6 front door design tips

What requirements do we put forward for the front door? First of all, it is durability, reliability, the ability to provide adequate protection against intruders and external noise. Everything is logical, but the appearance of the door cannot be written off. After all, the first thing your guests see is the door. Fortunately, there are a great many materials and finishing methods today. You can easily design the door leaf in a classic or modern style, the shade and decor can be anything. Moreover, the outer and inner sides of the canvas can be completely different. Going for such an important purchase is better prepared, so first you need to understand the design of the front door and decide which option will be most preferable in your case.

Entrance Door Requirements

Each of us will easily name what key characteristics an entrance door should have. Most likely, the following qualities will be in this list:

• security. The front door is the boundary between home space and the outside world, and the latter, alas, can be very dangerous. Every day in newspapers and on television they talk about robberies, and if you don’t want to become another victim, it’s better to fork out and take a reliable one door with a good lock;
• heat and sound insulation. Regardless of whether the door goes out to the entrance or to the street, the canvas should well protect against external noise. True when it comes to entrance door to a private housethen they should be an even more serious barrier to noise and cold;
• resistance to external negative factors. If the door goes outside, then it must withstand frequent changes in temperature, high humidity, frost, icing and direct sunlight. There are much fewer requirements for doors leading to the entrance. The main thing is that it is difficult to scratch and damage them, otherwise even the dog that you lead from a walk will be able to scratch the canvas;
• good looks. The door does not have to be a work of art, although there are such products. The main thing is that the canvas is neat - the rest depends on the preferences of the owner, but you should correlate your desires for the color and style of the door with the space surrounding it. The inner part of the door should fit into the interior of the hallway, and the outer one should be combined with the facade of the house or porch walls.

At the moment, we are interested in the purely aesthetic side of the issue. The appearance of the door will depend on what material it is made of, what it is lined with, what color of decoration is selected, whether any additional decor elements were used, so about everything in order.

What are the front doors made of?

It is not necessary to be a genius in order to understand a simple truth: the appearance of a door largely depends on what it is made of. There are not so many options for entrance doors:

• tree - the good old classic, used to this day, although inferior in terms of popularity to metal doors. Usually the canvases are made of dense and reliable oak wood, which, with proper care, will last for decades. Wood is an environmentally friendly material that is not susceptible to corrosion and protects the apartment well from noise and cold. However, the tree is afraid of moisture and pests, and if not carried out in time special materials processing, then the canvas can be damaged by bugs, or it will lead from temperature extremes and moisture. But the appearance of a wooden door is the ultimate dream. Only worth varnish the tree or oil to emphasize its natural beauty, and you won’t have to think more about design. Such a door will emphasize the status of the owners of the house;
• metal - a universal option, such doors are placed in houses and apartments, they are perfect for any architectural and interior style, as the canvas can be finished with different materials. Steel door consists of a metal frame (the less welds in it, the better), stiffeners between which the insulation is mounted, and directly the external and internal panels. The outer side is always made of steel with a thickness of at least 1.5-2 mm, and preferably 3 mm, for cottages - and all 4 mm. The inner panel can also be steel, it is a safer option, but can be made, for example, from MDF. If you need maximum protection, pay attention to the doors with an additional steel sheet in the middle of the structure. Metal doors delight with durability, safety, resistance to fire and pests, as well as a wide range. The metal sheet is finished in different ways: from powder coating to decorative stone finishes. The range of prices is solid, you can find a more or less budget option;
• plastic doors, according to the manufacturers, in terms of strength and toughness are not inferior to metal, but so far their scope is commercial premises. Sometimes such doors are placed in private houses, and in ordinary entrances it is still rare. In structure, such a door is identical plastic windows - the double-glazed window is installed in the profile, only the profile here is reinforced, and the double-glazed window is armored. The glazing area should not be more than a third of the surface of the door leaf. There is almost no need to talk about the variety of finishes. The entire range is limited by the ability to choose the color of the profile and double-glazed window.

