Knotty and Nice Alder Wood

image result for alder wood cabinets trim beautiful kitchen

I have been sharing peeks at our fixer upper progress on Instagram (@HelloLovelyStudio), so you may already know the door style we chose for both the interior and exterior is…

gif image of George Costanza drum roll on office desk

a 2-panel knotty alder plank door, made by Pacific Entries and ready to customize.

What do we think of them?

image result for alder wood 2 panel door rustic collection Pacific Entries
click for buying info

The doors are beautiful! We decided on unfinished, solid alder wood doors to replace hollow 6-panel Colonist trim doors and weren’t certain how we wanted to finish them.

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We love the character of the knots and wood grain, but we needed to see them in person to narrow down the possibilities.

image result for alder wood door 2 panel plank rustic collection Pacific Entries

Alder velvety goodness right here in our basement. The minute we carried the doors into the house, we were certain we had made the right decision because of their solid construction, weight, and gorgeous quality.

image result for alder wood 2 panel rustic plank door Pacific Entries
Master bath door ready to install

The master bath door being installed. I will be sharing more details about this particular door from Pacific Entries, because the company offers something no one else can:

a patented door with a reversible jamb kit

so that handing can be determined at installation.

image result for hello lovely master bath fixer upper clawfoot tub
Here’s a peek with that handsome Helmsley oval door knob you can find here.

Know what I’m talking about here? Let’s say you are a DIY type like us and decide to upgrade a door or ten at your house. Maybe you drop by a big box store to check out the selection…but before you buy you must know:

is it right handing or left handing you need?

What a pain when you guess wrong and have to return it, right?

gif image zoe dechanel sobbing on floor

Or maybe you are a contractor, designer, or builder and want to check off “Order Interior Doors” from your long To Do list…how convenient is this reversible system?

image result for alder wood farmhouse sliding barn door rustic Pacific Entries
Pacific Entries Unfinished Alder Barn Door…we’re adding this one too!

Pacific Entries’ patent pending feature is a gamechanger. No more mistakes. You are always right.

I mean.

Where else are you gonna run into those odds? That feature also means you can stay in your PJs, shop online, and know the door you buy will be the right door for your installation.

If you saw my post on beautiful inspiration doors, you’ll know there are an infinite number of options for stain and paint, and in our case, we wanted to add vintage character with the doors since our home came with a bunch of quirky (in a bad way) features.

image result for pink plank door 40 beautiful doors inspiration

After experimenting with stains and finishes, we decided on a matte water-based sealer, allowing the natural color of the wood to shine through.

For the bathroom doors, we are painting the side which faces inside the bathroom, white…not yet certain whether we will do this for the bedroom doors, but we can always paint later.

Wait until you see what this alder door looks like painted white with those beautiful oval door knobs!!!!

image result for oval door knobs oil rubbed bronze Helmsley Pacific Entries Rockwell

It looks exactly like the vintage doors I searched the antique markets for, with all the character and rustic charm but without the peel-y paint and poor-fitting sizes that made that option impossible!

gift image phaedra real housewives atlanta thank you jesus

I am not showing you its awesomeness yet because I want to give that dreamy white alder side the honor it deserves…there may be an entire devoted post.

image result for alder wood exterior rustic door Pacific Entries

But I will show you our new beautiful alder exterior door with its walnut finish and working speakeasy…we can’t wait to see it in place!

The handleset is foxy too.

image result for san jose rockwell handleset Pacific Entries oil rubbed bronze

So why alder then?

We are charmed by alder’s character and how it lends itself especially well to modern farmhouse style.

Because we have so many white walls and new finishes, we think the rustic contrast will achieve the balance and harmony we are after.

Alder is easy to stain…these doors from Pacific Entries are smooth, velvety, and ready to receive their finish.

