Why architects love pocket doors for modern builds

The pocket door has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in fortunes in the 21^st century, having been dismissed as an obsolete feature of 19^th century Victorian homes, it has been transformed as a modern day smart solution that ties in with voice-controlled ‘home’ speakers and various other wireless systems to make a contemporary home seamless, clutter-free and multi-purpose. While the primary benefit of pocket doors used to be their space-saving properties, architects are now incorporating them into new-build designs and ambitious renovation projects because of their ability to offer flexibility without sacrificing on style, but perhaps most importantly they satisfy the one thing modern consumers demand, and that is choice.

Pocket doors for the contemporary home

Including pocket doors in a new-build home design is simple and straightforward. With a blank canvass it is easy to include a pocket door system within stud wall constructions, and then build the home around the idea that you have functional spaces that offer versatility and style. People are moving away from open plan living and now prefer to have the element of choice. The pocket door enables this by giving you the option of having seamless flow to an open plan space when needed, but also providing the flexibility to create intimate dining spaces, studious working spaces and communal family film-watching spaces at other times.

Flexibility is the smart solution we are wanting from almost every product we buy. No longer are we satisfied with one product merely having one function, instead we want it to serve various purposes, and likewise, the pocket door saves space by not creating obstacles, shuts off and opens up space as needed and creates a sense of elegant, seamless style at the same time, because it has no visible weight.

Home renovations using the pocket door

As well as incorporating pocket doors into new-build designs, architects are increasingly managing to integrate the pocket door into ambitious renovation projects. Where walls are knocked down and repositioned, or extensions and conversions are developed, new stud walls are able to accommodate the pocket door. You can also add the pocket door to an existing solid wall, by building a new stud wall adjacent to it, and the miracle of plaster and plaster board enables you to hide the fact it was ever there.

By using pocket doors in this way, you are able to maximise space and ensure that every millimetre matters. People want value for money and an efficient home where waste is minimised. Space costs money, and if pocket doors can create space and enable you to create new rooms in tight spaces – such as an en-suite bathroom, a storage space, a spare bedroom, a home office, a utility room or a separate toilet - then you are getting value from your home. The architect is wise to this and is tasked with exploiting space in innovative ways, and the pocket door is the ideal solution for this.

How to bring contemporary style with a pocket door

As well as bringing versatility, space-saving qualities and a sense of minimalism in the way it disappears into a wall, the pocket door is also a vehicle for delivering style and elegance to a home.

• Glass pocket doors – You can install glass pocket doors to make a room feel fresh and bright, and to maximise its usability. A small room may not be practical, at least for extended use, because it becomes claustrophobic, but the use of a glass pocket door brings a sense of space and freedom, which shifts the mentality when using the room.
• Accessories – Touch latch accessories can be installed so that the pocket door has no visible handle. This increases the minimalist chic and removes the possibility of door hardware clashing with adjacent switches or sockets. Other accessories which improve the sense of style in a contemporary home include soft-close features, double-door co-ordination and self-close accessories.
• Consistency – Gone are the days when the pocket door was seen as a clumsy, awkward door that would stick and need a good shove to open. Modern pocket doors from Eclisse are made using heavy duty tracks and a robust design which is consistent and reliable for long term use, making the opening and closing action simple and trouble-free every time.
• Artwork – You can use the pocket door as a vehicle for hanging artwork, as long as it doesn’t obstruct the opening and closing action.
• Mirrors – Similar to above, you can make a room feel larger and more practical by hanging a mirror on the back of the pocket door, making effective use of the wall space when the door is in the closed position.
• Wallpaper – Extend your interior design theme by wallpapering the back of the pocket door, so that it is seamlessly included in your decorative room scheme.

Pocket doors – the modern interior design solution

So in addition to the many practical benefits of the pocket door, it helps architects by delivering contemporary style too. And you too can check out our range of Eclisse pocket door systems at the Pocket Door Shop and find a design solution for your 21^st century home.