How to Choose your Interior Door Style!

When picking your interior doors you have two choices to make first: painted or stained. Painted doors will typically be made of a different material than stained. Most of our painted doors are a molded MDF material, although some of the more flat panel styles can be a mix of wood types that are primed and ready for paint. There are different styles available for each material. Here are the most popular styles to choose from!

Single-panel molded

A molded and MDF material door used in transitional or modern interiors. Clean appearance with a single recessed panel, square corners, no rail.

3-panel molded

Considered craftsman or shaker, this molded 3-panel design has a large square on top with two longer recessed panels beneath it. Proportions are one third/two-thirds. Also available in a true raised panel MDF design. A popular choice for a traditional, transitional or classic home interior.

5-panel paint quality wood

A true flat panel design with framed out wood construction primed and ready for paint. The 5-panel is a historic choice, found original in many older character homes. A raised panel MDF version is also available but the change in the panels lends itself to a more contemporary interior. This flat panel style blends well with the current farmhouse trend.

Four-panel pine

A classic and popular door style for many years, the pine is a reasonably priced and readily available wood. Four raised panels make it conducive for traditional interiors as well as contemporary ones. The color of the stain dictates the overall style the door takes on.

Six-panel pine

Another tied and true door style, the six-panel pine door is more formal with raised panels that add depth. Typical of traditional home interiors. A very classic choice for new construction.

3-panel birch or poplar

This stain-able wood version of the 3-panel molded door from above was most commonly used in new construction mimicking a traditional craftsman interior. Now seen in more transitional homes as a go-to door style.

2-panel birch or poplar

Clean, simple and available in a birch or poplar to stain any color that matches your interior, this two-panel door works with the modern selections of new construction. Best when paired with a simple casing and base trim like in the picture above.

There are always many more styles and wood types to consider, but these are the most popular ones I have seen take on popularity in new construction over the past 2 years! There is also a growing trend towards doors stained black and grey like the one above and painted doors being finished in colors other than white. I, myself, chose to refinish my four-panel doors in my upstairs with a grey-green paint to match the trim!

Jennifer F says:

July 17, 2018 at 7:12 pm

Too many choices! I’ve been leaning toward the flat five panels doors for my own home in an effort to add more historic character to my 90’s track home. But the color and choices available make the decision difficult. Any choice of a higher quality door, however, will have a large impact on updating decor.

Carolyn Morton says:

October 20, 2023 at 4:20 am

Can you tell me the name of the colour grey on the door and trim in the photo above please?

katiejaneinteriors@gmail.com says:

November 22, 2023 at 3:00 pm

Hi Carolyn! Thank you for your interest in this blog post. The grey color was actually a custom color match to a cabinet color being offered by a local cabinet company. It may look like a paint shade but it is actually a stain. To replicate the look I would try a semi-transparent stain like Minwax’s Slate. Each wood species (and age of the piece of wood) is going to affect the grey tone differently.