Historic Doors | Fine Craftsmanship in Woodworking

Classical Doors

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This entry makes a lovely statement with its recurve moldings, elliptical fanlight and French style panel moldings.

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This entryway is complete with true divided light, hand blown glass and raised paneling in the elliptical jamb.

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Custom door and surround designed after the historic Westover Mansion for a Philadelphia country house.

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The recurve in the lock rail helps to give this entry a French flair.

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New double doors were made to match existing doors for this repurposed schoolhouse.

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Tall proportions on this mahogany, side entry give it a formal appearance.

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The woodwork inside this masonry portico features a delicate divided light transom in the Georgian manner.

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These walnut doors were made to match originals for the Berks County Courthouse, Reading, Pennsylvania.

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This is one of many simply detailed classic entryways we build. The single door centered in sidelights and fanlight transom allows for a gracious entry into the building. Bedford, New York.

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A modern twist on a classical design where the sidelights become the transom.

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A modern twist on a classical design where the sidelights become the transom. Hudson, New York.

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This is one of many simply detailed classic entryways we build. The single door centered in sidelights and fanlight transom allows for a gracious entry into the building.

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Photos 12 and 13 are different views of the same entry. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

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This entry is a great example of how the doorway can be the centerpiece of the façade. It indicates approach and hierarchy while enhancing the entire building.

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Historic Doors designed and fabricated all the millwork to produce the doors, windows and millwork for this sun porch entry.

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Reproduction of Queen Anne style door and jamb, Greenwich Village, New York.

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Interior dining room door for an estate property in Millbrook, New York.

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Main entry doors and transom for the Wister Institute at The University of Pennsylvania.

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Historic Doors replicated the original woodwork within the brick opening on this Greenwich Village townhouse.

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Monumental 18’ doors built to replicate the original doors for the Palm Court, Plaza Hotel, New York City, New York.

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Wall of exterior dining room doors for Millbrook New York residence.

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Custom designed and fabricated Greek Revival doorway and portico for Connecticut residence.

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Single door with fanlight and curved raised paneling for New Jersey customer.

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Classical

A classical entryway will always delight the eye. It is often the most ornamented of entryways and serves as the frontispiece for the entire building façade. A well-designed classical entry will consider and complement the entire building in an harmonious way.

We offer design and fabrication services to provide the best solutions for these important entryways. Using appropriate combinations of elements including sidelights, fanlights, pilasters, entablatures and porticos, our classical entryways are custom-tailored for your project. Our experience in Georgian, Federal, Greek, and Classical Revival is available to you and your architect.

Historical Note

Classical doors encompass a wide range of design variations, constructed with the frame-and-panel method. In the early 1700’s, the use of “frame-and-panel” doors replaced the plank-style doors used by the first American settlers. This new construction style, which is still used today, is both more sophisticated and more effective. It helped resolve the problem of seasonal expansion and contraction of wood. In frame-and-panel doors, two vertical stiles spanned the length of the door on each side, connected by horizontal rails. This frame was then completed with “floating panels” that fitted into grooves cut into the stiles and rails. The overall effect resulted in a door that minimized the tendency to swell and shrink, thus remaining more airtight.

Classical door styles and their primary period of use in North America include:

Georgian (ca. 1700–1780)
The first dominant architectural style in Colonial America based on designs developed by the royal architects of King George I, II and III.
Federal (ca. 1790–1820)
Post-revolutionary style that introduced more elaborate decoration and widespread use of the fanlight above the door.
Classical Revival (ca. 1790–1825)
Similar in design to Federal period doors, but constructed with the use of early woodworking machinery, which allowed for more variety in moldings.
Greek Revival (ca. 1825–1860)
The first major shift in style from the Federal period, often with larger vertical panels and more elaborate moldings.