What Is a Dutch Door?
A dutch door is essentially two horizontal door halves, with the top and bottom halves operating independently from each other. You can close the bottom for some privacy, while leaving the top open, allowing fresh air into the room and enabling you to have a conversation with someone on the other side of the door. Dutch doors also make a great baby gate, and are often used for a nursery or play room door. When the top and bottom are locked together, the two sections work as one, like a standard door. The dutch door originated in the Netherlands in the early 1600’s.
A Dutch door is a door which consists of two panels divided in half horizontally, allowing the top and bottom of the door to be closed independently. Classically, the bottom panel is left closed, while the top is left open to permit the circulation of light and air. This door design is also sometimes referred to as a stable, barn, or half door, depending on the region of the world, and it is very common in rural design and homes which are meant to have a rustic look and feel. Supposedly, this design emerged in the Netherlands in the 1600s. People wanted to be able to leave their doors open to get fresh air and see who was around, but animals would enter the house when the door was open, making a mess and spoiling food. The Dutch door created a barrier in the form of the bottom half of the door which the animals could not cross, while allowing the upper part of the door to stay open, satisfying the needs of the household. Dutch door designs are commonly used in kitchens and in outbuildi