at your local home improvement store. It is best to comparison shop to ensure you are not overpaying for a popular system.
(You will need to buy hardware for the door, separately. This may include a door handle for the outside, and a “flush finger pull” for easy sliding, and, depending on the location, a locking mechanism.
- Installation is relatively simple, but needs perfect measurement and leveling.
The Visual Appeal
In addition to the powerful visual appeal, the barn door can be an effective way to partition open spaces. While many homes have an open floor plan, you may consider adding a feature, which suggests a spatial separation without permanence. The barn door can hide rooms such as closets, laundry rooms, basements, pantries, bathrooms, and a private room in the home. If you are tired of a traditional door taking up space to open and close, consider adding a barn door. Visitors will quickly udder not words, but sounds, “Oooohhhhh!” And, you’ll love it, too!
Next Month: Ever Think About Bamboo Wood Flooring?
