Barnyard-style sliding door

There are many affordable ways to make your rehab project, rental units or even your personal residence stand out. As you, no doubt, have already realized, I’m a big advocate of incorporating unique features in your projects. These features add character which is worth well more than the money and time put into their incorporation. This post will be the first in a series intended to help you find something unique, which you can utilize in one of your future projects.

For the first post in this series, I’d like to point out a creative door design I found in the February 2008 issue of Dwell magazine. This concept was utilized by a California couple on a budget. Here’s what Dwell had to say about the door:

“Since the couple wanted a modicum of privacy for their sleeping space, yet didn’t want to close off the area with a small traditional door, they decided to use a barnyard type partition for the room. A cheap plywood sheet like those found at any lumberyard became the door, which was mounted onto a sliding metal track attached to the top of the wall. The result is essentially a wall that cleverly slides open to reveal the room inside.”

Such a door wouldn’t fit in every property or with ever motif, but its a clever and affordable way of satisfying this couple’s needs. By opting for such an unusual option in an apartment or rehab project, the property would be able to offer something different to the consumer. People get tired of the same old same old. And did I mention that the materials for this door only cost about $200?

The hardware can be purchased from McMaster-Carr on page 2844 of their online catalog. They also have an impressive variety of other hardware if you wanted to get really creative. In the challenging market conditions of today, consumers are demanding more for their money. Its time to start thinking outside the box. Just because it hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean it isn’t a good idea.