Asked on Sep 20, 2020

How do create something nice where this closet door was?

Michael Rogers
by Michael Rogers

I have a coat closet next to a doorway. It used to have a bifold door (hated it) and I'd rather not add a regular door. Hanging fabric is out (so are beads from the 1970s). Any suggestions here?

  17 answers
  • Vimarhonor Vimarhonor on Sep 20, 2020

    Hello a barn sliding door might be an option to think about. Old fashioned accordion doors are available too.

  • Janice Janice on Sep 20, 2020

    Narrow french doors to fit the space with mirror insets rather than glass to lighten up the area might work well since you don't like bi-fold doors, beads, or a curtain. eas. It looks as though you don't have room for a sliding barn door.

  • 17335038 17335038 on Sep 20, 2020

    I bet I can guess why you hated the bifold door - it got stuck, the hardware came undone, and it got caught on items that were inside the closet.


    My suggestion to improve the looks of the closet area is to install sliding (also called bypass) mirrored doors.


    Mirrored doors do not take up any floor space inside the closet when opened, the way bifold doors do. They require very little floor space in front of the closet, as the tracks are narrow. They hide the mess inside, reflect light, and the give the illusion of more space in the area outside of the closet.


    Unlike sliding barn doors that require double the width of the door on the wall to accommodate the opening of the doors, the tracks of the sliding mirrored doors are the same width as the doors themselves.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Sep 21, 2020

    Barn door if you have room to the right.

  • Cynthia H Cynthia H on Sep 21, 2020

    Hi! We turned a bifold door into two doors by taking the hinges off in the middle and adding hinges to the outer edge to hang it. I wanted a barn door, but, this worked. Hope that gives you an idea for yours! Good luck and stay safe!

  • PeggySue2u PeggySue2u on Sep 21, 2020

    If it were me, (in my apartment) I would put two large woven baskets on the top shelf or playfully arrange cute hats on top with command hooks. Then, hang heavy duty metal hangers from the right and left sides of the bar to support another shelf that you can inside of those hangers. Add more if wanted going down. Use command strip hooks for an apartment or screw supports in if you are allowed, to keep the hangers from shifting/moving. Below the shelves, go to Home Depot and get them to cut large PVC pipes for shoes, placing two boards on either side of the walls to support the weight (with felt pads against wall), placing the cut PVC pipes inside from the last shelf down for shoes. A few taller pipes placed upright can hold umbrellas, canes and other misc. if shifting occurs, duct tape can be used in the same color you use for the PVC pipes or paint over the pipes and tape. Smaller pipes can be placed in the larger spaces between the upright pipes. Matching baskets can be placed on the hanging shelves for dividers for stacking or kept upright for storage. Use command hooks for temporary placements for coats etc. Mirrors are your friend for small spaces to appear more open so if you wanted to make wooden boxes with mirrors, spray paint mirrored paint or place cheap walmart door mirrors on the back or sides of your closet, it would be pretty nice but I would not put up a door. I hate doors on closets.


  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Sep 21, 2020

    Hi,

    Maybe use a Vertical Blind or a Roller Blind, or just a regular Curtain or Drape.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Sep 21, 2020

    I would use a tension rod and hang a drape.

  • Holly Lengner - Lost Mom Holly Lengner - Lost Mom on Sep 21, 2020

    You can scroll through some of these ideas on closet doors and see if something inspires you:

    https://www.hometalk.com/search/posts?filter=Closet%20Doors

  • Cheryl A Cheryl A on Sep 21, 2020

    If you don't want to use it as a coat closet then you could remove the doors, add shelves and store books, small appliances you rarely use, pots and pans, etc.

    paint the back wall a color you like and you have open storage that looks nice too

  • Oliva Oliva on Sep 22, 2020

    Why not install 2 smaller doors in that space? It saves on space when opening the doors, while providing the option of only opening one side, if you so desire.

  • Mandy Brown Mandy Brown on Sep 22, 2020

    Why not build locker-type spaces with a top shelf and seating (if you click on my picture and look at my projects you’ll see what I mean). Then use large baskets or decorate boxes to store loose items in.

  • Lauren of Mom Home Guide Lauren of Mom Home Guide on Sep 24, 2020

    A band door would be really nice. If you have the skills, you could make one. Bit they also sell barn doors at Lowes, Home Depot and Amazon. You can purchase an unfinished one to make it a little cheaper.

  • Lauren of Mom Home Guide Lauren of Mom Home Guide on Sep 24, 2020

    P.S. I believe you would have to purchase the hardware to hang the barn door separately.

  • You can take the bifold door apart, and attach each side to the closet opening with hinges. This makes it open in the middle, like two small doors, instead of a bi-fold.

  • Agnes Chrzanowska Agnes Chrzanowska on Sep 30, 2020

    Some kind of cool slider door ... made out of panels and mounted on the rack

  • LorriLJ LorriLJ on Mar 02, 2021

    Perhaps measure the space and purchase a ready made armoire that can slide in to look built-in. Just remove the shelf and rod. If it's a rental store them on top of the armoire and re-install when you were to move out. IKEA has some very nice options and there are some reasonable prices.