You’re thinking of sprucing up your home, and you’ve decided that doors are a great place to start. You’ve made an excellent choice! Doors are frequently overlooked when remodeling, but they can make a huge difference in the appearance of your home. Of course, it can be a bit of a project narrowing down your options. There are as many doors as there are personalities, and picking the right ones for your home can seem daunting. There’s size, shape, color, style, hinge type, knob type…the list goes on and on. But with a little planning, you can make sure your doors fit perfectly within your budget, your lifestyle, and your decor. Read on to learn seven tips to make the right choice!

1. Set a Budget

Before you start looking, figure out what your budget is going to be. This is one huge step you can take to narrow down your choices. Interior doors start at around $50 and go up from there (in some cases, way up!). Having an idea of your overall budget will allow you to break down your budget per door. You may want to spend more or less depending on door placement. For rooms where soundproofing is important (think bathrooms and bedrooms), solid core doors are the way to go. But for rooms such as closets and pantries, a hollow core door can save you serious money.

2. Consider Your Style

You can’t go wrong with a standard white raised panel door, but you’re not going to be making any kind of statement with it, either. Instead of opting for the norm, think about your style preferences and consider finding a door to match it. Do you like a mid-century modern look? You may want to go with flat panel doors to get that 1960’s vibe. Are you into the country-chic look? Consider using a sliding barn door style in a room or two. Do country French cottages inspire you? Arched doors give that provincial feel. Whatever style you choose, just make sure it fits with your overall decor!

3. Think About Space

If space is a concern, pocket, sliding, or folding doors are a great space-saving choice. Bedroom closet doors are a great place for folding doors. Another space-saving idea is a pivot door that splits the width of the door between two areas, or smaller French doors that only take up about half the space of a regular door when open.

4. Pick the Right Material

Doors come in myriad materials, but the most common are wood and MDF (medium-density fiberboard). Wood is sturdier, great for staining, and an excellent choice for soundproofing. But it tends to be more expensive and difficult to paint. MDF is typically less expensive, lighter, and easier to paint. However, it can’t be stained, and it’s not the best choice if you are soundproofing a room. These days, there are many composite materials available if there’s a special issue you’re looking to solve (such as smudge resistance) or a specific look you’re going for (such as a more glossy modern style).

5. Make a Statement

Most doors in your home will be similar in style, but they don’t all have to be. Consider a single area to do something fun. Common accent doors include pantry or closet doors, or doors between a kitchen and dining area. Use these doorways to make a real statement with etched glass or saloon-style swinging doors. Want to get creative? Add color to your doors or frames. Use door color to add continuity from another part of your home. Or create a dramatic entrance by using a bold color on your front door!

6. Don’t Forget the Hardware

Door hardware can be as important as the door itself. The right knobs and hinges add not only style but also serious functionality to your doors.Soft-closing door systems can prevent doors from slamming in a cool breeze. Quiet hinges can keep you from waking your loved ones when you close a door late at night. The aesthetic of hardware can completely change the look of a room. If you’re on a budget, you may consider changing the hardware on your existing doors rather than getting all new doors. It’s an easy way to spruce up a tired look.

7. Get Creative!

The last thing to remember is not to box yourself in. Try going to a flea market or a salvage yard to find an old door that will add a vintage pop to your decor. Or consider making a door out of reclaimed wood. Finally, you can find ways to creatively spruce up your existing doors to make unique statement pieces for your home.

Whatever you decide, upgrading your current doors will bring new life to your home and be an investment you can cherish for years to come!