4 classic door styles – and how to nail the vintage look today

Looking for a timeless door style with modern functionality? Explore 5 styles in our guide to vintage looks.



This is the most nebulous of vintage door styles. It's, well, a door. Close your eyes and picture a front door – you're probably seeing one of these. It's not rustic. It's not industrial. It's just a solid, attractive door, perhaps fitted with decorations (or "furniture" as it's known in the trade).

This kind of door is the go-to for many homeowners. It conveys modest elegance and a lack of pretence. But that doesn't mean it's lacking in personality.

Get yourself a classic classic and you can easily customise it with patterned, coloured or frosted glass. You can get a handle in silver or gold and decide where it goes. You can get your house number in a font that matches your personality.

It's the very simplicity of this design that makes it so versatile. After all, the more flamboyant you go, the less room you have to experiment. With the classic classic, you get an unfussy vintage look that can be subtly tweaked to meet your requirements.

If you choose this style, your best bet is to go for a uPVC door. Compared to wooden doors, these are built to keep out noise and withstand the vicissitudes of British weather. Ours come with multi-point locking for peace of mind. What's more, a reputable dealer like Calder Windows will furnish you with a warranty lasting 10 years or more.

Decorative glass

Do you want your hallway, kitchen or other domestic space to be flooded with coloured light when the sun's out? Then you might want to get a door fitted with coloured glass.

If this is the style you're after, you can go for uPVC or a composite door. Composite doors are built to last. They're manufactured in such a way that you don't need to worry about repainting or peeling paint.

Decorative glass is a world unto itself. It can be as simple as hatched black lines on clear glass or as complex as a cathedral window. In either case, you can get the look you're going for with a modern uPVC or composite door. Vintage, you see, doesn't have to mean old.

Cottage doors

Nothing conveys comfort and class like a vintage cottage door. You know the kind we mean. It's rustic. It's homely. The sound of the knock is as timeless as the thwack of leather on willow. And above all, it has a beautiful grain.

Some vintage styles call for smooth surfaces. But the classic cottage door is all about beautiful imperfections – those knots, black spots and crevices that link the door to its woody origins.

Solid oak doors are on the market and they have cost-effectiveness on their side. They're cheaper, at least, than composite doors. So why choose composite over good old oak?

The answer is maintenance. Oak has a way of weathering and warping. If you're fine with that, then go oak. But if you want the same look with a bit less elbow grease, a composite door is the way to go.

Art Deco

Art Deco doors are a minimalist's dream. Those sleek, elegant, industrial lines holding big panes of clear glass have a cool, unfussy look that could be from 1860 or 1960.

Despite their industrial origins, Art Deco doors blend seamlessly into domestic settings. Aesthetics aside, they're a great way to bring more natural light into your home.

And, let's face it, they're a real statement piece. No visitor is going to fail to admire your heritage-style doors.

But like the other vintage doors we've mentioned, Art Deco doors have a built-in problem. Those steel frames are pretty bad at keeping the heat in. At a time when sustainability is a priority – and energy bills are high – you might be in the market for an alternative.

Thankfully, you can get heritage-style doors that combine the aesthetic of Art Deco with modern standards of thermal efficiency. Win-win!

The same goes for French doors and bi-fold doors, whether you plump for a sleek frame or something on the chunkier side. All of them can be secure, robust and long-lasting: the perfect marriage of vintage and modern.

Why choose modern doors?

Styles become vintage for a reason. They're still points in a turning world, outliving fads and fashions.

But old-school doors were built in line with old-school standards of durability, security and thermal efficiency. They simply don't meet modern expectations about what a door should do.

Luckily for homeowners, the industry has listened and developed doors that combine timeless aesthetics with modern functionalities. Whatever style you're after, you can nail that vintage look without sacrificing quality.

Are you looking for a front door fitting service in West Yorkshire? Get in touch with Calder Windows today for a quick, competitive quote.