For those of you with a mid century home, we’ve previously spotlighted two companies that sell mid century modern style exterior doors — Crestview’s wood doors and the new Therma-Tru fiberglass doors. But what if you have a Colonial style home — or as Pam likes to call it — Cool-onial? Reader Doug had this dilemma, and tipped us to Simpson Door, which offers five exterior door styles that might be more suitable a more traditional looking mid century ranch, Colonial or Cape Cod home. Simpson Door also has several options for historic Bungalows and Arts & Crafts style homes.
Wood doors made in the U.S.A.
We reached out to Simpson Door to learn more about this company, and very promptly received a helpful response from their marketing rep, Brandner Communications’ Troy Brown. Troy sent us all the great door style photos and this info about the 101-year-old company:
Simpson® Door Company’s “Made-in-the USA” Story:
Like the Douglas fir and Western hemlock trees that grow in abundance here, Simpson® Door Company’s roots run deep in the heart of Washington State forestland. For 100 years, Simpson has been creating American-made exterior, interior and custom wood doors at its manufacturing facility in McCleary, Washington.
Simpson’s story began in 1910 when savvy businessman and tireless innovator Henry McCleary had 40 acres of land cleared for his new door factory. The 900-foot-long facility was completed in 1912. As the largest door factory in the world at the time, McCleary Door Company began producing 138,000 units a month. In 1941, Simpson Lumber Company acquired the door plant and renamed it Simpson Door Company.
The creativity, engineering and innovation that began with Henry McCleary continue. Today, Simpson remains an industry-leading manufacturer of stile and rail wood doors. Simpson Door Company is one of the oldest continuously operating door plants in the nation, and is the city of McCleary’s main industry and largest employer. “We are grateful to call McCleary our home for the past century, “said Brad Loveless, Simpson Marketing and Product Development Manager. “The pride associated with each Simpson door is evident in the generations of families here that have dedicated their lives to building them. When purchasing a Simpson door, customers are not only getting a beautiful, handcrafted showpiece for their home, they are getting a part of our home and history as well.”
Simpson’s extensive product line is available through dealers across the U.S. and Canada, and includes hundreds of standard door designs from panel to French to decorative entry doors with matching sidelights and transoms. Simpson doors can be made in a variety of wood species, sizes and glass options, whether a standard door design or a one-of-a-kind custom door. But what separates a Simpson door from other wood doors in the market, is mostly in what you don’t see: Innovative construction techniques and the highest quality materials for internal components, result in a longer lasting door backed by extended warranties.
Industry research continually shows Simpson as number one in brand recognition in the wood door category. Product development and innovation continue to expand Simpson’s offerings with recent additions including its Nantucket® Collection and Performance Series® – exterior wood doors for tough exposures – as well as a number of new contemporary door designs for today’s homes. To make it easier for customers to choose the door that best suits their tastes, Simpson has added a variety of online design tools – “Glass Taste Test,” “Test Drive a Door” and an interactive wood species selector.
Simpson’s strong roots, century of experience and expertise provide customers with confidence that their “Made in the U.S.A.” Simpson doors will make a great first and last impression of their home.
When it comes to choosing the right style of door for your home, Simpson has a helpful design tool to allow homeowners to test drive their new front door by uploading a photo of the front of their home and virtually install doors they are considering — similar to Crestview Doors Door-o-Vision. Simpson Doors also offers a Glass Taste Test — similar to the door test drive — which allows customers to see how various glass options will look on different door styles.
Troy also sent some pricing info for four of the door styles that would work on a mid century colonial style ranch:
Following is the general price range for each door. The specific price will depend on the wood species, glass choice and local market factors.
2035 – Traditional Sash $450 – $500
2039 – Traditional Sash $475 – $525
2182 – Traditional Sash $500 – $550
2184 – Traditional Sash $450 – $500
We think that doors like this — early American-inspired — were likely even more common than mid century modern style doors. It’s nice to know they are still available.
Brian T says
My 1954 Cape Cod has the 9-light crossbuck as the back door. Our problem is that the door handle and lock is in iffy shape — screws fall out and the lock jams. The original owners (whose estate we bought from) chose a pitcher-handle setup that is not matched in size by anything manufactured today. We can’t just swap out the hardware because there’s nothing in the same configuration. So we may end up having to replace a perfectly good door — glad I have this blog to steer me to an exact replica!
(The most problematic part of our house is the doorknobs — including the back door, there are five doors where the doorknob has just come off in our hands. The interior doors are pretty flimsy hollow affairs with veneer and no molding or architectural distinction. It might not be authentic, but I do fantasize about replacing them all with nice solid paneled wooden doors …)
Chad says
If you can find an alternate way to bolt your door shut, take the knob off and go to a locksmith. I just love old doorknobs that aren’t quite like the (much easier to install) ones you get today. As for the interior doors, I’ve developed an aversion to hollow doors after seeing them separate like yours. Then the retro (or older than retro) decorating gods gave me 5 matching 4-paneled doors that look original to my house!
