Closets are important features in the home but are often overlooked when creating interior decor. The hinged closet door can become a working surface instead of unused space. Incorporate a new look for hinged closet doors that creates interest in an existing interior. The exterior door's surface can be painted, wallpapered, inset with glass or become a backdrop for vintage hardware. Does this Spark an idea?
Use Vintage Hardware
Add some charm to a simple, painted, hinged closet door by using old, decorative hardware. Search architectural salvage companies or places like Habitat for Humanities ReStore (a store for recycled building supplies) for items taken from Victorian, Deco, Arts and Crafts and other styles of homes and buildings. Often these items have been stripped of any paint or debris but sometimes they may require stripping to remove paint or a quick washing in soapy water and a light scrubbing with a toothbrush to remove dirt. Consider an old-fashioned glass doorknob and a decorative, stamped doorknob plate for an added vintage touch.
Utilize The Exterior
Use the exterior of a hinged closet door as a bulletin board. Measure the full space available an inch inside the hinges, doorknob and the top and bottom of the door. Purchase picture molding from a local home improvement store, cut to fit the measurements using a miter cut at the corners, then paint the molding a different color than the door paint but a color that is in the decor (look for a color in the duvet cover or curtain fabric pattern). Apply the pieces to the door using a wood glue, cut cork to fit inside the frame and attach with double stick tape or glue. This idea is meant for lightweight paper items and not for hanging heavier items. As an alternative, apply a pre-made bulletin board to the door (paint its edges to match the wall paint) or make the whole exterior a usable chalkboard by applying chalkboard spray paint (found in art supply and hardware stores) to the exterior surface.
Make It Blend
Rooms that have wallpaper or a specific painted wall design can incorporate the surface of the hinged closet door, too. Applying the wallpaper or wall decor across the surface of the closet door will cause the door to blend into the interior. Hinges, doorknobs and doorplates should be worked around, cutting the wallpaper to fit or painting around them. The closet door can be wrapped in the wallpaper or the door can be painted a similar color to the wallpaper background color with the wallpaper being applied just to the exterior surface. Work in an opposite direction by choosing a special paint color for all hinged closet doors, thereby drawing attention to them. Choose a barn red (or an olive green or a navy blue) with a white frame against a taupe, ocher or other interior wall color. Pull a color from the room's design palette to make this idea "sing" with the rest of the interior.
Tags: hinged closet, closet door, hinged closet door, bulletin board, closet door, closet doors, door paint