Is there any way to move the basement door to the hallway on the left instead - where that trio of light switches is? It would probably involve an extensive reconfiguration of the stairs, so might be too $$$$.

I'm sure it could be done, but definitely not something that we want to spend that much money on.

Our cat could open a bifold door (and I doubt if it meets code for basement stairs). It doesn't take him long to open push doors on some pieces of furniture. Sometimes he has to bang a while but he always succeeds. :>)

"Could a bifold door be used at the top of the steps and still meet the building code?"

No.

What if you reverse the swing of the door? Have it open towards the hallway instead of the dining room. 🤷‍♀️

What about a door at the bottom of the stairs, leaving the upper access point without a door?

Ok, no bifold door for multiple reasons. Switching the swing would further constrict the dinjg room entry and cause and awkward squeeze to open the door.

Is this a potential solution? These doors (split doors?) are on my boys' closet upstairs and my aunt has them at the top of her basement stairs. Does that seem like a possibility or would that be a different awkward configuration?

@ptreckel Good thought....but we have an even tighter bottom landing with a finished side, unfinished side and a game closet 😅

Half lite or divided light door? With a cat door thru the wall in the hallway?

Maybe a small cat landing shelf on the wall in the stairwell?

Double doors opening up, will still partially block the dining room, and also the hallway at the same time. I wouldnt be happy with that option either. Because of the doors location, I dont think not having a door at all is a good solution either, someone could take a tumble down the steps. I have seen some doors open into the stairway, but, quite frankly that scares me. Someone could come up and not shut it tight, and someone else might lean on it, and it would open and could be very dangerous. I cant see your whole kitchen dining room layout, but, am wondering if the dining room doorway could be moved down to a new location and that one closed off. That would solve the problem, with nothing having to be done with the door.

Have the barn door slide over the pantry door. You'd have to close the barn door to open the pantry, but you have to do that now anyway.

Or you could change your pantry so that its door opens to the dining room. Then you could drywall the existing pantry door and a barn door or sliding door could slide over that space.

To prevent people from opening the door and whacking someone standing in front of it, replace it with a French door, so they can see someone standing there. Obviously this doesn't solve the problem of the open door blocking the dining room, although it will look better since you can still see through to the dining room.

Could the door open into the stairs (rather than out like it is now)? Then you could just leave it all the way open but be able to close it when needed. That's how my parents' basement door is, but idk if that meets code.

A door that swings opens over the stairs does not meet code.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Short of remodeling, which isn't in the budget, we probably either have to stick with the current door or add a French door. I'm leaning towards just living with what we have bc cleaning fingerprints and cat prints off individual glass panels is going to bug me more than the door situation 😂. Thanks for helping me think through the options.

You could get a French door with a single pane of glass, and apply frosting film to it. It's easy to apply and remove. There are plenty of designs that would let you see through, but avoid visible finger prints (and paw prints LOL.)

Take the door out and move it downstairs and make a trimmed opening at the top.

Remove the door why do you need one there at all I removed the door to our basement the minute we moved in and the basement was not even finished at that point.

No, please do not remove the door. You have a bad situation there where people walk through that dining room doorway, if someone wasnt paying attention, they could tumble down those stairs, and be badly injured or worse. I would rather have the door that gets in my way, than, have someone fall. The basement stairs, should have been in a different location, or the dining room door should have been in a different location, but, it is an expense to change either of those things.

The pantry looks small, so perhaps you could give it up, repair wall and add a barn door. Can leave slightly open for cats. Will be a safe compromise and allow for better flow. I’d move storage for these advantages.

Can you find extra storage elsewhere (we added shelves in our laundry room for can goods, extras, etc). You could also edit a cupboard, moving large platters and roasting pots, etc that are infrequently used and make room for the dry goods.

Some hydraulic door closers have backchecks that prevent a door being opened too quickly (as well as too far). That might address the issue of the door being flung open into someone coming through from the dining room. It also means that you don't have a problem of the door being left open and in the way. If you fit a door closer, you would then need to fit something to keep it open slightly when you need. Or train the cats to use the cat door.

Replace the door with a different style that has a window in it.

Yes, why aren't the cats using the cat door?

Move the kitty door to the hallway through the wall. The new ones have locking mechanisms so you could lock them in the basement when needed.

Our old cats, who have since passed, used the cat door as we had to keep the basement door shut when our kids were babies. We keep it cracked open now, but the issue of people opening it too quickly, or leaving it open when they go downstairs, is constant. I'm not worried about the cat door (and our 3 new cats refuse to use it and prefer to sit on the other side and meow :) I don't really know that there is a good solution, as I want a door at the top of the stairs and our pantry next to it is more narrow that the doorway, so a barn door wouldn't fit.

I had a similarly situated basement door but my cat used the cat door installed in it so the door could stay closed at all times. Maybe replace the cat door with newer, locking one? That's what I had so I was able to keep the cat in the basement if needed.

Honestly evn my blind husband could avoid falling down the steps and I think the door gone will make the baement a more inviting space .

When I bought my house many years ago, the door to the basement from the kitchen was long gone. I had a friend make a little arch in the top of the doorway and finish off the edges with some drywall corners and drywall mud. So now it is a nice looking uncased opening. I put a mirror in this alcove to reflect light from the kitchen window.