Door location: a bunch in the foyer (currently marble tile floor), 1 in adjacent dining room to kitchen (both areas will be redone), and the ones that look like folding closet doors are actually between the formal living room and den (shown from living room side). I think there are more upstairs in the primary bedroom and elsewhere too, don’t recall. But they are primarily in the main living area of the house.

Those look like hollow core slabs with applied decorative molding. It's possible the moldings can be removed with a heat gun, but it might just pull the veneer off. New slabs are cheap, but labor to replace isn't.

I suggest living in your new home for at least 6 months before doing any major, non-reversible updates. Living in a space gives you a different perspective. You will find that there are things that just don't work well and other things that you initially didn't like grow on you. You also get to live with your new budget and know exactly how much money you can afford to spend on updates.

While you are living in the home make a whole home renovation plan.

Determine what must stay (love, don't want to change or cannot afford to change)

From there prioritize the things that need to be changed, would like to change, okay with changing or keeping . . .

Figure out your furnishings - what pieces do you want to keep, what do you want to replace now, what will be replaced in the next 3-5 years.

Pay particular attention to the things that are staying, not being replaced in the next 3-5 years.

From there determine what style furnishings you want to purchase going forward and how you will be able to blend in the old with the new.

AND determine your color palette and how you are going to incorporate the colors you love into the rooms of your home and have the colors flow from one space to the next.

Then determine your priorities vs your budget and make a 5 year plan on what gets done now and what waits.

If you do remove these doors…please either sell to an architectural salvage store or donate them to Habitat for Humanity. They are awesome! And someone will see their value. WOW. They are awesome!

Putting in a new door is not a big deal and honestly uless you love the look just change them.

Just keep the doors and paint them a solid color. Keep the doorknobs. Once your furnishings and decor go in, no one will notice either.

Many people decide on their neutral wall color and flooring first. I prefer to look at colors first.

We all love different colors and knowing what colors make your heart sing will help you decide on neutrals that make those colors sing.

I love purples and wine reds. They don't look good with the super popular greige colors (green undertones). They look better with cream or taupe or violet gray.

My sister loves fall colors, orange reds, golds, greens and painted her walls a neutral named "Moss". Just hearing the name you can picture her fall colors with moss colored walls. Now picture my colors with Moss colored walls . . .

If you love blue a light gray may be the perfect neutral. . .

Look through the things in your home that you couldn't resist buying, the towels, bed linens, clothing, jewelry, art, décor. What neutral color families will create the best backdrop for the colors you love.

How do those neutrals and the colors you love work with the colors that must stay? We sometimes need to compromise a bit to make everything work, but there are ways to bring things together. If you don't plan, you sometimes paint yourself into a corner and find that when you update one room it pushes you into updating or living with something in the next room that just doesn't work.

Your ideabook shows contemporary and MCM-inspired decor. Simply painting the doors the same color as the walls will make them into a backdrop, not a feature, for your furnishings. It'd be easy to paint one door as a test or even use a little leftover off white paint (check the basement and garage) to cover the blue painted accents.

An alternative would be to paint the doors' metal decor pieces black which would give a strong accent to each door (if they can be easily removed, spraypainted, and re-installed). Here is a cabinet with white painted doors and dark accents: https://www.decorpad.com/photo.htm?photoId=167514

These look like pretty cheap doors. If they were historic and made of solid wood, I'd say refinish them. But just because they are old doesn't necessarily make them historically valuable or beautiful. If you want an easy fix, just paint them and get better quality handles. If you don't love them and have the money for a replacement, then go for it. I think you need to pic and choose what original elements are worth keeping and how they blend with your furnishings and style. The glass next to the front door is very cool. I'd keep that and ditch the doors.

Buggy in front of a horse. Show more of the house, show some inspo pics you love. Show the kitchen and the baths as they are. An awful lot of the sixties was pure junk - those doors just an example. Sorry.

Not the first thing I'd be "worrying" about, and definitely would consider a change, UNLESS ....you love the vibe. I use the term "vibe" LOOSELY : ) Add very.

