How to use doors to enhance your furniture

When you're decorating a room to make the most of new furniture, it's easy to stop when you've seen to the most obvious jobs - the walls, floor and curtains - but why not take a look at our guide to some of the creative ways that you can make the most out of your doors, using them to enhance the look of your room and make your new furniture really look its best.

Whatever the style of your room, there are ways to make your doors do more than keep out draughts. First you just need to decide on the kind of look that you want to achieve.

By matching the colour of doors and walls,
you can achieve a striking effect

If you want to maximise your space, consider removing internal doors for an airy contemporary feel. Of course, if you don't have central heating, this can be an impractical option, so why not try painting doors to match walls, using emulsion paint to help the door blend in. If you're really feeling adventurous, you could even wallpaper a door to match the wall, with a funky transparent doorknob to complete the effect. This makes furniture really stand out, and allows you to emphasise the lines of modern sofas, coffee tables and shelving units.

These ultra-modern wooden doors are perfect
for bringing out the best in wooden furniture

If you have furnished your room with wooden furniture, you can achieve a harmonious, flowing and organic look by having a bespoke door made in the same wood as your furniture. Oak furniture has beautiful colouring, and by investing in an oak or oak veneer door, you can draw attention to the distinctive colouring and sttractive grain. If you can't afford a bespoke door, why not head to the auction house and see if you can snap up a cheap antique door, though make sure you measure up before you buy. If the door's a little big, don't worry, any carpenter will be able to cut it down for a reasonable fee.

You can also use antique door furniture, such as doorknobs and bolts, to give your room a traditional feel and to accentuate any fittings on your furniture. Auctions are great places to snap up doorknobs for cheap. If you need guidance on how to fit an antique doorknob, check out this video which provides detailed instructions.

So take a fresh look at your doors, and see if you can use them to really bring out the best in your furniture.