Awkward Doors Aren’t the Problem: How to Make Weird Layouts Work for You
You know that door.
The one that opens into another door.
Or cuts off the perfect wall for your sofa.
Or exists for reasons no one can explain, like a portal to the land of poor planning.
You blame the builder. The last owner. The cursed HGTV reno trend of that year.
But here’s the thing:
The door isn’t the problem.
It’s the reminder that this home is yours to decide on.
And deciding starts with reframing what’s “wrong” into something you can work with, or work around, without spending a year and a half on a renovation.
The Door That Didn’t Belong — And What We Did About It
In one of my recent Airbnb projects, the client called it “the door that kills the vibe.”
It was a leftover from some past renovation—functionally useless, visually loud. Every time she walked into the room, her shoulders tensed like the door had personally offended her.
She’d pinned ideas for covering it, replacing it, removing it. But none of them touched what was really bothering her:
It wasn’t just the door.
It was what the door made the space feel like—sterile, generic, not ideal.
That’s the design problem no one talks about.
Because it’s rarely just about fixing a flaw.
It’s about deciding how you want to feel in the room as it is, and choosing what role (if any) that “flaw” gets to play in your life now.
Before you reach for the hack, ask yourself:
Does this door actually interrupt how I want to feel here?
Could it serve a different purpose—even if that’s purely aesthetic?
Or does it need to quietly disappear because it belongs to a version of this room (or life) that no longer fits?
This is the part where most blogs would tell you what to do.
But design that lasts?
It doesn’t start with tactics.
It starts with deciding to see the space differently.
Image | Unsplash
Step 1: Decide Its Fate: Hide It, Highlight It, or Let It Go
Awkward doors fall into three camps:
They’re useful, but ugly → hide them in plain sight.
They’re useless, but charming → make them a moment.
They’re neither → thank them for their service and remove them.
Once you know the role this door should play, the solution usually reveals itself.
Step 2: If It’s Staying, Make It Steal the Show
Paint it the boldest color in the room. Add a brass handle that feels like jewelry. Frame it with trim so it looks intentional, not leftover.
Step 3: If It’s Going Away, Make It Seamless
Drywall, built-ins, art wall — whatever you choose, match the room’s texture and tone so it doesn’t scream “former door here.”
Step 4: Borrow Tricks from Small-Space Pros
Mirrors to double the light. Curtains to disguise the shape. Plants to soften the edges. The trick is distraction without chaos.
The Bookcase Solution (aka: “What door?”)
A floor-to-ceiling bookcase can do more than add storage — it erases the problem entirely.
✔ Choose a unit that fits snugly into the doorframe or have one custom-built for that seamless, “it’s always been here” feel.
✔ Want a little fun? Add hinges and turn it into a hidden door. (Because who doesn’t love a secret passage?)
Image | Keyaira Terry
The Curtain Disguise (Done Right)
If you’re renting or want flexibility, curtains are your best friend. But this isn’t the time for a cheap rod and leftover fabric. If you want it to feel intentional:
(Pro tip: Let the curtain reach the floor for that soft, effortless flow.)
Wooden Curtain Rod:
Use textured, weighty fabrics like linen or cotton for an elevated look.
Image | AbbeyByDesignCo
Ceiling Track System
Choose a rod that complements your space — wood for warmth, black metal for modern edge.
Image | Pinterest
Ceiling-Mounted Rod:
Mount it high or use a ceiling track to create the illusion of height and movement.
The Wallpaper Camouflage
For the ultimate “Was there ever a door here?” effect, wallpaper is your move.
✔ Go neutral for a subtle, blended look.
✔ Or choose a statement print that reframes the whole wall — turning a flaw into a focal point.
✔ Pro Tip: Removable wallpaper = commitment-free creativity.
Image | markdsikes
If It Deserves to Stand Out — Make It Earn Its Place
Some doors shouldn’t hide. They should own the room.
Here’s how:
Option 1: A Statement Tapestry or Textile
✔ Drape a woven textile or bold fabric over the door.
✔ Choose something with texture and depth, so it reads as art — not as a cover-up.
Bold
Image | Homeedit
…and Beautiful
Image | Pinterest
Drape Your Space
Image | Pinterest
Option 2: The Functional Door
✔ Mount a full-length mirror to add light and depth.
✔ Lean framed artwork for a relaxed, curated feel.
✔ Or use it as a styling backdrop for meaningful décor.
Option 3: Paint It Like You Mean It
✔ If you’re keeping the door, give it purpose.
✔ A bold, unexpected color can turn it into a design moment.
✔ Deep green, soft terracotta, matte black — whatever makes the space feel more “you.”
The Airbnb Fix: What We Actually Did
ardisenostudio | Earthy Casita
In that Airbnb project? We skipped the demolition.
✔ We installed a ceiling-mounted rod (damage-free and renter-friendly).
✔ Found linen drapes at a second-hand shop for $10.
Just like that, the door became background noise — and the rest of the room finally got to shine.
ardisenostudio | Earthy Casita
So… What’s the Next Move for Your Space?
That awkward door?
It’s just the loudest example of a quiet design truth:
You’re not stuck with the home you live in.
Solve one “unsolvable” layout quirk and you’ll start to see the rest of your house differently and not as a set of flaws to fix, but as a set of choices to make.
If you want help making the next choice, I’ve got you:
→ For a full-home transformation: Mindful Home Creator
→ For a fast design gut-check: Design Mood Consultation
(Because living with design that frustrates you costs more than fixing it. Every time.)
P.S. If you want more real design fixes for weird, imperfect, lived-in homes—ones that don’t start with “tear down a wall”—check out my other reads:
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