Packaging might not count when it comes to deciphering the contents of people or presents, but as far as homes are concerned, exterior packaging is an integral part of a consistent whole. A home’s façade immediately communicates architectural style but also overall personality, whether diminutive or imposing, rustic or formal, or anything in between.
A successful new old home contains outdoor details capable of tricking a trained eye into seeing an aged structure. Not only must these exterior elements be crafted out of historically appropriate materials whenever possible, but their components and proportions must be convincing as well. At the same time, performance and longevity cannot be sacrificed, which is why the following recommendations are designed to last well into the future while evoking eras past.
For optimum new old results, designers rely on the expertise of local craftsmen to create doors that exemplify tradition. For example, the design/build firm Stoltzfus Enterprises conceived its Olde Bulltown Village development in Chester County, Pennsylvania, as a collection of period homes whose construction hearkens back to the eighteenth century. Solid wood doors are an integral part of these residences’ historic charm.
“Most of our doors are custom made by French Creek Woodworking out of Spanish cedar,” says Stoltzfus. “They are heavy and outfitted with large strap hinges; we even use reconditioned carpenter locks for a more complete historical effect.”