These Worldly Doors Have a New Life

We love the use of unique and artistic architectural salvage, as these rare and distinctive items can communicate volumes about a person who is inspired by them. Repurposing doors is among the most special (and complicated), as there can be a literal and spiritual energy to their inclusion in a home. In this case, our “world traveler” client discovered these authentic, antique temple doors — and subsequently a yearning to incorporate them into her new sanctuary… a comprehensive row-house renovation in Boston. Others told her that transforming the 300-pound doors, with their warps and cracks and irregularities wouldn’t work in a new home project, where walls and trim were straight and square. Fortunately for all of us we had each other… an inspired client with a vision and a purpose, and a custom builder with the experience to know anything can be done (almost). Our millwork shop developed a plan to build a 3” thick walnut frame around the doors, enveloping the doors’ irregularities, and with the help of our friends at Raybern Hardware, we found the right barn door track and hardware for it to ride on. The final result is a feature that infuses the space with personalized character, easy gliding functionality, and it even has a full length mirror on the bathroom side for practicality. This is the power of YES!