Starting with a door...

We are getting ready to finish our basement...and with that, I'm going to get a fun work place/studio/sewing-room.

For the past few days we've been mulling over ideas on how to incorporate this room with the family room area as I don't like to be away from the kids when I work.

I thought of a craft bar pass through window surrounded by bookshelf built ins...We thought of french doors that open up the space into the next room...but today, my brother in law suggested something else we hadn't thought of. One big sliding barn door that slides open.  At first I was VERY skeptical, as I thought I had it all planned out to have a fun pass through window and not a open doorway.  But the more we talked to him, the more I started to grasp onto the idea.

Today, I looked at some local ads and found these doors for sale.  I knew I found exactly what I wanted.  However...one big hitch...the doors have windows.  I love windows...and that is what drew me to the doors, but my husband suggested that it might be nice to "hide" my creative mess when things get busy in my studio.  He had a really good point.

I suggested a compromise to Jonathan...we could acid etch the glass...or cover them with a frosted window film...Voila...the future door to my studio...and awesome decorating accent to our family room.

We will attach both doors to create one great big door that will roll on sliders. We will keep the back side that will face my studio with the antique white...but the front side that faces the family room, we will paint (likely red) with cream trim...we will scrape and sand the doors to make them look antique again. I'm so excited...the ball is totally rolling now.  We have a single piece to base our other ideas on.  I'll update you on the project as we move along...but for right now...it's starting very appropriately with a door.

If you want to see the whole studio remodel project from start to finish you can read more in these posts here:

The beginning plans sketched out (don't laugh at the timeline here...Putting it together has truly been a process.)

Starting with a Door (this post)

Etching the glass doors

The story of the Printers Cabinet and Armoire (the debate to paint or not to paint...so glad I did not paint!!!)

The Floors

The Paint

Moving in

The Details 

The extras 

Update:

Incidentally, instead of one big attached door, we went with two doors that move independently. I like it much better than the original idea of attaching the doors. There's something about symmetry. 

Here's an example of a rolling interior barn door...pretty cool...

http://www.atticmag.com/2010/11/interior-barn-doors/