INTERIORS / POCKET DOORS

Open up to pocket doors Doors that slide into your walls are a sleek alternative to hinged doors. Here’s what to consider if you put one in your home. Words: John Flood

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ocket, sliding or hidden doors are a design feature growing in popularity in large open plan areas (kitchen, dining and living in the same room). This is because when the doors are closed they act as a dividing wall, making the entire space more flexible as the living room can readily be closed off from the dining and kitchen activities, for example. The larger the pocket door system is, the more it feels like a moveable wall. The other most useful place to use sliding doors is in confined areas, say a wc, a wardrobe or a larder/pantry. It’s a fabulous space saving solution that adds a touch of glamour. However sliding doors don’t really

‘In terms of installation for a single sized door you could get away with installing the kit yourself but for larger door openings get a professional.’ work under stairs as the track would be too low – opening doors or pull out drawers work better there. Most systems are top hung as bottom rails quickly turn into dirt catchers and present a trip hazard. Hanging the door from the top also means you don’t see a track on the floor, instead it’s entirely hidden in the wall with no door heading.  1 1 0 / S E L F B U I L D / AU T U M N 2 0 1 8