Light doors in the interior: a variety of models, materials and textures

Doorways are designed in different ways, including traditional door leaves made of wood and eco-veneer. Today the range includes plastic, glass and with decorative inserts, but the most popular are light-colored doors in apartment interiors. The once popular interior option (made of plywood on a frame with white paint) is fading into oblivion; preference is given to wood decor. A large selection raises many questions; professional designers will answer them.

Light doors are back in fashion

How does the choice of color and texture affect the perception of the interior and self-awareness?

A harmonious interior has a direct relationship to internal comfort; the aura of the room gives a feeling of inner balance. That is why so much attention is paid to the arrangement of living space. Psychologists and color specialists often recommend “changing the scenery” after experiencing stress.

Staying in beautiful places and fashionable hotels, expensive sanatoriums and holiday homes literally “brings you back to life.” But major or cosmetic repairs of your own apartment have the same effect, if you do not delay it for more than 2-3 weeks. The degree of transformation depends on desire and financial capabilities.

Universal light shades easily fit into any interior and do not conflict with dark tones

Advice. The doors do not need to be replaced. The easiest way is to repaint or varnish, remove old paint or use spectacular decorating methods. It is recommended to cover the glass insert of the interior door with stained glass film - it will look like new.

Doors in light colors are often cheaper

Light shades, including the tone of the door leaf and wood texture, have a beneficial effect on perception and mental well-being. But this does not exclude the use of dark contrasts and bright accents. On the contrary, they make any interior more expressive and memorable, as in the photo.

Most often, these shades are chosen for a light painted door:

• white or milky;
• light beige;
• tender peach;
• Ivory;
• pearl gray;
• golden yellow.

Light colors add lightness and cleanliness to a room without the need to carefully select a color palette

Everyone has their own favorite color, but there is a subconscious perception:

Contrasting trim and baseboards add expressiveness to doors, creating a visual boundary between the opening, floor and walls

The monochromatic color scheme of furniture and doors looks harmonious and attractive

If you want light doors to fit into the interior design as much as possible, choose the same wood shade to match the floor. This is the largest surface of the total texture:

• parquet;
• laminate;
• porcelain stoneware;
• linoleum “for parquet”.

Door leaves with a shade selected several tones darker than the ceiling and walls look laconic

In addition to the color palette, the interior with light doors of different designs is visually perceived differently:

1. Narrow vertical stripes and inserts, panels and moldings visually raise the ceilings.
2. A doorway with wood lining creates a feeling of prosperity.
3. Light interior doors in interiors with large patterns or dark walls bring a certain optimism, freshness and novelty.
4. A door with fancy decor and sinuous lines of inserts will help revive a pale, nondescript interior.
5. If you want to disguise the passage to another room, the door can be hidden with a mirror, but you need pedal fittings to open them.
6. A surface with a picturesque pattern or covered with photo wallpaper on the theme of going out into nature gives a feeling of unlimited space.

Carved doors with stained glass look incredibly beautiful

Attention! Phosphorescent or luminous paints are a new trend; they are used to outline the perimeter of the door. This is useful for people who have to get up often at night, but have difficulty with disorientation in space.

The color of the door panels is selected to match the walls, floors and furniture

See also Art Deco in the interior: design, photos, tips

Structural types of doors

When undertaking a renovation with the replacement of interior doors, do not forget that at the same time you can get rid of some of the inconveniences associated with an unsuccessful layout. Often, 3-4 doors can open on one square meter of corridor area. This creates certain difficulties when 2-3 people leave different rooms at the same time.

Sliding doors are ideal for narrow corridors

There are several options to solve this problem:

1. Swing doors, where possible, should be replaced so that they open into the room rather than outward. Swinging outward is required by fire codes, but this feature may never be needed, and the interior door opens into the hallway dozens of times a day.
2. Sliding doors or sliding door leaves on rollers at the entrance to adjacent rooms can be installed on a common guide rail. They won't take up space in a narrow hallway, but they do require some effort when using them.
3. Folding (“accordion”, “screen door”) models are used inside the room - for zoning space or isolating a specific place.
4. Double doors (two halves) can be symmetrical or one part is wider. As a rule, the smaller part is fixed with a door latch in the stake and the upper plane of the opening. This is more convenient than opening a wide, massive door every time.

Replacing an inconvenient option with light interior doors in the interior of an apartment will simultaneously solve issues of aesthetics and ergonomics.

