Door to Door Blog

Louvers 101: The Benefits of a Classic Style

Often, we choose door styles based on aesthetic preference. However, when it comes to louvered doors, there’s also a practical benefit to consider.

Louver doors use slats to promote ventilation or air flow. While the slats are close enough together to still provide privacy, they allow for air to circulate between the spaces divided by the door. This makes louvered doors the ideal choice to close off small spaces that won’t see a lot of traffic and could otherwise get musty.

Unsure if louvers are the right choice for your space? Here are a few times when a little extra airflow is a great option:   

• Utility closets
• Laundry rooms
• Bedroom closets with bifold doors
• Kitchen pantry
• Basements

Aside from this very practical benefit, louvers are also visually appealing. This classic, timeless style gives your door dimension and texture. However, if you don’t want a full louvered door, you can always opt for a combination style. For instance, the top panel of your door can be louvered, and the bottom can be raised panel.

Whether you choose two louver panels or a combination of louver and another style panel, you’ll be glad to have the option of increased air flow that this traditional and functional door provides.

Want to learn more about louvers? Shop now.

Pocket Doors: What You Need to Know

You know that room you’ve always wished you could close off with a door, but opening and closing one wouldn’t work with the available floor space? Well, that’s where pocket doors come in. 

Aptly named, pocket doors are designed to slide into the doorframe or adjacent wall when fully open. Using rollers on an overhead track, these doors can slide out when needed and tuck away when not. This makes them the ultimate compromise: you can have an open concept flow when you want it or close off the room when you don’t — without losing any floor space.

If your home doesn’t currently have an option for a pocket door, that doesn’t mean you can’t add one in. While it does require some minor demolition, installing a pocket door is a relatively straightforward and inexpensive design upgrade. In order to decide if your doorway is a good candidate, ask these preliminary questions first: 

• Is there enough room in the wall? A good wall for a pocket door will be twice the width of the door you want to install.
• Is the wall load bearing? While this doesn’t necessarily rule it out if so, it does further complicate the process.
• Does the wall contain wiring or plumbing? While wiring isn’t a deal breaker (but will require some rewiring), the presence of pipes makes your wall a poor candidate for a pocket door.

Now, with just a door, a pocket door hardware kit and either some DIY home repair experience or the help of a professional, you can have the space saver door option you’ve always wanted.

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Shaker Style 101

4 Benefits of Barn Doors

Utilizing sliding barn doors inside the home is an especially trendy choice these days, but that’s not the only benefit of these statement doors. If you’re considering adding a barn door to your home, here are four benefits you can put in the “pro” column:

1. Barn doors are aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps it’s because they have a unique and different appeal than a traditional door, but barn doors add instant charm to a room. With both rustic and modern styles, you can completely change the feel of a room.
2. Barn doors are space savers. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, barn doors are also extremely practical. Since they don’t swing open like a traditional door on hinges, you don’t need to account for opening and closing space. This makes barn doors a particularly effective choice for small bedrooms.
3. Barn doors are convenient. You’ll never be happier to have a barn door than when you have to move furniture in and out of a room. The added space they allow for maneuvering, coupled with eliminating the need to hold a door open, makes them a very functional choice.
4. Barn doors are easy to open and close. Without knobs to turn and with an easy sliding track, barn doors are actually extremely ADA compliant. This make them a great option for older adults choosing to age in place or someone looking to make their home more accessible to people with disabilities.

Ready to take the plunge and add a barn door to your home? We can help with that.

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French Doors: When Should You Use Them?

So, you’re consider adding a French door: how do you know if this bright and stylish option is the best choice for your space?

Made of panels of glass, French doors are a great way to add light and dimension to your home. Using a French door can provide an element of privacy without completely closing off a space. However, as well as French doors can work in one space, they aren’t always the best choice. Here are a few examples of when choosing a French can elevate the style and function of your home:

• As an entrance to a patio or deck. The natural light that comes from a set of exterior French doors can change the entire feel of a room.
• Connecting two complementary rooms. For example, if you have a dining room and sitting room that often function as one space, French doors are a great option.
• Filling a double-door entryway. If your home has a double doorway, French doors are the perfect solution to creating a partial open concept feel.
• As an entrance to a balcony. This can be an especially nice touch for a bedroom balcony to establish privacy, while also letting in plenty of natural light.

Whether to let in extra light or construct more of an open concept home, French doors are a classic, beautiful choice. As long as you don’t think you’d be risking the required privacy of a room (hint: French doors and bathrooms don’t mix), then embrace the elegance of the French door and let the light in.

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