25 Bedrooms that Showcase the Beauty of Sliding Barn Doors

The last few years have seen a steady increase in the desire of homeowners to move away from cookie-cutter design and glossy, contemporary interiors towards a more unassuming, stripped-down style. This has resulted in a phenomenal increase in home renovation projects that pay homage to their simpler past, adaptive reuse of structures and materials in the most brilliant fashion, and a partial revival of styles such as industrial, rustic and farmhouse. It is this movement towards the simple that has led to many designers using the classic sliding barn door in modern bedrooms.

Beautiful bedroom design with rustic and modern touches [Design: Selle Valley Construction / Real Carriage Door Company]

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The barn-style door is pretty easy to identify, thanks to its use of heavy and often reclaimed wood. Even though there are modern variants that replace wood with glass, steel and other materials, we still prefer the classic and believe it is the best of the lot. The sliding door track system brings with it plenty of benefits that complement the aesthetic appeal of the door itself. Charming, distinct and at times planet-friendly, here is a look at 25 bedrooms that put the barn door to use beautifully.

Adding Color and Contrast

The barn door is the perfect way to bring some visual and textural beauty to a bedroom that seems all too monotonous. Irrespective of the theme and style of the room, you can use the sliding barn door to introduce a unique pattern by choosing a pattern of wood that has not already been employed in the design of the room. Reclaimed wood is often the popular choice in the case of lovely bedroom barn doors, as it is eco-friendly, easier on the wallet and brings an ‘aged elegance’ to the room instantly.

Elegant door adds color to the farmhouse bedroom [Photography: Corynne Pless]

Design of the sliding door lets it blend into the backdrop [Design: Northworks Architects and Planners]

Master bedroom with barn door for the bathroom [Design: Fiorella Design]

If you are looking for something beyond texture, the try painting the barn door in a color of your choice. From bright red and vivacious yellow to cool blue and stoic gray, it is an easy way to add color to the room and turn that door to the bathroom into a stylish focal point.

Yellow barn door adds color to the eclectic bedroom [Design: Four Chairs Furniture / Hiya Papaya Photography]

Midcentury bedroom with barn door for bathroom and office space [Design: Design Platform]

Perfect door style for the cool rustic bedroom [Design: Our Town Plans]

Farmhouse style bedroom with reclaimed wood barn doors [Design: HAUS]

Craftsman style bedroom with a hint of vivacious red [Design: Pine Mountain Builders]

Not Just Rustic!

A popular misconception among design enthusiasts is that the barn door is only suitable for bedrooms with a rustic or farmhouse flair. In fact, this is exactly opposite of the truth, and these gorgeous wooden wonders look even more appealing when they slide their way into contemporary bedrooms. Even the most minimal of modern bedrooms will benefit from the sheer warmth and contrast that the barn door offers. Acting as a cool transition between the master bedroom and the bathroom, the barn-style door easily stands out thanks to its uniqueness and the neutral backdrops that most modern bedrooms use.

All-white minimal bedroom with a lovely barn door for the bath [Design: Kriste Michelini Interiors]

Pick the right hardware for your barn door [Design: Rustica Hardware]

Barn door connects the bedroom with the bathroom [Photography: Kimberley Bryan]

Sliding barn doors add texture to the cool bedroom [Photography: Virtual Studio Innovatons]

Smart barn door saves up space in the small bedroom [Design: Nathan Cuttle Design]

Exquisite use of sliding barn doors in the bedroom [From: Jeffrey Lendrum / Lendrum Photography]

An Entrance to Remember

But the sliding barn door is not just about its looks alone. In fact, it brings as much in terms of functionality by cutting down on wastage of space that a normal door might cause. Most doors take up extra space because of their swinging motion, something that many of us simply cannot afford in the small bedroom. We want doors that stay out of the way and get the job done by taking up as little square footage as possible. The barn door is the perfect solution in this regard, as it simply slides away, ensuring that you need not account for the typical swinging white door. Of course, you will still need some wall space for it to slide away, but that seems like a fair bargain indeed!

Custom barn door for the contemporary bedroom [Design: Artistic Designs for Living, Tineke Triggs]

Bedroom door fits in perfectly with the style of the room [Design: Buckenmeyer Architecture]

Bring home the charm of the woodsy cabin [Design: modern rustic homes]

Guest room that can be easily integrated into the living area thanks to the sliding door [Design: Art of Construction]

Sliding barn door separates the living area from the bedroom [Design: C.H. Newton Builders]

Conceal Those Closets

So why is the sliding feature such an important aspect of the barn door? Apart from saving space at the entrance of the bedroom, it also makes for an ideal closet door that simply slides shut when needed. It is a great way to conceal the walk-in closet, a small home office in the bedroom or a messy shelf without having to deal with the traditional doors that swing open. Many homeowners have put this to good use by using one large barn door for home workspaces and displays next to one another, ensuring minimal wastage of space.