Tired of the Barn Door Trend? These Alternatives Are on the Rise
The sliding doors are out, but pros share what’s in.
R. Brad Knipstein
Were you raised in a barn? Probably not, but you might have sliding barn doors as space-saving solutions in your home. Earlier this year, however, experts shared the news that these once-trendy doors are “out,” particularly because they don’t offer much privacy and aren’t the best option if you have space constraints.
We ventured to find the next best thing, and two Northern California-based pros gave their stamps of approval to four different types of doors.
Courtesy of Insensation
Frameless Pocket Doors
One of the significant “pros” of barn doors is that they can replace a classic door, which swings out and can take up too much space. Malak Bellajdel, the San Francisco-based in-house interior design expert at Pet Portraits, offers a solid swap: frameless pocket doors.
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“Pocket doors slide neatly into the wall when opened, [which] creates a nice, uninterrupted flow between rooms while maximizing square footage,” she says. “For a modern twist, you can try frameless pocket doors with sleek hardware or go for a frosted glass panel to let natural light in.”
Nano Doors
R. Brad Knipstein
Nano doors are typically retractable glass walls that bring more light into your home and seamlessly connect interior and exterior spaces. A company known for these systems is called NanaWall.
“We used nano doors for an ADU we recently designed in Lafayette, California, because we wanted an indoor-outdoor function that felt elevated and saved space,” says Susie Novak, founder and principal designer of Susie Novak Interiors in the Bay Area. “This created an unobtrusive and sleek entrance that blended effortlessly with our modern ADU aesthetic.”
Pivoting Doors
Courtesy of Doornmore
Bellajdel also suggests pivoting doors, a versatile style that rotates on a central pivot point.
“This creates a smooth, fluid motion when opening and closing,” she says. “They come in many different materials like wood and glass and they can be customized to complement pretty much any design aesthetic.”
