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Bathrooms are fun renovation projects, and it doesn’t take much to transform the space into something even more exciting. Starting with your bathroom door could completely change the look and feel, offering a powerful statement and impressing guests.
Whether you’re looking for inspiration to make your master bath a private oasis or you’re looking to make your guests feel at home in the hall bathroom, a new door can have a big impact.
Things to Think About Before Changing Your Door
It might sound simple, but there are some things you might not know if you’ve never hung a door before. Some of these things only apply to one type of door, but as you gather inspiration, you’ll need to make some decisions.
Prehung or simple
Prehung doors are made in a factory with uniform holes and hinges so you don’t have to worry about matching a new door to an old frame. While your old frame may look like it doesn’t need to be replaced, it’s much easier to take it out and install a prehung door.
However, if you have something more custom in mind and you can’t find a prehung door you like, it may require making your own simple door, boring holes, and measuring quite a bit to ensure it fits.
What kind makes sense
You’ll need to consider what kind of door makes sense. It should fit the space stylistically, but it should also offer privacy, because, after all, it is a bathroom. The energy efficiency level may matter to you, as well as a certain level of water resistance due to the moisture and humidity in a bathroom.
Material
You should think logically about the material used in the door because it should be functional and beautiful at the same time. It should also hold up well to the moisture conditions in the bathroom, so wood may not be the best choice.
Wood is also expensive, especially when treated to withstand humidity, but it’s very elegant, so it could be an ideal choice if this is the look you’re going for. Fiberglass is lightweight and low maintenance and offers long-lasting durability.
Frequency of use
If this bathroom is seldom used, you may not care too much about how it looks or feels. It won’t be seen or used a lot. However, if you’re here, you’re likely looking for design ideas for a bathroom you do use frequently, so you’ll want to make sure you do it right.
If it’s getting used a lot, you want to make sure it’s durable and will hold up under a lot of use. It should also be functional and easy to use. Things like making sure it swings open the right way are simple, but shouldn’t be overlooked.
You want it to be beautiful but you also need to make sure you don’t sacrifice function to make it look good.
Bathroom Doors We Recommend
Barn Doors
A rustic barn door fits in with any decor type you might already have. While you might think of it as an antique farmhouse touch, it can also be modern, industrial, or shabby chic. You definitely need enough wall space to the side of the doorway to hang the door and slide it, but if you have the room, it offers a look that is unmatched by almost all others.
Pocket Doors
Pocket doors are a fantastic way to save space. This is especially effective in a smaller master bedroom with an en suite. You still want to ensure a private retreat for the homeowner even when there’s less room. You can also make the space feel a lot larger if you don’t take up a lot of room with a door.
Door-Mounted Towel Racks
You can also save a good amount of space in a small guest bathroom by mounting towel racks on the back of the door instead of the wall. If your bathroom needs a refresher, but you don’t want to invest time and money in a new door, put a fresh coat of paint on it and then mount some brushed nickel towel racks.
It’s useful, and it can make the whole bathroom seem brand new. The only thing you need to be aware of is how the door opens, what it opens into, and what those towel racks may hit when you swing it open wide.
Gender Stickers
Just for fun, you could put gender indicators on your bathroom doors. It adds a whimsical touch to an otherwise plain or boring space. It will likely take your guests back a little and make them chuckle.
Opaque Doors With Frosted Glass
Opaque doors with frosted glass offer a good amount of privacy while making your bathroom seem more open. The way soft light streams can be elegant and relaxing, and it offers a unique look that feels upscale.
Half Frosted Glass
A glass that’s only partially frosted can offer a more modern spin on full frosted glass with beautiful designs and patterns. Whether the frosted area is stripped or made from intricate florals is up to you.
While this doesn’t offer as much privacy as other door solutions, it might be a fun way to spice up your master bathroom or make your shower feel more open and airy.
Painted Doors
There are a lot of things you can do with paint to spruce up an old bathroom and make it feel fresh. Painted molding can bring an old door to life with a pop of color. Even contrasting neutrals can make this idea eye-catching. Framing out some square insets in the door with molding and painting the molding a color that stands out can draw the eye to a statement piece that takes over the bathroom.
Without molding, you may choose to paint the entire door a new color. This can give you the pop of color you need. You can paint the entire door so this pop of color can be seen from the outside, too, or you can just paint the interior to give your bathroom a fun look.
Modern Sliding Doors
Rather than having doors that open into space, you can choose sliding panels that feel more modern. They take up less room, they’re lightweight, and they offer a contemporary look to any existing bathroom.
