How To Cover A Doorway Without A Door
It’s not uncommon to have a few doorways without doors in a home. You can find framed-out openings that lead to halls, connecting rooms, or pass-throughs. But what if you don’t want these openings to be quite so, well, open? What are some of the best ways to cover a doorway without a door?
You can use curtains, artwork, beaded strings, a folding screen, Roman shades, or a tapestry to cover a doorway without a door. If you want a more permanent solution, mount a mirror over the entrance or place a bookshelf in the space. Other options to cover the opening are an accordion divider, paneling, or even a blanket or rug.
Before covering your doorway, decide if you still need to go through it or want a more permanent solution. Also, think about your overall design style and the doorway’s location to help pick the solution that’s best for you.
Can You Have A Doorway Without A Door?
You don’t have to put a door in a doorway. Many people opt to remove doors and simply leave the opening. For some, it’s because it’s a smaller space, and a door simply takes up too much room when it’s open.
In these situations, options like an accordion panel or folding screen work well. Others prefer to create a sense of more openness while still maintaining a bit of privacy. Beaded strings, curtains, or a tapestry work well if this is your goal.
15 Clever Ways To Cover A Doorway Without A Door
No matter the reason, if you want to cover a doorway without a door, here are 15 options that do the job.
1. Cover A Doorway With A Curtain
One of the easiest and most common ways to cover a doorway without a door is to hang a curtain. Many people also choose this option to cover a closet without doors. You can mount a curtain rod above the doorway and hang the curtains of your choice.
Or use a tension rod inside the door frame for a tool-free installation. If you use curtains, you can choose to hang a single panel or two panels, depending on your preference. When you want things to be more open, leave the curtains open. Then, simply pull them shut when you need more privacy.
2. Folding Screen
If you’d prefer not to have anything hanging in the doorway, you can place a decorative folding screen in front of it. Place it a couple of feet away from the opening to make it easier to go through the doorway. If you don’t plan to use the doorway, you can position the screen against it.
A folding screen is the perfect temporary solution since it doesn’t involve installation of any kind. For example, perhaps you’re converting a dining room into a bedroom while you care for a relative recovering from surgery.
Dining rooms typically have two entrances, one to a living space or foyer and one to the kitchen. You might hang a curtain or temporary door at one entrance. But you could place a folding screen in front of the doorway leading to the kitchen to provide more privacy.
3. Beaded Curtain
If you want a more vintage or glamorous doorway covering, choose a beaded curtain. You can also make your own strings of beads and mount them on the top of the door frame. Beaded strings provide openness while offering a distinction between two spaces.
4. Tapestry
A decorative tapestry can make a big impact as a doorway covering. If it’s very thick, it might be ideal for a doorway you don’t plan to use. Otherwise, it could be a bit awkward when you try to go through the opening.
5. Use Paneling To Cover A Doorway
A sheet of paneling is an affordable, easy way to cover a doorway you no longer want access to. You can remove the trim around the doorway and nail the paneling into place.
Cover the nail holes with spackling and paint the paneling to blend into the wall. Or, if you’re creative, paint a masterpiece on the paneling and turn it into a giant art installment.
Since the paneling is nailed into place, it’s easy to remove if you ever decide you want a doorway there again. Simply remove the paneling, replace the trim, touch up small holes, and paint.
6. Bookshelf
A bookshelf is perfect if you want to hide a doorway you won’t use and need more storage. Place one or several along the wall in front of the opening. If you remove the trim around the doorway first, you can position the bookshelf right up against the wall.
Doing this means the bookcase won’t sit out from the wall, which can look awkward. It can also increase the chances of it tipping.
7. A Blanket Can Cover A Doorway Without A Door
You can cover a doorway with a blanket or quilt in a pinch. Choose something decorative to avoid it looking like a freshman dorm room.
This might not be your final choice, but it certainly serves the purpose in the meantime. If you need to create privacy, hanging a blanket allows you to do so while working on a more refined solution.
8. Cut A Rug To Size To Cover A Doorway
Another doorway covering that works in a pinch is to repurpose a rug. You can cut it down to size and bind the edges to prevent fraying. A lightweight rug works best, especially if you still need to access the opening.
9. Roman Shades
Roman shades aren’t just for windows. You can mount them in your door frame to create an instant doorway covering. Then, raise them when you want the space open and lower to create privacy.
Make sure to choose shades that go the full length of the doorway. You can find Roman shades for French doors and similar setups that would be an appropriate length.
10. Accordion Divider
An accordion divider can be mounted inside a door frame so you can pull it shut when you need to close it. Technically, this would be putting a door in your doorway, but it’s a good idea if you’re limited on space.
For example, an accordion door is a good alternative if it’s a tight squeeze and a standard door wouldn’t open fully.
11. Sliding Barn Door
Another option to cover a doorway without a traditional door is a sliding barn door. Barn doors also work well when you have a limited amount of room to open a standard door.
However, make sure you have enough room on either side of the door for the barn door to operate correctly. At the very least, you need space on one side to accommodate the door when you slide it over.
12. DIY Rope Curtain
Create a macrame hanging or rope curtain in your doorway for a boho look. It’s kind of like a beaded curtain, just with rope. Depending on the look you want, you can choose various thicknesses and colors and knot each piece in multiple ways.
13. Custom Artwork
Remove the trim and cover the opening with a large art piece for a doorway you don’t plan to use. Now, instead of a doorway, it looks like you simply have a large painting or masterpiece mounted on the wall. Nobody would ever know that there’s an opening behind there.
14. Cover Up The Doorway With A Mirror
You can do something similar to hanging art by mounting a large mirror over the doorway. Again, instead of seeing an opening, it will simply look like you have an oversized mirror on your wall. Of course, this would also be a solution for an entry you don’t plan to use.
15. Put A Wardrobe In Front Of The Doorway
Another option for covering a doorway without a door and adding storage is a large armoire. Put the wardrobe in front of the opening.
Remove the trim so you can position the furniture directly against the wall. Make sure it’s large enough to cover the gap completely.
You can remove the back of the wardrobe or cut out an opening for an extra fun touch. Disguise the space with a piece of removable paneling or something similar, so it blends into the back of the armoire.
When you open the wardrobe, you’ll see hanging clothes inside. But you can access whatever room or hallway is behind the door. It’s like having your own taste of Narnia or a secret passage in your home.
Ditch The Doors
Sometimes, a standard door doesn’t work because of space limitations, or you just don’t want the room closed off entirely. Other times you might only need to add some privacy temporarily, or you may want to hide a doorway completely.
For doorways you still need to access, curtains, beaded strings, Roman shades, or folding screens work well. For a more permanent solution, hang a tapestry or use an accordion door. But if you want to hide the doorway completely, you can use a bookshelf or paneling.
Other options would be to hang a mirror or artwork in front of the opening. But if you need to cover a doorway quickly, you can always hang a blanket or quilt. Even cutting an old rug down to size will do the job.
No matter how you cover a doorway without a door, make sure it works for your style and needs. You want it to be convenient, look good, and function as you need it.
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Stacy Randall is a wife, mother, and freelance writer from NOLA that has always had a love for DIY projects, home organization, and making spaces beautiful. Together with her husband, she has been spending the last several years lovingly renovating her grandparent's former home, making it their own and learning a lot about life along the way.
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