One way to quickly and easily change the look and feel of the rooms of your home is to install specialty doors. These unique doors can open up and enlarge a room or close it off for privacy with the touch of a hand or button. Specialty doors can be built in many styles and materials. Here are some of the features and qualities of residential specialty doors:

• Residential Barn Doors - These rustic wooden doors are reminiscent of the doors on rural barns. They are hung from sturdy hardware at the top of the door with trolleys that slide on a flat metal track installed on the door transom. These doors are perfect for interior doorways to separate adjacent rooms. Residential barn door hardware is often made of black cast iron for a rustic look but can also be made of stainless steel for a clean, contemporary look. 

• Glass Display Doors - These glass doors operate in the same manner as sliding wood barn doors, but they are made of glass and allow for a clear view into an adjacent storage area, workroom, or home office. The hardware and trolley mechanisms for these doors and the flat metal track above the door transom are constructed of stainless steel and look very high-tech and contemporary. Because these doors are glass, they allow a great deal of light into connecting rooms and can offer extended views of outdoor landscaping.   

• Bi-Fold Doors - These doors open and close by folding either horizontally or vertically in the middle of the door and moving to the side of the doorway or up and out of the way above the doorway. These folding doors create large openings into adjoining rooms or outdoor patios to transform living spaces. Plants and other low-profile objects can be hung on the folding panels and are easily held in place when the panels are opened and closed. 

• Accordion Doors - These doors are made of multiple panels that slide to the side and out of the way when not in use. Accordion doors are very compact when folded to the side, leaving a wide doorway when open, and can act as a room divider when closed. Accordion doors can be made of hinged wood, bamboo, plastic, metal, vinyl, fiberglass, and translucent paper. They are easy to install and change when desired. 

• Roll Up Doors - These doors are especially appropriate when used for a residential garage. They roll up mechanically or by hand and can maximize the amount of space available inside a garage. Roll up doors are often made of aluminum and can be solid or grilled. A pass door can be built into an aluminum roll up door to allow pedestrian access without opening the entire door. View windows can also be installed at different heights.  

All of these specialty doors can be made of materials such as finished or distressed wood, fiberglass, plain or stained glass, small or large bamboo slats or louvers, and other building materials. They can also be decorated to complement interior and exterior architecture and decor. Specialty doors can easily and quickly change the light, space, and dynamics of the spaces of your residence. If you would like to see how a specialty door can enhance and change your residence, contact an architect, general contractor, or see a specialty building supplies manufacturer for available sizes, prices, and door features.