15 tips for decorating a doorway without a door + photo

A beautifully designed doorway always looks neater and gives the whole room a finished look. It's hard not to notice how much is being transformed interior doorwhen it is framed platbands. And the point is not only that they hide all the nuances of the installation process, but also that the opening becomes more pronounced and noticeable. Very often, designers specifically pay much attention to such a finish. As a result, they get a unique and often unique decoration element. Increasingly, one can also find openings in which there are no door leafs. Sometimes this is also a deliberate move by designers, and sometimes it is just a necessity. Today we will consider issues doorway design without a door. Let us consider when it is appropriate to leave openings open, and what disadvantages and advantages a similar solution entails.

1. Open doorway - a design move or a necessity?

Open doorways can increasingly be found in the interiors of modern apartments. Sometimes this is really a design technique, which is designed to bring originality to the overall environment. But more often than not, this is a very true move in visual expand space and save space. At the same time, no one says that such an opening cannot look interesting and unusual. Standard swing doors take up a lot of space, especially if they open inwards small room. Depending on the width of the opening, the door can “eat” up to 1 square meter of the total area. Instantly appear limitations for the placement of furniture or decor elements and a host of other inconveniences.

Sometimes, instead of them, sliding structures are used, which, undoubtedly, are much more compact. However, they do not always look aesthetically pleasing. If the door rails are not enclosed between the walls, they must be mounted on one of them. Thus, the appearance of the wall in one of the rooms may look spoiled. Therefore, in some cases, it will be advisable to dismantle the interior doors. In this case, the line between two adjacent rooms is automatically erased and a single space is formed.

Sometimes it's really appropriate eg:

• In the case of an increase in the size of the room due to the connection of a balcony or a loggia to it. In any case, such actions are accompanied by the dismantling of the balcony block, otherwise the whole plan will not be implemented;
• If you plan to combine the living room and hallway. The organization of an open-type portal in this case will make it possible to blur the line between two rooms that are completely different in purpose, but at the same time maintain a conditional separation. A small living room will seem much more spacious;
• If you arranged in a bedroom dressing room, while sacrificing the size of the bedroom, it is better not to use blank doors. Leave the doorway without doors, and we will teach you how to beat it beautifully.

Many people use this technique when connecting the living room to the kitchen. Most often, the opening is performed in the form of various shapes arches. Undoubtedly, this is the most aesthetic way of combining. But do not forget that if you use the kitchen for its intended purpose and are actively preparing food, then all the smells that accompany this process will instantly spread throughout the apartment.

Also not quite right the solution is to dismantle the door leafs in the children's room, bedroom or study. All these rooms require a separate space. Of course, the exception may be the case when you live alone and in principle there is no one to retire from. In all other cases, doorways without doors can expand the space. Therefore, it is especially often possible to meet them in small apartments.

2. Advantages and disadvantages of doors without doors

After we figured out when it is advisable, and when there is no use of free doorways, it's time to talk about the obvious advantages and disadvantages of this technique. Start with disadvantages:

• When dismantling door frames there is no clear distinction, where one begins and another functional zone ends. Using the example of combining a kitchen with a living room in a similar way, we realized that this is not always appropriate. Of course, there are exceptions. For example, when you visit the kitchen in the morning in order to make coffee for yourself or in the evening to have a light snack. However, the same effect of blurred borders in other cases may be an advantage;
• If we consider that the absence of secluded spaces for a person who lives himself is not critical, then anyway There are rooms in the apartment where the doors are simply necessary. For example, in the bathrooms. This lack of openings is not critical, however, there is a place to be.

