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1908 Arts & Crafts House Interior Door Dilemma

7 years ago

Hi there, I have an old Arts & Crafts House with a very small (and

very dark) hall which comprises two wide glass doors to the sitting room and dining room (we are keeping these doors but may paint white when we get around to decorating the hallway) and then two awful 'service' doors to the coat cupboard and downstairs toilet. There are three steps up to our downstairs toilet from the hall. Upstairs we have replaced all the doors with ledge and brace oak doors (see pic no. 4). We are now about to decorate the downstairs toilet and my dilemma is should we change the toilet door to match the upstairs whereby I'll then have three different types of door in the hall or leave it in keeping with the coat cupboard but perhaps

paint it white? Any ideas gratefully received.

Featured Answer

PRO

OnePlan

7 years ago

Second option I think !

Comments (14)

broomelawson
7 years ago
Maybe use glass-panes doors everywhere! And maybe a glass-paned or mirror bifold on the closet. To widen the hallway, substitute smaller, light-colored wall decorations and paint the walls different colors (dark shrinks space, light expands it, pearlized paint reflects light). Finally, use a series of 4" pot LED lights all the way up the hall and stairwell. And see what's under the carpeting--if it's nice wood the whole hall can be sanded and pickled light--use nice treads to pick up a wall color or no treads at all.
sandrasal thanked broomelawson
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Jonathan
7 years ago
Since none of the doors are faithful to the age of the house then I say go with what you like..... I would see if the newer oak doors installed upstairs are available as a glass door and replace the WC door to match upstairs.
As far as the room being dark this is often the case with hallways- either go with it and decorate in dark colours but add more lights or you paint everything in a wipeable light colour.
sandrasal thanked Jonathan
PRO
Nicola Holden Designs
7 years ago
I would replace the WC door and the coat room door to match upstairs. If a room is dark you will need to turn lights on regardless of whether the walls are white or black, so I would embrace it, and just add more lights.
sandrasal thanked Nicola Holden Designs
sandrasal
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you for your comments - always something I hadn't thought of to think about! That's what I love about Houzz.
Pauline cotton
7 years ago
I would change the toilet door to match the upstairs doors as they are really nice doors and it would allow the decor to 'flow' if the doors up and down matched.
sandrasal thanked Pauline cotton
juliemarylla
7 years ago
That looks like a beautiful floor in the hallway. The stairs may be equally lovely. I think I would aim for consistency in the loo and cloakroom doors with upstairs but it might depend on the floors, and how I would renovate them . So maybe take overall stock of impact before deciding .We have a 1935 tudorbethan house we are renovating with lots of arts and crafts features and there's a rennie mackintosh style crittal door in the lounge diner we love and will probably be bankrupted restoring .
sandrasal thanked juliemarylla
Sandra Lambert
last year
Well 6 years have flown by and I still have a door dilemma! We have decorated the hall/stairs/landing and replaced the cloakroom and WC door with oak ledge and brace doors to match upstairs as advised on here. We still detest the white Georgian looking doors which don't match anything else in the house but don't want a solid ledge and brace as it would make an already dark hallway even darker. Could anyone suggest an oak glazed style door and handle that would tie in with the ledge and brace please? Thanking you all in advance.
User
last year
Maybe something like https://www.todd-doors.co.uk/oak-cottage-1-light-pre-finished
User
last year
And a similar handle to your front door
User
last year
And a similar handle to your front door
User
last year
Don't know why that appeared twice 🤔
Sandra Lambert
last year
Thank you Sarah. We especially love the handle!
S Edwards
11 months ago
My Arts and Crafts house has its original oak ledge & brace doors with black wrought iron handles & hinges. They are a typical feature of that type of house.

i would replace the downstairs to match upstairs & if you find it too dark in the hall paint them white.

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