Hollywood regency can be as classy or as tacky as you let it. These only look bad because everything else is empty and bland. Get some color on the walls and floors. Lose the painter's tape blue highlights but keep the doors.

The dining room door hardware looks pretty nice.

For those saying “cheap” and “junk”, what doors would you replace with? That would probably be helpful for the OP to know when they get talked into erasing the personality from this house, even though they like the funky, retro style and would like to work with it.

Home Depot doors? Other? Does Wayfair sell doors?

(I’m being facetious.)

I'd get a contractor with a good lumber store: ) And it would all be after I decided what my style and direction was going to take, and parsed out my resources.

I define "personality" differently : ) ? Yes, perhaps I do. Just because its decades old does not make it great. Unless you want to go Deco... and those are a rather bad interpretation. JMHO

No one ever said just because it’s old, it’s automatically great. Or that every old feature in a house is historic and should not be touched.

It’s an original retro style the OP would like to work with, period. So it’s great to them. And I (and maybe others) think the retro look is great, too.

Don’t conflate that opinion with us saying ’Omg, you must keep it for the sake of it being old or historic!’ It’s cool and happens to be old. :)

It’s just funny because as I posted earlier, this sort of house is daily advised to be changed to generic … then bring in new Wayfair, et al, MCM furniture and decor, and whitewash the original stone or brick or wood, for a 2020‘s fad MCM/mid-century style.

Here we have the real deal, but nah, won’t work, even though the OP likes it.

ETA: Check out their other thread I linked to.

Paint is relatively inexpensive - can easily paint over the blue stripes on the doors without buying all new doors.

Can't tell if the design is an actual brass or copper metal decorative plate. I may be inclined to keep those. The know looks inexpensive - not anything to save.

On the other doors the handle looks like it may be really nice vintage hardware. Take one off an look at the back of the backplate. Pulled a couple of images from the internet of some of the identifiers for Amerock hardware from the 60s.

I can buy some matching knobs if I search ebay and etsy for the hardware on my cabinets, but the backplates for knobs are almost non-existent, and rare for pulls. Don't see any of the decorative accent pieces.

I am replacing some cabinetry, but keeping the old hardware (why I am searching for stuff on e-bay and etsy.)

They just don't make things with this level of detail any more.

How does one tell if doors are cheap from a photo anyway? Maybe these are hollow doors but they'd have to be better than cheap modern ones to hold that (perfectly installed at not insignificant expense) molding tight after all these years.

Even if you decide to change out the doors I would hand onto any of the decorative accent pieces and good hardware. Sell or find another use for it.

Ok this is funny. I originally thought to ditch the doors bc they obviously are period pieces and I’m not good at envisioning possibilities. I posted in a different group about possible ways to update or salvage before spending $ to replace bc I knew they were structurally and functionally excellent. I got about 100 comments raving about how much people loved the doors and wished they had them (and only 1-2 “ditch” comments) so I came here where I thought there were more design experts, to get ideas for how to possibly save and Incorporate them. The doors are original, solid wood, custom made, most everything in the house was custom, high quality and done at the hand of a designer. We met the original owners and know about the history of the house. Yes it’s old but it was well made and very carefully curated at the time—that’s not to say it’s all my taste or worth keeping, but I do want to at least do due diligence to see if I can take advantage of some of the special features. Im still at the beginning phase where I’m just trying to envision the potential options. I know I can scrap it all and do any style I want but when you have interesting things to start with it’s at least worth exploring. Maybe I’ll decide it’s not for me, but I at least want to know I gave it consideration. We were aiming to do some of the basic generic work (doors, moldings, remove old carpet) before we move in bc the house will be vacant for a several weeks. So I guess I’m looking for inspiration at this point! .

Keep the doors. Replace the HVAC. :)

You say the 60's, but the doors, with all the molding and painted shapes look more '50's to me.