Now let's talk about the benefits organization of portals:

• First of all, it’s simple and "Painless" way to visually expand the space. At the same time, no radical measures are required. For example, redevelopment or complete dismantling of partitions;
• By freeing the opening from the door leaf, you allow sunlight to penetrate unhindered into an adjacent room. This is especially true in the case of combining the living room and hallway. After all, usually narrow corridorslong and dark;
• From a financial point of view, we can also say that this profitable solution. Even if you decide to fill out the doorway with expensive finishing materials, it is unlikely that it will require more funds than to purchase decent doors. And do not forget that it will be necessary to spend money on installation work. While you can finish the opening yourself;
• Using openings is very easy to implement zoning. This technique is especially relevant in apartments with a free layout. In this case, in order not to clutter up the space, but to indicate its boundaries, erect plasterboard partitions with wide open openings;
• A room with doorways without doors, especially if you beat them correctly, will instantly become more interesting. This is a great way to revitalize and diversify the boring interior;
• The indoor climate will be more favorable due to the fact that it will improve ventilation and air circulation.

3. The choice of the shape of the opening, depending on the style of the interior

Before choosing ways to design a doorway, it is worth thinking about its shape. Of course, you can leave everything unchanged. And rectangular open portals look very impressive. And you can try pick up a form opening focusing on style interior decoration indoors.After all, the opening should and harmoniously fit into the overall picture and emphasize its features. Let's consider the forms most suitable to various styles:

• Chic destinations such as baroque, rococo or renaissance imply the predominance of symmetrical, regular lines. Such simplicity is compensated by a large abundance of decorative elements. This can be a complex carving, a variety of stucco molding with gilding or complex arched bas-reliefs;
• Restrained and noble classic style best complement arched type openings. In this case, arches are preferably oval, three-center or semicircular. Of course, the classic cannot do without such material as wood, which can be decorated with decorative carvings or milling;
• East destinations Arched openings are also preferred, but their shape may be more diverse. They can be lancet or keeled, in the form of a heart or a circle. In general, in this case, you can give free rein to imagination and focus on the shapes and silhouettes of furniture;
• Romantic destinations Do not overload with complex bends. All elements in them should remain light and airy, flowing and elegant. Apertures of a semicircular gently sloping shape without sharp transitions are ideal. At the same time, one should not abuse the amount of finishing materials and choose rough and heavy options for them;
• Modern and concise styles, such as the minimalism, high tech or techno, recognize only strict regular geometric shapes. There can be no talk of any ovals. Strict symmetry must also be present. Therefore, in this case, it is better to leave the shape of the opening unchanged and only carefully align all corners and faces;
• Such interesting and extraordinary areas as modern or pop art must have in the interior of the subject is very unusual shape. Usually a small piece of furniture, such as an armchair, chair or coffee table. But why not show imagination and create an opening of a curving, asymmetric shape? It is such a solution that will best complement and emphasize the stylistic belonging of the room.

Choosing the most suitable form, you should lean not only on the above recommendations, but also to the height of the ceilings in room. Otherwise, you risk once again paying attention to the existing flaw.

• If low ceilings, it is better to choose the openings of arched forms, where the radius of the arch in its size exceeds ½ the height of the opening;
• If you decide to equip the arch in a room with high ceilings, then the recommended radius should be half the height.

Thus,height ratio ceiling and opening shapes will be optimal and most aesthetic.

4. Preparation for finishing work

Any kind of decoration involves a preparatory process. In this case, it should be understood that simply dismantling the door is not enough. Even if in the future you plan to use wooden elements for decoration, a loot in most cases needs to be dismantled. Especially if it is made not of natural wood, but of MDF, which may not withstand the loads. You might want widen the opening. Plus, there will be noticeable traces of door hinges and will be visible screws, with the help of which the lute is attached to the mortgages. If the shape and width suit you, in this case, you can mount finishing materials of a similar type on top of the loot. In other cases necessary:

