Most of us don’t give much thought to doors. We enter and exit spaces through them, shut out noise with them, or use them for privacy. But doors can also be design elements on their own — adding a sense of surprise or delight to a home renovation. Here are some of our favorite custom doors.
Smart and Stylish Entryway Doors
“Curb appeal” is important, but an entry door should also enhance a home’s interior. When our client showed us a photo of a door style she liked — wood-framed with privacy glass — we wanted to create something that was not only attractive but also practical: It needed not only to harmonize with the clean lines of the rest of the remodel’s design but also provide effective insulation against the frequent fluctuations in central Indiana’s weather. We replaced her existing door, which was surrounded by clear, narrow window panes, with one that framed panels of decoratively etched glass. To maximize insulation and add visual interest, we had two different glass designs laminated together to form the panes, one pattern facing the exterior and the other facing the interior. The results are elegant and understated, letting light into the entryway while adding privacy.
Elegance can also take a more substantial, imposing form with a solid wood entry door. This hefty door design comprises three layers of hardwood, its outer frame milled to fit together with no visible nails. Each inset panel was hand-crafted, piece by piece, to give depth as well as weight to the doors. The outer casing, also built in layers, lends an air of strength while also feeling warm and welcoming with its dark wood tones. Recessed as they are under the portico, they also exude a feeling of privacy.
Two Very Different Interior Barn Door Styles
For a client who loves to entertain, we needed to come up with a way to build flexibility into a lower-level great room. The challenge was creating a way to either leave the space wide open to allow guests to mingle or close it off in sections for those who wanted to play billiards without disturbing others watching the big game. We accomplished this with a set of hand-crafted wood barn doors. The ship-lapped wood hangs from dark rail-and-roller hardware, allowing them to open and close smoothly as they hide or reveal the rooms nestled behind them. It’s a simple, beautiful, and effective solution.
To achieve a more rustic look for another client’s master suite, our partners at Zincsmith wrapped solid wood in steel and riveted it into place before giving it a zinc-like finish. Black hardware, including a smooth, sleek black handle, completes the look. When closed, the door functions to hide the entry into the master bath. When open, it becomes an attractive piece of wall art.
Now You See It, Now You Don’t: Doors in Disguise
Maintaining seamless visual lines not only creates a nice aesthetic but can also offer an opportunity for a fun design. The pristine white surfaces of these exterior doors blend with their surroundings, only making themselves known through their striking black hardware. Both allow easy access to outdoor spaces their owners wished either to keep private or neatly out of sight. Hanging these barely-there doors so they lined up exactly with the crisp lines of the walls — not to mention the more complex pattern and depth of the lattice — required expert precision and care. But the end results were worth the effort!
If the previous doors were chameleons, this interior hallway door is the James Bond version: It’s disguised as an ordinary bookcase, but it’s actually a hidden entry into a teenager’s gaming room. Tucked into the end of a hallway, the bookcase’s shelves are usable for displaying objects. A light push on the frame opens the door from the outside, while a more conventional handle — seamlessly hidden from the hallway — opens it from inside the room. Smooooth!
