We’ve been pluggin’ away, little by little, on the north wall in our master bedroom, and man does it feel good to finally be getting closer to the finish line!
Here’s what it looked like before we painted it Martha’s Stewart’s “Blue Hubbard” (Sherwin Williams)…
…and here’s what it looks like today…
You’ll notice we finally put the bathroom door trim back on, and we managed to attach some more of our 1″ x 4″ MDF boards as crown molding and base boards too. Woo hoo!
Next up, we’ll be building a barn door…
(Note: This is an inspiration drawing, and that is not our actual bathroom.)
…and creating some kind of built-in wall pocket unit for our TV, DVD player, and other little pretties to sit in too…
(Again. Just an inspiration drawing.)
Who knows if we can actually pull it off, or if it’ll look exactly like that, but we’re definitely gonna give it a whirl and see what happens!
I’d like for it to have a small, flip-down door (below the TV) so that we can hide the electronic stuff from view. Kinda like this…
And although we’re fans of the open look, I guess another option would be doors on the upper part of it…
What do you think? Doors to cover the TV, or no doors?
Wait! Before you answer, keep in mind we’re still planning to build a two-doored version of this guy on the wall opposite the mirrored closet doors…
It’ll sit to the right of the Blue Hubbard-painted bump out…
In the meantime, we’ll start wrapping our heads around how to build that barn door track for less than the barn door supply companies are selling them for. Wish us luck!
PS– We’re not 100% sure about what color, finish or style the barn door will be…we just threw that blue one in there as an example!
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Love the barn door! We did this at our house too. Tractor Supply has the stuff to hang the doors, but we went the cheaper route and rigged a closet door sliding track instead. Still looks rustic, but runs about $100 cheaper. My husband laughed at the actual stall doors I picked up at the salvage yard, so we used a slab door from Lowes and gave her a little “face-lift”. Can’t wait to see pictures of yours!
I want to see YOUR doors too!
I would love to see a picture of your doors!
Layla,
I look forward to your blog every day! You are such an inspiration ;0)
Love the sliding barn door!!
You go, girl ;0)
Love sliding doors/barn door hardware. We were lucky enough to score everything we needed on Craigs List for $30 (minus the old French door we’re using that we found in the barn). Good luck! Looking forward to seeing it! I vote no doors covering the tv. I usually prefer hiding that kind of stuff but in your pics, I like without better!
🙂
Have a great weekend!
I vote no doors covering the TV. Too “doory” as you said with them.
Agree! No doors covering the TV – you won’t even notice it’s there after the first day.
Yeah…we’re “no door” people too, Bethe. Fun to hear what everyone out in blogland thinks though! 🙂
I like it better without the doors. Can’t wait to see it when you’re done! 🙂
I love barn doors! I hope yall do a tutorial (better yet, a video) on the hardware part. I’ve always wonder how to hang them.
BTW, I like your little smiley faces all accessorized. 🙂
Yes, please do a tutorial/video!
Please, please! I’ve been planning on doing a sliding barn door in my home but haven’t tackled it yet because I’m not sure how to go about it and where to find the hardware. A tutorial would be AWESOME!!
Yes yes yes, please. Barn Door Tutorial would be most appreciated!
Layla, what about a flip down drawer covering the electronics, aka dvd player? Instead of a drawer, it would be a flip down cover of sorts, like desks have.
Hey, why don’t you build a hinged door that swings to the side? Or lifts up. Or something like that. You could hang a mirror or art work on the door. You could change out the art work when the mood strikes or the seasons change. You wouldn’t see doors all the time and you wouldn’t see the “black hole” either.
i have been trying to figure out how to do barn doors too! my problem is more WHERE — so i haven’t even gotten to the HOW part. 🙂 i vote no doors. just becuase it is what it is… as long as it’s clean looking i think it will look nice. love love love all of it. 🙂
LOVE barn doors and can not wait for your tutorial on how you do it for less. I want to put them between my living room and office space. I’m trying to find two old doors with small windows at the top to keep the space “open” when the doors are closed. We will see! I vote no doors over the TV. Should be ok if it is in a built in.
thanks for sharing!
debra
Precisely, dear Debra!
Thanks for the vote of confidence!
🙂
We have 7 doors hung on the barn door hardware in our home and I adore them. We shopped around and found the best prices for the rollers on ebay and bought the track and hanging hardware at Tractor Supply. We used the galvanized ones. Because we had trim around the doors we ended up having to add shims behind the hanging hardware for the rail in order to get enough clearance between the hangers and the trim. You can see the corner of one here- in the 9th photo. http://www.redfin.com/GA/The-Rock/4538-Highway-36-30285/home/28646010 It took some time, but they were not difficult- not nearly as tricky as getting tile to look nice. 🙂
Wow! Small world. I live at the rock!
Well, come by and say hello!
How much, if you don’t mind my asking, was the hardware you bought at Tractor Supply?
Love the barn door idea! I vote no door on the t.v. Looks better without too many doors.
This is so cool! I bookmark all of your ideas for our new house 🙂
My vote is no doors 🙂
I think it’ll be great! I vote no doors. Like Candice Olsen says, “TV’s are here to stay, get over it.”