Mary Elizabeth says
My kitchen entry door is the one on the bottom row, first on the left, except that instead of one glass piece on the top, there are three, corresponding to the three wood panels on the bottom. It worries me a bit that someone could break in easily, so I have a lock that cannot be opened without a key.
Although my 1959 house style is a one-story ranch, the original exterior details as well as the kitchen were definitely colonial inspirations, sometimes snidely called “pseudo-colonial” in the literature on mid-century modest houses. We recently gave away the original louvered wood shutters, which had been replace by vinyl ones in exactly the same Cape Cod style. I have concluded that the builder/owner and his wife just liked the look of a Cape but wanted one-story living.
Jason says
Mary,
We have the same door – it’s the #318 I mentioned above if you go to the Simpson site – so glad to see them made today!
Jay says
Mary, I have the same 3 light door in my kitchen and at some point a previous owner put a deadbolt on that requires a key to unlock from inside. I have never removed the key so it defeats the purpose. My parents of advanced age moved in with me when I bought the house so didn’t want to be fumbling for a key in the dark. Keep it on a hook close by in case you need to exit quickly. I believe these locks are no longer on the market.
jeanne says
A deadbolt lock with a key is against code in my city (dangerous if there’s a fire at night and people can’t find key to get out). The previous owners of my home screwed a metal mesh panel to the door – covering the glass window portion – so if someone broken the glass to get in the house, the metal mesh panel would stop them (or at least be a huge obstacle). It’s ugly, but a good security measure. The whole door is on my project list to paint (thinking of painting the metal as well) and maybe sew a curtain panel to cover the window/metal mesh).
Jay says
That’s a good solution. At my last house, on the basement door, I screwed a thick sheet of clear plexiglass over all the glass panes.
Mary Elizabeth says
Thanks for the feedback about the key. They do still sell these locks in Connecticut–my husband bought it a few months ago– and they are not against code. At night, we do keep the key on a rack near the door, where we know where it is but where a burglar would have to be fumbling around in the dark to feel it from the broken window. My mother lived in a house with this kind of door and the key on a hook near it until she died at age 91–of natural causes, not from failure to get the key, I must add. She also taught me to have fire drills with my family so that everyone knew how to get out of every door or window.
The other alternative I’ve thought of with a large glass window above the lock is to put a grate over the window, like they do in New York City. But I couldn’t find any to go with the house.
Jason says
Love this – Traditional Sash 318 is the typical back door we see in older homes – love it!!!
Robin, NV says
I was very excited to see the excellent options that Simpson Door has to offer when someone linked their website a few weeks ago. I’d totally go for 2035. It’d be perfect for the kitchen door that leads to the side yard. Alas, that door also serves as the dog door and there’s no way I’m punching a hole through one of these beautiful doors just so the dogs can let themselves out. I definitely need to replace my existing door but I’ll likely get a cheapo door from one of the box stores. Sigh.
Robin, NV says
Pam and Kate – do you guys have an opinion about Dutch doors in a mid century home? My parent’s house (built in ’74) had a Dutch door leading to the carport. I would love to have one in my kitchen. this company sells them in many different styles: http://www.dutchdoorusa.com/?3e3ea140
The company sells as astonishing array of doors but mostly on the Craftsman/Arts and Crafts end of the scale.
lisa says
I’m no design expert, but I’m a HUGE Dutch door fan. We just installed one, my longtime dream, and I love it. That said, I’m in Seattle where no one has AC and insects are not a problem. I’m not sure I would have enjoyed the Dutch door nearly as much back when I lived in Texas. Maybe if there was a screen door it would work?
Robin, NV says
A Dutch door in Seattle would be perfect! I used to live in Bothell, and I can imagine how nice it must be to open up the door to let in that wonderful, soft Puget Sound air.
I love Dutch doors – I’d want one for the aesthetic and because it would be nice to throw my recycling out into my recycling bin without opening the whole door. I have a rug by my current door (for the dogs) and you have to move it every time you open the door. I wouldn’t have to with a Dutch door – how’s that for lazy?
Ruth says
The first thing I thought about when I saw the first door was that was the exact style of Dutch door we used to have. My family used to live in a house built in 1958 and everything was original. The back door heading out to the yard was a Dutch door with the 9 pane window design. I loved the concept of the split door.
Ada says
My grandparents renovated their home in 1960 and ’61. They specifically used the mid-century version of ‘colonial’ style as that was my grandmother’s favourite style. Both the kitchen and the outside door into the ‘den’ were Dutch doors. They even used a Dutch door for the ‘apartment’ above the garage! It’s definitely period correct!
pam kueber says
Great tip on the Dutch Door company, Robin. We will check them out! Thanks!