• Carefully dismantle the door and door frame;
• Give the opening the desired width. Depending on the wall material, you will have to use different power tool. Starting from grinders, which can be cut through gypsum partitions, and ending puncher. At the same time, remember that whether it is an aperture in a bearing wall or in a wall acting as a diaphragm, it will always have a load.Very often, doorways act as a power element. In the corners or above the opening you can find wooden bars or iron corners. You cannot retrieve such items. And if this is a necessary measure, then a ready-made opening should be reinforced. Under the load of heavy finishing materials such as natural stone or brick tileunreinforced opening will shrink. Cracks may form on the walls;
• After strengthening the structure, it is necessary to prepare the external and internal surfaces for decoration. You may need to align them with putties. Especially if in the process of dismantling with the help of the tool extra fragments of the wall broke off;
• After the putty has completely dried, the surface must be treated. primer. Under heavy materials, processing is performed twice;
• If you need a perfectly flat surface of the opening, the finishing flaws using the starting putty can be corrected with a layer of finishing putty, and then re-primed the dried surfaces.

5. Highlight or make the opening faceless?

Another question that may arise during the design process is whether it is worth highlighting the opening explicitly. In fact, there are no strict rules, you need to focus on your preferences and the desired result. Both options in this or that interior will look appropriate.

• If you want to do free opening a highlight premises, you should arrange it in such a way that it does not look lonely. To do this, select finishing materials that are already present in the interior. For example, your doorway is between the living room and the hallway. At the same time in the living room fireplacebuilt into the wall niche and bricked or another kind of stone. It is logical to use the same type of decoration for the doorway. In this case, the cladding should be present not only on the inner surface, but also go out on the wall around the opening. It’s important not to overdo it and keep balance between the width of the opening and the width of the trim zone. The wider the opening, the thicker it can be. At stone finish to give a natural look, the masonry should have a large width from the bottom, and gradually taper up. Also worth calling and color finishes. For example, wood trim can be matched to the color laminate flooringfurniture or skirting boards. So the interior will look holistically and harmoniously;
• In the second case, you can make the opening completely faceless. To do this, you can arrange it in the same way as adjacent walls. Paint in the same color or even paste over with similar wallpaper. At the same time, do not forget to strengthen the corners or protect them with a thin decorative corner. After all, the finish in this place will be the most fragile, prone to chips and abrasion.

6. Decoration of the doorway with plaster

This is one way. "dissolve" door opening on the background of the wall. If the wall is decorated with decorative venetian stucco, then a doorway decorated in a similar way will look very harmonious. He will not focus on himself and distract from more interesting details. At the same time, it fits perfectly into the interior.

You can also align the opening with plastersand then color it interior paint. The openings look very interesting, the inner part of which is painted in a color that is distinctive from the walls. Especially if the opening has sufficient depth.

Also on such deep openings with the help of plaster you can depict whole panels. You can fashion tree branches or bamboo trunks with leaves. The image is matched to the style of the interior. Perhaps if the room is decorated in an oriental style, you can form fans, hieroglyphs and other themed patterns from plaster. You can simulate masonry by drawing a dried layer of plaster and "clearing" the seams. You can simply create a wave-like surface, and emphasize it with the right lighting.Use the surface of the opening as a canvas, and plaster as a brush and you will create a real work of art!

7. Portal decoration

In addition to complex finishing materials that require installation, do not discount the simpler and more affordable design methods. Perhaps you draw beautifully. Then why not portray some kind of doorway around picture? It can be anything - a decorative liana with chic flowers, and just an ornament repeating along the contour, and the same bricks, but painted. The main thing is that the picture fits the interior.

If your room is designed in the Egyptian style, you can draw graceful black cats on both sides of the opening, and crown its top with a pyramid. For those who can not draw or do not want to bother much, on the Internet there are many stencils on a variety of topics. You just need to print the drawing you like, carefully cut it out and fix it on the wall using masking tape. It is very important that the edges of the stencil fit snugly against the wall and the paint does not leak over them. In general, to avoid the formation of sagging, it is better to use interior paints in the form of aerosols. If the spray radius is clearly greater than the width of the stencil, it is likely to paint unwanted sections of the walls. Protect them with newspapers or oilcloth. It is also worth doing with the floor. Disadvantage this type of design of the doorway is that poorly selected pattern can quickly get bored. And to change it, you will have to update the finish of the entire wall completely. Therefore, carefully approach the issue of choice and pay attention to more neutral patterns.