Growing up, I remember my playmate's house. It was your doors, and the painted feature on the bi-folds. Her mother was "so cool". Her furniture and accent pieces were Asian influenced.

You are right, the style is very particular and if you are not into that look I bet you could sell them easily if you find the right venue. There definitely a market for that period.

Otherwise, paint would make the doors look completely different.

Definitely keep them, at least for now. I don't like the sharp contrast of the regular doors in your first picture. I do like the look of the narrow, bi-fold (?) doors. There might be a way to paint the wider doors that makes them all fabulous, I just don't know myself what that is.

@Fori Why did I read your comment like the line from The Godfather?? "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli"

For right now, I’d be inclined to just paint the door trims white. It wouldn’t be too difficult to go back later and paint the trim details whatever color you want.

The cool design would still show, but not yet dictate anything else.

I agree about keeping the metal accents. They’re wonderful.

Many people do live in historic or otherwise markedly "of a period" homes that don't at all fit their decorating style. It might take extra thought to work with existing features (compared to blotting them out modern American style), but it looks great when done right. It's not bad for a home to show a past.

Half the good stuff in AD (before it became a celebrity mag at any rate) is set in old apartment$.

I renovated my house to be of the period (1840s). I have no running water or electricity. I have to keep the kitchen stove and wood stove lit all day or I'll freeze to death. I don't bathe very often...

SOLID WOOD DOORS!??!! Omg to replace them with the same materials and craftsmanship today would cost an absolute fortune. $$$$$ AND you met the original owners for their story? That alone is priceless. Keep the doors and paint them!! Paint them any color you like, paint over the detail. You are so fortunate to have found a solid, well-built house that is not a money pit. Count your blessings.

Jinx you are absolutely correct, the original question was how can I keep these doors and I got hung up on all the comments about replacing them. I had a moment of panic that the OP was considering that and phrased my retort with that mindset. tbene, please forgive me. I just clicked on the link to the other thread, OMG what a beautiful house!

Trace, sorry my post is gone … I was trying to add a picture and accidentally deleted it (copy and pasting)! :)

Jinx, thanks for the link to the other post. It is quite a house. From the looks of it, there is no "junk" in that original. It is all a matter of taste. I've been around a long time; had a lot of homes; had a lot of decorating styles. I am at that stage where if this house were mine, I would restore it rather than remodel it.

We can still see your post with the link, Jinx, if that's the one you're refering to.

Trace, no, I’d responded in between your last two posts, but messed it up! :)

oh wow!! I'm losing my mind...I ready this and clicked on the thread thinking it said "how to update and incorporate funky odors"!!

Oh that. Not as grave an error as mine.

Always, well, that goes with Seabornman’s post. 😄

The main doors remind me of hotel doors of long ago, but I could appreciate them if the blue trim were updated with black instead. Every room can use a touch of black, so that may be yours. The bi-folds were the sliding "barn doors" of their era I guess. They're a bit busy for my taste.

I don't think renovating a house and keeping or even heightening the period -appropriate details has anything at all to do with living in the past or ignoring current technologies. There are thousands of 18th c. and pre-Civil War 19th century houses in my city and the best of them have original detail and have up to date HVAC and electrical service etc. The Worst of them were gutted on the inside any time somebody felt they needed to update some plumbing or heating or electrical and it was cheaper to gut than doing it carefully. Yes a house from 1820 with LVT flooring and drywall and some indifferent crown molding is vastly superior because it looks like it was all done yesterday.

"Just because it's old doesn't mean it's good" is how lots of Victorian and Craftsman interiors got destroyed in the 1950s and early 60s. Those houses were 60 years old just like this one.

1960s regency can be a little fussy and bossy in terms of what you can do with it. But to replace that with something brand new just because it's cheap and currently in style doesn't make much sense to me. Plus you end up with a lot of cheap finishes in your house that you Have to replace at some point because they won't last long enough to really go out of style.

This house looks like it's in great condition and I think you could tone down the doors by making them a single color, which would make them more flexible for your palette as well.

