How to Match Interior Doors to Other Design Elements
While they may not be the first element you select when designing a commercial space, interior door openings reinforce your design concept throughout a building. The vast array of options for interior wood doors give you limitless opportunity to connect them with other design elements.
Doors themselves, along with their frames, thresholds and hardware, can really tie a design together, whether by standing out or blending in. They are impossible to miss, too, since a building’s inhabitants actively use them all the time. Here we look at some considerations for choosing door options and other design elements to keep in mind as you specify interior doors.
How Doors fit Into Design Concepts
It’s a good idea to start considering door openings early in the planning or schematic design phases to integrate them into the overall concept of a commercial design. The repetition of design elements like color, texture, and materials leads to design harmony and unity. Harmony and unity contribute to a sense of calmness, which is important in any space, but especially in places like office buildings and healthcare facilities.
The quest for unity doesn’t mean that every design element has to match. Doors can be used in two opposing ways:
- to blend and repeat patterns
- to stand out by adding a visual “pop”
Either effect can be achieved through various characteristics of the doors. Here are three to consider.
Door Material, Style and Color
If you have already decided on wood doors — an excellent choice for their versatility, timelessness and performance options — the next step is to choose a surface material. Pick a wood veneer or composite surface to match other design elements. You might choose a wood species and stain color that echoes the floors, for example. Variations of species, cut and stain afford limitless options.
Door Frames
A door frame closes off and trims the wall construction, for both practical effect and appearance. Wood frames can match the door itself or not, creating different visual effects. A stain can enhance the look of the frame, as with the door.
Hinges and Hardware
Hinges and door hardware come in more variety than ever, ranging from vintage to high-tech and even internet-enabled. Different metals and finishes can contribute to a more industrial or more rustic appearance, and can complement other metal elements in a room, such as light fixtures.
6 Elements to Match with Interior Doors
These are some of the key design elements you will want to keep in mind as you select interior doors for your commercial project.
1. Window casings
Window casings can blend or stand out, similarly to door frames and trim. Windows and doors may or may not match, depending on the desired effect.
2. Flooring
Wood flooring in the same species as doors and trim can create a unifying, even cozy effect. Door styles and colors can also be chosen for how they correspond to a pattern on a tile floor or the color of a carpet.
3. Baseboards and molding
Together, the horizontal and vertical lines of doors, baseboards, and molding add depth to a room and can draw the eye in the direction of key elements. This effect is strongest when they’re the same or similar in appearance. For a more monochrome look, any or all of these can be chosen to blend with the walls and floor.
4. Ceilings
Statement ceilings are in demand, especially in offices and hotels, making them a focal point you can coordinate with doors and other elements. Exposed fixtures lend themselves to an industrial look, while bold colors and patterns can complement or contrast with custom factory painted doors.
5. Entry doors
Entry doors and interior doors typically have different performance needs, but that doesn’t mean they can’t look good together. In areas where both are visible, such as a lobby or waiting room, think about the interplay between the two.
6. Furniture and decor
If your firm will be selecting the furnishings for a space, they are another element that can complement or offset interior doors. For example, you may want to paint the doors the same color as the walls so they don’t steal focus from an impressive piece of furniture or artwork. Or, you may want to choose wood veneers for the doors in the same species as the wood furniture.
Customize Interior Doors for Any project
Whether you want stile and rail or flush doors, painted or stained, fire-rated or hollow, with any combination of different features, Masonite Architectural can provide custom wood doors for your project. Contact us today for samples to keep on file, so that you can easily match them with other design elements as you plan your projects.