Hinged swing doors, French doors, and double doors are by far the most common interior doors in homes. They also require the most floor space to operate — enough room to swing open fully. But what about those small rooms, tight places, odd corners, and narrow hallways that need the privacy or boundary of a door but don’t have the physical space to accommodate swinging doors? Good news: If you have a space-challenged area inside a home, you have multiple options for adding a door that works with the space.
Start by taking rough measurements of the challenging area’s available space, so you can compare the doors your clients prefer to the dimensions you have to work with.
Bifold doors that stack together
Bifold doors — also known as folding track doors, accordion doors, and partition doors, and sometimes called concertina doors or even zig zag doors — are a popular choice for pantry doors, clothes and linen closet doors, and utility doors for washer/dryer closets. Available with solid panels or a ventilating louver feature narrow, hinged panels that move along a track and stack together as the door slides open. Bi-fold doors make it easy to conceal and access storage areas, and they take up minimal space when opened.
JELD-WEN offers bifold interior doors in our Molded Wood Composite, Woodview™ Molded Wood Composite, TRIA™ MDF, Authentic Wood, and Flush Wood Composite product lines. No matter the style of the home you’re building or remodeling, or your clients’ preferences for interior design, there’s a bi-fold door that will complement the space.
Barn doors that slide to the side
Single barn doors and double barn doors are great for concealing storage areas or separating rooms. Rather than swing open, they slide parallel to the wall — which means there has to be enough clearance against the wall (no furniture or fixtures) for the barn door to sit while it’s open.
You can have fun with barn doors. Any style of door, from farmhouse plank to modern glass panel, can become a sliding barn door, so your clients get to enjoy both the space-saving functionality and the design details of the door itself.
Another plus: barn doors are surprisingly quick and easy to install. You can turn almost any door (of any height) into a sliding barn door using our DesignGlide™ soft-close barn door hardware.
Pocket doors that disappear
Pocket doors are the ultimate space saver, sliding into the wall and out of sight when open. The framing that makes the doors’ movement possible is fully concealed within the wall. Pocket doors are great for open concept living areas (where rooms have the flexibility to be opened together or to remain separate) or anywhere privacy is needed but space is tight. And unlike barn doors, they can be used in areas where furniture or décor is placed against the wall.
Pocketing door systems have been around since the 1800s, and they can work with any home style: historical, transitional, or contemporary.
Pocketing systems also work equally well with single interior doors and interior double doors; you can use them to separate a bedroom or office, conceal a closet or pantry, or to create a dramatic living or dining room entrance that slides apart from the center. Standard and custom interior doors of varying heights can be pocket doors, so you can incorporate a multitude of door designs — solid panel, clear or privacy glass, etc.
If your clients need more information on space saving doors, offer them our reference articles on choosing the right interior doors and choosing the right closet doors for additional ideas and recommendations.
Learn more about JELD-WEN® interior doors here.
Find the nearest JELD-WEN dealer or retail location here.
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