Internal Doors & Screens

Internal doors and screens are where movement, privacy and light all meet. They are the pieces people touch every day – controlling how spaces connect, how sound travels and how visible one room is to the next. Thoughtfully designed doors and screens can make a plan feel calm, legible and generous; poorly handled ones can make even the best layouts feel bitty and compromised.

At Make Bespoke Studio we design and deliver internal doors and screens for homes, hotels, members’ clubs and mixed-use projects – from discreet, full-height doors that disappear into panelling to expressive glazed screens that define social spaces. We work closely with interior designers, architects and procurement teams to coordinate this scope with wall panelling, storage, lighting and hardware.

What we mean by internal doors and screens

When we talk about internal doors and screens, we are thinking beyond a simple door leaf. We are interested in the whole assembly – frames, linings, architraves, hardware, glazing, seals and how these interface with adjacent panelling and finishes.

·        hinged doors – single, double and pairs, from standard heights to full-height and over-scaled feature doors

·        pocket and sliding doors – disappearing into wall pockets or sliding over the face of walls and panelling

·        pivot doors – for wider openings and more dramatic thresholds

·        glazed doors and side-lights – for lobbies, corridors, kitchens and studies where borrowed light matters

·        fixed glazed screens – in timber or slimline metal frames, to separate spaces while keeping visual connection

·        acoustic and fire-rated door sets – particularly for hotel corridors, plant interfaces and noisy or quiet rooms

These elements nearly always interact with Wall Panelling & Architectural Joinery, Fitted Storage & Alcove Units and Libraries & Bookcase Joinery, so we design them as part of one joined-up package.

Types of doors and screens we design

Every project will mix different door types and screens depending on plan, performance and atmosphere. We help assemble a coherent “family” of doors that can then be deployed across rooms and floors.

·        Hinged doors and pairs – the everyday workhorse of most projects: single and double doors, from simple painted leaves to heavily panelled or veneered feature doors, with frames and architraves coordinated with Wall Panelling & Architectural Joinery.

·        Full-height and concealed doors – doors that extend to the ceiling or sit within a flush panel run, often used to simplify complex corridors or to hide secondary spaces such as Locker Rooms & Back-of-House Joinery or storage rooms.

·        Pocket and sliding doors – doors that disappear into wall pockets or slide over panelling, particularly useful between Bespoke Kitchens & Pantries and dining rooms, or between Home Offices & Study Joinery and living spaces.

·        Pivot doors – wide leaves with top and bottom pivots rather than conventional hinges, often used as feature thresholds to Amenity & Members’ Club Joinery spaces, Spa & Wellness Joinery suites or key reception rooms.

·        Glazed doors and side-lights – doors incorporating clear, reeded or patterned glass, sometimes within slim glazing bars, giving borrowed light into Home Offices & Study Joinery, kitchens and internal corridors.

·        Fixed glazed screens – timber or metal-framed screens used to divide spaces while maintaining visual connection – ideal for Home Bars & Back Bars corners, Media Walls & TV Joinery backdrops or flexible club spaces within Amenity & Members’ Club Joinery.

·        Performance door sets – acoustic and fire-rated doors, often used extensively within Hotel Guestroom Joinery Packages and Locker Rooms & Back-of-House Joinery, with detailing carefully tuned so they still feel part of the wider scheme.

Internal doors and screens in residential projects

In homes and private apartments, doors and screens control how open or enclosed spaces feel – how sound travels, how light moves and where sightlines stop. We often use them to create subtle gradations of privacy rather than hard “open plan versus closed” moves.

·        Entrance and circulation – front doors into flats (from the inside), hall doors and stair doors, often tied closely into Wall Panelling & Architectural Joinery to make arrival feel composed rather than leftover.

·        Living, dining and kitchen connections – double doors, glazed doors and pocket doors that allow kitchens to be opened or closed from living spaces, working in tandem with Bespoke Kitchens & Pantries and Home Bars & Back Bars.

