Bi-fold doors have become a popular choice in modern home design due to their unique blend of practicality and style. Interior Designer, Jeff Hines from Cyril Group Design, exemplifies their transformative potential through his work on an early 1900s Mediterranean-style home. Hines remodeled this historic home by incorporating custom bi-fold doors to open up the narrow kitchen.

The Vision 

Hines’ vision preserved the home’s historical integrity while enhancing its flow with modern bi-fold doors. Crafted from Accoya wood, these doors feature a striking contrast: white on the inside to match the kitchen and a custom turquoise on the outside to complement the historic fenestration. When stacked neatly to the side, the doors connect the interior with the exterior spaces.

Bi-fold doors offer a unique blend of practicality and style, making them an ideal choice for modern home design. As Jeff Hines explains, “It was a combination of thoughts, providing a solution that opened up the kitchen to the back garden and complemented the existing exterior design. We also appreciated the custom opportunities with AG Millworks.”

Enhancing Accessibility and Flow

 "I wanted to ensure the new space complemented the existing home without feeling too modern," Hines explained. "Growing up in Hawaii and Southern California, I’ve always appreciated the seamless blend of interior and exterior spaces. I also love natural light and windows or doors that extend from floor to ceiling", J.H.

When asked about the kitchen flow, architect Jeff Hines knew precisely how the bi-folds would influence traffic in the small kitchen. He explains, "I pulled the cabinets away from the exterior wall and created an island to allow for full-height windows and doors. I also like to study the view into the kitchen from various vantage points—outside, sitting at the island, and sitting in the dining room. With these views in mind, we hid most of the large appliances behind cabinet doors. I also prefer access and multiple paths into and around a kitchen, which supported the island and folding door concepts," says Jeff Hines.

Overcoming Structural Challenges

Every remodeling project comes with its own set of challenges. For Hines, the biggest challenge was the structural scope. "The existing kitchen had columns approximately 2 feet in from the exterior wall that supported the second story. Our vision required removing and relocating these columns, which involved installing new steel beams, footings, and columns. This allowed us to create a cleaner, rectangular space for the design," Hines noted.

Innovative Design Features

Bi-fold doors are known for their accordion-style bellows, which allow them to stack neatly to the side. This innovative system makes these doors both practical and stylish, especially for homes that lack the structural integrity for fully pocketed doors. As Hines described, bi-fold doors "provide a solution that opens up the kitchen to the back garden and complements the existing exterior design."

As shown in Hines' project, adding Simulated Divided Lites (SDLs) to the bi-folds helped integrate them seamlessly with the home's existing fenestration, maintaining the historical integrity of the structure while introducing modern functionality.

The inclusion of a "man door" in the bi-fold system adds another layer of convenience. This door swings on hinges, allowing for easy entry and exit without the need to open the entire bi-fold, making it ideal for day-to-day use. Additionally, a second handle towards the center of the door helps push the panel out to accordion and slide to the center, providing easier usage.

In conclusion, Hines considered other options but found that custom bi-fold doors were best suited to integrate with the home’s historical fenestration. He noted, “Having custom options made it much easier to design the folding doors that would complement the existing adjacent doors and windows and meet the historical review requirements. The folding doors at first glance appear similar to the existing doors in the dining room; not until they are opened do guests realize they are bi-folding. It makes for a nice surprise.” This project showcases how bi-fold doors can transform small rooms into expansive spaces while maintaining a home’s historical charm. Explore the benefits of bi-fold doors and discover how they can elevate your living space to new heights.

Designer:  Jeff Hines, Cyril Group Design