The open concept home is falling out of fashion. Homeowners all over the world are embracing separation between rooms again, allowing individual spaces to shine for what they are. Of course, with increased distinction between rooms comes the need for interior household doors. 

There’s a lot of value in traditional internal doors, as long as they suit your design scheme and are well crafted, but they’re not the only option out there. This article will highlight elements you should look for in quality interior doors, while also offering insights into alternative design styles. 

Quality internal door elements

If you’re going to refit traditional internal doors into your home, you should make sure that they’re made to the highest standards possible. Elements like steel profile frames, timber construction and solid cores are important as they make for more durable, acoustically insulating doors. These days, they can often come in a variety of aesthetic styles. 

Some other aspects to look for in traditional doors include: 

• Permanent edge protection
• Embossing options
• Recessed groove options
• Surface finishing options

Flexibility of design and premium materials should be at the core of your purchasing strategy for these household doors. 

Glazed glass doors & French doors

Natural light is like gold dust in interior design. That’s why glass and French doors are becoming increasingly popular in homes across the world. Clear or frosted toughened safety glass panels, often with aluminium, steel or wood frames, allow for daylight to pass through hallways and into different rooms, without allowing for drafts or noise to pollute spaces. 

These options are also great for maintaining visual continuity between rooms, and maximising ‘flow’ across the entire property. Best of all, they can be installed with frosting, ribbing and fluting options, depending on your privacy preferences. 

Sliding door variations

Sliding doors are a more dynamic option for homes, often offering some space-saving benefits. The nature of the sliding can vary depending on the model or design you choose.

Barn doors

Barn doors hang from heavy-duty metal tracks are mounted on the wall above the doorway, with the door itself sliding parallel to the wall. 

• They can be easily installed on almost any existing doorway
• Barn doors are good choices as wide room dividers, while also perfect for walk-in function spaces
• It’s worth noting they might lack somewhat in acoustic and thermal insulation, due to hanging off the wall surface

Pocket doors

Pocket doors slide along an overhead track, not unlike barn doors, but disappearing entirely into a recessed cavity inside the wall frame when opened. 

• Pocket doors eliminate the swing arc from traditional doors, making them perfect for saving space in tight settings (such as an en-suite bathroom).
• The hidden nature of the door makes it super seamless and aesthetically clean for all sorts of different interior design styles. 

It’s worth noting that these doors require wall studwork alterations to fit the pocket, so they’re best installed during broader renovations or construction projects. 

Bi-fold & multi-fold doors

Bi-fold and multi-fold doors are made from panels hinged together, folding back against each other along an overhead track. It’s sort of a middle ground between traditional door and fully sliding doors for interior installation. They have a seamless capacity to operate as proper doors or room dividers, while also only requiring half the clearance space of a standard swing door. 

Choosing your household doors selectively

Your internal doors need to fit into your overall interior design and practical limitations. It’s not just about the door that you think you want; you also need to properly consider how the door will exist in your home. 

Remember, these are meant to be permanent installations, so don’t be afraid to invest a little more in the doors by seeking out a good supplier with a strong reputation for quality products.