·        Bedrooms, dressing rooms and en-suites – doors between bedrooms, dressing areas and bathrooms, often coordinated with Wardrobes & Dressing Rooms and Headboards & Bedroom Feature Joinery so that door positions support furniture layouts.

·        Home offices, libraries and snug rooms – doors and glazed screens that allow spaces to be closed for concentration or opened into larger living areas, usually developed alongside Home Offices & Study Joinery and Libraries & Bookcase Joinery, giving enough separation without losing light.

·        Media rooms and cinemas – doors with appropriate acoustic and light-control performance for Home Cinemas & Screening Rooms and Media Walls & TV Joinery spaces.

Internal doors and screens in hospitality and members’ clubs

In hotels and clubs, doors and screens carry a lot of operational and experiential responsibility. They manage fire strategy, acoustics, accessibility and back-of-house separation, while also shaping how guests move through lobbies, corridors, bars and amenity spaces.

·        Lobbies, receptions and arrival sequences – large feature doors, revolving or sliding sets (on the internal side) and glazed screens that connect Reception Desks & Lobby Joinery with adjacent lounges, bars and Amenity & Members’ Club Joinery spaces.

·        Guestroom corridors and lift lobbies – guestroom doors and cross-corridor fire doors, coordinated with Hotel Guestroom Joinery Packages and Wall Panelling & Architectural Joinery to maintain rhythm, durability and acoustic performance.

·        Bars, lounges and dining rooms – doors and glazed screens that can open spaces up for events or create more intimate rooms for dining and private hire, working alongside Home Bars & Back Bars, Hospitality Bars & Back Counters and wider Amenity & Members’ Club Joinery.

·        Spa and wellness transitions – doors and screens between public areas and Spa & Wellness Joinery zones, balancing acoustic separation, humidity control and visual calm.

·        Back-of-house separation – staff-only doors, service hatches and BOH corridor doors, carefully integrated with Locker Rooms & Back-of-House Joinery and visible Wall Panelling & Architectural Joinery so BOH access feels discreet.

Light, visibility and privacy

Internal doors and screens are one of the main tools for controlling light and privacy. We treat glass type, framing and sightlines as part of the overall spatial composition.

·        using clear glazing where long views and a sense of depth are important

·        specifying reeded, patterned or sandblasted glass where silhouettes and light are welcome but privacy is needed

·        controlling mullion and transom positions so that sightlines line up with views, artwork or key pieces of joinery

·        balancing glazed and solid elements so that acoustic and light-control requirements are met without spaces feeling sealed off

These decisions are often made alongside Media Walls & TV Joinery, Home Offices & Study Joinery and Amenity & Members’ Club Joinery planning, where visibility and separation both matter.

Performance: acoustics, fire and accessibility

Alongside how doors and screens look, we pay close attention to how they perform. Particularly in hotels, clubs and multi-unit residential schemes, acoustic ratings, fire certifications and accessibility are central to the design.

·        coordinating fire ratings and door hardware with project fire strategies and schedules

·        planning acoustic door sets to control sound transfer between guestrooms, corridors, meeting rooms and media spaces

·        allowing for appropriate thresholds, clear openings and ironmongery for accessibility

·        coordinating closers, seals and drop seals so that performance doors still feel pleasant to use

These performance requirements are woven into our Bespoke Joinery technical packages and cross-checked against operator standards, particularly for Hotel Guestroom Joinery Packages and wider Hospitality Joinery scopes.

Materials, finishes and hardware

Because doors are touched so frequently, materials and hardware make a disproportionate difference to how a project feels in use. We balance robustness, cost and tactility, often using a limited number of carefully chosen door types repeated with variations in finish.

We assemble material and ironmongery palettes from our Materials library – painted and veneered door leaves, solid timber edges, metal trims, glass types and hardware finishes – in line with Joinery Styles.

·        selecting leaf constructions and edge details appropriate to performance, impact and budget

·        coordinating architrave and frame details with Wall Panelling & Architectural Joinery so that doors sit comfortably within adjacent panelling or plaster.

