Metal doors with industrial hardware give off contemporary flair.

When you redecorate a room, you might be very aware of your furniture, wall color, flooring and accessories. But do you look at your closet door design? If not, you should, because closets are often a prominent part of the space.

First, consider keeping the closet doors you have and simply embellishing them. You can add fabric panels or trim to a paneled door, for example. Or in a child’s room or kitchen you might paint parts of the closet door or the whole door with chalkboard paint that allows for writing and drawing. Traditional hinged doors provide the most access to your closet; install hooks or organizers to the backs of the doors for even more storage. (But be mindful that these doors do swing out and can cause traffic flow issues.)

If your doors aren’t working for you, consider creative options. Your local architectural salvage store or an auction will have interesting doors that are relatively inexpensive and easy to hang. This kind of door can become a surprising focal point to your room.

Chalkboard paint allows you to turn a closet door into a piece of art.

If you have a more contemporary style, sliding doors in a metal finish with industrial hardware give that edgy feel. Sliding doors also come in frosted and translucent glass for a softer yet still modern look. The downside of sliders, of course, is you can only access one part of your closet at a time. But they are sleek and unobtrusive.

Mirrored doors might seem like a good double-use of the door but they can be overwhelming. It’s easy to think that the mirrors will make the room look larger when in fact they just reflect a cluttered or “busy” room and make it look messier. If you have a single closet door, however, a mirror can be useful and look nice.

Fabric makes a soft stand-in for closet doors.

Drapery panels make an attractive closet “door” and they add color and texture to your room. Pocket doors that slide into the wall are also handy since they move completely out of the space and give you full access to your closet.

The biggest no-no in closet doors: choosing a less durable door to save money. When you think about it, you are likely to open and close those doors at least once a day. So if you don’t get good quality doors and hardware, you will be frustrated with doors that are difficult to get open or that won’t close properly. Plus you don’t want to spend time and money producing a beautiful room only to have it fall flat with a cheap closet door that is non-functional and unappealing.

Our staff specializes in helping you select the perfect closet doors – and everything else! – for your home. Please contact us for a complimentary consultation.