How to Cover a Doorway Without a Door

Space might be tight in your home meaning that you can’t squeeze a door in but you want an attractive covering for the doorway. Or you may be a renter who has a doorway that’s a little drafty and you want to come up with your own solution to keep cozy.

Perhaps you have a studio apartment and would like to denote zones in your room. Or maybe there’s a door you don’t want other people using that you want to hide out of sight.

These doorway ideas should inspire you to make some improvements to your tired doorways. 

Beaded Curtains

When we think of beaded curtains, we probably think of the seventies, the era of bad taste. But beaded curtains can give a touch of pizazz to your home decor.

The Natural Look

This blue floral print is both subtle and a statement. This will complement mid-century and simple furnishing. Use with natural colors and soft furnishings.

Beaded Curtain as Room Divider

This dark beaded curtain adds a touch of the exotic as well as interest. Hung from the ceiling and attached to the wall, this divides the space while being a feature design piece also.

Rainbow Chic

Rainbow prints have been seen around for the past few years. This is an unexpected use as a bright doorway feature. 

For those big into design, note how the shape of the rainbow printed on the beads echoes the shape of the Art Deco style furniture. Both clever and intriguing!

Fabric Curtains

The obvious choice perhaps to use to cover a doorway but it’s worth considering the style and weight of fabric to send out the right design signals in your home.

Practical Kitchen Curtain

What’s to love about this curtain is the simplicity. The fresh white walls and scant but personal decor are given impact with the design on the fabric. 

Split in the middle to be practical to walk through when carrying hot plates to the dining table, these curtains are functional and stylish.

Romantic Macrame 

For a romantic look, these macrame curtains are just perfect. Tied back and gently draped, these curtains add pretty detail to the doorway. Hung simply from a metal curtain pole, these give a soft frame to naturally decorated rooms.

Bamboo Curtain

On the same lines as beaded curtains, this bamboo door covering is reminiscent of tropical vacations. 

Perfect for an area you need to be light and bright and great for those who prefer natural materials. 

Cozy Bedroom Drapes

You can feel the warmth in these curtains. Going across one corner of the room, they provide privacy in the dressing area as well as being an unusual detail.

Think about the texture and color of your curtains. Choose a thin, pale fabric for places you want to freshen up. For those you want to add warmth to, pick bronzes and coppers like this earthy tone and choose heavy fabrics like velvet and chenille.

Close off the Front Door

If your front door opens straight into a living space, you may want to hide it away. And at night you’ll keep out the cold and make the room cozier.

This fresh blue design matches the soft furnishings and shows off the glazed arched panes above.

Heritage Drapery

This heavy, draped curtain gives a historical feel to the rooms it divides. It is most aristocratic in color and texture. The tiebacks fall at interesting heights to speak good taste.

A work of art itself, it is a frame to the room beyond as well as offering warmth on cold winter evenings by keeping out the breeze.

Lightweight Doesn’t Have to Be Flimsy

This bedroom curtain is romantic and dreamy. Being woven and thin, it lets in the light if you don’t have big windows and will keep you feeling cool in the hot summer months. Great if you live in a warmer climate.

Have Fun with a Secret Bookcase

Scooby Doo was a firm TV favorite for many of us as children but you can really have your own secret door? The answer is yes. Pretty easy to install, you can hide a room or add intrigue for your guests by fitting a bookcase door.

If you have a small room then the door can work as storage for books and ornaments. You can enjoy setting your display as traditional or as modern as you want. This loft room door is surprising and just a little scary!

Stylish Dressing Room Door

This Murphy door hides a little room beyond. In a beautiful patina, the wooden door has useful shelving and leads to a walk-in closet.

Sliding Doors

So we know the library panel style bookcase but these sliding doors are just simply wow. They give impact and are really useful.

Clever use of large sliding doors not only means you can section off the entire room for privacy and noise, but there’s attractive storage too.

Accordion Doors

If you need to cover a doorway but don’t have the space for a door then you can buy an accordion door. This is the kind that folds up to one side of the door frame when open. This door folds on each side of the entrance to the kitchen and shows how stylish it can look.

Accordion doors are available in a variety of materials, such as wood and vinyl. They also can fit a standard door entryway or could be used to section off part of a room.

This vinyl accordion door shows how easy it is to have an attractive door to a closet or laundry room.

Roman blinds

Roman blinds generally fit inside the window frame and sit on the door, though they can be hung from above the door. You can choose the size to best suit your space. 

You’ll see with these French doors how you can use a patterned fabric to accompany your color scheme. You are sure to find the style to suit your tastes.

Roman blinds can be bought, just be sure to measure accurately, or you could have a go at making some yourself. They work well if you need privacy at night or if you need to obscure a window pane at the top of a door.

Industrial Styling

Who would have thought metal fencing could look so good. This is a great way to get an urban, industrial look in your home. Particularly appropriate to loft apartments in the city.

And to screen off a room, this factory metal folding accordion door hits all the right notes. It is an imaginative way to section off two adjoining rooms. Best left for high ceilings and stripped back design.

Mirror Mirror

If you have a doorway to a room that isn’t used, or a bricked up doorway as a result of home improvements then a really simple way to cover it and to give the illusion of extra space is to place a gigantic mirror over the doorway.

This makes for a dramatic, chic look. Pick the frame to suit the rest of your decor and this could be a real statement piece.

In Conclusion

Whether you want to cover up a doorway or section off part of a room, there are varied solutions from beaded curtains to trendy wooden slats, and practical features such as accordion doors and sliding panels.

For those of us who love an Agatha Christie movie, what better than a door hidden in a bookcase. Full of storage this is an intriguing way to hide a door and a great talking point.

Take a look at the space and think about the most stylish solutions for your doorway.