Privacy door-Any suggestions?

DD53
by DD53

the bathroom attached to a gues bedroom does double duty as a powder room for the living area. I’m not sure if you can tell from the photo but there is a privacy door to the bedroom and to the bathroom but the “hall” area is open to the family room. There is no privacy for guests as they enter or leave the bathroom. I want to install a privacy door but the space is tight. I’ve considered a pocket door but the builder says there is no room in the wall. There is also no room for a barn door style sliding door. Any suggestions that don’t cost an arm and a leg? This will not be a DIY project.

The hallway is about three feet deep and the width of the bathroom door

This is where the two doors butt up against each other

This is a photo of the width of the opening visible from the family room

  9 answers
  • Deb Deb on Jul 13, 2018

    Since it is not a main or full bath, maybe put "saloon" style swinging doors in the opening. Or, you could put a track/curtain rod over the top on the hallway side of the opening and hang a curtain that can be drawn for privacy (if there is enough room to hide a curtain against the hallway wall when not in use). Or, maybe bi-fold closet doors? Here's another thought... depending on the size of the opening, would something similar to a roman shade, or something that can be rolled up and down, work (mounted on the hallway side - overhead)?

    • DD53 DD53 on Jul 13, 2018

      It is a full bath. There’s not really a place to hide a curtain. The opening is 10 feet tall. I have considered the swinging door. There would be no way to keep it open. I think the frame would have to be built up and the door might be really skinny.

  • Laura Cooper Laura Cooper on Jul 13, 2018

    My first thought was a bifold door. I hate them, though. If you used the track curtain idea, I would put a pretty curtain hook mounted on the inside of the room so the curtain could be hooked gracefully and decoratively just inside the room when not in use

    • DD53 DD53 on Jul 13, 2018

      I don’t care for the bifolds, either. Doesn’t matter though because ther isn’t space enough for it to open. A single bifold won’t even fit

  • Shore grandmom Shore grandmom on Jul 13, 2018

    Is there room to put a door in the guest room to the bathroom? That way the bathroom can be accessed through two different doors.

    • See 1 previous
    • Shore grandmom Shore grandmom on Jul 14, 2018

      It looks like you have a very nice home, it would be a shame to cheapen it with a curtain hung there. And bi-fold doors are a pain and it would block the window and clock. Is there room for another door to close that off that space? The builder might have to make the opening a little bigger, but it looks like it could be done. I can see a little extra room on both sides of the doorway and that's what you'll need for a door jam. You could leave that door open and close it when you have a guest that needs privacy. I really think this could work, but there will have to be adjustments to the wall.

  • DD DD on Jul 13, 2018

    This picture is a bit small but I hope you can see the louvered doors in the foyer they are not bi-fold but 2 separate doors. We close them when we have company and leave them open when no one else is in the house.

    Hope that helps

    • DD53 DD53 on Jul 13, 2018

      I do like the idea but the space is so tight. You couldn’t open the door into the hallway as it would block the entry into the bathroom.

  • DD53 DD53 on Jul 13, 2018

    thank you guys for some great ideas. I’ll make all of these suggestions to the contractor. This is a custom builder and this is the first time he has used this plan. The architect has since redrawn the plan to allow a pocket door.

  • Deb Deb on Jul 14, 2018

    OIC. I was looking at it wrong. :(

    I guess my best thought would be installing some sort overhead (Roman) shade in the hallway. It would not be visible from the living room, and functional from the guest's side. On another note, there is always the more "old-fashioned" standing tri-fold-type room dividers. It could be stashed away and brought out when needed. Sorry I'm not being much help...

  • 17335038 17335038 on Jul 14, 2018

    From the pictures I am thinking that your best option as far as a solid door might be to install a pivot door. The mounts on a pivot door result in the door not swinging open or closed, but pulling out then going flat against the wall. They do not require as much floor space as a conventional opening door, so would give you more room to get through the bathroom doorway, when going from the family room. Depending on the exact measurements it might allow sufficient access for your needs.


    The picture below shows right hand mounted doors. For your space, a left hand mount might be more suitable.


    To prevent the door from blocking out all the light entering the hall from the nearby windows to the bedroom/bath area, I would recommend getting a glass pivot door with privacy semi opaque frosting.


  • DD DD on Jul 14, 2018

    Got it I’ll keep thinking 🤔

  • DD DD on Jul 19, 2018

    Hi I have bee looking at you picture and I really can't tell the size of the wall with the I think it is a clock. What if you had a door installed to swing in front of the clock you could add a door stop so that it would not hit the clock and then you get the door you need. Not sure if that would work for you but it is the only other solution I can come up with sorry.