Wednesday Classics: Upholstered Doors

Helena Rubenstein's Paris apartment 1937.  Image via Corbis.

Upholstered doors are perhaps the crown jewel of detailing.  One thing is to add moldings, dado rails and/or to cover a wall with mirrors but upholstering one door is the epitome of attention to details.  Although most commonly used in the glamorous times of the ‘30's; according to Suzanne Rheinstein, upholstered doors were also used in kitchen doors of the English Estates to keep the sound and the smell of cooking from spreading.  Very clever!  One of the first old images that come to my mind is Helena Rubenstein's Paris apartment ca. 1937 where sumptuous satin fabric covered the doors in her bedroom.  In the time of glamour and exuberance of the ‘30's, doors were a lot more elaborate with patterns that not only emulated the shape of the door but were more like plain canvases where different designs patterns were created.

John Saladino did it a little bit more like the old times when doors were more elaborate.  He covered these doors in leather creating big squares with x pattern inside with nailhead.

Suede covered doors.

How tranquil and gorgeous is this bedroom.  I don't know if the doors are upholstered but I think it's a good pattern to recreate.  Image via.

 Miles Redd amazing zebra doors.  Stunning!  Below is a view of his bedroom's more elaborate door.

 Miles Redd

I don't know the source of this image but the doors are absolutely beautiful.  Love the drop pull handle in the middle.

I have very plain, uninteresting doors in my bedroom closet and I've been thinking about revamping them up a little bit.  I think these doors did it for me.  It's time for another small project in the house.

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