Threads like this start to remind me of when I posted some pictures of my parents house and got asked why my parents hadn't redecorated if they were thinking of selling. Well, my mother was dead and my dad was 90 for starters. But I got all sorts of great advice about changing out all the solid brass colonial revival hardware for contemporary levers and updated cabinet hardware that I could get very cheap at home depot, and maybe I should get rid of some of that ugly old furniture (period stuff from Baker, Henredon, custom sofas etc.) and stage some of the rooms in "with it" stuff from IKEA.

What a find! Would you consider posting the link to the rest of the house. I would love to see i?.

@always1stepbehind Now that really would be a dilemma!

The doors could look spectacular in black or dark charcoal for an update or even all white. Especially if you continue with the Hollywood Regency style in the home.

I would love to see the architecture of the home.

I love the look of doors, walls and trim all painted the same color as a wonderful backdrop to the room decor.

The bifolds...can't get a good look...is it a stencil or free hand? Love the touch of blue...could it lead to something?

Black would be fab. But it would be so hard to stomp the impulse to gild the detailing. :D

BeverlyFLADeziner- thank you for these inspiration pictures they are very helpful! I love the ones with the neutral painted backgrounds, large moldings, wood floors, and a few black elements, like the 1st and 5th ones, and the natural elements of the second one (which I figure must be harder to tie in but nice to see how they did it here). Regency is a bit fussy for me but the toned down pics you presented hit a nice balance of getting in those elements while keeping it a bit calmer and cozier too. This is great to see ideas for how I could tie in the original elements.
The architecture of the house is nothing exciting- a generic 1960s colonial- but the family that owned it thought about lots of details on the inside which make it quite a trip! Much of the good stuff sold during their estate sale but it will be fun to see if

Judianna20-I think it’s freehand (?). Blue and floral touches are throughout the house. And the indented rectangle shape of the door trim is echoed on kitchen cabinets, etc. it was very thought out. Again, lots will be going, like the bright blue carpets and original Formica cabinets lol (though I hear Formica too is making a comeback! Everything apparently is!) but I have to at least appreciate the effort and thought put into the original design, no wonder they kept it forever! Its cool to see and makes me excited to put my own touches on the house.

Yes this house is a time capsule....can you believe what that estate sale must have been like? @elcieg OMG that Blue Room! Elle Decor...of course it is. There is a touch of blue in the inspo pics.

The trim here is what the doors would look like painted over but you wouldn't have to if you incorporate blue. They certainly kept those doors immaculate.

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I'm all for saving, but old Formica isn't one of them.

I have just finished up with two Urgent Care jobs. Commercial/healthcare demands certain products. It absolutely is amazing what the 21st century has brought to the quality and styles of laminate. Wilsonart, for one, it is amazing product and might work for you should you decide to stay with the look of your home.

tbene,

Outdated museum? I guess I'm there. No, I am there. : > }

You do not have to decide today. Take your time, live with the current style for a few months and decide what you love and what you don't love as you combine the aesthetics of the home with the treasures you have collected along your path through life.

I might be tempted to experiment with one of the doors and see what is under the white paint. Solid wood slabs that someone decided to paint? Were the doors originally some other color? Were the centers of the large spaces covered with a cloth or wallpaper? Something just feels off with the larger doors and the single line around the trim. Not busy enough for the big contrast color stripe. Why doesn't it match the smaller doors with two accent stripes (one on either side of the trim. I have seen the trim in a contrast color (usually lighter) and the panels dark or both the trim and the panels the same color, or gold leaf on the trim and a painted design on the panel, but not just a single bold color against white on just the inside of each trim piece.

I could be wrong, but just a gut feeling. Often wish there were pictures from when our homes were first built and we could see the original designs.

I wouldn't want to do something to the doors until I figured out my color scheme. Pick black or dark gray and then decide that you want taupe interior walls and the black doors don't work. Now you get to repaint the doors. I have too much to do to re-do anything.

When you DO get to the painting stage, it might be worth it to have a pro do the doors in a high gloss.