Decorative Interior Doors

by Giorgina Devereaux

Although there are different types of doors to choose from, our focus will be on doors that are offered in natural wood beauty and custom carved with the look of wood. 

Whatever your preference is, you can count on these dramatic looking interior doors to add elegance to your home for many years to come.

Decorative Interior Doors

Wood Doors
 

Aside from how lovely these doors look, wood possesses sound-deafening characteristics that keep the noise out. 

One thing to note is that wood swells and shrinks over time, especially with humidity changes, which requires precision during installation. 
 

You can have these doors stained or painted for a rich finish. 
 

Natural wood decorative interior doors are available in the following designs:

• Classic

• Craftsman

• French

• Old World

You can find these doors in the following wood species:

• Alder

• Ash

• Birch

• Cherry

• Cypress

• Fir

• Hemlock

• Hickory

• Knotty Alder

• Knotty Pine

• Lyptus

• Mahogany

• Maple

• Pine

• Poplar

• Red Oak

• Spanish Cedar

• Teak

• Walnut

• White Oak

• White Pine

These doors are available in the following finishes:

• Antique Chappo

• Antique Cherry

• Antique Ebony

• Antique Wheat

• Antique White

• Chappo

• Cherry

• Chestnut

• Clear

• Dark Cherry

• Ebony

• Gunstock

• Merlot

• Pebble Gray Mist

• Russet

• Wheat

• White

These doors are available in the following paint options:

• Ivory

• Cobalt

• Egg Shell

• Forest

• Khaki

• Swiss Coffee

Custom Carved Interior Doors
 

Stylish interior doors are available in over 100 standard designs and options.  The options include panel profiles, sticking profiles, and raised moulding. 
 

Custom carved interior doors are comprised of a refined medium density fiberboard (MDF) that is carefully buffed for a visually appealing furniture-grade finish. 

The door features finger-jointed pine stiles, which enables it to hold screws extremely well and are much less likely to expand, shrink, or warp. 

The door feels solid, yet it has a lightweight core that makes installation easy. 
 

Styles/Functions

Decorative interior doors are available in the following styles/functions:

• Bifold

• Bypass

• Café

• Chalkboard

• Dutch

• Flat Panel

• French Doors

• Glass

• Laundry Room Doors (available in frosted/etched glass)

• Louvered

• Media Room Doors

• Mirrored

• Multi-Fold

• Pantry Doors (available in frosted/etched glass or stained glass)

• Pocket

• Raised Panel

• Rustic

• Wine Cellar
   

Since several of these terms may be confusing, below are some descriptions for these door styles.
 

Bifold Doors
 

Bifold doors have two doors that fold to one side, or four doors, split in the center of the opening, with two doors folding back to each side.
 

Bypass Doors

Bypass doors are designed to be used in closets.  These door panels slide past each other on separate tracks.

Cafe Doors
 

A cafe door is a double door unit that consists of two short doors that swing freely in both directions (just like the saloon doors of the old west).  These doors are available in heights of 36” and 42”.

Chalkboard Doors

Chalkboard doors are ideal for families on the go, whether used in the kitchen, pantry, or a children’s room.  

These doors are available with a chalkboard on the entire door, a chalkboard on the upper half of the door, or a chalkboard split into two sections, with one on the top and one on the bottom. 

This door can be used for artistic purposes where children can post artwork from school or create original works of art directly on the door itself. 

The whole family will enjoy this door because it can be used for grocery lists, to-do lists, and as a place to write reminders for other members of the family.

Dutch Doors
 

A Dutch door consists of two horizontal door halves, with the top and bottom halves operating independently from each other.  For privacy purposes, you can close the bottom while leaving the top open.
 

These doors also make a great baby gate, and can be used for a nursery or as a play room door.  When the top and bottom sections are locked together, the two sections work as one, like a standard door.

Laundry Room and Pantry Doors

Laundry Room Door

Laundry room doors feature an ornamental clear glass design with the word, “Laundry” inscribed above a vintage washtub and washboard on a frosted glass background. 

This allows homeowners to elegantly integrate the laundry room into the overall interior design of the home.
 

Pantry Door
 

Pantry doors feature various designs consisting of frosted glass with the word, “Pantry” etched on it. 

Some designs include:

• A bouquet of grapes with grapevine details in opposite corners of the glass

• A bread basket

• Bundled wheat

• An assortment of veggies and canisters

These distinctive glass doors will definitely highlight the entrance to any pantry or laundry area.

Louvered Doors

Louvered decorative interior doors permit air flow and passage and are ideal for laundry rooms and closets where ventilation is preferred.  The thickness of the louvers varies depending on your preference. 
 

Multi-Fold Doors

Multi-fold doors are similar to a bifold door system.  A multi-fold door system can have a maximum of six panels going to the right and six going to the left, all in the same opening. 
 

These doors are used to cover wider than normal areas.

Pocket Doors

This is a door that slides into a cavity within a wall when the door is open. 

Decorative Feature above an Interior Door
 

Transoms
 

You can also include transoms above your interior door. 

Transoms are units hung above the doors with either glass or wood panels that add more height or decorative elements. 

Transoms are available with glass and in raised or flat panels to match the doors in your home.