Curtains
Curtains offer a softer touch than a door but can function in the same way for privacy. Plus, one of the benefits to curtains is that they offer more airflow to reduce moisture build-up in your bathroom.
Curtains are easier to hang than doors, and there are a huge variety of options when it comes to colors, styles, patterns, lengths, and more. Draw the curtains for privacy when in use and then tie them back out of the way to frame the doorway when you don’t need them.
Bead Doors
If you’re into the 70s, you may want to consider a bead door. Like curtains, they’re easy to hang and relatively inexpensive. They don’t offer as much privacy as a door but they’re a unique alternative to a traditional door.
It’s a good solution for a master bathroom or a small house with a couple. However, it may not be the best idea for a guest bathroom or a house full of people.
French Doors
French doors offer some rustic flair to a traditional or French country cottage style bathroom. These full-length double doors are fun and different. They provide a grand entrance into the smallest bathrooms and provide you with plenty of ambiances.
Saloon Doors
Rather than full French doors, try out some swinging saloon doors. They may be a bit unconventional, but they’re perfect for a farmhouse country bathroom. They don’t offer a ton of privacy, so you could place this grand entrance leading to a pair of sinks, but likely not the toilet or the shower.
Mirrored Doors
Who doesn’t love a full-length mirror in their bathroom? You can make your door pretty useful if you install mirrored doors, eliminating the need to hang a full-length mirror on the wall. It’s a great way to save space in a small bathroom or reserve the space over your sink for some wall art instead.
Steel Doors
While heavy and harder to install, you can’t beat steel for the ultimate industrial look. If you have a modern home or an industrial bathroom, a steel door can complete that look. Cool steel can be gorgeous.
The great thing about steel is that it’s highly durable and naturally water-resistant, so it makes perfect sense for a room with a lot of moisture.
Stained Glass
Like frosted glass, stained glass offers privacy but still lets some light in. However, stained glass can be much more colorful. Depending on the look you prefer, stained glass can also be very classy and elegant.
It’s a cheerful way to make your bathroom more radiant. The colors will brighten up the entire space, reflecting on the walls and floors for something new and exciting every day.
Concealed Doors
We’re not talking about pocket doors here. We’re talking about doors that are completely concealed in the wall when they’re closed. They have no markings or identifying features. They look just like the wall, so when closed, unless you know where the door is, you wouldn’t know it’s there at all.
These doors offer a streamlined, modern look to your space. They’re very contemporary and might be confusing for guests who aren’t acclimated to the idea. However, there is a small lip that can be used as a handle, so you’ll be able to get in and out.
No Door
Perhaps one of the best statements you can make is to have no door at all. Frame out the doorway or leave it like it is for a simple, modern look. This really only works in a master bathroom where privacy isn’t needed or desired, but it’s still a great way to open up the space.
FAQs
As a general rule, a master bathroom or an en suite already offers some privacy and doesn’t need a door. A hall bathroom or a guest bathroom would require a door if you plan to make your guests feel comfortable.
However, you can think outside the box when it comes to door ideas because many of these options offer the privacy you need and they’re not traditional doors.
The answer to this question is all based on your specific space. Doors in small bathrooms are generally hung to swing out so it saves space in the bathroom and allows for more flexibility when hanging fixtures and other things inside the bathroom.
Doors to larger bathrooms can swing in without any problems unless there’s something it may damage by swinging into it.
There’s no hard and fast rule for which way your door should swing. You need to decide what’s right for your space. If swinging, either way, isn’t an option, you should consider pocket doors and other non-traditional solutions.
The standard bathroom door width is 32 inches. However, if you’re working with a particularly small space, you can bring it down to 28 inches. In a limited number of cases, you may need to bring it down to 24 inches, but this is the absolute minimum.
The Verdict
What kind of bathroom door you choose is up to you. Space-saving solutions like sliding doors and pocket doors are popular for smaller spaces while something large and elaborate like stained or frosted glass may fit your style better.
Non-traditional solutions like steel doors, curtains, beads, and other unique ideas can make your space one-of-a-kind and suit you just fine if you want your bathroom to really stand out. Putting up a new bathroom door can give your bathroom a new life and can change the look of the entire space.
Now that I shared with you some of my favorite ideas about bathroom doors, I would also like to share with you some Shower Ideas and the Complete Renovation Guide and the Best Bathroom Exhaust Fans, because you are maybe doing the complete redo!
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