I liked that and don’t try to hide the tv anymore.
I agree! 🙂
I vote for no doors covering the tv. And I love the idea of the barn door – with the pictures on it like one of your inspiration pics.
what fun ideas! Can’t wait to see the finished product!
We’re cuckoo for cocoa puffs over that inspiration pic too, Shana!
🙂
I adore this! And have already drawn one into the plans for our home this year!
And I was kinda laughing to myself after you asked “doors or no doors”, because I assumed the barn door would go the OTHER way… to the left… so that it could conceal it ALL when the bathroom wasn’t being used! 🙂
Hey Rachel!
Yeah…I tried to get Kev to go for the OTHER way look…but he doesn’t want that dresser to stick out any further.
Oh well…ya win some, ya lose some- right?
🙂
What if you put the dresser on the other side? You could always continue the built-in look to the floor with library shelves…:D
Hey Erin!
Unfortunately, it would get in the way of Kevin’s closet. Great idea about the built-in’s though!
i don’t mind the doors for the tv and such but as a heads up on the barn doors… we have those to our bath room (up when we bought the home) and just know you will become closer to your spouse in many ways if you aren’t already ‘that’ type of couple. totally back you if you are a ‘leave the door open’ type couple but my husband and i were not. the sliding door leaves very little to privacy other than visual privacy. my husband is lactose intolerant… we are much closer now.
LOL!
No worries…I’m an “open door” kinda gal! 🙂
Layla,
Here’s another recent barn door diy transformation…also between the master bedroom and bath. I’m loving the bold color!
http://www.housetweaking.com/2011/02/13/diy-sliding-barn-door-part-ii/
Hey Katrina!
I actually saw that tutorial the other day- SO awesome!
Love that yellow!
🙂
Layla,
You have my FULL UNDIVIDED attention! This is exactly what Thomas and I are considering at the moment between our bedroom and the master bath! LOVE the look.
The little Layla and Kevin ‘faces’ by your signature are adorable. 🙂
Your Friend,
Deborah
I just started sweating.
The pressure’s on!
😀
I say no doors. They would be open a lot of the time anyway…I would guess and be in the way.
I’ve been wanting a barn door into my bath for years. Why is that track hardware so darn expensive? I used a Stanley track system for my hall closet, but I could never figure how to modify it so it was outside the frame and use it for my bath.
Your inspiration is so pretty.
Layla,
I LOOOOOOVE the barn door idea. I can’t wait to see how you guys pull it off. I really like the built-in idea for the TV too!! 🙂
How about a couple of cool old windows that you use as doors? You could put pictures behind the glass to look like a collage or something. I don’t know. That would be tough. I love the barn door idea. I wish I had a farmhouse to do that too. My house is a craftsman style. I feel like I’m limited!
Have you seen Dana’s over at http://www.HouseTweaking.com?
It’s gonna be bee-u-t-i-ful! 🙂
Please tell me more about the “crown molding!”
I agree. I completely am in love with the simpleness of it and would like to use the idea in my house. Please tell more!
How exciting! I’m sure you guys will do a great job!
And, as for the doors to cover the TV – I’d vote no. Once the lockers are in it might look like too many doors. Just my little opinion. 🙂
I can’t wait to see the finished door. I would love to have a barn door somewhere, but I’m not sure where yet. I vote no door for the TV. Too doory, as you said.
I LOVE the barn door idea!! And you can TOTALLY build it for less!! Question… where would you get the hardware to hang it? I’d love to do something like that in our dining room! Also where did you do the designing for the room online? I’d love to try and design a room to get an idea of what it would look like…
No doors, and OMG I have been telling my Hubs that I want these barn doors so bad for his den that has double doors that open in and then there is no ROOM in there and these would be perfect…he couldn’t picture it and thought I was crazy….thank you, thank you, thank you for this post…I’m so giddy now you have no idea!
I think you should definitely try and pull it off, I love the look.
absolutely love those barn doors! that will look great, and i too vote no doors over the tv and electronic stuff. do the barn doors run on a track at the bottom too? it’s got me wondering if i could pull it off in my boys’ bedroom..hmmm. where did the bottom left photo in your inspiration board come from? i am liking that white barn door (and the tiny window in that photo).
Thanks Kelly!
I found that photo on Google…but it was named something like “BHGbarndoor”, so I’m assuming it’s from Better Homes & Gardens.
🙂
Looks so GREAT!!! 🙂
May I ask a silly question? We just spent a month carefully installing MDF batten (minus the board) in our babies’ room. I used Sherwin Williams primer, but it made the MDF super rough! I had to sand it before painting with semi-gloss, yet to get it completely smooth I would have had to sand all the primer off. Boo! What did I do wrong? We are waiting to install batten in our tiny foyer on up the stair wall (before the babies arrive), but don’t want to begin until we know how to not make the same mistake. 🙁
Thanks for all your inspiration and How To’s!!!
