5 Design Ideas Using French Doors in Smaller Homes
- 22 October 2025
- News
Key Findings – French Door Ideas
- Opening up internal spaces: French doors can remove boundaries between rooms, making compact homes feel significantly more spacious and connected
- Maximising natural light: Double doors with full glazing flood dark corners with sunlight, transforming cramped areas into bright, welcoming spaces
- Flexible glazing solutions: Half-glazed or frosted glass options provide privacy whilst maintaining the illusion of space in bedrooms and home offices
- Single swing convenience: Inward or outward opening configurations optimise floor space in tight layouts without compromising accessibility
- Woodgrain finishes: Natural oak and golden oak effects create harmonious connections between indoor living spaces and garden areas
Smaller homes needn’t feel cramped.
French doors, elegant double doors that open from the centre, offer brilliant solutions for space-starved properties.
Maybe you want to brighten up a dark living room or connect your dining room properly to the garden. These versatile doors allow you to do that, potentially transforming the relationship you have with your home.
With their classic design featuring two hinged panels, French doors combine traditional style with contemporary benefits like energy efficiency and advanced security features, making them a great way to add both beauty and practicality to smaller properties.
An introduction to French doors
French doors earned their name from 17th-century France, where architects pioneered these floor-to-ceiling glazed openings to capture daylight.
These double doors, with their distinctive glazed panels, were designed to blur boundaries between indoor and outdoor living.
Unlike sliding doors or bifold doors, French doors swing open on hinges, creating a dramatic reveal that transforms any opening into a gateway of light and space.
Nowadays you’ll commonly find them across Europe, opening up onto balconies, garden areas, swimming pools, and even inside the home.
5 creative design ideas to best utilise French doors in smaller homes
Transform your compact home with these ingenious French door ideas that maximise both space and style.
Create internal room connections for seamless flow
Internal French doors work wonders, whether they’re placed between a living room and a dining room, a home office and a kitchen, they instantly making both spaces feel larger.
By replacing solid doors with glazed double doors, you allow light to travel freely throughout your home. This design idea works particularly well where natural light might struggle to reach inner rooms.
Flood spaces with natural light using full glazing
French doors with floor-to-ceiling glass panels act like giant windows, drawing outdoor light deep into your interior. This approach works brilliantly in narrow kitchens or compact living spaces where every ray of sunshine counts, making your garden feel like an extension of your indoor space.
Use frosted or half-glazed options for private areas
Bedrooms and home offices often lack privacy when fully glazed. Half-glazed French doors offer the perfect compromise, as clear glass in upper panels brings light, whilst frosted lower sections maintain discretion. Perfect for en-suite connections or home office spaces.
Optimise tight spaces with single swing configurations
Consider how your French doors open. Inward-opening doors save garden space, ideal for compact patios. Outward-opening configurations preserve indoor floor space, crucial in smaller living rooms where every square metre matters.
Choose woodgrain finishes for natural harmony
Rich peat, natural oak and golden oak finishes create stunning connections between your interior and outdoor spaces. These woodgrain effects bring warmth to modern uPVC frames, perfectly complementing garden settings or traditional style homes.
Bonus pick: add side panels for maximum impact
Side panels are narrow windows that sit on either side of your French doors. They make the doorway feel bigger and bring in extra natural light, brightening the room and creating a sense of space. They work well in any room where you want to maximise light and make a stylish statement.
French doors from Crown Conservatories, Windows & Doors LTD
At Crown, we specialise in made-to-measure French doors that fit your existing brickwork openings. Our range combines continental elegance with the practicality for British weather conditions, featuring multi-point locking systems and unobstructed views.
Colour and glazing options
Choose from 23 finishes including white, natural oak, cool grey and chesterfield. Select from 15 glass types including transparent, Flemish and Cotswold patterns for different privacy levels.
We use premium uPVC, a durable material offering exceptional thermal efficiency, keeping homes warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Unlike timber doors, uPVC requires minimal maintenance, won’t rot, and provides excellent value without compromising quality.
Are French doors suitable for very small properties?
Absolutely! French doors make small properties feel larger by maximising natural light and creating seamless transitions. Our made-to-measure service ensures perfect integration regardless of property size.
Can French doors improve energy efficiency?
Yes, modern French doors significantly boost energy efficiency through double glazing and thermally efficient uPVC frames, helping reduce heating costs whilst maintaining comfortable temperatures.
Who are Crown?
With over 20 years of experience, Crown has built an outstanding reputation for quality craftsmanship across Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas. Our range includes casement windows, sliding sash windows, composite doors, bi-fold doors and conservatories.
Every installation is completed by FENSA-registered fitters with a 10-year warranty. We offer free 3D design plans, and our Milton Keynes showroom displays our full range. Our customers consistently rate us 5/5 stars.
Ready to transform your smaller home with beautiful French doors? Contact Crown today on 01908 507 778 or email info@crownwindows.co.uk for your free consultation.
