Door Cover Ideas for an Unused Door (8 Easy Fixes)

The easiest way to hide an unused door is to stop it from reading as a door: hang floor-to-ceiling drapery over it, park a tall bookcase in front of it, or paint it the same color as the wall. All three work without removing the door, which matters if you rent.

It's very common to have a door that leads nowhere useful, so don't feel bad about yours. Below are eight steps, from checking the door to styling the wall around it. Pick the cover that fits your room and budget.

Save

Check the door before you cover it

First confirm the door isn't a required exit. In rentals and older buildings, a door can be a fire escape route, and covering it would be a safety problem. Ask your landlord or check local code before you block anything. If it's a child's room, I'd skip heavy furniture and choose a curtain.

Then deal with drafts and noise. A door to a hallway or neighboring unit is usually the leakiest part of the wall. A door sweep or draft stopper at the bottom, plus weather stripping around the frame, takes care of most of it. Seal first, because once the cover is up you won't want to take it down.

How to cover a door without removing it

Leaving the door on its hinges keeps the wall reversible and gives you a way out if you ever need the opening again. Every idea below works this way.

Drapery that reads as a wall of fabric

Curtains work best when they look like a deliberate wall treatment, not a patch. Mount a ceiling track or a rod a few inches below the ceiling, not on the door frame. Extend it about 10-12 inches past the casing on each side so the stacked fabric covers the trim completely.

Soft fabric also absorbs some sound, which helps in a bedroom or office. If you live with a dog or cat, choose a tight weave such as a performance velvet or microfiber. Loose weaves like linen and burlap snag on claws. Hem the panels to just kiss the floor or hover about half an inch above it, since puddled fabric collects pet hair.

No rod, or can't drill? Our posts on curtains without rods and hooks and heavy curtains without drilling cover the options.

Door covering ideas without curtains

If fabric isn't your thing, a bookcase, a folding screen or paint can do the job. They're covered next.

Save

Turn the door into a built-in with furniture

A tall bookcase or cabinet in front of the door gives you storage and removes the door from view. It looks built in when it's wider than the door casing, so no trim peeks out at the sides, and tall enough to come within about a foot of the ceiling.

Check three things before you commit:

• The door handle. Remove it if you can. If not, swap it for a flush pull, or pull the furniture a few inches off the wall so nothing gets damaged.
• The baseboard. It stops furniture from sitting flush. Don't cut it in a rental. Choose a piece with a notch or legs taller than the baseboard.
• Anchoring. As an architect, I recommend anchoring any tall furniture. With a door behind it you can't screw into the wall at that spot, so use straps into the studs on either side of the frame, and ask a licensed professional if you're unsure.

Also add felt pads to the back of the piece. A hollow-core door behaves like a drum, and furniture tapping against it rattles.

Save

Paint the door to disappear

Painting the door, trim and wall the same color in the same finish removes the contrast that makes a door look like a door. Matte or eggshell works best, because glossy paint bounces light and sharpens the shadow lines around the frame.

Once the door blends in, you can hang art across it. Use adhesive strips rated for the weight on a hollow door, or an over-the-door hook painted to match. Spread the pieces across the line of the frame so the casing stops reading as a rectangle. A deep wall color helps hide the shadow gaps too.

Can I put peel and stick wallpaper on a door?

Yes, on a smooth, clean, painted door. Wallpaper that continues across the wall and door hides the opening best, but pattern match is tricky around trim. Test a small piece first, and be aware that removal can lift old paint in a rental.

Save

Folding screens and slat panels

A three- or four-panel folding screen is a quick answer, though it can look temporary. Put a tall plant in front of it, and a small uplight on the floor behind it so the screen glows softly instead of looking like a barricade. If you have pets, choose a non-toxic plant and check with your vet or the ASPCA list.

Renters can also use tension-mounted vertical wood slats. They block the view, let air through, and press against the wall like a divider. Keep any covering in a space with natural light and no harsh glare, as the U.S. Department of Energy's building science page notes that fixed shades, louvers and screens can help control unwanted glare and heat. That matters if your unused door is an exterior one with glass.

For glass doors, see how to cover door windows.

Save

Finish the wall: the 8-step checklist

1. Decide if the closure is permanent or if you need occasional access. That tells you whether furniture or a movable curtain suits.
2. Measure the door frame depth and handle projection so any cover clears them.
3. Remove or replace the handle with flush hardware, or pad it.
4. Seal gaps with weather stripping and a draft stopper.
5. Choose the cover: drapery, furniture, paint and art, or a screen. Make sure it's sized to the wall, not just the door.
6. Match finishes. Paint the trim to match the wall, or stain wood to match nearby furniture.
7. Add light nearby, such as a floor lamp or sconce, so the area doesn't fall into a shadow that highlights the depth change.
8. Style the foreground with a runner or a cluster of plants so people walk past it, not toward it.

For more options, see our list of 16 ways to hide an unused doorway and the earlier 10-step refresh. For exterior doors, front door cover ideas may fit better.

Frequently asked questions