Sliding Closet Doors: Mirror, Frosted Glass or Shaker Panels?
Mirrored, frosted glass or white Shaker panels: what each type of sliding closet door does for a room, and what to check before you order, with doors we made in Northridge, Sun Valley, Calabasas and Moorpark.
Replacing closet doors is one of the quickest ways to change how a bedroom looks and works. The inside of the closet stays the same, but the room suddenly feels larger, brighter or calmer, depending on the doors you choose.
Sliding doors are the most common choice in Los Angeles bedrooms, and for a good reason: they don't swing into the room, so furniture can sit closer to the closet and the floor stays clear. Here is how the three main styles compare, using doors we designed and installed in Northridge, Sun Valley, Calabasas and Moorpark.
Why sliding doors?
- No swing space. Hinged doors need a clear arc in front of the closet. Sliding doors need none, which matters in smaller bedrooms and hallways.
- Wide openings. Two, three or four panels can close a long run of storage without any door getting too heavy.
- A finished look. Full-height panels make the closet read as part of the architecture rather than a hole in the wall.
The trade-off is access: with sliding doors, part of the closet is always behind a panel. A good layout puts the most-used sections where the doors usually stand open.
Mirrored sliding doors
On Dora St. in Sun Valley we fitted two bedroom closets with full-height mirror panels in slim black aluminum frames, running on a matching black track.
Mirrors do two things at once. They give you a full-length dressing mirror without using a wall, and they bounce daylight deeper into the room, which makes a bedroom feel larger. The thin black frames keep the look modern and give the closet a clean outline against white walls.
Choose mirrors if the bedroom is small or dark, you want a full-length mirror, and the closet faces a window or the main light source.
Frosted glass in black aluminum frames
Frosted glass hides what is inside but lets light through, so a closet doesn't look like a solid block. We have used black aluminum frames with frosted glass on reach-in closets in Moorpark and Calabasas and on the entrance to a walk-in closet in Sun Valley.
In Calabasas (Towhee Dr.) the doors close off a reach-in with white shelving and wood-tone drawers. When the doors are closed the room stays light and calm; when they slide open, the organized interior is part of the room.
Choose frosted glass if you like a modern, architectural look, want to hide the contents without a heavy solid wall, and the closet is well organized inside (shapes show softly through the glass).
White Shaker-style panels
On Texhoma Ave. in Northridge we made sliding doors for two closets in white Shaker-style panels: a recessed center and a simple square profile, hung from a slim overhead track. In the bedroom the middle panel is a full-height mirror, so the closet doubles as a dressing mirror. Along a second wall, four matching panels close off a long run of storage.
Because the panels match the trim and baseboards, the closets look as if they were always part of the house. Shaker panels suit traditional and transitional interiors, and they are a safe choice if you are not sure which style will age best.
Choose Shaker panels if your home has traditional trim and doors, you want the closet to blend into the room, or you plan to sell the house and want a timeless look.
Top-hung or bottom-rolling?
Sliding doors either hang from a track at the top or roll on a track at the bottom (most systems have a guide on the other side). A top-hung system, like the one on Texhoma Ave., keeps the floor nearly clear and the movement quiet. Which one fits depends on the ceiling or header above the opening and on the floor. We check this when we measure.
What to check before ordering sliding doors
- Measure at several points. Openings in older homes are rarely perfectly square. We measure each opening at the top, middle and bottom and make the doors to size.
- Count the panels. Two panels give access to half the closet at a time; three panels give access to a third. Think about which sections you use most.
- Plan the inside at the same time. If the closet interior is also being updated, drawers and shelves can be placed so they are never hidden behind a door that can't open.
- Check the flooring. Carpet, wood and tile all affect the bottom guide and the height of the panels.
- Decide on handles. Slim recessed pulls or the frame itself keep sliding panels flat, so they pass each other freely.
Learn more on our Northridge, Sun Valley and Calabasas pages, or see the reach-in closets we build behind these doors.
Frequently asked questions
Can you replace only the closet doors?
Yes. We make sliding doors to the size of each opening, with mirrored, frosted glass or Shaker-style panels. If you want, we can update the inside of the closet at the same time.
Do mirrored closet doors make a room look bigger?
Yes. A full-height mirror reflects light and the rest of the room, which makes small bedrooms feel larger and brighter. It also gives you a full-length mirror without using wall space.
Are sliding doors better than hinged doors?
In most bedrooms, yes, because they don't need swing space and keep the floor clear. Hinged doors give full access to the closet at once, so they can work better in walk-ins or where there is plenty of floor space.
Is the consultation free?
Yes. We come to your home, measure each opening, show you samples and send a written proposal before anything is ordered.