Front door trim

Recall that the outer part of the door must be resistant to mechanical damage, and if it goes outside, it is good to tolerate moisture, temperature changes, sunlight and other environmental factors. Plus, it should be combined with the facade of the house or the walls of the entrance. Let's start the analysis of possible finishing materials. for the outer part of the metal front door:

• powder coating It is carried out only in production conditions by applying special paints to the surface of the canvas, which are sintered under the influence of high temperatures with metal and form a strong anti-vandal surface. The color of the coating can be almost any, but often use brownish, greenish shades and black. A good option for both a private house and an ordinary apartment. Such a canvas looks concise and strict, it will look good everywhere: in the entrance of a new building, in the old nine-story building, in the country house, and in the mansion;
• natural wood will allow you to visually turn an ordinary metal door into a massive wooden one. The tree looks luxurious, captivates with the beauty of the natural pattern, and since it is easy to process, it can be decorated with carvings and other decorative elements. Such a canvas will look good at the entrance of an elite multi-storey building. In principle, you can use a similar solution to install doors leading to the street, just remember to periodically take care of the wood. Manufacturers are ready to offer up to 40 varieties of wood to choose from, so that the door can be designed in full accordance with their own preferences;
• MDF panels and laminate - More budget analogue of a massif of a tree. Outwardly, the material looks almost as noble as an array, can imitate any type of wood.In terms of heat and sound insulation, MDF and laminate are inferior to wood, but they are still able to increase the overall protection of the apartment from cold and noise. Use of such decoration for doors facing the street is not recommended;
• dermantine - an analogue of genuine leather, which was previously universally used in decoration door leaf. Today it is not so popular, but it is still often chosen when the budget for the purchase of a door is limited. Dermantin is also used when you need to update the coating on your own. This is a fairly durable material that repels moisture, is not afraid of sunlight and temperature extremes. Color options - wagon and small trolley. Dermantin decently imitates natural skin, looks good in combination with a layer of insulation and screed, due to which a three-dimensional pattern is formed, but, alas, this is not a very durable material. It is ideal for doors leading into the porch;
• plastic panels - Another good budget option that impresses with the range. Plastic can be painted in any color, and thanks to lamination it can be applied to any texture, albeit expensive wood, even rare stone. Plastic does not absorb moisture, does not rot, but it can crack from impact, plus it can fade in direct sunlight. In general, the durability of such a finish is low, but in the conditions of the entrance, the door can last more or less long. For the street, the option is not suitable;
• PVC film lamination - The easiest way to finish, which, incidentally, is often used at home in the repair of the canvas. It’s easy to stick such a film, the choice of products is quite wide, you can find imitation of wood, stone, leather, etc. Finishing is cheap, easy to maintain, but it does not look very presentable. If you are short of money, then this is a suitable option, but if you can, it's better to look for something more interesting.

Regarding wooden doors, then if they are made of high-quality beautiful wood, then they do not need additional decoration - it will be enough to emphasize the natural beauty, and do it with the help of varnishes, which will also provide additional protection against negative environmental factors.

Plastic doors - This is a separate story. If you want not a standard white profile, but something interesting, then it is better to give preference to products painted in bulk. Some manufacturers are ready to offer PVC-laminated profiles: if the process is carried out in the factory, then the profile and the film are sintered, forming a single whole. Such material must withstand severe loads. The film can imitate the texture of wood, and even repeat its relief. A double-glazed window can be taken both transparent, and mirror or opaque, so that outsiders do not see what is happening inside the house.

Separately, it is worth noting glass inserts in wooden and metal doors. They, as a rule, occupy a small part of the door leaf, are made of tempered glass and can be additionally protected by openwork bars. At the doorways this solution is rarely used, unlike private houses. To be as sure as possible of your safety, you must use it together with such a door alarm or a second inner door without glass inserts.

Front door trim

In this case, there are even more options than for exterior decoration, because negative factors will not affect the material. But the task is not at all simplified, since the inner side of the door is already part of the interior, which means that the material must be of decent quality. Moreover, the canvas should fit into the general situation. It is recommended to combine the color of the door with skirting board, walls of the hallway or interior doors. You can play in contrast by choosing, for example, a blue or yellow door, but such experiments must be carefully thought out.

Metal doors from the inside all the same powder coating, MDF panels, wood, laminate, dermantine and plastic. All delicate materials can be used without problems. In addition, such finishes are also used.:

• mirror inserts, which go well with MDF pads, will kill two birds with one stone. Firstly, the premises of a small hallway will become visually a bit larger. Secondly, it will be possible to do without single mirror, and this again is saving both money and space;
• decorative rock thickness not more than 4 mm, so that it does not overload the canvas. Yes, yes, such a finish, although rarely used, is also entitled to exist. Only a part of the door can be laid out with a stone, for example, a contour. If there is a decorative stone in the decoration of the walls, then this option of cladding the canvas will be very appropriate;
• Particleboard, laminated or veneered, it is not used in exterior decoration, as it is exposed to moisture, but inside it can be easily applied. By the way, if the door goes into the entrance, this material is also used - it costs less than MDF;
• glass inserts will decorate the door, but if you want to use a similar solution, it is better to put double doors. Let the outer canvas be monolithic and durable, and the inner one with inserts of colored or frosted glass, for example. Glass should be strong enough and well fixed so as not to fall out and break if the door is slammed;
• chromed metal inserts will decorate the interior in a modern style.