·        choosing ironmongery – levers, pulls, locks, hinges, floor springs and sliding gear – that feels good in the hand and suits the project’s overall character

·        balancing expressive feature doors with quieter, standardised door types to keep maintenance and replacement straightforward

Integration with joinery and services

Internal doors and screens sit at the interface between architecture, joinery and services. We pay attention to how they meet floors, ceilings, skirtings, panelling and MEP so that the whole assembly feels resolved.

·        aligning head heights with panelling datums, ceiling steps and bulkheads

·        planning thresholds and floor transitions so that door movement is smooth and accessible

·        coordinating seals, access control, card readers and intercoms with door frames and adjacent panelling

·        tying glazed screens into adjacent joinery such as Reception Desks & Lobby Joinery, Home Bars & Back Bars, Hospitality Bars & Back Counters and Media Walls & TV Joinery.

Our process for internal doors and screens

Our approach to internal doors and screens follows the same clear stages as our wider

Bespoke Joinery work, with particular emphasis on coordination with fire, acoustic and hardware packages.

1. Brief & performance review We begin by understanding how spaces are used, what levels of openness, privacy and acoustic separation are required, and any brand or operator standards.

2. Plans, schedules and elevations We review plans, door schedules, fire and acoustic reports – or visit site – to understand adjacencies, routes and key views.

3. Door and screen families We propose a clear family of door and screen types – including leaf constructions, glazing types, frames and hardware – and map where each is used.

4. Detailed design & coordination We produce detailed drawings showing door frame details, junctions with panelling and walls, glazing bars, ironmongery preparations and any performance build-ups.

5. Materials, hardware and samples We prepare focused samples of finishes, glass and hardware, aligning them with adjacent scopes on Types of Joinery and ensuring consistency with Wall Panelling & Architectural Joinery, Hospitality Joinery, Residential Joinery and Amenity & Members’ Club Joinery packages.

6. Production & installation Internal doors and screens are manufactured through our network of workshops and specialist door suppliers, and installed in coordination with main contractors, fire and acoustic consultants, decorators and services teams, with careful setting out and on-site adjustments to suit real conditions.

Connecting doors and screens into the wider scheme

Internal doors and screens are one of the main ways people experience a building day to day. Handled well, they quietly reinforce the language of the joinery and support both guest and staff journeys.

We make sure decisions taken here align with adjacent scopes such as Wall Panelling & Architectural Joinery, Media Walls & TV Joinery, Libraries & Bookcase Joinery, Fitted Storage & Alcove Units, Wardrobes & Dressing Rooms, Headboards & Bedroom Feature Joinery, Reception Desks & Lobby Joinery, Amenity & Members’ Club Joinery, Spa & Wellness Joinery, Locker Rooms & Back-of-House Joinery, Bespoke Kitchens & Pantries, Home Bars & Back Bars, Hospitality Bars & Back Counters and Hotel Guestroom Joinery Packages. All of this is structured through Types of Joinery and the stylistic language captured on Joinery Styles.

Next steps

If you are developing internal doors and screens as part of a project, share your plans, door schedules, fire and acoustic requirements, interior concepts and any operator or brand standards with us.

We can respond with coordinated door and screen families, elevation studies and indicative scopes, showing how this layer could connect with Wall Panelling & Architectural Joinery, Media Walls & TV Joinery, Libraries & Bookcase Joinery, Fitted Storage & Alcove Units, Wardrobes & Dressing Rooms, Headboards & Bedroom Feature Joinery, Reception Desks & Lobby Joinery, Amenity & Members’ Club Joinery, Spa & Wellness Joinery, Locker Rooms & Back-of-House Joinery, Bespoke Kitchens & Pantries, Home Bars & Back Bars, Hospitality Bars & Back Counters and Hotel Guestroom Joinery Packages. From there we move into detailed design, sampling and delivery in line with your programme.