13 Examples of Barn Door Window Shutters for a Lovely Old-School Feature in Your Home Exterior

More than ever today, many homeowners are using barn doors instead of conventional doors to add a unique touch to the interior. However, did you know that the classic barn door design makes excellent window shutters too?

The quintessential farmhouse look can introduce an element of the rustic, modern, and even industrial style. You can easily transform your home, whatever style it has, just by changing the window shutters.

The sliding mechanism for most barn doors will also give your windows a refreshing look. When you need some privacy, it is super easy to slide the shutters together. And just slide them open when you want to enjoy the scenery outside.

Plus, the best thing about barn door shutters is that they are customizable. You can choose every aspect of it, from the style, paint, and stain, to the hardware like wheels and track color.

If you are still looking for the best way to incorporate barn door window shutters in your home, we have a few inspirations for you to look at. Let’s dive right in!

1. Try Custom Wood Window Shutters to Match the Front Door for a Rural-Inspired Barn House

In this first example, we have a rural-inspired barn house that is quintessentially countryside.

With a dramatic A-shaped frame and all wood exterior, the custom wood window shutters go super well with the design.

Even more, interestingly, you may notice that there are barn doors instead of windows. This is undoubtedly a unique decision that makes the most of the outdoor space. It allows you to open all the doors here and create an open feel, although make sure than opening and closing them are easy.

The front swinging door itself is from Borano Doors, a classic barn door that matches the wood exterior of the house exterior. Of course, this includes the “window” doors, shutters, and siding!

Finally, you can get the lights from Baselite Corporation. These hanging wall lamps have a fun wiry look that balances the rustic exterior, while the lampshade is large enough to provide bright lighting in the front area of your home.

2. Embellish a Rustic Mountain Cabin with Attractive Forest Green Barn Door Window Shutters

It’s true than monotone of color and material can be stunning if you do it right, but if you want to play it safe, there is nothing more charming than a pop of bright color against the wood.

This works incredibly well in a rustic mountain-style cabin, which you can see here looking exquisite in a snowy backdrop with bare trees all around.

For the barn window shutters, try going for a contrasting color like forest green for an attractive feature that pops against the rugged texture and color of the wood siding. It is quite bright without appearing too flashy, making it the right choice for a mountain setting like this.

If you are building a cabin-style home, it can be crucial to have plenty of windows, too, especially so it can provide enough natural lighting and a glimpse of the landscape outside.

3. Charming Farmhouse Home Featuring White Barn Door Window Shutters in a Beige Exterior

This modern farmhouse-style home is a two-story building with a lovely beige exterior, a lush garden area, and many windows.

You can see that not all of these windows use barn door shutters, which can be a great idea to provide some variety and make your home look more eclectic.

One trick is to simply match the color of your shutters with the trim around the house, which in this case is (or at least very similar to) Benjamin Moore’s Cloud White. It is a very clean and crisp color to subtly contrast the Grant Beige siding, also from Benjamin Moore.

If you have the space to maintain a front lawn, it can be a good idea to create some steppingstones too. Using natural stone or concrete is a popular choice to pave the pathway from the neighborhood street to your front door.

Finally, consider galvanizing your gutter system, which is visible here, running along the side of the house. This will help protect it against rusting and natural elements.

4. Go All Out on Natural Wood Textures for a Pastoral Home with Barn-Style Door and Window Shutters

Here is another mountain-style cabin exterior that you might like, which uses reclaimed barn wood for the main siding to create a rugged and authentic look.

One of the appeals of using reclaimed wood is the naturally colorful shades you can get, which you can see here, help to achieve that classic cabin feels. This is also complemented by the chimney structure, which is built from natural rocks and stones.

In terms of the window shutters, using barn doors is an excellent idea as they enhance the countryside style even more. You can see how they are like a slightly smaller version of the sliding barn doors under the windows.

Both of these can slide widely out to help make the interior of this cabin feel more open. This can be especially pleasant if your home is in a cool and natural area with greeneries around.

5. Simple Black Barn Door Window Shutters Against White Exterior in a Modern Home

So far, we have mostly looked at farmhouse and cabin-style homes. But do not dismiss the barn door as window shutters, even if you have a more modern house!

This photo shows just how appealing barn doors can look when you use them as window shutters in a contemporary exterior. One thing to pay attention to is the color and how it fits with the rest of the design.

Here, you can see that instead of the natural wood texture, the barn door has been painted in a simple and deep black color. This will help tie in the more rugged appeal of the door to fit the overall theme of this home too.

Not only that, but a modern exterior style also usually chooses simple and neutral colors as opposed to the eclectic look of a mishmash of various raw materials. For instance, the black shutters match the black window frame but beautifully juxtaposes the white siding.

6. Use Cabot’s “Allagash” on Your Barn Door Window Shutters to Create a Stunning Contrast with Gray Walls

In this next picture, you can see how the barn door window shutters also match the garage door on the side of the house.

For those looking to recreate this look exactly, try using Cabot’s Allagash paint for both the actual garage barn door and window shutters. It is usually a good idea to match colors like this for excellent continuity.

The calming green color of these window shutters juxtaposes not only the exterior of this house, but it adds a very complementary effect that can boost your curb appeal too.

However, you may be able to see that the front door actually uses a different color. It’s a bright brownish orange that stands out against the beige siding.

Another excellent tip for choosing window shutters is to choose a moisture-resistant material, or you can simply use a dehumidifier and open the window regularly for healthy circulation. This will help slow down wear and tear so they can last for longer.

