The question
I am replacing the doors to three bedrooms, a bathroom and a hall closet. My taste is fairly modern. What should I choose?
The answer
I'm glad your taste is modern because that's my approach to choosing bedroom doors. I like solid slab doors in high-gloss paint or a polished wood veneer, which become a real focal point. Closet doors, however, should disappear. I paint them the same colour as the trim.
For a unique bathroom door, consider one in frosted glass with patch hinges that will let in light if the room is windowless. (Note that glass doors do not give much sound insulation so you may want to enclose the toilet in a small room within the bathroom.) If you want a more cohesive look, do all five doors in a shaker style with lever hardware rather than a knob.
I prefer all my doors in a higher gloss to prevent wear and tear; a metallic finish or even a stainless-steel door with one large pull would be completely cool. Whatever you choose, use only solid-core doors: Hollow doors are not pretty and, worst of all, scream cheap.
Dee Dee Taylor Eustace is an architect and interior designer. Follow her on Twitter: @ddtaylordd. Have a design dilemma? E-mail style@globeandmail.com.