If you want barn doors, you should do them on the interior side. You definitely don't have the space on the hallway side, and as calidesign said, you don't have a way of getting two doors there in any nice way.

For the ceiling, I would paint only the vertical faces a nice cool grey, which I think will help to focus on the geometries coming together here.

You say you are changing the carpet? To wood, I hope!

@ calidesign

Thanks for the quick response.

It would definitely be a tight fit.There is 60" between frame to frame. First door is 30" and second is 28". Really it's the second door on the left to the bathroom I'm more concerned with. The swing of the door makes the bathroom feel claustrophobic.

@BC Studio

The vertical faces are painted in exactly that way. It's a grey-blue color. Ceiling is still the original beige in the hallway. Living room I painted the vaulted ceiling pure white.

Unfortunately the second door to the bathroom does not have enough room in the inside. First door isn't even possible.

Yes wood! Not sure if I'll stick to the same stuff that's currently in the open living/kitchen area. They put the cheapest flooring possible when I bought it.

I see it now! Good adding in the envelope to help see the tonal difference. What I'm suggesting would be to add more contrast to these elements. Either a dark grey, or perhaps clad it in a wood that matches your new flooring. Because while the paint colors do differ right now, they don't differ enough to make it stand out, which I think is what you want in this hallway.

Yes, I can see how that door situation would be very frustrating! I wonder if there is room for a pocket door? A bit more invasive construction-wise, but it might be the best route to pursue if you have the space in the wall cavity...

For a bathroom I would keep the regular door. There isn't a good way to latch or lock a barn door, and you don't want people feeling like they could be walked in on.

The pocket door is a good idea. We put one in a bath in a similar situation and space-wise it works well.

Wood for the stairs is always acceptable. But consider too a striped rug running horizontally across the hallway...this would visually widen the hall.

Barn doors work best if they can be easily seen, as inside the room as a focal point. Putting them in your hallway you won't get the visual effect as you'd be seeing them only from the side. Pocket doors are a good option, but not a good sound or heat insulator. I'd keep the doors you have.As for the ceiling, I'd want to highlight the interesting shapes that are there already. I'd paint the actual ceiling portion a bluish white, barely noticeable that they are blue. It gives the illusion of even more height. The triangular cross (support?) beams if you will, I'd go a few shades darker than the gray on your walls. This will bring attention to the areas yet blend well with the rest of your hallway. But first wait until you have your floors installed. It will affect the light dramatically. Good luck!