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With only hours to go until our flight to our new home in Aruba I ran around our house, if you ask Joel like a mad woman, with the camera to snap as many pics as possible of one of my longest awaited and most adored updates we made to this sweet little Key West home. Upcycling Idea – Reclaimed French Doors on Rolling Door Hardware.
It’s funny how things actually happen during a renovation. And it’s funny to be able to write about it and make it seem like everything works in perfect order and things just happen like magic in natural succession.
But, the truth is I found these old french doors in a dumpster (Literally! In a large dumpster at a home remodel site in our neighborhood. Whoever considers these garbage needs a brain re-calibration. In my opinion, of course.) and not a single pane of glass was broken. So awesome, right?!?!
But that was pretty much right after we moved in. I didn’t need a pair of exterior french doors. But I couldn’t pass them up so they became the thing that was shuffled around as we continued to get settled in. They were always in the way, but I just couldn’t let them go. I’m sure I’m not alone.
I’m basically saying that hoarding is acceptable.
Ok, maybe not. But cut yourself some slack about your always-in-the-way-but-not-prepared-to-get-rid-of items. It happens to the best of us. 🙂
And looky where I ended up using the free beauties.
It was actually the original color of these french doors (Yes, I found french doors without any broken glass and painted in a beautiful aqua!) that inspired the color I painted the master bathroom door on the rolling door hardware. And I love it so much I painted these doors the same color. It’s Behr Marquee, Eggshell sheen, Cascade Green. The ceiling color is very similar but is not exactly the same, my custom-ceiling-color-saga is here.
Granted, the doors don’t really provide any privacy, if you needed that you could use a spray frost, but we figure we’ll just shut the door to the bedroom, which is just to the right of the closet doors.
Yeah, we need to take care of that kitchen one of these days. Just don’t look down …or up for that matter. 🙂
I just love the way the rolling door hardware looks and it’s a bonus that it helped me get rid of one more swinging door (in addition to the master bathroom door we installed on rolling door hardware) and makes this little corner where you enter the master bedroom a little less “there are doors swinging everywhere“. Say that with your arms flapping about and you’ll have a good visual. 🙂
You can find all of the step-by-step installation details for the rolling door hardware here. And I used the same process for this set even though I have two doors, you can order the hardware so it has an extra set of door plates for the additional door. My sets are both from Rolling Door Designs and are the Bronze Plato Hanger. A huge thank you to Rolling Door Designs for providing me with both sets of the hardware.
Now only one more door to wrangle in this ménage à trois of doors.
Remember what this area of the master looked like when we moved in? Me either. Let’s look back.
I reused that 5 panel master bedroom door and we moved the wall on the left a little and added the angled wall that now has the French doors on rolling door hardware as a focal point with the entrance to the master bathroom inside the unfinished master closet.
Tell me, do you love this rolling door hardware look as much as I do? I think it’s a great way to add a little interesting detail with something that serves a functional purpose at the same time.
And for a little “current status” update, we’re doing great! My focus is making sure this place feels like home to the girls. It’s new and different and one day soon it will feel like the same old, same old. That’s always the goal.
We were lucky when we flew here that our seats were right over the baggage conveyor belt and I took a short video of them loading the girls on the plane. The woman in the seat in front of me struck up a conversation about them before she knew they were ours. 🙂
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cassie says
WOW! those are amazing! love the color and love how they look- so perfect!!!
shirley@housepitalitydesigns says
What a great idea!!!….A beautiful solution…beauty and function!!
sara matthis says
Karah, this is Sara Matthis at The Weekly. Working on a magazine that’s right up your alley. Can we chat? My cell is 305 240 0074.
Erin says
Those pups are seasoned travelers. lol!! So, you must have the clouds open, sun shining down upon you, when it comes to finding stuff. I mean, really? Those doors are the perfect color and in great shape, (insert, green eyed monster). 🙂
snap-schotts says
I am SO glad I clicked on the link to your blog to comment. Had I not, I would have missed the video of your girls getting ready to fly!
When I flew to Anchorage from Phoenix in late January, 1989, I has a 13 month old daughter and a 10 year old Himalayan Siamese cat with me. The cat rode in the baggage area. When we landed, the pilot announced that it was a balmy FIVE degrees outside. Just imagine how cold it was where the kitty was placed!
Those French doors were meant to be yours, Karah. No doubt about it. We have French doors that replaced a sliding glass door. The new doors open outward. I DID frost the bottom 6 panes of each door, along with the side window panels. Our dogs would stare out those windows & bark like crazy seeing anyone in the backyard. So I used the Rust-O-Leum Frosted Glass spray. It worked like a charm.
Karla @SmallTownRambler says
Your doors are beautiful! I absolutely love the color!
Karah says
thank you so much, karla!
jashan sumra says
it looks beautiful, nice use of french doors. this great information..!
Christine says
Came in via Pinterest. 🙂
Love your doors. I’ve built pocket doors in my home, and 3 of them have antique French doors inside them. I love the look without the 9sq feet a regular door uses up.
You did a beautiful job – – oh and I really like your hardware. Very unobtrusive and sleek.
Karah says
Thank you so much, Christine! I love the idea of a French door pocket door, what a beautiful surprise when you close the door!!
Nonie. Doyle says
Ii am in love with those doors ……..perfect
kelly lent says
If you are still monitoring this blog, i have a few questions about the sliding french door hardware. I clicked on the link and i am confused how you were able to use the single door hardware for two doors. The single door set is certainly less expensive. If you can use a single door set, why are they selling a double door set and why can’t you use the hardware on hollow doors (which might be easier for me to install) And, did you find oversized doors or did you make the opening shorter to accomodate standard doors. Sorry to fire off so many questions but I am trying to figure out if this will work for me so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Karah says
Hi there!! The link was for the style of hardware I used, I did use the a set for double doors for the french doors. And the company recommends not using hollow doors. I suspect because the thin wood on hollow doors would not be enough to support the weight of the door and hold it off the ground, but I’m sure Rolling Door Designs could also help answer that. And yes, I did find oversized doors. These were exterior doors of my neighbor, but that opening we also custom made to fit those doors as that is a closet that we added to our master bathroom. I hope that helps. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any more questions!!
Penny says
Just wanted to thank you for this post… years after you wrote this you’ve helped me solve a closet door dilemma where space is an issue but the typical barn door that’s used so often lately didn’t really fit the style of my new, 100-year old home. I am so excited! And ordered the hardware through the company you recommended– the idea of double doors on a single track seemed pretty confounding to the salesman I first saw!
Many, many thanks!