Sometimes, nothing beats the classics. Sure, there are a lot of different options when it comes to choosing doors for your home, but some styles are tried and true additions that can add a touch of class to your abode while helping to solidify the aesthetic you’re aiming for with your home’s look.
Whether you’re looking to make a statement with a traditional door design for the exterior of your home or you’re in the market to install interior doors, it’s important to make your own decisions instead of relying on the same doors chosen by similar style homes to yours. That’s why we’ve compiled information on some of the more popular traditional door styles—in addition to their classic look, they also come with modern features to justify their position among your other home improvements.
Paneled Doors
Panels are one of the most common design features found on doors, and they pair well with another extremely common door design option in glass panels. Homeowners utilize the panel door style as both core doors that act as entry doors and hollow core doors that operate as interior doors. They’re versatile options and homeowners can choose a custom combination of panel design and glass panels that suits their needs.
Panel doors are also a great way to create a rustic look that pairs well with more elaborate doors that may be utilized in other areas, such as barn doors or pocket doors.
Carved Wood
Carving designs into wooden objects is a classic technique for adding flare that’s been passed down through generations of people aiming for more ornate surroundings. This choice could come from the pure pleasure of looking at a textured, symmetrical surface, but it could also come from a desire to feel warm and welcome, or an overall plan that ties carved accents into other features of a home’s design.
No matter the reason, this generation of homeowners doesn’t have to choose a wooden door to go with the carved wood style. Today’s fiberglass doors do a great job of displaying that wooden look while providing the durability expected from a product made with modern ingenuity.
Windowed Doors
Glass is easy to utilize as an option in paneled doors, but it can become the focus of an entryway when homeowners install a windowed door option.
Buyers have no shortage of choice when opting for glass panels and windowed doors. Also, despite the connotations that come with glass, these panels can still promote safety and privacy by utilizing modern design choices.
Flush Doors
While they may be lacking in ornate features on their own, a flush door can be the perfect accompanying piece for any flashy design displays. Flush doors can feature glass fixtures, come in a variety of colors, and add a touch of modernity to a home.
Adding a Speakeasy
A speakeasy is a metal fixture added to a door that, as the name implies, was used during America’s Prohibition era to screen would-be patrons before allowing them into an establishment. Nowadays, these chunky add-ons imbue doors with personality and, yes, some cool factor to boot.
Tips for Choosing a Traditional Door Style
The stylings of traditional doors draw from centuries of American door design dating back to the colonial period, when, in turn, those doors took notes from the 18th century designs of the English and French. It’s a long, proven legacy of design highlighted by its commonly rectangular shaping, use of symmetrical windows, and utilization of accents to help tie the door into the rest of the home. Traditional exterior doors display a wooden appearance with pronounced paneling, often feature a crowned entry way with a roof that overhangs slightly, and match well with other aspects of the home, such as chimneys.
Traditional doors may also lean towards the plantation style entryways popular throughout much of colonial America, acting as centerpieces of large porches that sit under equally large balconies held up by necessarily large Greek columns. Inside, that style is mirrored throughout the home by French doors, manifesting double-door entryways that contribute to an open floorplan feeling while maintaining the option to partition off a room for one reason or another. This look can also be achieved with pocket doors.
These two very different styles of traditional doors prove that—while the name traditional suggests rigid rules and these doors are seen as a conservative design choice—there’s still a lot of versatility here. Homeowners can keep things traditional while playing around with the placement of paneling, glass features, door color, door type, and more. They can also get a little out-of-the-box with their traditional door choice while using other design features to establish the aesthetic, such as the aforementioned crowning.
Find Your Perfect Traditional Door Style with Plastpro
Traditional door styles are time-tested designs that help a home stay on trend because they never go out of style. You can keep that look even longer—and avoid costly repairs or replacements—by opting for a newer trend in doors that’s also proving to be a great match against time.
Fiberglass doors are energy efficient, long-lasting options that can withstand harsh weather and high impacts. They’re also versatile, able to be molded to take on the appearance of a number of traditional styles while inclusive of features like glass panels. Plastpro has been manufacturing fiberglass doors since 1994 and can fulfill the needs of a homeowner looking for a time-honored design that lasts. Find a Plastpro dealer near you to explore their full catalog of offerings.
