Doors offer a wide variety of models, a choice large enough to satisfy all tastes and needs. Different opening systems, styles and materials multiply possibilities. Aesthetic criteria and practical aspects will guide your choice.
Opening Systems
Swing Doors: A Classic Choice
The swing door, made of one or two panels, opens on a vertical axis. It can be right-hinged or left-hinged according to the configuration of the room or the location of the furniture, and it is always set up so as not to be in the way. A minimum clearance of one metre is required to install this type of door. It is therefore a cumbersome model, not really suited to small areas. If you own a studio, it is better to choose a sliding or folding model.
“A minimum clearance of one meter is required to install this type of door.”
Swivel Doors: Originality First
A variant of the swing door, the swivel door is articulated around a pivot placed in the centre or on one side. Aesthetic and original, this type of door will not fail to attract the attention of your visitors, but it is rather a tailor-made project, so it is better to plan an appropriate budget.
Sliding Doors: Space Saving
Ideal for small surfaces, the sliding door is as discreet as it is aesthetic. You can open it wide and, contrary to the swing door, it completely frees up the space. There are two possible installation systems with different aesthetics: pocket sliding door or barn sliding door. The pocket sliding door is discreetly integrated to your room: closed, it blends almost perfectly into the wall; open, it disappears completely inside it. As its installation is quite complex, it is better to plan it when the partition is built, in order to avoid costly work later on. With the barn-style installation, on the other hand, the rail on which the door slides remains visible. It is integrated as a strong decorative component, particularly appreciated in industrial style interiors.
“There are two possible installation systems: pocket sliding door or barn sliding door.”
Folding Doors: Both Practical and Economical
Most often made of wood, the folding or extensible door is well suited to small spaces. Easy to install, it is fixed on a rail screwed to the ceiling and folds like an accordion. It is more often used in kitchens and bathrooms, or as closet doors, but it is not prohibited to find new ways to use it for your home.
“New doors can answer to all your desires.”
Materials
Wood: Still Very Popular
Omnipresent in our interiors, wooden doors can play on a rather wide range of styles, colours and species, allowing for an almost infinite variety of effects. Wooden doors have the advantage of offering good sound and thermal performance, which, depending on the room in which the door will be installed, can be a determining factor.
“Wooden doors have the advantage of offering good sound and thermal performance.”
Glass: A Second Role That Keeps All Its Promises
Available in many finishes, tinted, frosted or mirror glass doors have the advantage of allowing light to pass through, while creating, depending on the type of finish chosen, an intimacy. The quality of the glass and its robustness are the key criteria that should guide your choice. As with wooden doors, you can find a wide variety of models, like doors mixing glass and wood, or glass and aluminium. Those allergic to cleaning and other perfectionists will probably object that glass doors are subject to fingerprints, and therefore require proper maintenance.
