design-driven doors

By Sheila Reesor

"The door is special," says Rob Nicolucci, residential designer and president of RN Design Limited. "You say the eyes are the windows to the soul. Well, doors are the windows to the house."

Although garage, swinging, and sliding doors have come a long way in recent years, many homebuyers still aren't aware of the impression that design-driven doors can create. Compare the impact of a standard front door with a little window to a massive mahogany door with all the trimmings.

Traditionally builders' options have been limited, leaving homebuyers to upgrade their doors after taking occupancy. These days, builders still install standard-sized doors, but things are slowly changing. "The builders are getting a lot more conscientious," says Nicolucci. "They're now making doors look as nice as they can within the budget limitations they have."

Door upgrades are builder specific, but they are on the rise and they provide better insulation and security than standard doors. There are many door and window companies offering an abundance of styles and materials. The number of hardware suppliers has multiplied, too. We can now readily find door knocker or lock set accents in colourful coated metals or pewter to enhance any entrance.

According to Wayne Cassidy, a design specialist with Cassidy & Company, designers have veered away from the minimum door sizes for bedrooms and bathrooms to incorporate something wider. He says the array of designs that builders now offer for interior doors are much more sophisticated and exciting than before. Front entries are also becoming wider and taller. "As you approach a door that's three-by-eight feet, you automatically feel something different," says Cassidy. "The scale of the door to yourself is an awakening."

Size definitely matters, but it isn't everything. For instance, front double doors are popular now, especially in mid to lower price-range production homes. Nicolucci cautions people not to blindly sacrifice overall balance for size. Stephen Hunt, architectural technologist and principal of Hunt Design Associates, has even had clients who want double doors on townhouses. The resulting look and feel is out of scale. "A taller door makes a statement," he says, "and a wider rather than double door is more practical." Besides, at similar cost, oversized singles are easier to weather seal and are more secure than double doors.

A stunning entrance evolves from choosing the right door size, material, and design for your house. Even with custom-built homes that offer some choice, the trend is toward singles and natural wood. Some doors have rod iron inserts or metal grates. Many utilize glass to diffuse light. Inviting features and materials are now available to production homebuyers, too.

But doors aren't just getting bigger: they're also getting better. Garage doors, for instance, used to be made of four-by-four-foot panels. Now they come in different glazing patterns, textures, colours, and styles from Tutor to Victorian. French, swinging, or sliding patio doors (now called garden doors) were once heavy and stiff. Now they are featherlight, wider, and much more stylish and secure than in the past.

The key to further growth in doors is for homebuyers to realize what a phenomenal impact they can have on the beauty and value of any home. In response design specialists, architectural technologists, and builders alike will continue working to offer ever-expending choices. Only then will standard doors finally be replaced with much more desirable design-driven doors.