Incorporating sliding doors into your home design helps free up space. You can tuck sliding doors away in the wall, leaving you with more space as you weigh your furniture and layout options. This way, you can open up your home flow and partition rooms without the hassle of bulky swinging doors. In addition, sliding doors allow you the freedom to shift between open and closed-off layouts. They are available in various types and finishes.
What’s more? You can even make one using an old rustic door. We have highlighted some sliding door ideas you might find helpful.
Sliding Doors in the Kitchen
You can use sliding doors to separate closets and pantries in the kitchen. If you own a walk-in pantry and want to save on space, consider a wall-mounted sliding door instead of large doors that will occupy more space. While the goal here is functionality, there is no harm in being creative with the doors. For instance, you could use chalkboard paint to help you add personalized messages.
If it suits you, you can always opt for glass sliding doors. They make the room feel airier. After all, what do you benefit from concealing a gorgeous butler’s pantry when you could add some style with glass?
Sliding Doors in the Bathroom
To give your bathroom a modern and elegant look, consider sliding doors. Pocket sliding doors, for instance, do not take up any space. Also, consider glass sliding doors for your bathroom to maintain that chic look.
Sliding Doors in the Living Room
If you initially wanted an open concept but are now bored of it, you can always trust sliding doors to set apart your living room from other sections in your home. To open up your room, you could always leave them open. However, if you need some privacy, you can close them whenever you want.
Sliding Doors in the Hallways
Some homes may have tight hallways with rooms and closets where it would be impossible to install traditional doors. In such cases, sliding doors are a perfect choice.
Sliding Doors in the Dining Room
Because sliding doors need not fit inside the door frame, you can get creative with them. This is your chance to use vintage or antique doors.
Sliding Doors for Wardrobes
Using sliding doors instead of hinged doors for wardrobes is slowly but steadily becoming a trend. The major benefit of using these doors on wardrobes is that they do not require a lot of space in front of them as they slide from side to side. Therefore, they can work well at the end of the bed.
What Is a Hinged Door Design?
This door design features a door fixed to the door jamb using hinges. The bigger the door, the more the hinges needed to anchor it. Hinged doors open at a 90-degree angle and have remained popular over the years.
Besides, sliding door wardrobes are always larger, allowing you more space to stack your belongings. They are also more stable as they do not rely on hinges to anchor the doors. If you want your small room to appear larger, you can always opt for a glass sliding door.
A downside of using these doors on wardrobes is that you can’t view all your wardrobe contents at once. However, this is barely an issue since the doors slide so easily. Sliding door wardrobes are perfect for confined spaces and modern homes.
Advantages of Using Sliding Doors in Your Home
Some of the advantages of sliding doors include:
Energy Efficiency
Today’s innovations aim at improving the environment, and sliding doors are no exception. They keep your home cool during summer and warm during winter. When installed properly, they act as a sound and weather buffer, shielding your home from rain, wind, and dust. Depending on how eco-friendly you are willing to go, you can get sustainable wood sliding doors of equal strength that are good insulators.
Safety
In the past years, sliding doors were branded dangerous as safety glass wasn’t used in their installation. However, this isn’t the case today, as you can get sliding doors with shatterproof safety glass.
Improved Flow
By creating a seamless flow between your home’s indoor and outdoor spaces, these doors make it easy to bring nature to the inside. Since they have huge glass panes, sliding doors allow you to enjoy beautiful views of your landscape.
Security
Security is a crucial factor to consider when investing in sliding doors. Ensure you select sliding doors with aluminum seals, fixed leaves, and incorporated gaskets. Also, check out for the hook-over locking mechanism that prevents the door leaf from shifting in the frame. Secure sliding doors also come with engineered stiles to offer extra stability. This, in turn, creates a bridge between your indoors and the outdoors.
Saves on Space
Sliding doors do not need hinges to operate. Rather than swinging open, they glide along a track. Therefore, you do not need additional space for the door arc.
Enhanced Style
Installing sliding doors gives your home a touch of elegance. The simple and sleek look they provide harmonizes with almost all architectural styles. In addition, they offer a practical and functional design that maximizes outdoor views and natural light.
Where Can You Use Sliding Doors Instead of Regular Doors?
Sliding doors can be used almost anywhere in your home. You can use them in:
- Stores
- Hotel entrances
- Office entrances
- Elevators
- Closets/wardrobes
- Patios
- Pantries
- Rooms as dividers
- Bathroom
- Bedroom
- Living room
- Kitchen
- Hallways
- Dining room
- basement
Areas Where You Cannot Use Sliding Doors
Although sliding doors can be used almost anywhere, there are areas where they aren’t a viable option.
- Areas with Extreme Weather: Using sliding glass doors may not be a viable solution if you reside in an area that experiences frequent storms and frosts. In addition, extreme temperatures could fracture them.
- Insecure Areas: Sliding glass doors can pose a security risk when it comes to protecting your home from intruders.
- Tough Climate Areas: Compared to regular doors, sliding glass doors require more maintenance. This is because they are prone to water stains and dirt streaks. Therefore, you might have to clean them quite often if you live in a tough climate.
Why Sliding Doors Save Space in Small Homes
One major reason why most people prefer sliding doors is that they save on space inside your home. This is because they are hingeless and operate by sliding over each other. In addition, because they do not need to swing open, it won’t be necessary to create space around the doorway.
What Are the Advantages of Hinged Doors?
Hinged doors are available in various types. When used in wardrobes, they give better views as they open outwards. Moreover, they allow you to add extra space to your wardrobe by installing hooks where you can hand your items.
Sliding Doors vs. Hinged Doors: Which Is Better?
Generally, your choice of door depends on your needs and preferences. For example, both sliding and hinged doors are excellent choices depending on your situation. However, when space saving is a consideration factor, you might want to opt for sliding doors.
Conclusion
From enhancing functionality and giving a touch of style to your home, there is a lot that sliding doors can achieve. We love their versatility and simplicity.
