Our new place sure has its share of bi-fold doors. Like this pair sectioning off the future dining room and the main hallway (see a floor plan here to get your bearings):
And this nearby set that closes off the hallway that leads to most of the bedrooms (we removed one door to get the daybed through on moving day):
Then in our bedroom we’ve got another big set closing off the bathroom sink area…
…and a single bi-fold door right next to it closing off the walk-in closet.
That doesn’t even include all of the bi-folds that close off the other three bedroom closets. So basically… yeah, there’s a lot of ’em. And unfortunately most of them go against the whole open / airy vibe that we’re going for, so most of ’em had to go. Sorry bi-folds. But we’re already loving how the hallway looks so much more open sans doors.
And getting rid of the straggler leading to the back bedrooms certainly helped too (we still have to go back and putty / paint where the doors were attached).
Our master bedroom is even looking airier thanks to the door departure.
And although we’re going to leave them on all of the other bedroom closets for now, we did take the bi-fold door off of our own closet (we were constantly bumping into it). We’re thinking we might replace it with a thick floor length curtain at some point.
Another bi-fold that didn’t get the axe was one between the kitchen and the laundry / mudroom.
We don’t have a particular fondness for the look of this door, so right now its saving grace is purely functional. Without it there’s a straight shot from our carport right into the kitchen. See, here I am leering through the door to demonstrate.
We’ve learned that surprisingly enough, the side door that leads out to the carport is the one all of the neighbors use when they stop by (in the words of the previous owners: “if someone comes to the front door, they’re probably selling something”). And since my wife can and will nurse pretty much anywhere – even at the kitchen table – it’s probably not a good idea to leave that window unobscured.
So we’re going to leave that bi-fold up for now, but as soon as we can find a moment to frost that glass (so the light still pours in but the view is muddled) that bi-fold will be getting the same farewell treatment that the rest of them got. Stand by for that unbelievably exciting undertaking (I’m kidding, but hey- not every project is mind blowing). Oh and we’re donating all of the bi-fold doors to the Habitat For Humanity ReStore so they get to live on in someone else’s house, as opposed to junking up a landfill. Have you guys been to a ReStore yet? They’re full of awesome old windows, doors, sinks, faucets, light fixtures, and even rainbow colored toilets. Believe me when I say that there’s something for everyone.
Psst- This week’s BabyCenter post is all about trying to get Clara to adjust well to the new house (so we didn’t have an angry/grumpy/confused/scared bean on our hands). Here’s what worked for us.
Robyn says
Congratulations on a successful move. I love the changes you’ve made already! We stored all our bifolds, that closed up them main rooms in the attic – in case future owners wish to restore them.
A note to Kathy (if I may), regarding putting opaque film on your closet’s french doors – it’s a good idea, not only to obscure the contents but to protect them from light. Sunlight ruined all my good dress clothes when I switched out my closet doors for glass ones. Faded them on the sides that were nearest the glass. Pretty quickly too.
AJ says
The house is looking good! I just had to comment on how adorable the picture was of Clara and John…a father/daughter pic that well captured the moment! Those moments must make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside :)
Sara says
I would keep the doors to the closets, I would be bummed if I bought your house later on and the closet doors were missing. Although, I’m sure this is your ‘FOR REAL’ forever home, anyway!
Amanda says
Question. Were planning on putting our house on the market this spring. We will be updating our kitchen countertops sense yours truly sat a hot pot lid on them and now our counters are sporting a nice new tatt. We can’t decide if we should do granite or laminate. I know everyone loves granite but I’m afraid its gonna make the cabinets and appliances look shabby. We also have a simple white tile backsplash that would look out of place with new granite. We don’t want to end up doing a complete kitchen overhaul, but we also want our house to sell quickly. Do you think countertops are a deciding factor for a starter home?
YoungHouseLove says
We would do Ikea butcher block! Super affordable and charming without looking too fancy. Or you could do white Corian or something. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Linnea says
Nice! I like it open, too!
