Internal door styles: find the right look
Shaker, panelled, cottage, 1930s, flush or industrial glazed. A plain-English guide to the main internal door styles and the kind of home each one suits best.
- Period homes
- Modern interiors
- Cottages & character
How to choose an internal door style
The style of your internal doors shapes the feel of every room and hallway. The right choice usually comes down to the age of your house, the look you want and how much upkeep you are happy with.
Style and finish are two separate decisions. Almost every design here comes in oak or white and painted finishes, so pick the shape first and the colour second. The table gives a quick overview before we look at each style in turn.
| Style | Look | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Shaker | Flat recessed panels, square edges | Almost any home |
| Four or six panel | Traditional moulded panels | Victorian and Edwardian houses |
| Cottage and ledged | Vertical boards with ledges | Cottages, farmhouses, rustic interiors |
| 1930s | Stacked or tall panels, often part-glazed | Inter-war semis and bungalows |
| Flush and contemporary | Flat or grooved faces | Modern homes and new builds |
| Industrial glazed | Black frame, many glass panes | Kitchens and open-plan living |
Shaker and panelled doors
Shaker doors
Shaker doors have one or more flat, recessed panels framed by plain square-edged rails and stiles. There are no fussy mouldings, which is why they look at home in both a Victorian terrace and a brand-new house. One-panel, three-panel and four-panel versions are the most common. If you are unsure what to choose, Shaker is the safest bet.
Four-panel and six-panel doors
Panelled doors use raised or moulded panels for a more traditional look. The four-panel door is the classic Victorian design, with two long panels above two shorter ones. Six-panel doors came later and are common in Georgian-style and 1980s and 1990s houses. In a period home, matching the original panel layout helps new doors feel as though they have always been there.
Cottage, ledged and 1930s doors
Cottage and ledged doors
Cottage doors are made from vertical boards held together by horizontal ledges on the back. Ledged and braced versions add diagonal braces for extra strength. They are usually hung with a thumb latch or a simple lever and suit stone cottages and farmhouses in Northumberland and rural County Durham. The same boarded look also works well as a barn-style sliding door.
1930s-style doors
Doors from the 1930s often had a set of horizontal panels stacked one above another, or a tall panel arrangement with a smaller panel across the top. Part-glazed versions with patterned or coloured glass in the upper half are another hallmark of the period. Modern 1930s-style doors are a good way to put back character that was lost when the originals were replaced with flush doors.
Flush and contemporary doors
A flush door has completely flat faces. Basic flush doors are a budget option, often found in rentals and houses built in the 1960s and 1970s, but premium flush doors in oak veneer or a painted finish look sharp and minimal. Because there are no panels or mouldings, the grain or colour becomes the main feature.
Contemporary doors build on the flush design with horizontal or vertical grooves, or with thin inlaid strips of metal or contrasting timber. They suit new builds, apartments and modern extensions, and pair well with long bar handles or slim square roses in matt black or brushed steel.
Industrial glazed doors
Industrial-style doors have slim black frames divided into several glass panes, giving a loft or warehouse look. They are a popular way to separate a kitchen from a living area while keeping the light and the view. Most are painted timber rather than steel, so they are lighter to hang and can be made with safety glass in clear, frosted or reeded finishes.
They make a strong statement, so most people use one or two as feature doors and keep the rest of the house simpler. Our glazed internal doors page covers glass types, privacy and French door pairs.
Which door style suits your home?
Across Tyneside and the wider North East, the age of a house is the best starting point.
- Victorian and Edwardian terraces in Heaton, Jesmond, Sandyford or Gateshead: four-panel doors, with part-glazed versions to brighten long hallways.
- 1930s semis in Gosforth, Fenham, Low Fell or Whitley Bay: 1930s-style panels or Shaker doors.
- Post-war and 1970s homes: Shaker doors give an instant update over original flush doors.
- New builds in Great Park, Killingworth or Washington: flush, grooved or Shaker doors in white, grey or oak.
- Cottages and farmhouses: ledged oak doors with traditional latches.
Mixing styles, finishes and handles
Using the same door style throughout gives a calm, joined-up feel, especially in hallways and on landings where you can see several doors at once. You can still vary it a little. Many ranges include glazed and solid versions of the same design, so a glazed kitchen door can match the solid bedroom doors upstairs.
Handles finish the look. Traditional knobs and lever handles in brass or antique finishes suit panelled and cottage doors, while slim levers in matt black or satin chrome suit Shaker, flush and industrial doors. Browse our handles and hardware to see what pairs with each style.
Door style questions we’re often asked
Are all door styles available as fire doors?
Most popular styles, including Shaker, panelled and flush, come in FD30 fire door versions. Cottage and heavily glazed designs are more limited, so tell us early if you need fire doors.
Can you match my existing period doors?
We can usually find a close modern equivalent with the same panel layout. Exact matches for original doors are harder, especially in non-standard sizes, so we will talk through the options.
Which door style is easiest to keep clean?
Flush doors are the easiest, as there are no mouldings to catch dust, followed by Shaker. Detailed panelled doors and multi-pane glazed doors take a little more effort.
What sizes do internal doors come in?
Common UK sizes include 1981 x 762 mm, 1981 x 686 mm, 1981 x 610 mm and 1981 x 838 mm, plus metric sizes such as 2040 x 826 mm. Most styles come in these sizes, though not every design is made in every size.
Found a style you like?
Send us a few details and we’ll come back with a clear, itemised quote for doors, hardware and fitting. No pressure and no obligation.