Sliding white door on black guide rail

Advice. Installed door closers will close any swing doors themselves. It is not necessary to buy expensive models made from natural solid wood. Today there are many budget alternatives that look no different from wood.

Modern doors made from combined materials look no worse than their solid wood counterparts, but are much cheaper

Modern interior door designs are produced from different materials that imitate light wood (and other shades):

• veneer (thin cut of valuable wood over budget materials);
• eco-veneer with wood decor;
• laminated plastic doors of different shades;
• decorative plywood;
• moisture-resistant MDF;
• laminate (carpentry);
• composite materials.

Pressed derivatives based on wood waste with a paint coating are an excellent way to save money. Doors inside an apartment are subject to less load than entrance doors, so the operational requirements for them are much lower.

Folding doors in the bedroom

Plastic doors are perfect for bathrooms and other rooms with high humidity.

The catalogs contain many aesthetic models - from a regular door with simple panels to spectacular inserts made of different types of glass:

• transparent;
• frosted;
• mirror;
• grooved;
• stained glass;
• sandblasting.

It is worth paying attention to such a property as sound insulation. Much here is determined not by the material, but by the design of the door - its tight fit to the frame. The noise absorption factor also depends on the amount of textiles and the properties of the finishing materials of adjacent rooms.

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Light wood shades

The flexibility of processing and the texture of wood have always been decisive, but color has also been given considerable importance. Natural wood of light shades was most often used in the interior:

• oak (different shades of species native to Europe, Asia, Australia and America);
• holly;
• hornbeam;
• beech;
• spruce;
• alder;
• nut;
• birch (Karelian and burl are valued);
• pine (different hardness and shade);
• maple (several varieties with different textures).

Among the accompanying materials, bamboo and cork are often used, but they are applicable in the interior only as decoration after special processing of application to the base.

Paneled solid wood door in a classic interior

Modern technologies make it possible to obtain any shade of door leaf decor that imitates valuable species - wenge, zebrawood, mahogany. But from time to time some shades are in fashion, obtained by impregnation with stain (on wood) or obtained artificially - computer graphics.

Among solid wood doors you can find affordable options. For example, alder canvases combine the aesthetics of natural wood and reasonable cost

Among the most fashionable shades of wood decor used in laminate and eco-veneer for doors, designers especially value:

• Halifax white oak;
• polar pine Åland;
• alpine pine and cascina;
• gray oak "foggy London";
• champagne sugar maple;
• natural oak (Nebraska and Gladstone);
• bleached ash;
• natural cocobolo;
• light acacia lakeland;
• beech elmau, etc.

These and other tones of light interior doors are widely presented in catalogs. If several different wood textures are used in the design of rooms, it is important to choose a beneficial combination that complements each other in the overall palette. But there are also traditional combinations of a certain texture and natural colors and shades:

1. Light oak goes well with shades of fresh spring greenery and rich colors of citrus fruits - the combination is appropriate in a cheerful kitchen interior.
2. Mahogany goes well with emerald textiles and leather upholstery in brown tones - a classic combination for an English-style office.
3. Yellowish beech wood in the interior with light doors in the women's bedroom goes well with burgundy, purple and lilac tones of textiles.
4. Ebony wood (black wood) of elegant stylish furniture looks advantageous against the background of white walls and wood decor made of gray or bleached oak.
5. Cherry harmonizes perfectly with cold colors if the color of the furniture and the door exactly matches.
6. Alder will suit a noble interior in gray tones.
7. Gray oak with a striking rustic texture combines elegantly with white leather furniture - an excellent solution for a living room where the door and floors are the same color.
8. Smooth beige doors in the interior of a bedroom or teenager's room harmonize perfectly with the design in caramel and chocolate tones.

Canvases made of white painted natural wood fit perfectly into Scandinavian style interiors

In a classic interior, birch doors with voluminous inserts and carved trim are often used.

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Color combinations

Light doors are a universal design element in an apartment. But they must emphasize a single style, so no detail should violate the overall composition. Decorating your home yourself requires special knowledge in selecting shade compatibility. White color goes with literally everything else. Therefore, when choosing a door in such a palette, it is quite difficult to make a mistake.

But there are some rules. A white door will go well with dark walls. But you can’t do the opposite. A black opening on a light background will hurt your eyes. Therefore, it is best to choose milky, light gray or ivory doors for white walls. This will allow you not to disrupt the unity of the composition.

