Take a Step Through 20 Huge Modern Doors
From wall-sized swinging doors to two-story roll-ups, these portals help you make a big entrance.
As a place in the home that's often overlooked, these 20 examples reveal substantial, creative, and sometimes dramatic designs that welcome you in with extra wide-open arms.
To further connect the indoor spaces with the New England landscape outside, glass walls in the living and dining areas slide open to eliminate the barriers between indoors and outdoors. Green slate tiles compose the flooring inside.
Courtesy of Peter Vanderwarker
Davor and August check out the yard from the living room. "The bifold Vistalite doors allow us to open the house up completely and enjoy the fresh, warm air," Davor says.
Photo: Simon Devitt
A pivoting door, also made of larch, provides a shortcut to enter the structure as an alternative to the main courtyard entrance.
Photo: Jack Thompson
Oriented to absorb the afternoon sun, floor-to-ceiling doors comprise two-thirds of the home’s west-facing walls, which open to an elevated deck overlooking Island Bay. Combined with extra-thick building insulation, this passive element provides sufficient heating for the home, even during winter months—a true feat given the region’s cold seasonal winds.
Photo: Paul McCredie
The highlight of the east wing entry is the oversize front door, fabricated by JIG Design Build, which swings open on a pivot hinge.
Photo: Mark Mahaney
In warm weather, the family slides open the doors to draw in cool canyon breezes.
Photo: Dustin Aksland
A custom pivot door by Archispec opens onto a foyer with a poured-concrete floor. The oil painting at right is by Derrick Buisch.
Photo: Christopher Testani
The library’s entrance features massive panel doors made of tropical freijó wood. Inside, leather armchairs by Jorge Zalszupin accent the space.
Photo: Haruo Mikami
Thanks to clever engineering by Sand Studios, seven-year-old Macy can operate the 2,000-pound door.
Photo: Dustin Aksland
Walnut doors come together to form a corner in the entry foyer.
Photo: Jason Schmidt
The wood stove is the Rondo model by Rais.
Photo: Richard Powers
The front door is made from re-milled old leftover beams. A custom pivot mechanism allows the weight of the massive door to rest on a tiny point, allowing for almost friction-free operation.
Photo: Todd Hido
Architect Bill Yudchitz asked his son, Daniel, to help him create a self-sustaining multi-level family cabin in Bayfield, Wisconsin.
Photo: Narayan Mahon
Sliding doors cast shadows across the concrete floor.
Photo: Jason Schmidt
Soheil steps into the music and screening room, which is concealed behind a masonry-veneered door. "We were able to hide a lot of the square footage below the main level, but not in a way that would hurt the design," he says.
Photo: Ye Rin Mok
A deft cross-ventilation system keeps things cool in the summer. A series of tilt-turn low-E wood window-doors by Swiss manufacturer Gautschi not only allows passage to the side yard and a bit of extra natural light but, when tilted down, permits breezes to pass through the house.
Photo: Jessica Haye and Clark Hsiao
The calf leather–upholstered banquette between the grand salon and the bedroom was designed by Perret and is original to the apartment; Claus likes to imagine that it’s where Perret would curl up for a nap.
Photo: Hotze Eisma
The door to Eoghan Mahony’s office is set on a caster and has a hinge that runs the entire 10-foot height.
Photo: Zen Sekizawa
The front door is an awe-inspiring 14-foot mixed wood creation made by L.A. custom door fabricators Real Door Inc. The wood used in making the door were mostly leftovers from the shop, says Dino of Real Door Inc.; that fact isn’t clear from the artistry evident in the door’s gorgeous gentle-wave patterning.
Courtesy 2011 Carren Jao. All rights reserved.
When the team chose to preserve the function of the rolling garage door, it proved to be one of the biggest design challenges of the project. Garcia says, "We didn’t want it to roll back into the new living space because it would limit our lighting options for the room." Thus, an unconventional exterior-track rolling door was conceptualized that would not cut into the interior volume. In the backyard that was preserved in the remodel, an olive tree provides natural shade. Maintaining the outdoor area was especially important to the kids as a play area, and Anthony, an avid cook and gardener.
Photo: Studio Maha
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