About that kitchen glass door, you might try a window film like those at http://www.purlfrost.com or similar until you get a proper frosted glass door.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah that’s what we’ll use. We did it in the basement of our last house. So easy and polished looking!
xo,
s
Amanda says
I love the Richmond Restore!! My husband and I moved to Chicago about a year ago, and we were thrilled when we happened upon a local Restore here…but we were quickly disappointed when we went in and they didn’t have anywhere near the number of fantastic odds and ends (and building supplies, doors, windows, etc.) that the Richmond one has. We were surprised- we thought being closer to a big city would increase their donations (quality and quantity), but I wonder if they just get snatched up faster, or if they just don’t see the number of donations that Richmond gets. Who knew?!
KNatGU says
HOLY BATMAN, there are/were a lot of bi-fold doors in your new place.
Linda says
What a simple project with a dramatic difference! Since we’re on the topic of doors, I am trying to turn an antique door into a desk. It has some beautiful teal paint that is chipping in a gorgeous way, so I just want to put a nice piece of glass on top. It has been in a basement for who knows how many years, so I feel like it needs some kind of clean up. Any recommendations? Is there any kind of product I could/should put on the door to help seal it?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Linda,
We would just wash it down with some mild dish detergent and water. Nothing too harsh so it doesn’t strip or alter the paint (since it could be water-based). As for sealing it, a coat of water based poly (we love SafeCoat Aqrylac) should do the trick. Just be sure you get something water based that dries clear so it doesn’t yellow over time (some poly will do that!).
xo,
s
Sarah R. says
I love the ReStore! I got a gallon of light blue bathroom paint for $2.78, plus a bunch of brushes, rollers, and other paint supplies. My local ReStores have e-newsletters, so I can find out when they get a big donation of things like brand new storm doors. I’m planning on ripping out the vanity in my bathroom and the ReStore will be my first stop for a new sink. I’ve seen some brand new items there for a fraction of the retail price.
wendy says
Love the photos of the new house. I am looking forward to seeing the before and afters.
You should check out the complete photo gallery on myrepurposedlife.blogspot.com there are some project ideas that use bi-fold doors.
Addie says
Are you planning on turning the carport into a garage soon, or is that pretty far down the list? Once you do that, friends and neighbors will start using your front door instead of the entrance through the mudroom, right? I like having two “landing strips,” one that is just for family, and another by the front door that is set up to be convenient for visitors.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Addie,
Yes, when we get around to converting the carport into a garage it won’t be possible for neighbors to walk through there anymore, but we’re not sure when we’ll do that. We like to wait a bit on all major changes just because sometimes living with something for a while can better teach us what we need and help when it comes to figuring out exactly what tweaks we want to make.
xo,
s
jbhat says
I a-door-ed this post.
jbhat
carolyn says
Love the way the door removal opens the space up. But I can understand why they were there there originally, to obscure the view from the front door into the master, for one. Small detail wouldn’t really bother me but would be a deal-breaker for my husband.
I’m really looking forward to seeing how you deal with the master bedroom sink area as I have a similar situation going on. I also have the open space under the bathroom counter and since I don’t sit there to do makeup, curious to see how you deal with that as well.
Erica says
I have (had) bifold doors on all the closets in my house, but luckily no bifold doors between any of the rooms or anything. In my bedroom, my mom made a linen curtain and hung it up to cover the closet opening. You can see it at the bottom of this post (http://makingahomesweethome.blogspot.com/2010/07/red-and-turquoise-is-my-new-favorite.html) on my blog. I used the Kvartal track from Ikea (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00079362) to hold up the curtain. It hangs so nicely and makes it so much easier to open the closet than the doors! I’m working on making a window shade to match.
jenn says
i want you to paint the paneling so bad it hurts.
Sharon L says
I have to agree. Doors removed is fantastic. Wide plank floors are even more fantastic!
Jenski says
I LOVE the floor in your bedroom!
Mary says
I am drooling over your bedroom floors.
