Right-hand or left-hand doors—which should you choose?

Right-hand or left-hand doors? Everyone who’s finishing a new apartment faces this choice. It may seem like doors are just about design, but their technical specifications are also very important. See how the direction in which a door opens will affect the layout and comfort of your apartment!

Doors have a major impact not only on the decor of your home but also on its functionality. The answer to the question of which way a door should open isn’t as simple as it might seem. Before making a purchase, you should already know the entire layout of the room. This will help you avoid a situation where your door opens into a cabinet or dresser. First and foremost, you should know how to tell whether a door is left- or right-handed.

How can you tell if a door is left- or right-handed?

Left or right opening—how can you quickly check? Stand in front of the door so that it opens toward you. Pay attention to the hinges. If they’re on your right side, you’re looking at a right-hinged door. You can tell a left-hinged door by the fact that the hinges will be visible on that side. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to choose the best product for your home.

Right- or left-hinged doors—which should you choose?

This is a very personal decision, as it all depends on the layout of your home. The door should open in a way that makes it comfortable to use. Pay attention to the placement of your light switches. They’re usually located near the door. A door that opens toward them will prevent you from turning on the light. What else to consider when choosing the door’s opening direction:

• if you usually approach the door from the right, you should opt for a left-hinged door. This will allow you to move freely around the apartment, since the doorknob will be closer to you;
• consider what’s on the other side of the door. The direction it opens must not risk damaging other parts of the decor;
• the door leaf should not get stuck when opening.

Outward or inward—which way should the door open?

In this case, you must consider the safety of the home’s occupants. Most doors open inward, a decision made to ensure that residents are not exposed to danger. The exception is bathroom doors, which open outward. The same applies to small rooms where space constraints prevent the door from opening inward. As for entry doors, the direction in which they open isn’t particularly important in terms of home security, but it is important for your comfort. Here are the advantages of outward-opening doors:

• they provide a better escape route than doors that open inward;
• in windy conditions, they press more tightly against the door frame, making them more airtight;
• they do not take up usable space in the entryway.

Advantages of inward-opening doors:

• they work well when they open onto a large hallway;
• they do not interfere with common areas when installed in an apartment building;
• they do not require the installation of a drainage system or additional sealing.

Other Types of Doors

What if, for various reasons, you can’t opt for a traditional door? You can choose a sliding door. They come in two types:

• recessed into the wall;
• with a visible sliding mechanism.

Recessed doors are convenient because they don’t take up space on the wall—they simply slide out from inside it. However, the walls must be specially prepared for such doors, meaning they need to have a dedicated recess. They’re also only suitable for large rooms. Doors with a visible sliding mechanism fit well with a loft-style interior. The entire sliding mechanism is mounted on the wall. These doors are most often installed in bedrooms or walk-in closets. Transparent doors are another interesting option; they’ll look particularly striking when installed between the kitchen and the living room. Here, too, you can choose between right-hinged, left-hinged, and sliding doors.

Right- and left-hinged doors in the Barański Doors lineup

Barański’s product line features high-quality right-hand and left-hand doors, as well as accessories for their installation. All models are crafted with attention to even the smallest details. Barański’s product range is very diverse, allowing you to match doors to any interior style—loft, industrial, modern, or Scandinavian. State-of-the-art technical solutions make Barański doors the best choice on the market.

Whether you should choose right-hinged, left-hinged, sliding, or glass doors depends largely on the characteristics of your home. Remember, before building a house, be sure to carefully plan how the doors in each room will open. This will definitely increase your comfort.