They Don’t Make those Anymore?

When David and Christiane Erwin decided to remodel their mid-century home in Austin, they wanted a solid wood door just like the original one across the street. But those fabulous modern doors were nowhere to be found. The couple asked the same question at showrooms everywhere: “Really? They don’t make those doors anymore?”

You remember them, don’t you? The ones with the diamond and square glass cut-outs (think back to your parents’ Polaroids). The Erwins special ordered their 1950s front door, only to discover that other people in their historic neighborhood wanted the same (quite often to replace newer doors that didn’t mesh with the mid-century design). Seeing an opportunity, the Erwins started Crestview Doors, which offers reproductions of 1950’s doors made of solid wood. They feel that Crestview’s most important contribution is bringing the work of mid-century masters to life. The Pasadena B features three centered square glass inserts, and the Grover D three closely-spaced but scattered, vertically-oriented rectangles in the top third of the door. You can special order doors to replicate any original design, even the more lavish glass and wrought-iron affairs that featured flamingos, for example. One of the models, the Crosby, jumps forward a decade or two, offering funky orange graphic eco-resin panels.

For anyone with a 1950’s home, Crestview Doors can maintain the authenticity of the geometric design. Those perfectly flat roofs and horizontal bricks and windows won’t have to fight with contemporary front doors. The entrance to the mid-century home can be as historically fitting as it should be. Let’s just hope the good design continues past the threshold.