Wooden doors, as is the case with the exterior finish, can only be coated with a layer of varnish. Even if the hallway is made in the Provence style, and the color of the wood is far from light, the canvas can be covered with paint, it is advisable to preserve the relief of the wood. By the way, you can also paint a metal door - this is the most simple and affordable way of decoration, which now, however, is becoming less and less used in residential premises.

Style and color of the front door

Well, if you live in a private house, and the style of the facade and interior match, then the canvas can be made the same on both sides. More often you have to choose different versions for the external and internal sides, while the finishing material may be the same or different.

So, when choosing the style of interior decoration, the doors are guided by the style of the hallway:

• in minimal style fit the simplest doors that are in harmony in color with the walls or cabinet. As a finish, MDF, plastic, wood and laminate are suitable. It is better to give preference to an absolutely smooth canvas and complement it with a chrome-plated handle and eye. You can use inserts made of glass or metal, but everything should be of the correct geometric shapes, without bends and curls. Since minimalism is also a minimum of colors, or rather 2-3 basic ones, it is worth choosing a door in predefined shades;
• high tech - these are the same plain canvas without a hint of jewelry. The decor should be practical and functional, and in this case it is stylish futuristic door handles;
• in classic style wooden doors fit perfectly. You can save by taking an imitation of MDF or laminate. In particular, light shades. The canvases are decorated with panels, carvings, glass inserts with delicate drawings, handles in bronze or gilding;
• in modern smooth curving lines are especially appreciated, so they must be found in the design of the front door, and of what it will be made, this is not so important. Of course, the ideal option is a tree, but its imitation will do;
• in the style of provence Doors of light shades are suitable: white, cream, greenish, etc. They can be made of wood or metal with a solid wood or MDF finish. The presence of panels is almost necessary, the inside can be decorated with a beautiful pattern of flowers or an inscription like “Sweet Home”.

Web color try to align with the walls in the hallway or a large piece of furniture. In an extreme case, you can link the color of the canvas with the interior thanks to the baseboard in tone with the door. This is in case if for some reason a door has been selected whose shade does not match any object in the hallway. Fans of everything extravagant can choose a door in a bright shade, for example, blue, red or orange. Such a bold decision must be carefully considered, and even better, a design project should be prepared in advance.

In principle, all the same rules are characteristic for selection of the entrance door to the architectural style of the house. The outer side of the canvas should be in harmony with the walls of the house in style and color. So if the house is lined with light clapboard, it’s better to choose light doors, and a white canvas is generally considered a win-win option. If the house faced with brick terracotta hue, the doors can be taken in brown.

When it comes to installation Entrance door to the apartment building, then not all residents think about the harmony of the canvas and the walls of the entrance. They are often right, because the classics of domestic apartment buildings are plastered or painted white walls, sometimes led by a strip of green or blue. Then you can especially not be sophisticated and choose a door that is the same on both sides. In new buildings, the entrances look much more aesthetically pleasing, so it makes sense to make a slight adjustment for the style and color of the walls of the house, especially for high-rise buildings.

Fittings as decoration

Glass inserts are, of course, a solid way to decorate the door leaf, but, alas, not very safe. To somehow ennoble a deaf and boring door, you can use interesting fittings:

• door knob can be a real work of art, emphasize the taste of the owners, their status. In the collections of some manufacturers there are truly exclusive products, coated with gold and bronze, openwork, in the shape of a hand or a pistol, tree branches - in general, if desired, the simplest handle can become an interesting decoration;

  

  

  

  

  
  
• hinges can also carry artistic value. There are interesting specimens with a florid pattern, but they are more suitable for the classic style, for the door in the modern style the simplest chrome hinges will do;
• apartment or house number can also be made original. This is either an interesting font, or the presence of interesting figures (cats, owls, tree branches, squirrels, etc.). Any number can be made to order;
• instead of a doorbell you can use knob, gong or bell - these are elements interesting from the point of view of decor, but their application will not always be successful.

It is worth noting that some prefer not to overdo it with originality, so that the door does not catch the eye of intruders, but this is a private matter for everyone.