I found a new toy on one of my favorite sites, and I've been playing with it like a kid on Christmas morning. It's
Door-O-Vision on the Crestview Doors site, which allows you to try great mid-century doors on your own house. If you haven't found this tool yet, I think you'd enjoy it too. You can see all their styles in a number of paint and stain colors, as well as a choice of clear or reeded glass.This is fun, even if you're not planning to replace your door anytime soon, but if you are, this should really make you impatient to get the project started. The good news is that Crestview sells DIY door kits online, so you don't have to live in Austin, Texas, to have wonderfully authentic mid-century doors.
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My existing blah door,
redeemed only by cool hardware |
After seeing pictures of my transformed house, getting a new door moved up several notches on my To Do list. These are just a few of the possibilities if I replaced my door with one from Crestview Doors:
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| Carlysle in Mocha |
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| Street view of Carlysle in Mocha |
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| Langston in Rose |
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| Street view of Langston in Rose |
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| Dupont in Black |
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| Street view of Dupont in Black |
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| Allandale in Pumpkin |
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| Street view of Allandale in Pumpkin |
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| Throckmorton in Mocha |
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| Street view of Throckmorton in Mocha |
It was helpful seeing the orange and rose doors, because I was considering painting, but now I think I need a more subdued color like the mocha or black with my wood blinds. I like the style of the Throckmorton, because my house was built in 1950 and doesn't look as wildly mid-century as some of the other houses in my neighborhood built in the late 50s. The Throckmorton seems to bridge the post-war ranch with later styles.
I also have to consider the multi-paned floor-to-ceiling windows across the front of my house. The Throckmorton seems subtle enough not to compete with the windows for prominence. Some of the styles I tried gave the front of the house the appearance of being too "busy."
Finally, I like the Throckmorton from a security standpoint. I live in a large urban area, and while my neighborhood is very safe, break-ins aren't unknown, and the glass is high enough not to be near the deadbolt. I love the Carlysle, and I think the Langston in mocha would look great too, but I'm a little concerned about the glass placement. What do you think?