The main function of interior or exterior doors is to divide the space and make it isolated from other rooms or premises. This kind of barrier prevents the penetration of sounds, smells, allows you to retire. However, recently there has been a tendency to increase space due to the removal of interior partitions. Often in such cases, people are faced with the question of how to ennoble the doorway so that it harmoniously fits into the interior of the room.
Preparation for decoration
The preparation of the interior door completely depends on the selected materials. If you plan to decorate the opening with a decorative finishing mixture, it is necessary to prim the surface, and then rough finish with ordinary cement plaster. After drying, the surface is carefully ground with a fine sandpaper. Thanks to this, the plaster does not crack or crack. Using the construction level at the initial stage will save materials on the finish. This is important, since every owner dreams of upgrading the doorway at the lowest cost.
Dressing with overhead materials (tiles, artificial stone, PVC panels) does not require plumb alignment; it is enough to remove obvious defects: pits, tubercles. If the lathing is carried out with a tree or profile, rough finish can be omitted altogether. The use of drywall also does not provide for plastering and surface cleaning after fixing it. The aperture can be immediately decorated without subsequent preparation steps.
Masters Tips
Modern manufacturers offer a huge assortment of materials for finishing openings of interior and exterior doors. Among them are expensive options and more affordable alternatives.
The choice depends on the design, needs and capabilities of the buyer. In addition, when buying materials, it is important to take into account a number of expert recommendations on how to ennoble a doorway:
- No need to save on the quantity or quality of finishing parts. So, for example, when planning to make a crate of wood, it is necessary to carefully examine the bars for mold, cracks or rot and use only undamaged ones.
- When buying materials packaged in several boxes, it is important to verify the batch numbers. If they are different, then it is likely that there will be a difference in the colors and shades of the contents of the packages.
- The life of the material, its ability to withstand daily mechanical stress - this is what should be considered when buying.
These tips are needed primarily for those who are going to ennoble the doorway with their own hands.
Plaster
The most common type of doorway decoration is considered to be plaster. This is due to the simplicity of the work, affordable price category and practicality in the operation of the material. Let's consider how to improve a doorway with the help of this material.
Before you start finishing, you should take care of the safety of the floor covering, you need to cover it with newspapers or polyethylene.
The sequence of work is as follows:
- First of all, it is necessary to prepare the opening, remove the old coating and primer the surface.
- Then a little composition is kneaded and with the help of a building level, beacons are fixed on the walls.
- A special reinforcing mesh is laid between them for masonry work.
- The solution is mixed in the required amount.
- Using two spatulas, the building mixture is applied to the prepared surface in a chaotic manner, then, using the rule, level the layer.
To avoid the formation of voids and cracks, each layer should not exceed a thickness of 2 mm. The previous coating should dry thoroughly and only after that a new one is applied. You can start decorative decoration (painting, wallpapering) when the finishing layer of plaster dries. After completing the preparatory work, we can proceed to the question of how to improve a doorway without a door (photo of the examples are presented in the article) and the inside of the entrance to the dwelling.
Brick tile, mosaic
Consider the first type of material. Clinker tiles are best suited to solve the problem, if you need to refine the inside doorway of the front door of a private house or cottage. There are no specific laying rules, it all depends on the design of the room. The classic version involves the design of the joint in the joint with smooth edges around the perimeter of the opening. A more modern style can be combined with a serrated edge, in the form of a short flight of stairs, laying in a chaotic manner.
Facing the interior doorway with mosaic or tile is not difficult, it will not require many years of experience and a special tool, the work is done in stages:
- On a previously prepared surface, markings are made in accordance with the size of the tile. Following it, in the future will be facing.
- If laying on drywall or another perfectly flat surface, you can use liquid nails. Otherwise, tile adhesive is kneaded.
- A layer of bonding agent is applied to the back of the tile and evenly distributed over the surface, the excess must be removed.
- Then the tile is applied to the wall according to the marking, pressed and held for several seconds. Between the tiles, plastic glazing beads are inserted, which maintain an even seam. After drying, they are removed.
When working with clinker tiles or mosaics, it is very important to ensure that the solution does not fall onto the material. It is quite difficult to clean it, while the surface will look untidy. In conclusion, the seams are rubbed with a special mixture to match the color of the material.
