Hello Reader,

I once walked into a beautifully designed home, but the moment the main door opened, I could see the entire living room, kitchen, and even the back door all in one straight line. No privacy, no visual breaks.

In today’s newsletter, let’s talk about a common mistake: placing one door directly in front of another, especially when the main door opens into a clear path across the house. This might seem harmless, but it allows outsiders to get a full view inside which is not ideal for privacy or design flow.

That’s why you need to think about door placement right from the design stage. How you place doors matters a lot for both privacy and how the space feels.

​

In the above plan, the main entry door is positioned on the bottom-left side of the room, while the door to the other rooms is offset to the far-right side — not directly in line with the entry. This slight shift in alignment plays a big role in improving how the space feels and functions.

Why this layout improves privacy:

1. No direct line of sight across the home:
   The biggest advantage is that someone standing at the main entrance cannot see directly into the rest of the house. There’s no straight visual tunnel connecting the entry to private areas like bedrooms or kitchen. This protects the home's internal privacy, especially when guests, delivery personnel, or outsiders open the main door.
2. Visual separation of spaces:
   The offset doors allow each space to feel more defined. The living area remains a cozy, social zone without visually bleeding into the rest of the house. Even if someone is seated inside, there’s a controlled view of who enters, without putting the entire home on display.

always leave at least 30 inches (762 mm) of clear space near doors. It ensures smooth movement, prevents furniture from blocking access, never place items too close to door swings, especially in areas like living rooms.

Imagine you're walking through a hallway and suddenly a door swings open right into your face. It's not just annoying, it's unsafe and completely avoidable. In the first layout above, the bathroom door opens outward into a narrow passage. Anyone walking past risks being hit and it also blocks the natural flow of movement. This kind of mistake is common but creates daily frustration.

The second layout solves this smartly by using a sliding door. It stays out of the way, does not interrupt circulation, and makes the space feel more open and safer.

Quick Poll:

​ ​​​​ 🔽Access All Guides & Courses Now🔽 ​ 50 % OFF - Coupon Code '2025' ​ New eBook - 100 Home Design Mistakes and Easy fixes (Download Now)​ ​ Top-Selling Essential Guide eBook Bundle ​Download Now →​ Kitchen Design & Planning Full Course ​Enroll Now →​ The Essential Guide to Architecture & Interior designing eBook ​ ​Download Now →​

​

​