Hi Mandy Have been following to see if anyone could help you with this question, but nothing so far. I've wondered the same and although I haven't as yet installed a barn door my thoughts are that they would make a metal on metal sound when opening and closing, with the wheel rolling along the track, but if there was a rubber or silicone ring around the wheel it would slide more freely & quietly, more like a sliding door sound I guess. As far as the door moving in a breeze, you can put a guide on the floor that the door glides over (so there's a groove all along the bottom of the door to accommodate the guide). Good luck with your door.

Curtains are coming back in at the local display homes and look very luxurious. Plantation shutters look stylish in the right house but I agree with the comments about the potential to look dated if not a good match for the overall house style. Rollers remind me of schooldays when the teacher set up the projector to show a film while the students struggled to get the blinds to stay down to darken the room, but modern rollers are a simple window covering which can be a good thing if all you want is something that opens and shuts in the background while other features of the room stand out. For something you'll really be happy with you need to be weighing up personal taste, house style, window style, functionality, maintenance, room usage, window orientation, etc. You can choose the trendiest look but if it's a nuisance to live with because it doesn't provide the required light/dark level or privacy or is noisy in the breeze or whatever, it is not the right choice for the purpose.

Always, always these things/decisions/projects will come down to how much money there is to work with.........don't underestimate the knock-on cost effect of renovation..........the thing is, does the house need a complete overhaul anyway? If so then potentially there is opportunity for reconfiguration, but don't be surprised with the general scope of what you are thinking about will equate to $300K for pulling the whole thing apart and putting it back in a similar but different format within the general existing footprint .......if you are thinking under $100K then really the only options are strategically consolidated refit updates to critical areas without any significant structural changes......... Finally, as always it pays to get some professional design advice when you are this stage of the process, even just to give you the accurate information and options to help you make informed decisions for your investment.. Good Luck :) PD www.pauldistefanodesign.com

Plantation shutters are visually busy and reduce your water view by 50% even when fully open. It looks like you have the old style aluminium frame windows and single glazing. I don't know if losing heat in the winter, or getting too hot in the summer is a problem in your part of the world, but aluminium framed windows are excellent at transferring the external temperature inside as they conduct heat. If this is a problem then you can't beat traditional lined, full length curtains and a pelmet. Ensure the track is much wider than the window so that you can pull the curtains fully back, clear of the window, to enjoy the views. Traditional curtains give you the most flexibility for light control, heat control and privacy when required. I would look for a plain block of colour (not patterned fabric), with very simple understated pelmets for an elegant and flexible solution that will work for all of your seasons. Best of luck with your research Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls/Dr Retro Virtual Visits