I did buy some doors from the Habitat Restore and turned them into a head board!
http://lifeon19th.blogspot.com/2010/11/bedroom-and-headboard-mini-makeover.html
Jenny Smith says
Hi! I love your blog and read it religiously. We just purchased our first home and have been reading through all your DIY articles. For an easy fix for your glass have you looked at the Artscape Film? I work for the company and would love to send you product, especially after all the ideas you’ve given us for our home! it seems only fair
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jenny,
We’ll actually be using something like that from Home Depot. We used it before on our basement windows and it was so easy and affordable! As for sending us anything, you’re too kind but we actually have a policy against accepting freebies. We just like to keep it real and pay for things like everyone else. But thanks again for the sweet offer!
xo,
s
Jessica says
I love your blog. :-) I have such a hard time thinking creatively about home improvement and design. You guys really open my eyes to new and easy ideas. The thought of just removing unnecessary doors has never occurred to me! And on a semi-related note.. in your opinion, is a beaded curtain EVER acceptable? Or is that just a big NO. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one that worked but do you think its possible?
YoungHouseLove says
We would never say never- I bet someone somewhere has done it gorgeously. Ikea makes little woven dangling panels sort of like a beaded curtain and I saw them at a spa. They looked amazing.
xo,
s
Nicole says
This is even more terribly boring but… how did you do it? I have a set like those in my house and cant work out how to get them out! And what did you/ are you going to do with the rubbery tracky bit at the top?!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Nicole,
Usually they can be lifted out from the bottom (popping it out of its notch) and then you can lean it to pull it out from the top track. Most weren’t screwed, so it was pretty simple. As for the track and the rubber stoppers and all that, we removed them all to restore the doorways to their original glory! Just some spackle and paint will do the trick.
xo,
s
Kara says
I can’t wait to see how you address the absence of the bi-fold doors with your closets. We have them on two of the bedroom’s closets and they are such a pain – but we have not been able to decide how to replace them. The last option we looked at was fabric sliders from Ikea.
chelseyadele says
had same problem with kitchen going to laundry room we did a gorgeous pocket door with frosted glass. I love it!
Megan says
I know you guys aren’t quite there yet, but after seeing your proposed color scheme I’m wondering which of those you’ll use for the paint in your hallway? I’m moving to a new apt (so paint is my only real way of making it my own space) and we have a long hallway that runs the length of the apartment and then opens into the kitchen and dining room. What would be a good color choice? Something in a similar color as our other rooms, a light neutral color, an off white?….what would/will YOU do?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Megan,
We have no idea yet! In our last house we loved the hallway in a warm cream that worked with everything, but we’re not sure if we’ll go light and neutral again or do so something more bold. Time will tell!
xo,
s
kim says
i am so in love with your new house. what potential! when i look at your bedroom with those gorgeous floors, i picture a sliding barn door to cover up the bathroom. how amazing would that be?
i’m so excited for you all!
Holly says
Ah, this is just a peek of what’s in store for us!! Can’t wait to see more!
Emily says
Great idea! I have bi-fold doors on my closet and hate them everyday…
Are you going to switch out the hardware on your kitchen cabinets when you paint? ‘Cause they look kind of cute from a distance.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, we’re planning to update that too. We’ll show close ups when we tackle it!
xo,
s
Nichole says
Do you like your pine floors in your bedroom? I am building and considering pine floors. We are going for a country-industrial look. Just wondering if you like them or not.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Nichole,
Like? Try LOVE! We adore those reclaimed pine floor boards that are extra wide. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Alison says
Love that you removed those awful doors! I had metal bi fold doors in an old apartment (it was a rental, im such a rebel!) of mine that banged and clanged every time I opened them. I finally took them down so I didn’t lose my mind and replaced them with lovely white curtains.
