When we got our initial quote from the contractor we used, he said that he would be putting in doors that matched our doors on the main floor, which are original to the house. At that time, we weren't 100% on what the layout would be, it depended on what could be done about things like the furnace. As the walls were just being finished and the carpet was about to go in, I got a "We'll probably have to put in solid slab doors because of the size we need. Cutting down doors like the ones you have wouldn't work because they would look weird and we can't just order them in these sizes." I responded with a very disappointed "Really?" I just kind of left it alone... I was irritated, but I just wanted to keep things moving and solid, plain doors that look right would be better than matching ones that were wonky.
A week or so later, the contractor arrived with someone I had never seen before. Surprise, surprise! He had contacted a cabinet maker that he has worked with for many, many years about making doors to match our current ones. Sweet!
I can't remember how long it took to get the doors, but the contractor brought them over, painted them, and got them installed. They look fantastic! They look like they belong here.
Above is the office door. It is a normal width, maybe a little small on the width, but it is definitely shorter than a normal door.
In this photo you can see the utility room door on the left of the stairs and part of the laundry room door on the the right. The utility room door is super wide and lower than normal. The laundry door, also shown below is a normal width, but probably a little shorter than normal. Those door sit under the main support beam for the house.
Because those doors turned out so well, our contractor had mentioned that the cabinet maker would be willing to make another door to replace our not original bathroom door. While it was pricey, we decided it was worth it.
You can sort of see the old door in the photo below. I strategically took photos that mostly kept it out of the shot, but I also was trying to get everything else...
The cabinet maker came and measured everything to make sure proportions were correct for that door, especially since it would be next to the originals. He said it should only take him two days, unless he was extremely productive that day.
He was back a few days later and installed it. I'm glad we didn't have to install it because I would have been worried about making holes that can't be fixed, etc.
I was a little... shocked... when I saw what it looked like. I kind of assumed that it was just all wood underneath the paint for the doors downstairs. It was more of a Frankenstein door...
Totally not a big deal since it was just going to be painted anyways. And I'm guessing real, solid wood would have cost more...
After a good coat of primer and a coat of paint that we had labeled "interior trim paint" from the previous owners, it fits in like it has always been there.
I think it's one of those things that makes a big, almost unnoticeable difference. It's weird.
So, I'm thankful that our contractor took the time to follow through on matching the doors because not only do those ones look fantastic, the new bathroom door makes the upstairs feel a little more complete and "right."
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