8. Finishing the doorway with plastic panels or siding

Plastic panels have long gained immense popularity. Besides the fact that they possess excellent performance They boast a variety of colors and textures. Panels that imitate the structure and surface of natural wood are very popular. Plastic panels are very easy to install. Even the one who holds the panel for the first time can cope with the process. In addition, in this case, you can simply stick the strips on the glue.

If the opening depth is small, you can replace Pvc panels siding. It is more durable and durable, but much narrower in width. To give the opening a finished and neat appearance, a decorative plastic corner should be glued around the perimeter, which will hide the ends of the plastic. Remember that PVC is a synthetic material that can release toxic substances.

Do not buy too cheap panels for decoration inside the home. Take care of your health and choose materials from trusted companies. In addition, more expensive plastic has a greater thickness, which means higher strength, and it looks more believable. Plastic trim is one of the cheapest and most economical ways to transform a doorway. You will also be pleased ease of care for this stuff. It is enough to periodically wipe the panels with a damp cloth. And if you suddenly accidentally damaged the panel, it can be replaced without much effort. In order not to have difficulties with the purchase of the same panel, get a couple of bands in reserve.

9. Design by MDF panels

Laminated MDF panels They look very convincing, you can find panels that are very difficult to distinguish from natural wood. The only thing that can spoil the impression is the ends, which are either pasted over with an edge in color, or completely left without it. To hide this drawback, it is imperative to use door platbands.

MDF more available at a cost than natural wood. Moreover, it is also ecologicaly clean material. The panels are fastened to good, high-quality glue, since their weight is much higher than plastic panels. Can be attached with liquid nails or polyurethane foam. At the same time, during installation, make sure that the panels do not slip. If this does not bother you, you can fasten the panel using self-tapping screws. Immediately it is necessary to mark the places of fastenings and perform preliminary drilling and pota. This is necessary so that the screw head does not protrude on the surface, and you can then seal it with special furniture stickers. Of course, on MDF panels you will not be able to perform milling or threading, they must be protected from moisture, although the material has moisture resistant properties. But the openings of small depth, designed in this way, will look concise and quite aesthetically pleasing.

10. Decoration with stucco moldings

This is one of the most chic ways to decorate a doorway in a room in bohemian styles. Natural gypsum stucco has always been highly regarded. Even when over time its surface becomes covered with a net of small cracks, it does not become less attractive. On the contrary, it gives her a special charm.

Stucco molding can be varied a little, covering some elements with gilding. Only thing needed consider, this is weight similar decor. Sometimes it is quite impressive, which makes installation difficult. In addition, gypsum itself is very fragile. Therefore, you should be very careful not to make chips. To simplify the task, very often real gypsum replaced with polyurethane. In many stores you can find many ready-made elements from which you can create unique compositions.

Polyurethane is very easy and flexible, it is enough to glue it, for example, on liquid nails and enjoy a wonderful result. When choosing a decor, consider the width of the opening. If it is small, choose simpler parts with a minimum number of milling and various monograms. Volumetric elements, which should be placed on top, are used only with a sufficient height of the ceilings and the doorway. Polyurethane linings imitating columns are considered very popular.

11. Wooden portals

Finishing doorways with natural wood is one of the most costly and noble ways. The wood texture itself is very beautiful and aesthetic. Therefore, often the elements are simply covered with a transparent or tint varnish. Custom-made portals can be made to order, supplemented artistic carving.

Of course, valuable wood species look elegant and rich, but they also stand accordingly. To make the finish less expensive, you can choose the simplest varieties, for example, pine or birch, but polish the surface well and open it with several layers of varnish. Also under the order can make openings with small decorative shelves or built-in lighting. Wooden openings can optionally to beautified stained glass.

When choosing this type of finish, remember that careful care is required for natural wood. And the rest, it all depends on your financial capabilities and imagination. The color of the wooden openings should be consistent with the color of the floor or skirting boards. You can also rely on the color of furniture.