7. Create a Unique and Cozy Bathroom Using Medium-Toned Wood Window Shutters in Barn Door Style

So far, we have only shown you examples of barn doors used as exterior window shutters. But you can actually take advantage of the ingenious sliding mechanism inside of your home too.

For instance, you can see how the barn door window shutters are used in a functional and aesthetic way in this bathroom. It slides over easily to give you some privacy, but the barn door also adds a cozy appeal that you can’t get with simple curtains.

Moreover, the medium-toned wood is slated cedar, which actually matches the shower bench. These look especially great if you add accents like the rattan laundry basket. Of course, you can always have seemingly opposite features like the modern ceramic sink and glass shelf.

Even when designing an interior space, it can be a good idea to combine various textures and patterns. The wood material here is a nice contrast against the crisp white tile walls as well as the multicolored grey tile flooring.

8. Preserve the Charms of an Old Barn with Fresh Paint and Window Shutters

Generally, people use barn door window shutters as a homage to its original style and design, which is the classic farmhouse architecture.

This photo depicts a recent renovation of a gorgeous 19th-century barn into a fully modern and comfortable home. However, the key is actually preserving the traditional charms of the real building so you can maintain that unique sense of character and presence, making the home feel much more special.

If your home project ever involves some kind of restoration of an existing structure, it is important to conduct a thorough investigation. This will help you decide if the building is fit enough for a home.

One way to retain the style of the original barn is to keep the barn door. It is a truly charming feature with a simple mechanism that makes opening and closing super easy. The off-white color for these shutters is a great choice to really modernize the look too.

9. Use Sliding Barn Door Window Shutters to Establish the Privacy of Your Living Room

This is another example of how you can use barn door window shutters in an interior context. As we have mentioned earlier, they can look equally stunning when used indoors.

For the window shutters, these white sliding barn doors are a great alternative to curtains. They can function not only to provide some privacy in your space but also looks attractive! Plus, the shutters are an excellent way to add some personality to the room.

More on the other interior features, the medium tone wood floor is a lovely complement to the light beige walls. These warm colors help create an inviting and cozy atmosphere, which you would want in a living room.

To offset the beige colors here and the simple white of the shutters, you can use colorful furniture like these bright yellow armchairs. Having a striking coffee table to act as a centerpiece that ties the design together works excellent too.

10. Create a Lovely Porch with Blue Barn Door Window Shutters to Complement the Classic Front Door Design

A great tip for when you are choosing the right shutter color for your home is to consider contrasts and the overall vibe you are going for.

For example, in this charming little porch on a modern farmhouse-style home, the barn door window shutters are in a bright blue color that stands out against the simple white siding of the exterior.

If you’re looking for this exact shade, try using Sherwin Williams Honorable Blue (SW6811), which is a bold and deep blue that goes well with a neutral base. This is also the color of the front door.

Moreover, a fun alternative to potted plants on the porch is to hang them from the ceilings or beams. This allows you to incorporate greenery in a new and exciting way.

11. Large Barn Door as the Window Shutters to Blend Historic and Modern Features for a Comfy Living Space

Barn doors essentially emanate a rustic and rural character that will go well in any country home. However, it can be a good idea to mix this feature with modern design elements too.

You can see how the large wooden barn door window shutters, leather couch, and artistic brown coffee table work together to create a comfy living space. Plus, there are also the electronics such as the TV set and speakers.

In terms of the color palette here, it includes a lot of earthy brown tones and white. This will create a warm ambiance to make the living room a snug spot. If you want to make an even cozier space, it can be a good idea to place a huge rug underneath too.

12. Revamp Your Detached Garage into an Elegant Style with these Small Barn Door Window Shutters

Using a barn door as window shutters will work even for your shed or other detached structures, as it can be a great way to elevate its exterior appeal and style.

This photo shows a detached garage or sheds which can be used as a workspace or storage. However, that doesn’t mean it has to look boring!

Here, you can see that the all-white siding has a very rustic feel with the board and batten wood siding. And yet, it still appears quite modern, too, thanks to the clean and crisp white color.

Landscaping can also be a huge part of your home, not only to improve the lawn aesthetics but the main house and other buildings you have. This could mean planting some bushes and grasses, as well as creating pathways.

13. Paint Barn Door Window Shutters in Bold Red Color for a Cottage-Style Window Seat

Last but not least, this is a look at one corner of a traditional cottage-style bedroom, where a reading nook by the window is enhanced by the red barn door shutters.

You may also notice that these barn door window shutters are not sliding like most of the other models we’ve seen. Instead, it can open and shut like a regular door.

Choosing a bold, red color such as this one can be a great idea if you want to add an attractive feature to your room. And if you are creating a cozy nook like this, it can be a great idea to add a pillow too.

Moreover, for the interior design of this bedroom, you can consider going for a neutral color with bright accents of red. The main tones would be dark grey, brown, and white, which helps establish a certain warmth that is also relaxing and calming – perfect for the bedroom!

Closing

That wraps up our list of barn door window shutters examples. We have tried to include different ways of styling them so that you can find the right inspiration for what you’re looking for.

If you need a little something extra to boost your curb appeal, these shutters can be the way to go. Whether your home is a traditional country house with classic features or has a more modern architecture, you can’t go wrong with barn doors as window shutters.

Remember that you can always customize the look even more. This includes choosing the best barn door style, the most suitable color to go with the walls, and the best stain too. You can mix and match these photos to create the perfect shutters for your home.