The most popular interior door upgrade is the solid core door. An alternative to more expensive solid wood doors, these doors are made with a hardwood veneer applied over a core of wood fiberboard. These are available in a variety of wood veneers (from birch to walnut) or they can be primed and painted the colour of your choice.

Solid core doors also come with an environmental payoff since they deliver security and quality without requiring planks of solid timber. They privacy, durability, noise reduction and heat retention that their hollow counterparts just can’t match.

Doors come in a wide variety of styles – flat, or a range of details, including panels and moldings. The standard six-panel door is just that, standard. The fewer panels (molded rectangles) used on the door, the better. A two- or four-panel door creates the illusion of more space in a small room and adds a subtle balance in a larger area. Fewer-panel doors combine clean lines with a sense of limited luxury. Styles range from Shaker to Provincial—and all points in between.

Interior designers claim that the attraction of these doors lies in their simplicity. With fewer lines, each panel creates more of an impact and a sense of space that six-panel doors fail to achieve.

If you prefer the look of natural wood, a two-panel veneer (solid core) door is an excellent choice, as these doors provide a strong, proud stance quite similar to their old-growth solid wood counterparts.

While most panel door styles offer curved or straight stiles and rails (the vertical and horizontal molding pieces), trends are following a straight line. Curved molding adds an elegant, graceful touch, yet the effect can be overpowering if your home’s architecture doesn’t support it.

One benefit of using curves is the added warmth they give, but they can lead the eye away from the intended focal point of a room. The classic look is far more suitable for a room filled with cherished antiques—and not a flatscreen TV and a contemporary leather sofa.

Straight molding complements any decor and also provides a dramatic, streamlined look than can help to make a room appear larger. It also doesn’t compete with shelves, artwork or other items that may be hung on the wall.

The best interior doors are those that accentuate the positives in a room, such as high ceilings or big windows. Use care when choosing colors, as the last thing you want is for a potential buyer to focus on the door and not the size and layout of the space.   

If your budget doesn’t allow for a change out of all the doors, focus on the ones for rooms that hold home theatres or teenagers to help contain noise. For the ultimate in heat retention, put solid core doors on the rooms closest to the front door. And if you’re looking to add light to a dark room, French doors are a great option that add a sense of openness and elegance – and give people an immediate, positive impression about the value of your home.