The design style also plays a role. After all, not all modern areas welcome the use of such “warm” materials. For instance, loft or minimalism prefer plastic or metal more.

12. Decorative decoration with natural or artificial stone

Choosing a natural stone finish is a must consider his weight and select an adhesive mixture specifically for such a material. In addition, the installation also complicates the fact that the fragments can creep under their own weight, so either they need to be laid using the same technology as tile - using a piece of metal profile and wedges, or hold each pebble for several minutes until the glue grabs.

Also, some experts argue that installation should begin directly from the floor, but this is not always appropriate. For example, if you want to use skirting boards, it is better to leave a place under them than to mount them on top of stones. Natural stone is expensive material. Therefore, very often prefer an artificial substitute. Its appearance at a fairly high level imitates the natural texture. It is lighter and more affordable, easier to lay and cut. And to further facilitate the process, ready-made corner elements were invented.

The doorways lined with stone look very comfortable. However, you should not choose a similar finish for deep and narrow openings. It may turn out that the opening will resemble the entrance to the cave, which is not appropriate in all interiors.

13. Arch instead of the usual "rectangle"

Arch-type openings have become popular for a very long time and to this day are actively used by many designers. Similarly shaped doorways are highly good decision for use in small rooms. They help visually make the space more spacious. And correctly selected proportions of the width and height of the arch can also "raise" a low ceiling. Arches can be both standard forms and the most unpredictable.

Very often, such an element is key in the interior, and all the decoration depends on it. You can buy ready-made portals of arch type from a variety of materials, but you can to do arch by yourself. Often the frame of the desired shape is mounted from metal profiles and sheathed with drywall. Instead of profiles, you can use wooden planks of sufficient thickness. A layer of plaster is applied on top of it, and then decorative finishes are performed. Very often arches can be found as a connecting element between the loggia room. They can have built-in shelves, lights, niches for placing decor items or a fragment bar counter. It can also be used as a dressing table or space for indoor plants. Advantage the design of the doorway in the form of an arch is that it can be entered into almost any style of interior. Simply select the appropriate shape and finishing material.

14. Functional drywall constructions

An indispensable material for repair, drywall is often used not only for leveling surfaces, and for create of various functional elements. It can be a composition of wall niches, or it can be a home-made rack. The space around the doorways is often empty. If you equip shallow shelves of drywall around the perimeter, you will save space, provide enough space for souvenirs, books, statuettesfamily photos. In this case, the need to purchase a wall or pedestal may disappear automatically.

In addition, such structures can frame openings of not only rectangular, but also semicircular shapes. Such a solution looks very original and interesting. Subsequent drywall finish will depend on the style of your room. It will be possible to simply plaster and paint the surface, choosing the color for the wall coating. Separate shelves can supplement multi-colored backlit. The rear walls of the shelves can be pasted over mirror panels or dyed with a distinctive color.

This will add extraordinary design and make it visually deeper. Probably, absolutely any in the form of construction can be built from drywall. The main thing to remember is that it should not be loaded with heavy objects. Still, such elements are more decorative.

15. Making a doorway with textiles

The design of doorways using textile elements can be called the most romantic of all methods.A translucent tulle developing in the wind will create an amazing atmosphere, especially if you choose a fabric with a barely noticeable shiny thread that will shimmer in the sun. It is with the help of curtains that you can create such a design that, if necessary, will create a secluded atmosphere. If, nevertheless, you decide to connect the bedroom to the living room or another room, then choose opaque curtains with side hooks to decorate the doorway.

In addition to the usual transparent or lightproof fabrics, filament curtains, bamboo curtains or beautiful beads are perfect. You can create complex compositions from several types of fabrics with lambrequins and other elements. Such volumetric design is appropriate only in large rooms and for wide openings. A very interesting look is the room in which the door and window openings are identical.

The only thing that should not be done is to choose rolled or Chinese curtains or vertical fabric blinds for decoration. Passing between rooms in this case will be very inconvenient.