27 Creative Kids’ Rooms with Space-Savvy Sliding Barn Doors

We are constantly on the hunt for new ways that you can give the smart kids’ room a unique and creative twist that takes it away from the mundane. Of course, adding something exceptional to the kids’ bedroom or playroom often involves a splash of bold color, plenty of pattern and maybe a custom wall mural or two. But within no time your little ones grow out of this ‘phase’ and you are stuck with a room that needs a complete overhaul. So, why not consider designing a kids’ bedroom that grows along with them, with elements that look equally at home in teen and adult spaces?

Modern kids' bedroom celebrates the beauty of the barn door [Design: Studiovistara] — Modern kids’ bedroom celebrates the beauty of the barn door [Design: Studiovistara]

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The barn door is one such smart feature that seems both whimsical and stylish, making it a great option for the versatile and fashionable kids’ room. Beyond a mere aesthetic addition, this smart door can also save precious space that might be otherwise taken up by the conventional door that swings open. From custom crafted modern variations to those reclaimed and repainted, here is a look at how the sliding barn door can revamp the kids’ room –

Breezy Beach Style

If there is one style that seems to accommodate the sliding barn-style door with ease, it is the cheerful beach style. A smart beach-style kids’ room with its coastal motifs, unassuming elegance and casual vibe is a perfect place to rehabilitate that old barn door. Instead of leaving the heavy wooden door as it is, cover it up with white paint so that it blends in with the rest of the room. A whitewashed barn door adds a shabby chic vibe to this setting, and it acts as the perfect bridge between the rustic cabin style and modern coastal theme.

Stylish sliding doors separate the bedroom from the bathroom [Design: Borges Brooks Builders]

Hanging beds for the cheerful beach style kids' bedroom [Design: Vintage Porch Swings] — Hanging beds for the cheerful beach style kids’ bedroom [Design: Vintage Porch Swings]

Beach style kids' room with small sliding barn doors [Design: Henderson Development and Design / Tim Kramer Photography] — Beach style kids’ room with small sliding barn doors [Design: Henderson Development and Design / Tim Kramer Photography]

Bright blue barn style door for the modern nautical themed kids room [From: Our Town Plans / Coastal Living]

Nifty barn door is a great choice for the breezy beach style kids' bedroom [Design: Cottage Home] — Nifty barn door is a great choice for the breezy beach style kids’ bedroom [Design: Cottage Home]

Sliding barn door in the kids' room with wall of bunk beds is a space-saver [Design: Vertical Arts Architecture / Kevin Dietrich Photography] — Sliding barn door in the kids’ room with wall of bunk beds is a space-saver [Design: Vertical Arts Architecture / Kevin Dietrich Photography]

Contemporary Kids’ Rooms

There are plenty of ways that the classic barn door can be reinterpreted and reinvented to fit in with the ambiance of a contemporary kids’ room. If you feel that a heavy, traditional barn door is a bit too much, then consider lighter, modern counterparts crafted from translucent glass or those with a lighter wooden frame. The barn-style door can be used in the contemporary playroom or even the kids’ study in ways that go beyond the obvious, as it can be turned into a custom window that brings in ample natural light. Then there are occasions when it becomes a strictly aesthetic addition as it sits proudly behind the bed to shape a striking headboard wall!

Moooi Random Lights enliven the colorful playroom with sliding barn doors [Design: Sullivan, Goulette & Wilson Ltd. Architects]

Sliding barn closet doors add rustic elegance to the colorful contemporary kids room [Design: Closet Factory]

Creative kids' bedroom uses the sliding barn-style door as a window [Design: David Anderson Architect] — Creative kids’ bedroom uses the sliding barn-style door as a window [Design: David Anderson Architect]

Contemporary nursery uses the barn door for the closet [Design: IDF Studio]

Contemporary reinterpretation of sliding barn door [From: Holly Marder]

Spacious kids’ room with climbing wall and sliding doors [Design: Lincthelen Design]

Kids' study area and playroom delineated from the rest of the home using sliding barn door [Design: Feldman Architecture] — Kids’ study area and playroom delineated from the rest of the home using sliding barn door [Design: Feldman Architecture]

Color and Creativity

When it comes to bedrooms with barn doors or even living spaces, color often takes a back seat, with gray and black providing the most popular alternatives to the untouched ‘woodsy’ look. But the bedroom of your little one demands a lot more color, and the versatile barn door can adapt to this as well. For children’s bedrooms with nautical style a sliding door drenched in navy blue is a fine choice, while contemporary and rustic spaces can embrace colors ranging from red and yellow to mellow pastel hues.

6 bunk beds and maple space create a fabulous kids' space with sliding barn doors [Design: Daniel Contelmo Architects] — 6 bunk beds and maple space create a fabulous kids’ space with sliding barn doors [Design: Daniel Contelmo Architects]

Another look at the same stunning kids' bedroom / playroom [From: Daniel Contelmo Jr. Photography] — Another look at the same stunning kids’ bedroom / playroom [From: Daniel Contelmo Jr. Photography]

Fabulous use of color to enliven the barn doors [Design: Innovation Luxury Homes]

Smart arrangement of beds in the kids' bedroom to save space [From: Carlos Barron Photography] — Smart arrangement of beds in the kids’ bedroom to save space [From: Carlos Barron Photography]

Stylish kids' hangout with sliding barn doors in bright red [Design: La Casa Builders / Photography: Dino Tonn Photography] — Stylish kids’ hangout with sliding barn doors in bright red [Design: La Casa Builders / Photography: Dino Tonn Photography]

Create your own custom sliding doors that steal the spotlight [Design: Geoff Chick & Associates]

Leave a Message on the Door!

Chalkboard paint can instantly turn any boring surface in your home into a message board that brings out the latent creativity in every member of the family. Whether it is quirky messages and fun drawings that your little darling wants to try out or important notes and weekly schedules chalked out to keep everyone up to date, a chalkboard paint-covered barn door can do it all. If chalkboard paint is not your thing, then go a step further with a magnetic sliding door!

Transitional girls' bedroom with barn door covered in whiteboard [From: Johnston Home / Finger Photography] — Transitional girls’ bedroom with barn door covered in whiteboard [From: Johnston Home / Finger Photography]

Chalkboard sliding barn door also serves as a message board in the kids room [Design: Rucker Design Build]

Chalkboard sliding barn-style door for the modern playroom [Design: Johnson Hardware]

Magnetic sliding door serves more uses than one in the kids' room! [Design: Flea Market Sunday] — Magnetic sliding door serves more uses than one in the kids’ room! [Design: Flea Market Sunday]

A Rustic Vibe

Are you trying to recapture the unique appeal of the mountain cabin and its beautiful kids’ room filled with bunk beds at home? Maybe the large sliding barn door is the missing piece of puzzle that finally completes this cozy and fun bedroom. The sliding door allows you to have a wall of beds right next to the entry, as it needs absolutely no space to ‘swing out’, and often it can be used to hide both the bathroom and the large open shelves in the kids’ room!