Doors to Adore

Looking for a new entry or garage door for your mid-century modern home? Think twice. Nothing mucks up a home’s street appeal faster than a door that’s stylistically out-of-whack.

Modernism was all about simplicity and lack of ornament. But that doesn’t mean your door has to be dull. An ideal door for a modern home is generally a simple wooden slab and a doorknob. But that’s not to say it can’t be beautiful.

Consider the glaringly yellow door of Javier Szwarcberg’s Eichler in San Mateo Highlands. Its use of a hot color as an accent fits the mid-century aesthetic. Combining it with a glass-and-Corten steel fence, designed by architect Mark Marcinik with artist Mark Bourne, adds a sympathetic 21st century note.

Turning passersby into rubberneckers, Javier’s doorknob floats mysteriously in the middle of his door’s golden glow.

“The lock in the center is cool,” Szwarcberg says. “It’s vintage.”

For more on MCM doors to adore, check out our new in-depth story on the subject, ‘First Impressions, Simple Statements,’ a sneak preview of the new fall issue of CA-Modern.