Doors and floors: Why coordinating is an interior design must

When planning interiors, it helps to have a clear picture in your mind as to how you want your finished home to look. But whether you’re a self-builder, a renovator or a developer, the truth is that internal doors can often be one of the last things to be thought about. And that’s a shame, because it really is imperative that your doors “gel” with everything else in your home, from floor to ceiling. There’s no point in a lavishly finished room if it doesn’t go with the door that leads in and out of the space. 

The “one design” door home

Many people these days prefer one design of door for their whole house. This has many advantages, creating a sense of cohesion and harmony throughout the space. And, with the option of different finishes for the same design – as with our Tigris Oak door, for example, that comes in white and walnut finishes too – you can have variation with the same look. 

If you’re going for this approach, make sure that your door will go with the flooring in every room where it is being hung. Not only that, will it go with the shades of paint or wallpaper too? For example, in a kitchen, do you want the wood finish of your door to match the wood of your table or cupboards? A general rule of thumb is that two pieces of furniture which look almost the same but don’t quite match will jar much more on the eye than two distinct pieces. In this way, an oak door may not go with an oak floor of a slightly different colour, whereas the same oak door may well look fabulous with your dark grey kitchen floor tiles. Go for complementary rather than strictly matching and you’ll achieve a great “depth” to your overall look.

On-trend greys

Grey continues to show no sign of slowing down as the on-trend colour of choice, and doors are no exception. The grey gorgeousness of our top-selling Colorado door, for example, is a contemporary classic that lends cool style to lots of interiors.

But before opting for a door such as this for your whole house, consider again the flooring and the rest of your design palette. Actually, grey is a great colour for going with a wide range of different paints and styles but there may be some floorings and styles it will not blend with, a brick red terracotta style floor, for example. 

Pairing up lovely laminates

One of the joys of laminates is their uniform look. Some prefer the rugged individual grain of natural wood, while others like the smooth appeal of laminate. It’s purely a matter of personal taste.

One thing you might want to bear in mind though, is that the two things may well not go with each other. Your smooth laminate door may not be the ideal choice for your rustic country kitchen floor tiles, so decide on the look you want with the overall finished result in mind. 

Different doors throughout the home

Some people prefer to choose different types of doors throughout their home for a more individualistic look. Our Aurora Glazed door, for example, is sheer sunshine perfection that many people love in their living areas, but you probably wouldn’t want it for every room in the house.

If you’re going for different doors throughout the house, follow the same rules as above: consider carefully the space around the door – especially the flooring – to make sure you have a look that harmonises. 

How to check whether your door co-ordinates with your flooring

It’s all very well having a picture in your mind’s eye as to how your interior space will look, but it’s always good to check your visual instincts match reality. When pairing flooring with doors, a good tip is to take a flooring sample to your builder’s merchant or door showroom and check it against the samples of your chosen design. Then you can actually see whether they go well or not. Pushed for time? Online door retailers are a great option – check websites to see if they send samples of the door finish before you buy, then you can match up with your flooring without leaving the house.