Light doors will highlight the richness and depth of bright shades of purple, blue and green. In this case, white or beige door structures are chosen, which with their color will create the illusion of lightness and airiness against this background. A competent combination of blue and white palettes will allow you to create a Mediterranean classic design in your living room.

Designers advise not to be afraid to decorate light-colored doors with stained glass windows and elements of interesting fittings. Mirror panels look great, creating the illusion of a large space, as well as filling the room with additional light.

Key Design Rules

This or that shade of wood may be perceived more appropriately if it is duplicated in the design of a room or the entire apartment. This could be the upholstery of upholstered furniture or the color of curtains, the pattern of tile trim or functional decor.

It is best when the furniture and everything that is made of wood or imitates its texture is chosen in the same color, as in the photo.

If several interior doors open into a common room, then they should all be executed in a common concept

When choosing the color of the door, pay attention to its texture and structure.

Classic combinations are preferred because they are time-tested. It does not overload the psyche and will never go out of fashion.

In contrasting combinations, you need to be careful so that it all doesn’t become too colorful. If the furniture is white, it will be lost against the background of white walls. But the noble shade of the laminate on the floor and floor doors will be well complemented by colored curtains and other textiles.

Classic combination - white doors and dark floors

You should not rely on gray color for the entire room if you choose a fashionable shade of the door with an eye-catching insert design. This can be depressing; you need bright accents to brighten your mood.

When choosing light interior doors, you need to focus on several indicators:

1. Material, its decorative properties.
2. Soundproofing.
3. Price-quality ratio".
4. Reputation of the manufacturer (quality guarantee).
5. The design of the fittings is important (how expensive it looks).
6. Reliability and accuracy of insertion of the latch with the lock.
7. Choose a model with a frame (slope lining) or in exact accordance with the dimensions of the previously dismantled door.
8. The decor of the door leaf should match the style of the interior (classic, country, minimalism, art deco, baroque, empire, etc.).
9. Constructive convenience (open in the desired direction, 1- or 2-leaf).
10. Cheap plastic and ordinary painted doors are not suitable for an expensive interior.

Light doors are widely used in minimalism, perfectly complementing the ascetic character of this style

See also: Combine blue with other colors correctly

Can it be used with black walls?

A matter of taste. A white door will serve as an accent in a black room. Objects next to which will be illuminated.

Optionally around the paint covering the door slate.

Minimalism is often used, complemented by clear attributes.

White door in the interior

Pay special attention to the design of the room where the modern white door will be installed. But it will become a worthy decoration in the design of the room if it is in harmony with textiles and furniture.

A white door looks better with spectacular glazing or designer inserts. Then she won’t “get lost” against the background of white walls and plastic windows with transparent tulle. This interior creates the feeling that there is a lot of light and air - an excellent option for a small room on the north side of the house. This color does not consume space, which is why white doors are chosen for small apartments.

White doors in combination with light walls or furniture visually expand the space of the room

Advice. If there is little natural light in the room, choose one with glossy paint (with maximum light reflection) and a mirror insert.

The combination of white doors and white windows is considered classic.

White doors for the most part do not have complex carved patterns, so they are easier to clean from dirt

There is an opinion that white and light interior doors are easily soiled and not practical. It all depends on the frequency of cleaning and the practicality of the coating. Every fingerprint is visible on the black lacquered door leaf. They have to be cleaned much more often than white door leaves and noble walnut or light-colored oak decor.

In our photo gallery you can choose for inspiration the option that best suits the design of your home.

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Care

Mostly, dirty marks remain in the handle area, especially in a house with children. There are many effective ways to clean a door leaf. One of them is a simple solution consisting of liquid soap dissolved in water. Or use an all-purpose detergent. Today we will analyze an old forgotten method from such incidents:

• 1 l. water;
• 1 tbsp. l. soda;
• 1 tbsp. l. washing powder;
• 3 tbsp. l. vinegar.

Versatile but difficult to care for

Take a medium-sized bowl and pour the ingredients into it. Mix the solution thoroughly with a tablespoon. We use microfiber cloths. Place in the solution, soak well, squeeze out. Carefully clean dirty places. For particularly difficult stains, you can use a melamine sponge.

Do not forget to pay special attention to fittings that accumulate a lot of dust.

Which doors to choose is your choice. But they will definitely fit harmoniously into your interior.

Photo: light doors in the interior