On a side note, are you enjoying your new neighborhood/neighbors? Its cute that they stop by to say hello!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Alison,
Yes! We’re loving our area and our neighbors and our new house in general. So much fun to meet everyone and get situated and come home to a different home. But it really does feel like home now! It’s amazing how fast that happens…
xo,
s
katy says
NO one comes to our front door either…..everyone comes to the carport door. And yup….it someone IS at the front door, we know not to answer it!
Dana @ House*Tweaking says
A great start! It also looks like you pulled off the backsplash in your master bathroom. Any reason?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Dana,
Good eye girl! I’ll be posting all about that project as soon as it’s in a more finished state and I’ve written a post about the whole process. But I’m working on it as you can see, so stay tuned…
xo,
s
Laura says
I had bi-fold doors on three closets in my home, and they drove us CA-RAZY by coming loose from the track. I took them all out, replaced them with tension-fitted shower curtain rods & curtains, then built a window seat with the doors.
elle sees says
Sherry,
Knowing your love of white ceramic things, I instantly thought of you when I saw this DIY: http://chezlarsson.com/myblog/2010/12/painted-glass-pine-cones.html
Enjoy!
YoungHouseLove says
Love it so much! Chez Larsson is one of our favorite blogs!
xo,
s
Shannon says
I love the sliding barn door idea as well! That would be the perfect place for something like that. I can’t wait to see exactly what that little outdoor area on the side of the house looks like.
bettijo @ Paging Supermom says
If you want to get rid of the bi-fold door in your kitchen, I have an idea that might work for you. In our old house we had a door with a big window in it also. I didn’t want to do mini blinds that would be heavy and bang against the door when it open/shut, and then I spotted these “Anno” window panels at IKEA.(http://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?query=anno+panel&category=products&color=white&sorting=relevance) They’re meant to hang on a track and be an alternative for vertical blinds, but we just bought a single panel and used some small tack nails to hang it over the window. It looked really cute and we had so many people ask us where we got the window treatment for this door. If I was still in the house I’d take a pic for you, but I can’t seem to find one in my photo files. Anyway, if I were you I’d be hating that wood bi-fold door so I thought I’d share this pretty inexpensive solution ($10-20 depending on the panel you choose). Happy Holidays!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Bettijo! I think we’re going to stick to using frosting film on the window for now since we did that on the basement windows of our old house and loved it, but thanks so much for the alternative!
xo,
s
Becka says
I really like the pink and I totally know what you mean. I looked at the picture before reading and thought “oh! that one is kind of dusty!” I love it.
Monica says
I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many bi-folds in a single home. Sheesh. I don’t blame you for getting rid of them. However, what I mostly noticed was the floors in your bedroom. I’m in LOVE with them!
Lauren B. says
Great idea with the doors! Much better and more open.
Just wondering…is that granite in your new kitchen? Or am I just seeing things?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lauren B,
Nope that came with the house. I guess it’s moderately new (they had a kitchen reno about 5-10 years ago) so it’s not original or anything. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Katie says
I think we had the same kitchen cabins and knobs before we re-did our kitchen. good work so far!
Rhonda says
I’d love to help make a plug for Habitat for Humanity ReStore! We found some awesome solid hardwood doors for $25 a piece that we put in our cabin…what a deal. So when we replaced some faucets and removed some bi-fold doors (sound familiar)we donated them back. It’s wonderful to get and to give. We plan on replacing the doors to our basement closet (which houses craft items and games) with a Roman shade. It adds a nice soft effect and when you raise it you can see the whole closet, brilliant!
Zerique says
looks so much more airy and inviting without the doors.
sarah says
The floors in your new house are BEAUTIFUL!!!Congrats!