Decorative rock
Often, instead of clinker tiles, another modern material is used. This is a decorative stone, which has several advantages in comparison with other finishing means. Let us consider below the features of how to ennoble a doorway without a door (the photo can be seen in the article) using such decoration.
Material Advantages:
- the appearance is similar to natural stone, which looks pretty presentable;
- the market offers a huge variety of types and textures: brick, marble, jasper, granite, limestone;
- tolerates moisture easily and without consequences;
- easy to care for cleaning does not require special chemicals;
- correctly laid material is resistant to mechanical damage, as a result of which the service life is extended.
The process that allows to refine the doorway (see the photo in the article) with a decorative stone is in many respects similar to the installation of clinker tiles, however, it is worth highlighting several key points:
- Before buying a finishing material, it is necessary to examine it: if pores are visible on the reverse side with the naked eye, then the stone has a low density and will easily crack and break;
- depending on the variety used and its weight, the consumption of the adhesive composition is calculated.
To ennoble the doorway of the entrance door in this way, you need to know that there are two types of decorative stone:
- Natural. It is made from natural rock, crushed into small crumbs and poured using a mold. The material is characterized by high strength, weight and good performance.
- Artificial. It is made of gypsum with the addition of polymers and dyes. The main advantages are the affordability and a wide range of textures.
Wood panels, MDF
Wooden panels and MDF are in great demand for the decoration of interior openings. They are best suited for rooms decorated in a classic style. If it is decided in this way to refine the old doorway, you need to take into account the main advantages of such materials:
- durability;
- aesthetic appearance;
- lack of obvious flaws in contact with water.
For the installation of wood and MDF panels, additional components will be required: slats for the manufacture of battens, fasteners, decorative caps.
Let's consider how to improve an entrance doorway with the help of these materials:
- The slats are sawn based on the width of the opening, and fixed to the wall using fixing tools (screws, dowels).
- The panels fit under the doorway with minimal indentation. In the future, it will be hidden by the end corner.
- The first panel is fixed with liquid nails, all subsequent ones are fixed with a special tongue-and-groove connection system, which the products are equipped with.
- The end part of the structure is closed with a platband, it is attached to the crate with the help of corners or nails.
After completion of installation work, the visible part of the fasteners is wiped with furniture wax or caps with an adhesive base in tone with the panels. Even if inexpensive material was used, such a finish looks stylish and tasteful.
Laminate
Recently, finishers increasingly prefer such finishes. The material is easy to use, which makes it possible to sheathe walls, corners, niches and door slopes. Correctly selected colors of the laminate will successfully fit into the interior, decorated in any style.
The main disadvantage of the material is its moisture intolerance. Often, at the edges of even moisture-resistant panels, after prolonged contact with water, swellings form, which subsequently cannot be eliminated.
How to improve the doorway of the front door with a laminate? Mounting is done in the same way as wood panels and MDF. If the surface is flat, the crate can not be done, but fasten the material to liquid nails, taking care of the spacers in advance, which will press the laminate for several hours for better adhesion.
Stucco molding plaster and polyurethane foam
The most unusual and "capricious" material is stucco molding. In order for it to harmoniously fit into the interior design of the room, the general design concept must correspond to it. It looks best in combination with pilasters, columns, murals and other similar elements of a classic interior. To ennoble the doorway of the interior passage, you need to know about the features of the material.
There are two main types of stucco molding:
- Gypsum Often it is used in the design of country houses made in the Neoclassical or Venetian style. If we talk about small city apartments, then gypsum stucco does not look appropriate here. It complicates the already small space, visually narrows the doorway. Moreover, despite the fact that gypsum is a very - heavy material, it is quite fragile. With regular mechanical action very quickly lose its original appearance.
- Polyurethane or artificial stucco molding is a more affordable version of gypsum products. As the advantages of the material, it is worth noting the lightness of the product, ease of installation (polyurethane foam can be cut with an ordinary stationery knife), fastens to the surface with liquid nails in a matter of minutes (there is no need to knead the solution), has a wide range of ready-made forms, and can be easily painted.
