We have the middle one on our downstairs bathroom. It was here already when we moved in, so I didn't pick it but my tastes lean towards transitional and less decorative so for me it was perfect, not too much, not too little (and easy to paint) :c)

Your first choice (to me) leans towards arts & craft but would work in transitional too I think, harder to paint though. The third with the arch and bead board is definitly counry or cottage.

Hi Emma3333.

It's hard to recommend a door in a stylistic vacuum--that is, without knowing anything about your existing furniture, what the overall feel & era of your house is, your budget, that kind of stuff--but I will say this: if 'transitional leading toward modern' is what you're after, thse doors aren't it.

Like Luckiirish says, that red door's stacked horizontals date back to the turn of the last century, when what we call 'Modern' was still just a pipe dream in a few architects' heads, and the other doors are no better. The middle one doesn't say much of anything and the bottom one is just too cute for words.

If you've got the house for it, nothing beats a sleek, unmolded flush door. Of course, some people associate them with cheap tract houses--and yes, the suburbs are still full of cheap hollow-core flush doors with big dents in them where some kid ran into one with his Big Wheel, or where his big briother punched a hole in it with his fist--but that's the fault of the builders' going with the cheapest model, not the design of the door itself. In some houses, a flush door--and here, we're talking solid core--is the only really appropriate choice. If you give us some more information, we can give you a more specific answer.

I like your second choice the best but there isn't anything wrong with any of them. The first and third choices will make the doors more noticable if that's what you want. The middle choice is classic and will always look nice.

I love the look of the first door, however it looks as if the panels are raised and I personally prefer recessed panels like in older homes. I like it because it reminds me of an old historic home, that is if it's done right like door #12 in the following link. I'm not sure if it is transitional though.

Here is a link that might be useful: panel doors

I had the raised 6 panel doors in my last house so I am changing to a different style in my new home.

I am thinking about going with one like your 3rd picture BUT without the beadboard look. They will be a smooth finish. My home and furniture has a traditional look. I think the style will be easier to wipe down.

Good Luck on decision

magnaverde took the words right out of my mouth. Well not word for word, but the fact we need more info before recommendations. I agree also that what we do know would make me lean toward a solid core flush door in style.

Oh, usually I'll read Magnaverde's wise posts and say hmmm, now there's another perspective I could live with, but this time, not so much. Not only because I see those cheap boring doors in the suburb homes mentioned all the time with my job, but because they have no visual interest whatsoever. Granted, there's not too much you can do with an affordably priced door, but I'd want more interest than just flush. :c(

We are just finishing our house and we have door # 3 throughout, and yes it is more cottage/country look but that is the look we wanted. I love them and almost everyone who has come thru our house has commented on them. # 1 and 2 are more modern looking so if that is the look you want then go with either of those. Good luck, Patty

Is there a budget allowance for doors? Are your restricted to certain companies?

One of the things that I would recommend, if it is available through your builder (or if you can order whatever you want), is a solid core door rather than a hollow core door. I will agree with Magnaverde that there is nothing wrong, if you are going for contemporary, with a plain slab door, with nice hardware. This is not to be confused with a builder-grade hollow core slab door with cheap hardware :)--I personally would rather have a plainer, solid-feeling, door than a fancy-looking but flimsy feeling hollow door.

I like the first door, but in a flat panel. But I wouldn't consider that modern. I've linked the tru stile website. Play around with it a bit, it might help you figure out what you are looking for.

Here is a link that might be useful: tru stile doors

I have the third door in my house and really like it, but if your style is more transitional/modern, then I would go with #2. Both 1 and 2 are great doors, but 2 seems less busy to me.

If you use 1 or 3, then I think simple door casing might complement the door more than a more ornate trim.

If I were buying for my house I would pick door number 1.That being said, my home is more historic and that door fits. We changed the doors upstairs to a six panel, but not that style, which we would have preferred, but cost prohibited.

That being said if you want a more modern style, go with number 2. We have them downstairs (orginal to the house). Classic door and the door handle makes it a bit more contemporary.

I'd describe the style of the renovations we're doing to our 1950's house as "transitional leaning towards modern", I think, and we chose 5-panel doors similar to your first pic, but without the raised panel or moulding at all.

Here's an intertesting blurb from a door manufacturer about them:
This five panel door style has shown a huge resurgence in popularity over the past few years, even appearing on a lot of tv programs and movies. Originally, it was probably created during the Victorian era with raised panels, and sometimes with flat panels, or almost flat panels. It has a simple, clean look, with five uniformly sized panels running horizontally across the door.

With the flat panel version, it can evoke both arts and crafts, or mission style, as well as giving a contemporary feel. Just by changing the wood type, you can also change the whole feel of the door. For instance, oak may give you a grainier, more earthy feel, while a painted poplar may give you a crisp, contemporary feel, when combined with more contemporary moldings around the door.

My interior doors are similar to the bottom one (2 panel) but they have flat panels, not the beadboard look. I really love them.

I like the middle one.

If your leaning towards modern, take a look at these. I wish I had found these before I bought mine. The prices aren't to bad either.

Here is a link that might be useful: modern doors

Thanks for the great link, dollfanz. I've never seen those doors before. Modern doesn't have to mean boring.

Ours are like #2.
I really like #1 but would be afraid that if you got into the end of a a hallway where doors are clustered together the look could get a little busy.