Harinee says
I’ve started reading through all the comments nowadays and was wondring if there is a reader sort of thing that show the latest comments on your blog?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Harinee,
We used to have a sidebar plug in that showed some of the latest comments but it was slowing down the site too much so we had to remove it. So sorry!
xo,
s
Harinee says
Sorry for the multiple comments on here. I just realised that you have doorway from the office into the kitchen(makes sense because that was the dining room of course, but I was surprised to see it. Guess I’m thinking of it as an “office” from the beginning)
Do you plan to keep the doorway? Seems like it might be fun to be able to talk while one of you is working/baby-caring and the other is cooking.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes- we don’t mind that doorway at all since we’re always switching off with the baby and stopping in the kitchen for a bite to eat, etc.
xo,
s
Natalie says
So neighbours just pop over to your house to say hello and introduce themselves? Wow! We’ve been in our new house for almost 3 mths and don’t know anyone. I tried to introduce myself to my next-door-neighbour who looked to be the same age as me and has 2 little kids also but she just said a polite “hello” and left me standing there. haha. I’m in Australia…maybe we aren’t as friendly.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, well our neighborhood is known for being super close and friendly which we love! We just never realized that the first week of moving you look crazy (messy hair, rumpled clothes, boxes everywhere) and that’s when people come by for their first impression. Yikes! Here’s hoping we didn’t look too insane.
xo,
s
Wesley says
My partner and I are closing on a house in Raleigh in three weeks. It has bi-folds everywhere. They aren’t even “pretty” bi-folds, they are just painted boards that go all the way from floor to ceiling with no trim. The upper tracks are actually attached to the ceiling itself. There are two closets in all three bedrooms, and a linen closet at the end of the main hallway, all with bi-folds. I am trying to decide whether to remove the doors and attempt to frame them in with double regular slab doors, or replace them with bi-folds that match the five panel doors that will soon be the main doors for the rest of the house. Of all the things we plan to do to the house immediately, I am having the most trouble making this decision! Replacing them with hollow-core bi-folds to match the regular doors seems to be the cheapest route with the least work, but framing in regular doors might look better and add the most value? Our bank account is already drained from the purchase of the house, this is certain!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Wesley,
We’re thinking that your instinct is correct- framing in regular doors is probably the most value way to go that will appeal to future buyers if you’re trying to do updates with that in mind.
xo,
s
Anita says
That’s a lot of doors! I think in some areas, it’s nice to have a door – ie. to keep any drafts from going from one room to the other; we once stayed in a place in Italy that had a door to divide the common rooms from the back bedrooms and it was nice IMO because it felt very private. That might even be useful if you have kids so you can close that off while hosting a dinner party, so no kids come creeping out at night ;) But you’re totally right. I love the openness of the hallway. A curtain between the bedroom and bathroom would be lovely! I see you have a lot of wood paneling in the kitchen. WE had that too and we removed it – I don’t recommend it! hahahah I’d paint over too. Not only was it a lot more work than just demoing the whole wall, but now we’re left with 1/8″ gaps along all the trim and outlet plates.
congrats on your beautiful new home!
susan says
Love the open look. Your floors look like mine…different types of wood from one room to the next. I am still trying to figure out why the previous owner did this. susan
pam says
(dang! I love those wide-plank floors!) Have you considered one of those sliding doors (like a barn door) for your master closet? I think it would be beautiful – especially with those floors!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Pam,
Yes, it’s definitely on our consideration list. The issue is that it would need space to slide open and closed, so it’s really a logistical thing.
xo,
s
Marissa says
First, I think you started a bi-fold door-removing revolution. It’s so simple but it makes such a difference! I can’t wait to remove some of our bifolds.
Second,I humbly request that you post more pictures of the rosy-cheeked angel on your Flickr site. There’s no such thing as too many baby pictures. It’s been so exciting watching her grow up– I even called my husband over to see her first tooth (to which he replied for the umpteenth time, “What a minute, do you know these people in real life?”).
Lastly, a question: are you leaving the exposed ceiling beams in the living area unpainted? They’re really lovely! But I’m sure they’ll look fabulous whatever you decide to do.
Good luck, and remember– we need more Clara pics!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Marissa,
We’re pretty sold on painting those glossy white to go with the rest of the trim in the house for a nice airy and cohesive feeling. We also think it’ll make that room’s ceilings feel a lot higher and less heavy. But we do agree that the rich dark stain color is very pretty indeed.
xo,
s