Choosing Interior Doors

Matthew Anthony has written Choosing Interior Doors and writes "When it's time to decorate - whether it's for a brand new home or redecorating the family manse, one thing that's often overlooked as a 'style choice' is the interior doors. After all, a bedroom door is a bedroom door, right?

And yet, the style of door that you choose can make a subtle, definitive difference throughout your home. I know that part of the reason that I'm drawn to old Victorian homes and triple-deckers is their beautiful hardwood doors in so many different styles. Most of today's new construction features bland, hollow-core interior doors with plain brass knobs - no character at all.

Picture your living and dining area divided by an elegant Victorian style double pocket sliding door. In places where a door that opens into or out of a room take up too much space, pocket interior doors are a lovely, elegant choice that recalls bygone years. Pocket doors slide into recessed 'pockets' fit into the wall on one or both sides of a doorway. They were often used in turn-of-the-century housing, and are a major selling point in many old homes. When choosing interior doors, why not look to the past for a choice that brings the understated elegance of the past to your home?

If you're choosing interior doors for a more contemporary scheme, you'll find them in cherry, poplar, oak, hickory or walnut, among other woods. Many home builders are opting to use materials other than wood, though, and glass or metal doors are also popular. The style of the door should complement the style of your decor, experts agree, and you'll find such a variety of styles that choosing interior doors for your home may be almost mind-boggling. The various standard styles include those with two to eight panels, raised or flat panels, and French door styles. Add to those cafe doors, bi-fold doors, bypass doors and pocket doors, and you'll have a wide variety of interior doors to choose from for your new home.

Here are a few tips from experts on choosing interior doors for your home:

You don't have to stick with just one type of door throughout your entire home. You can mix and match interior door styles or colors, just be sure to keep some elements the same. Use the same color, finish or basic styling to provide a consistency and flow.

Painted interior doors are popular as well as natural wood. Soft white works well with most decor, but black is becoming a popular choice because the deep color gives the doorway more 'presence' - a deeper and wider appearance.

When choosing interior doors, keep in mind the overall dimensions of the room in which they'll be installed. An enormous mullioned sliding glass door may be beautiful, but will it overwhelm a small sitting room?

The most important factor in choosing interior doors, though, is your preference. Shop around, find a look and a style that you like in a price range that suits your budget, and then go for it. See what a difference changing such a subtle design accent can make throughout your home.

Matthew Anthony contributes to home improvement sites such as doors and blinds.

Interior Decorating Design Tip: Contemporary or Rustic

Interior Decorating Design Tip: Contemporary or Rustic was written by Joel Teo and he writes 'It often comes a time when you feel that you feel the need for a change and the first thing that pops up your mind is decorating. So how do you know which style suits your house better? Is it contemporary or rustic? What you need is a great interior decorating tip that will help you throughout the process and turn your house into the dream home. The top 2007 interior decorating tip has to do with fantasizing, originality and the return to nature.

If this New Year’s resolution is redecorating your house here’s a good interior decorating tip: use a theme. Whether you choose to give your house a contemporary look, or keep to the rustic style, this year’s interior decorating tip almanac says that your house needs a personality of itself and choosing a theme for the rooms will make it more original and modern. You could use a professional interior decorating tip and choose a Bugs Bunny decorating theme for the nursery or a more traditional style for the dining room. But the essential is that you use this interior decorating tip with good taste and creativity.

But this new interior decorating tip strategy also refers to the outside look of your house. You can’t have a polished contemporary looking house that, on the outside, appears like a shipwreck. There are many brilliant ideas to choose from and an ABC of the interior decorating tip, ranging from embellishing your front door with a colorful doormat to making a statement about your personality with the use of color. Accordingly, you could find as a valuable interior decorating tip painting your house in the contemporary hues (cinnamon apple pie and cocoa brown) or, if you choose the rustic way, the back-to-nature color palette: yellow, soft greens and dark brown..

The contemporary style will let you innovate a lot, while the rustic counterpart will bring out the tranquility allure and natural feel. Another top interior decorating tip is that your home must be in harmony with your lifestyle. So, if you’re an active, playful and busy person who loves having friends over, you should probably pick this interior decorating tip: choose the spacious, airy and modern contemporary style. Likewise, if comfort defines you and you enjoy sitting on the sofa with a good book, the interior decorating tip to suit your character is choosing the rustic, many plants’ plain wood and mahogany furniture style for your house.

In conclusion, there is no single interior decorating tip, but several to choose from. What is important is that your house says a thing or two about yourself and that its exterior and interior are compatible. And remember, as long as you follow the mentioned interior decorating tip strategy above, you will soon be dreaming about many decorating possibilities. Because all it takes is some courage, time and a good interior decorating tip.

Copyright © 2007 Joel Teo. All rights reserved. (You may publish this article in its entirety with the following author's information with live links only.)

Joel Teo writes on various financial topics including Investment Properties in Las Vegas. Learn more about Investment Properties in Las Vegas in our Real Estate Investment Resource Site today