Barn or Mirrored? Which Sliding Closet Door Should You Choose

When it comes to interior design, doors are far more than just entryways. And when selecting a closet door, it doubles as a style statement and a functional space saver.

Among the many sliding closet door installations, two popular choices forgo the traditional swing. We’re talking about barn sliding doors and mirrored sliding doors!

So, which one should you choose? Which will fit right into your home? Let’s slide into this article that compares both!

Installing Sliding Closet Doors - Which One Should You Choose?

• Barn Doors

Do you want a wooden sliding door with plenty of character and style? Then the barn door is for you!

Barn doors are a stylish replacement for a swinging closet door. They come in many different types of finishes and materials. And if you have a home in Orange County, CA, with eclectic decor, barn doors fit right in. But more on that later!

These types of doors basically open the same way that other sliding doors do. The only exception is the track that’s placed over the top frame and not inside it. While barn doors are great in any room, they are the best suited for large rooms. The door can scrape against obstacles around it, like air vents or electrical outlets.

Now, let’s discuss more of their features.

• Rustic charm

Barn sliding doors are the kings of industrial and rustic chic. Their exposed top-mounted track and solid, wooden panel immediately draw the eye. They turn a simple closet into a focal point. And as mentioned, this door type fits right into shabby-chic, farmhouse, and eclectic home interiors.

Functionality and space-saving

Barn doors save you on floor space since they slide rather than swing open. This is a massive advantage in tight or small bedrooms.

Practical trade-offs

Despite all the benefits, there are a few things to remember when it comes to barn interior replacement doors for closets.

The door requires a clear, unobstructed wall space next to the opening for the door to fully slide open. You cannot place light switches, art, or furniture on that section of the wall.

For practical considerations of privacy and noise control, barn doors usually fall short. If you have a walk-in closet where you want to dress in peace, that might be impossible. Due to the exposed track, there are generally small gaps around the edges, which hinder acoustic privacy.

• Sliding Glass/Mirrored Doors

For a modern closet door that has oodles of personality, glass sliding doors are perfect!

You can choose from clear, frosted, mirrored, or patterned glass doors, depending on your decor requirements. One distinct benefit of mirrors on closet doors is that light reflects off them and brightens up a room. They also make small rooms appear larger.

Just like the barn doors, we shall take a closer look at the features of the glass sliding closet door.

Sleek Illusion

Mirrored sliding doors are the ultimate design illusionists. By reflecting the room, they make the space appear larger, brighter, and more open. They are sleek, contemporary, and incredibly functional. They eliminate the need for a separate full-length mirror.

The clean look of mirrored sliding doors makes them perfect for modern, minimalist, or glamorous interiors where the focus is on the room’s overall spaciousness.

Functionality and space-saving

Mirrored glass doors are great at saving floor space. However, a mirrored sliding door slides parallel to itself on a track, covering one panel with the other. This implies that you only ever have access to half of the closet at a time. But it doesn’t need extra wall space outside of the closet’s width.

Practical trade-offs

As wardrobe fronts, mirrored doors can be prone to smudges and fingerprints. You need to clean more frequently to maintain their expansive, brilliant look. They can also be quite heavy, so investing in high-quality, smooth-gliding track hardware is crucial for lasting function. Therefore, hire only the best interior closet door installers, like Interior Door & Closet Company, for this job.

What Should Your Choice Be?

While this article lists out the pros and cons, the final decision boils down to your priorities and placement.

Go for the barn sliding closet door if you want a bold, rustic design statement and have the necessary clear wall space.

Choose the mirrored sliding closet door if your goal is to maximize the perception of light and space in a smaller bedroom. Also, if you want a full-length mirror at the same time, this one is for you.

Both barn and mirrored options modernize a closet. They perfectly blend form and function. You just have to carefully select the right style for you!