Let me show you some beautiful alder examples.

image result for alder wood rustic kitchen chalet

Alder cabinetry and doors here are perfect for a casual feel…yet almost everything is rustic so while beautiul, it’s a little one note, and I wonder if modern art, some sleek accessories, and more white might elevate the lovely.

image result for alder wood interior doors chalet rustic craftsman house

While I love the look of these alder doors above, we are keeping our surrounding trim white for contrast.

image result for alder wood rustic garage doors stained dark elegant

I am seeing mainly nice and not much knotty in the gorgeous alder garage doors above.

image result for alder shelves with candles

Carpenters love working with alder. But they hate it when you call them aldermen.

image result for alder wood rustic sliding barn door mud room kitchen

And the character of the knots and grain make it a great choice for farmhouse style projects.

image result for alder wood plank interior door

Knotty alder arched panel doors are also beautiful, but I knew there were enough arches happening with the fan windows everywhere here in the cottage.

image result for alder wood cabinetry beautiful rustic kitchen

Do you know anyone who has used alder for kitchen cabinetry?

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Or shutters?

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Divine Custom

Here’s a richly stained alder reminiscent of cherry wood.

image result for alder wood elegant two panel doors

I love the warmth of the finish above, the lack of knots has an elegant feel.

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A few more alder examples to consider.

Knotty alder door with white trim and planked detail in center.
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The above gives us an idea of the spectrum of stain possibilities.

Knotty alder kitchen base cabinets.
R-Witherspoon

For your Aspen getaway?

Knotty alder cabinets in a kitchen with granite counters.
HGTV

Thanks for stepping into the world of alder wood with me today, and stay tuned for my fixer upper update…we are working hard installing one door at a time, and it will take a Christmas miracle for them all to be in by Christmas, but maybe by the New Year!

I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

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4 Comments

  1. December 13, 2016 / 12:11 pm

    Looks like you are making some awesome choices. Here in Texas we use knotty alder a lot! Lots of character and easy to stain! Hope you have a wonderful holiday!!

    • December 13, 2016 / 6:19 pm

      Thank you for sharing that, Leslie!!! With your mastery in finishes, I am sure you know your way alder and create beautiful finishes for it in Texas. xox

  2. Heather Johnson
    July 22, 2020 / 4:18 pm

    I stumbled across your page and love the finishes you chose! May I ask, what color stain did you select for the kitchen?

    • Michele
      Author
      July 22, 2020 / 7:35 pm

      Not sure what image you are referring to – our kitchen cabinets have Schuler’s “White Icing” finish over maple, and our floors are left unstained and sealed with a clear matte poly.

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SHOP MY HOME!
29″ Whitewashed Table Lamp Set of 2
White Matelasse Quilt on MY BED
SHOP MY BATH!
Trees White Wallpaper Mural
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French Farmhouse Dining Table
Milagro Heart
Slipcovered Dining Chair
Rustic Farmhouse Stool
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French Stripe Basket Set
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French Country Rattan Basket Set
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Rattan Basket With Lid
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Upholstered Dining Arm Chair
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Shaw Daybed
Distressed White French Country Chandelier
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Oval Back Counter Stool, Set of 2
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Round French Tufted Ottoman
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Italian Candelabra Chandelier
Slipcovered Linen Chair
Warner Upholstered Bench
Rustic Country French Dresser
Laurel Wreath Mirror
Round Farmhouse Dining Table
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Pardon My French Doormat
Stripe Turkish Towel Throw
Pamela Arm Chair
Sweater Weave Basket
French Carved Wood Chandelier
Terracotta Pots & Basket
French Country Wood Chandelier
French Linen Dining Chair
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French Farmhouse Dining Table
Bar Stool
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Rattan Armchair
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Cross Back Dining Chair
French Country Candle Holder
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Designer Favorite Wall Mirror
Holborn Lantern Pendant
French Country 6-Light Chandelier
Tray Side Table
French Country Upholstered Arm Chair
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Mohair Throw
Rustic Industrial Farmhouse Shelves
Belgian Linen Sofa
White Duvet & Bedding
Rustic Wood Candlestick Set
French Market Basket
Linen Modern Wing Chair
French Country Farmhouse Baskets
Concrete Pillar Table Lamp
Boheme Madera Bench
Belgian Style Lamp
Kendall Skirted Dining Chair
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Scrubbed Wood 5-Light Chandelier
Arched Champagne Wall Mirror
Moravian Star 1-Light Pendant
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