I found a [semi-related post](https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/184406/barn-door-with-no-header) about this, but it doesn't really answer my question. It basically claims a horizontal, wall-mounted barn door could work in a space like below (see images). However, all horizontal, wall-mounted barn doors I have found seem to need to connect to the wall above the door when closed to keep it supported.

In my case, there is no wall above the opening above the door. The options I am considering:

* Add some sort of supporting wood board that connects to the wall on each side of the opening, then allows for a horizontal barn door to be connected to above the door when it's closed. The con to this is it will not look great.
* I have also researched and found some ceiling hanging barn door options. This seems like a great option, however, I don't know if there are any drawbacks to hanging a door to the ceiling. I have never attempted anything like that. I am not sure what to consider there.

[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/77AiL.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/77AiL.jpg)[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/zhLdL.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/zhLdL.jpg)[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/eh7Qb.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/eh7Qb.jpg)

My question is: **Are there any other solutions or ideas I could or should consider for this space?**

**The goal here is to stop sound from traveling up the stairwell, as it currently does**. Maybe there is a door type or covering I am not aware of that would work just as easily.
['https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/260160', 'https://diy.stackexchange.com', 'https://diy.stackexchange.com/users/158563/']
The problem with a door here is that it will feel weird and cramped to people coming down the stairs. So you need enough space on the flat-floor to stand and open the door. Right now it looks about one stair-tread of depth, ideally you'd want triple that.

I would suggest a curtain rail over the access, and hang a sound-absorbing curtain made from velvet or wool. You'd want a bi-pane curtain not a single-sided one, so that it opens from the center like a tent.

There should be room beside so the open curtain does not narrow the width at all, so curtain would hang on the nearside of the wall, not in-line with the wall.

Additionally, can anything be done at the top-end of the stairs?

Anything that lowers the lintel will cause issues for people walking down the stairs. Don't make your house suitable only for short people. It already looks close to the forehead of stair-users.

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Your stairs are hard bare wood - that is an excellent sound reflector. Consider carpetting both the tread and the riser, and the landing. This will also reduce damage in the event of a fall.

There's probably not a lot you can do for the walls. Some paints have noise-absorbing properties but its not great. Music studios minimise reflection with fabric/foam panels, but that takes depth and stairwells aren't that wide. Adding some framed unglazed pictures might help.

Lastly, your window is also a hard flat surface that reflects sound like a mirror reflects light. Temporarily hang a sheet or blanket on it and see if it makes a perceptible difference. If so, consider a curtain there. If light is required, consider a lightweight net curtain in the alcove to fuzz and disrupt sound while adding privacy.
One option could be free-swinging **French doors**; while ideally you want more space between the bottom step and the door than you've got, French doors wouldn't feel like as much of an obstacle. Obviously, they would need to swing out into the room, away from the stairs.

However, if the goal is to *reduce* noise, a better solution might be **sound baffles**. Empty stairs like that tend to collect and amplify noise; since there is nothing to absorb the sound inside, it bounces right back out just as loud as when it started. While there's not a lot you can do about the large window, the walls to the left and right could be draped with soft blankets or tapestries, or fitted with acoustic panels. You may even be able to fit the area over the stairs with something. Obviously, you could combine those with a door for even better sound-proofing.