Most stucco molding is suitable for finishing arched openings, especially if it is possible to install monolithic columns at the edges.
Varieties of openings
No less important for the decor is the shape of the doorways. Some of them allow you to visually expand the space and introduce more light, others - to make the ceilings higher. In addition, the shape of the doorway directly affects the interior of the room. Few would come up with the idea of arranging a room in the Art Nouveau style and make arches in the transitions between the rooms. Before deciding how to refine a doorway, you need to determine its shape.
Rectangular - the most common among others. Perhaps that is why it was originally created during the construction of buildings. Its main advantages include:
- there is no need to additionally build, it is enough to dismantle the door frame;
- finishing is done with any materials;
- fits harmoniously into almost all interior solutions, simplifying the problem of how to refine the doorway after installing the door;
- easily distinguishes between a living room, while expanding both its parts.
Arched is a semicircle-shaped interior opening. This is the most affordable way to visually make ceilings higher, fill the room with light and air. However, if the arched opening is very wide, the ceilings appear lower. This feature is very often used by designers when creating an interior.
Many people prefer this solution for the softness of the lines, the lack of angles. The rooms seem to flow smoothly into one another, while delimiting the space. Typically, an arched opening is made between the living room and the hall, provided that the latter is quite spacious. In stores you can buy a ready-made design, which is selected depending on the width of the aisle. Additional elements of decor will make it ceremonial.
A trapezoidal opening of this form is extremely rare. This is explained by the fact that using it in small rooms gives the opposite effect - the ceilings seem lower, and the room is narrower. This effect is even more pronounced when the upper part is too narrowed at the opening. This option can be considered if the room opposite the aisle has exactly the same window shape. Only in this case the trapezoid will harmoniously fit into the interior.
Asymmetric - a doorway made in the same style. It is not only the border between the two zones, but also becomes the decoration of the room and the continuation of the interior. It all depends on the imagination of the designer. It can be an ellipsoidal, round, triangular, wavy or any other kind of opening. However, there are some nuances here, you should pay attention to them:
- Before proceeding with the expansion of the opening, it is important to draw up a detailed diagram of the future design, taking into account the capabilities of the bearing walls and partitions;
- It is worth noting that the sharp lines and the angularity of the forms have an oppressive psycho-emotional effect, therefore, if possible, external irritants in the interior should be avoided.
Registration by curtains, partitions
People are often interested in how to refine a doorway without a door. The easiest and most inexpensive way to design it is decorating with curtains. This trend was observed several decades ago and is now gradually returning to fashion. More and more often, designers use textiles to delimit small living spaces into separate zones, for example, to receive guests and sleep in a one-room apartment. The room seems to be lightened space, at the same time there is some isolation in it.
The range of textures, colors and fabrics is amazing. In modern interiors, partitions in the form of bamboo sticks are often used. They are strong enough and emit a light tapping when touching each other. If desired, they can be painted in accordance with the interior of the room.
Taffeta harmoniously combines with classical styles: Baroque, Renaissance, Rococo. In addition to standard solutions, you can try more original options: silk threads, beads, etc.
Accent design
The open doorway itself is an important part of the interior due to the lack of a standard design. Sometimes when making a room, the passage is made less noticeable so that the layout seems open. And in some cases, on the contrary, they create a bright accent on it. How to refine a doorway without a door using such a solution?
You can do this with one of the following techniques:
- Color. The opening is painted in a saturated shade. It can be combined with other bright interior details or, conversely, have a contrasting color.
- Shine. Most often, this technique is used in asymmetric designs. During installation, it is necessary to provide places for the installation of spotlights. Such an aperture attracts attention not only in a non-standard form, but also in the original lighting.
- Texture. In a room with an even wall covering (painting, plaster, wallpaper), the interior opening, decorated with brick, ceramic tile, stucco molding, three-dimensional panels or decorative stone, is especially distinguished.
- The form. Over the past few years, openings with unusual shapes have been very popular. If you have some skills with drywall or plywood, installation can be done independently. The result is an author’s performance passage.
Decorating allows you to refine the doorway of the interior door and entrance, update the interior of two rooms at once, visually expand the space, while maintaining its main function - delimiting space. A huge range of building materials allows you to implement the most daring design decisions.