~H
P.S. Today I took a leap into the unknown and attempted to spray paint the antique brass pulls on their dresser and side tables…ugh. The spray paint maker’s idea of “pewter” is dark ugly yucky gray. Just ruined 16 pulls. Anyone know a place to purchase cheap yet pretty pewter pulls? 🙁
Hi Heidi!
Our MDF was super smooth, and pre-primed, so we didn’t have an issue painting it.
And I’m sorry to hear about your drawer pulls! 🙁 I would check on eBay for some replacements!
Thanks for the ebay idea! 🙂
Our MDF was not pre-primed and the issue was mostly the cut edges (smooth before priming) which would still be an issue with pre-primed MDF, right? We just can’t wrap our heads around why except that maybe we need to use a different primer?
Me and my big ideas…always end up being a ton more work than anticipated! LOL! 😀
Thanks again!!!
Heidi: You also might look into http://www.overstock.com. I found oil rubbed bronze knobs for my cabinets for much less the cost at the big home improvement stores.
Layla: Love the barn door idea and look forward to seeing how it comes out.
to Annalea: Thanks for the link to the “House Tweaking” blog. Great tutorial too!
Where did you purchase your pre-primed MDF?
You guys are making my heart melt. I just LOVE this idea! I cannot wait to see how you accomplish it. I’m sure you are up for the challenge!
Holy Cow, how have I not seen this trend yet?!?!?! That is absolutely GORGEOUS and really opens up the whole room! It makes it look much bigger.
Great job on the paint and moulding. Of course it is completely stunning.
Oh, you can never have too many doors. Doors, I say! Doors!!
As for the barn door? Well, I think you know how I feel about that…
I vote no for the tv doors, unless you can hide them with artwork or something.
And I’m so excited that you’re tackling a barn door! I’ve been thinking about one too, but I have no idea where to start. Layla and Kevin to the rescue!
i’m so excited! i’ve been a follower for a while now and l*o*v*e your blog. and i actually have plans to *ONE DAY* do a barn door for our basement bedroom. i can’t WAIT to see how yall do it!!!! yay!!! 🙂
O.K., I’m not a designer at all. But I’ll throw in my 1 cent worth. I love the barn door. LOVEIT! Of the photo ideas you provided, I like the one that has the wooden door (brown earthy color). I just thought that would give some earthiness to the wonderful fresh colors you have in the room. Or, do you know those tan carpets people put down on the floor (seisel rugs, perhaps?). What if you somehow framed in the sliding door with seisel and put a border around it in the beautiful blue color that you used in your inspiration photo. O.K.! That was my 1 cent worth. Oh! You asked about the T.V. I would put doors and cover it because I see you like clean lines.
Love the barn door idea! I want one – you can come to my house next! LOL!
BTW – I would put doors on the TV if it were mine 🙂
I like the idea of doors to cover the electronics…at least in theory, I like it.
The problem I see is that those doors would have to be open in order to use your electronics. I know when we had our tv in an armoire, the only time we closed the doors was when we had company over. Otherwise, the doors were always open because we never wanted to take the time to open and close them every time we wanted to watch tv. I kind of doubt you’ll be inviting company into your master bedroom very often.
The other problem I see with having doors is when they are open, it might be kind of like an open cupboard door–you know, the annoying door that the hubby forgets to close after he gets his coffee mug in the morning and it stays open until you yourself go over and close it.
Very nice. That will look great.
Personally, I’ve never been a fan of decorating with a tv, so I would vote for the doors. I say this, but somehow my husband has managed to convince me to hang his 60 inch flat screen tv on the wall in our family room. I’m still not sure how that happened…
I so badly want a barn door for my studio!!! Where are you finding the track? I know my husband could make the door. I can’t wait to see how it turns out…you guys are amazing!
I actually like the tv open look.
L-
Be sure to check out your comments on FB (this post link). I sent you some info on barn door hardware 🙂
XOXO
Where did the “1-2-3-4” lockers come from??
I like the open t.v. look but do like the door to hide the components.
I love the barn door! How about pocket or sliding doors for the wall unit. That way you have options!
Be still my heart. Layla, you had me at Barn Door. I’ve been wanting to do something like that for so long now, but the tiny walls of our tiny rooms just aren’t set up that way for a big sliding door. Believe me, I’ve sat up nights thinking of where I could install a sliding barn door, but with no avail. So I guess I’ll just have to live vicariouslyly through you. You don’t mind, right? And I can’t wait to hear how you come up with a track on the cheap. I’ve seen them and they are several thousands, gulp.
oxox
Jennifer
Oh, and doors. Yep, so doors.
oooooo i am SOOOOO excited to see how this comes out!! I vote either the 2 tone wood or the all dark wood for the barn doors. And then as for the built-ins… I would go open with baskets. But thats just me!! <3 I LOOOVE this idea!!
My son and his wife did the sliding barn door on their bathroom also. They used reclaimed wood, and it looks great!
I am so excited that you are giving the barn doors a shot. I think they are so cool and I have often wondered about the hardware myself. Good luck in trying to find an economical solution for the track and I am dying to know what you come up with. Love reading your blog and it is great getting to live vicariously through you guys. Thanks!