Your home is your sanctuary, where you kick your feet up at the end of a long day, where you entertain guests, where you care for your family, it is where the story that is your life unfolds. Home decor is one of the many ways in which we express who we are, what we care about and what ambiance best reflects our lifestyle.
Doors are an inevitable part of our movement from one room to another. They receive the brunt of the impact of our daily movement around the house. They get chipped, worn and eventually need replacing.
Sometimes, as we grow, we outgrow our choice in home decor. Doors are not only essential components to a functional home, but they also contribute to the ambiance of our homes.
How do you know it is time for a new door?
There are so many reasons you may want to upgrade the doors in your home,. What elements need consideration when examining whether a 
door’s integrity is compromised or not?
- Is the door difficult to open or close?
If your doors require effort to open or close, it is a clear sign that there is something wrong. A challenging door may mean it no longer sits properly on it’s frame, meaning the material is most likely damaged or warped. If the door continues to be difficult to open, it can cause damage to the frame, floor, or surrounding walls. One problem can lead to another, making for a very expensive fix..
- Visible damage
Over time, doors inevitably get scraped, kicked or slammed shut. If the door has visible damage, it is probably time to replace it. Depending on the material, water damage has the potential to create warping or mold; serious problems that can lead to more damage in your home. Dings and scratches from daily life can accumulate, leaving behind a door that looks like it has seen better days.
- Loss of integrity
Do your doors maintain a steady temperature in the room? A functional door is able to trap heat (or AC) in the room it is set to protect. If you have leaky doors, you may see an increase in your energy bill. This will not only cost you more money, but will also have a negative environmental impact.
A door that doesn’t hold heat is probably a door that doesn’t provide much acoustic insulation either. If you can hear everything on either side of the door, it is not fulfilling one of its essential duties of providing privacy!
- Your doors don’t match
Older homes that have gone through many renovations may have a menagerie of doors from different time periods. This lack of cohesion in a home can make the space feel cluttered and chaotic. Ensure that your home has a good feel, harmony and flow by updating all of your doors to match, or at least maintain a theme.
- Maintenance
If replacement parts are hard to find, it is definitely time to consider a new door. If the door is difficult to clean, it is time to look for doors with a smooth finish that will be easier to keep looking as good as the day you bought it.
- Ambiance
If you have grown tired of the way your home space looks, it may be time for new interior doors. The appearance of any room can be drastically improved by simply replacing a door. Doors are definitely as stylistic as they are functional. When you look at your door, does it stand out like a sore thumb? Or, does it contribute to your decor? If it does not harmonize with your vibe, it is time for an upgrade!
Aesthetics
Whether you are doing a complete remodel, new build, or simple renovation, it is important to consider how your interior doors fit into the bigger picture of your home style. Doors are an important part of your home’s architecture, undermining their decorative value in your interior design can throw off your whole aesthetic!
A door can harmonize with any style; modern, colonial, warm, clean, vintage, whimsical, etc. What style will best fit in your environment?
Home fashion can change as quickly as a doorknob turns. What better way to keep up with the times than to know how to update your door, DIY style?
DIY doesn’t mean you have to make everything from scratch (though that is pretty cool!).
The appeal of DIY is that you have the know-how to exchange important items (like doors) in your home as your interior design changes.
DIYers should look for doors that can be highly customizable, which makes them easy to update as the times change. A door that comes primed in white makes it so easy to do a DIY paint job that harmonizes with the rest of your home.
A good DIY door should also be made easy to install, perhaps coming with hardware or allowing the planner to select their own. When installing your own door pay attention to how large your door frame is. Not all frames are made alike!
DIYers know that beauty is in the details. The importance of the doors goes beyond the requirements of passage, luminosity, ventilation, privacy and security. It can – and should – contribute to the well being and be an incredible ally to your interior design. That is, more than just an element of necessity, doors hold more and more importance in the architecture of a living space.
