8 Ways to Make Arched Doors Cool Again

Arched doors and doorways have a rich and colorful history dating back to the Roman times. When you think of arched doorways, Roman villas and European gothic cathedrals might come to mind. Though arched doors have faded into the stylistic background, they're making a definite comeback and for a good reason. Arched doors can add depth, style, and elegance to any home. If you're thinking of adding an arched doorway to your abode, you'll want to:

8 Ways to Use Arched Doors

1. Keep It Simple
2. Consider Steel Frames
3. Think About Paint
4. Embrace the Natural Look
5. Use Modern Windows
6. Dress Up Doorknobs
7.  Enhance the Door
8. Consider the Surroundings

When done right, arched doorways can give your house a modern, sophisticated, and timeless look that will increase its value and resale potential. They can work with nearly any style home from Italian villa to rustic farmhouse. No matter where you live or how you've styled your home, an arched door can find its home with you.

Keep it Simple

The best thing about arched doors is their ability to instantly create a sense of elegance, style, serenity, and timelessness by just being there. As opposed to many front doors, you don't necessarily need to do anything to your arched door to make it look its best. Place your door in the entryway without fully mounting it and take a step back. What do you see? Do the colors match as-is? Does it need to be dressed up or do you like the way it looks? How does it make you feel? Does it feel elegant with no need to touch it up? Does it invite you to walk up to it and open it? If you were a guest, would you enjoy walking up to the arched doorway knowing your friend was on the other side? As a homeowner, will you enjoy seeing your door as-is every day when you get home from work or taking the kids to soccer practice? If you've answered yes to these questions, then consider mounting your door just the way it came. Sometimes, keeping it simple is the best thing you can do to perfectly match your home.
Consider Steel FramesIf you have a ranch house, an Italian villa or Romanesque structure, and want your arched interior doors or arched entry doors to highlight the vintage feel, then you'll want to consider steel frames. Steel frames are usually in black to perfectly accentuate the door and make it pop. Steel framed arched doors look amazing with glass inserts and ornamental ironwork throughout. You can use arched glass doors nearly anywhere in the house.If you choose glass insets, then arched French doors leading out into the garden or a sitting area will make for a fluid transition from inside the house to out. These also work beautifully as arched interior doors that separate the dining room from a living room. No matter where you choose to place a steel frame interior door, they'll make a stunning, elegant, and timeless statement.

Think About Paint

Painting the front door to a house is all the rage right now. Many people enjoy the extra pop of personality and color it provides. Rather than a house that looks like all the others, paint can take your arched entry door to the next level and make your house a complete showstopper.When considering what colors to paint your doors, you'll want to follow a few general rules. First, you want the paint to complement, not clash, with your siding, house color, and roof color. The door is like the cherry on top of your ice cream sundae and it draws the eyes of everyone who views it. As such, it should pop in a good way - not in a way that makes visitors and guests cringe. Along with your color scheme, consider any décor you'll be adding to your entry way or porch. If you are planning on placing a turquoise wicker chair set and welcome sign on your porch, consider matching the door color to the chairs. Choose a color scheme and stick with it. There's nothing quite so out of place as red bricks, aqua patio furniture, and a purple arched door. Think through your colors carefully.With the right color on your arched entry doors, your house will make a statement fit for the front of a magazine.

Embrace the Natural Look

Sometimes the best look for your house might be the simple elegance of natural wood grain. Arched double front doors and single doors come in a wide variety of finishes. You can choose from options such as:

• Alder
• Poplar
• Cedar
• Red Oak
• Cherry
• Hickory
• Mahogany
• Walnut

To go with the natural look, you'll want to choose your wood depending on the style, exterior, and coloration of your house. Darker woods such as walnut, mahogany, and cherry look especially good on houses with lighter color exteriors. Exteriors sporting natural rock or a mix of light and dark siding also work with darker woods. Lighter woods work well on darker colored homes as well as rustic or ranch type exteriors.Consider the overall look of your house and compare options when choosing. You want something that completes the look of your home. Ideally, your arched doors should not fade away into the face of your house, but complement each element from the construction to siding and coloring that is in place.