Chad says
I’d say that the plainest ones with two equal panels (vertical or horizontal) or a crossbuck design on the lower halves, and a similarly colonial top half (either paneled or 1 or 9 light glass) would be fine for a mid century house with a colonial vibe. That dental detail on the one in the photo is nice but wrong for this period, as are some of the other panel styles that look more pre-war or Victorian. There are a lot of postwar Colonials in my area that have farmhouse inspired wrought iron strap hinges and latches that were more common in the 30’s, but by mid 50’s most houses around me had a pretty plain colonial style. Even my parents’ custom 1951 house in a mostly pre-war neighborhood had flush interior doors when it was built.
pam kueber says
I agree that interior doors were likely slab. But exterior doors: Decorative.
Chad says
Yep, my parents have an 8 paneled front door that looks like it could be a Dutch door if you sawed it in half. It also looks strikingly like the Leave it to Beaver house’s front door. There are small panes of glass instead of panels at the top. And actually, I know people who popped panels out of their front door; it’s a cheap and easy fix!
Gracie Manasco says
OMG! I have been looking for the diamond pane door here for literally 10 years with no luck! And I even worked for a door company for 3 of those years! I’ve begged neighbors and strangers to sell me their front doors, and I’ve dug through dumpsters and skips, and trash to no avail! I am now the happiest girl in the whole world!!! THANK YOU!!!
Doug Camin @ House on Rynkus Hill says
Well, this comment certainly gets a “Like” 🙂
Kate says
Yay, I’m so glad you have finally found the door for you Gracie! 🙂
Lynne says
Oh dear, Gracie. You can have one of mine! Its been in the basement for over a year!
Gracie Manasco says
I know it has been SO frustrating! Every other home in my neighborhood has this door but I could never find one! I have the door with the 3 little windows in a diagonal line, and it’s original to the home, but I’ve just loved diamond windows since I was a little girl… and now I’ll be able to finally get one (I hope!) Thanks Lynne… if buying new doesn’t work out, I might just be contacting you for your door! It needs to be a 30×68 to fit! 🙂
Lynne says
My door is 32 x 80 Grace. 68? Are you sure?
Chad says
Yeah, 68 is about 5′-8″, shorter than I am. 78 is believable though; most doors in my house (except a poorly installed replacement that I removed) are around 77. I would look for vintage if you need to do a lot of trimming because often the wood was better on older doors.
Rick S says
Gracie,
Are the measurements 3’0″ x 6’8″? That is 36 inches x 80 inches?
most front doors are a little bigger often 3 feet of more.
rick
Deborah says
I actually found a diamond windowed door like the one pictured in a garbage corral. I saw only the top foot or so of the door sticking up above the enclosure
The stained catspaw glass in it caught my eye. There was some damage to the wood around where the dead bolt goes. A hefty wrap around brass plate fixed that. I couldn’t believe anyone would throw such a beautiful door away! A friend helped me take off the trashy pressboard ‘dungeon’ door and put this one on in it’s place. It looks perfect on my 1953 modest ranch. It really brightened up the front of my house. Upped the appeal by a factor of ten. It’s the find of the decade for me.
Sherree says
My ranch was built in 1951 and I also have the one on the bottom left, where my knotty pine laundry room exits to the garage. I have another one (the same) leading to my basement from the garage. Does anyone else have to get to their basement through the garage? My original front door is long gone; wish I knew what it had looked like!
Patty says
Some of my neighbors go thru their garage to get to the basement.
Lynne says
We have two of these doors. Ours are the second one shown, the model with the diamond windows. The “screen door” is wooden and matches.
Like Patty, my house has multiple personalities as well. These doors don’t go with the style of the house at all. I can’t imagine why they were chosen in the first place.
Doug Camin @ House on Rynkus Hill says
Yay! I can’t tell you how many hours of Internet searching I did for our house. We haven’t bought the door yet (that’s several projects away…) but it’s awesome to be able to buy a great custom real-wood door, especially for kitchen and patio doors. My house has (almost) a 318 – the same three horizontal windows, but the bottom is a single raised panel instead of three horizontal raised.
jeanne says
I, too, have the lower left (full glass, triple horizontal lower section) door on the side door of my ’52 bungalow. My front door is a panel door with one small window. Both are painted white.
When I walk my dog, I always check out everyone’s front door. My neighborhood is like an Edward Scissorhand’s neighborhood – rows of story-and-a-half brick bungalows. They were obviously built by the same builder, who alternated 4 or 5 styles, but they are all brick and you can tell all originally had white trim (aluminum or painted wood?), white windows and doors. I love checking out who has replaced their doors or who has just painted their front doors. I want to paint my door a color other than white, but haven’t settled on a color yet. I have a Pinterest board for door colors. 🙂
Kate says
I love how you compared your neighborhood to Edward Scissorhand’s neighborhood! Are the houses fun, bright colors as well? 🙂 If so, I want to visit…
jeanne says
Not bright colors, just very similar. Sometimes I have trouble finding my own house when I’m driving down my street. LOL I have a giant maple in my front yard as a landmark. I also have the “hollywood” style driveway that was mentioned on the blog a while back (two cement strips).
Patty says
My front door is mid-mod. I have one of these back doors exiting my knotty pine room. All original from mid-50s. I guess my house has multiple personalities.