What To Do When Your Kitchen Doors Keep Colliding And Disrupting The Flow

Large or small, well-designed kitchens all have one thing in common: they easily foster a safe and efficient flow of activity. It's especially important to keep this in mind when making updates to your kitchen. After all, it wouldn't be very useful to install a dishwasher right next to the main kitchen entrance, as the open door would cause a tripping hazard when open. Similarly, many people opt to upgrade their pantry doors with low-profile alternatives, as a conventional hinged door hanging open often impedes walkways and may even clash with other doors going in and out of the space.

If multiple doors in your kitchen keep colliding, disrupting the functionality of your kitchen, and creating safety hazards, it may be best to simply replace one or even all of them with sliding pocket doors or bifold options. Of these two, bi-fold doors are the more affordable option, as they're basically normal doors with extra hinges in the center that allow the door to collapse neatly against the door frame rather than standing open.

Pocket doors, on the other hand, disappear completely into the wall on one side of the door frame. Installation usually involves ripping out and replacing part of your kitchen wall, making this the better option if you're already doing heavy renovations. Otherwise, a simpler solution such as replacing your bulky kitchen island with a mobile version may be enough to give your door some extra swinging room. You might also consider just removing the door completely.

If your budget isn't roomy enough for a door upgrade and removing it completely would disrupt the flow of your home, replacing it with a curtain may be a viable option. A well-placed curtain still muffles sounds and corrals food smells but takes up almost no walking space. Additionally, it's easy to install curtains with a tension rod, and they're inexpensive to replace. Look for reversible options that are aesthetically pleasing on both sides, and treat them just like a window dressing with brass tie-back hooks to give your kitchen a cozy feel.

Another very simple solution would be to change the direction your door opens. Rather than having it open into your kitchen, change the hinges and hardware so it swings the other direction. This is an incredibly low-cost (or even free) option that not only eliminates safety and flow hazards in your kitchen, but also allows you to firmly shut the door against pets and little ones that are best kept away from sharp knives and hot surfaces — especially if you have a tiny kitchen best suited for a flat induction cooktop, as they're easy to accidentally place a hand or paw onto.

As mentioned, if part of the issue with moving around your kitchen freely is that the doors impede cooking prep or seating areas, it may be a good idea to shrink these as much as possible by upgrading to cleverly placed bar stool seating over conventional dining chairs.