Use Modern Windows

Whether you're purchasing your arched double doors or single door for an entry way, interior arched door or exterior door, one option to consider is inserting windows, or sidelights. If you live in a home that needs the added benefit of natural light, but you still want the elegance of a solid wood door, then sidelights are your answer.Sidelights are beautiful modern window inserts that match the arched door in terms of architecture and stylistic qualities. There are numerous options when it comes to the windows you choose. You can choose smaller sidelights that allow in light without compromising on privacy. Larger sidelights can be covered with a privacy screen so light can enter when you're home but kept out when you're away You also have the option of coating the class with one-way film, allowing light inside without allowing people to see in.No matter which type of arched window you choose, modern window sidelights in your wood doors will provide light, beauty, and style for your home. These also work for interior doors where you want to see through to another room such as a kitchen or wine cellar.

Dress Up Doorknobs

If your door is the cherry on top of your sundae, then the doorknob acts as the stem. In other words, this important part of your door should not be forgotten about or ignored. The arched door might be what immediately grabs the eye's attention, but your doorknob is what completes the picture. The type of handle or knob you choose to include on your door will either complete the total look you're striving for or will detract from the rest of the picture.So what should you do for your doorknob? With solid wood doors, you'll want a dark metal such as iron or steel that comes in flat black, raw steel, bronze oil rubbed bronze, or shop black. If you want a doorknob that makes a "pop," then choose an option such as barn red, white, rustic gold, aqua, or copper. When it comes to your front door, the sky is the limit for creativity. Match your color scheme and your personality and you won't go wrong.

Enhance the Door

You might not think it's possible to make an incredible door look any better, but with a few waves of your decorating wand, anything is possible.Any front arched door can be dressed up seasonally to add some personality. Functional décor includes wreaths, greenery, monogramed letters of your last name, or other signs such as, "Johnson Family Est. 2020." Tasteful décor can add a pop of color, whimsey, and flare where there might otherwise be none. The key in this category is to go simple. The elegance of the door should be paired with elegant décor. If you're looking for a permanent door enhancement, consider either a transom window or a rustic metal grate that fits over the transom window. Both options give your door a unique style that others on the street might not have.

Consider the Surroundings

In order for your arched doors to fit in well with your house, you should make sure your home's exterior and surroundings support the look and feel of arched wooden doors. If you have a modern industrial-style architecture home that uses hard lines and edges, the refined and softened feel of a wood arch or arched windows may not fit the style of your home. If, on the other hand, you have a setting for Spanish style doors arched or arched barn doors to go with the rest of your Spanish-inspired or rustic farmhouse feel, then you're in business. Look at the overall look and feel of your home when deciding if arched exterior doors are right for you.

Are Arched Doors Out of Style? 

Arched doors are some of the oldest architectural elements we have on record. They began during the Roman times and were incorporated in the Roman villas and cities. The arch top door continued to enjoy popularity throughout the Medieval European days as well as the Gothic period. Finally, the Tudor period continued their use and incorporated arch top doors into homes and buildings alike.Arch top doors can be seen in architecture throughout the world and they're still a popular option for homes today. At Rustica, we offer two unique arched doors. First, there is the arched front entry door. Ideal for both farmhouse, Italian villa, and Spanish-inspired homes, this solid wood door is detailed and elegant, adding a unique design to your home. This door comes in a wide variety of finishes, color options, hanging options, and unique add-ons to perfectly match the style, elegance, and feel of your home.We also have our round top door. Created stylistically with a mix of the 1920s and Tuscany. You'll feel like you're in the Mediterranean with the arch top door, natural wood grain, and old-world feel. Add the transom window and you'll have an instant "speak-easy" type window that allows sunlight to enter when desired but provides complete privacy when needed. This door is customizable to perfectly complement and complete the look and feel of your home.

Arched Doors Make Elegant Statements

Whether you want to add a pop of elegance, a statement piece, or some old-world charm to your home, arched doors are a perfect way to make it happen. You can customize nearly any door to fit the style, look and feel you're going for. Keeping it simple and going with a natural all-wood look matches nearly any exterior from brick and rock to wood siding. A pop of paint color can tie a color scheme together and give your home a cohesive feel. Modern windows, doorknobs, and décor are the finishing touches that can give you that extra "something" that makes your door "yours" and provides you with a stunning piece that wows neighbors and inspires friends. No matter how you decide to design and style your door, arched double doors or a single door might just be the finishing touch you need to turn your house into the home you've always wanted.