Nikola Stokanic
Architect and Interior Designer
Yes, the humble door. Something we use dozens of times a day without a second thought. But when you really stop and analyze it, doors are a surprisingly misunderstood piece of design. Specifically, how we open them. Or rather, how often we open them wrong.
Handles, by their very nature, suggest that you should grab and pull. So, when you place a handle on both sides of a door, people instinctively try to pull—even when they should be pushing. You’ve probably done it yourself: walk up to a door, tug at the handle, and then awkwardly realize it was a push door all along.
It’s not your fault. It’s bad design.
From a user experience standpoint, doors should communicate their function clearly, without needing a sign, label, or moment of hesitation. If a door is meant to be pulled, it should have a handle—on that side only. If it’s meant to be pushed, there should be no handle at all. Just a flat plate or clean surface that your body naturally understands how to interact with.
It’s a small thing. But small things add up.
Door handles are some of the most commonly misunderstood design elements. There’s hardly another piece of furniture or hardware that creates as much confusion.
Design is never just about how something looks. It’s about how it works. Great design doesn’t ask for instructions. It speaks clearly through form and logic. And in the case of doors, the solution is simple: one handle. One side. That’s it.
It might seem like a minor detail. But I believe these small design cues shape the way we move through space—literally and emotionally. The fewer moments of friction, the more ease and flow we experience.
So, the next time you approach a door and hesitate, know this: it’s not you. It’s the handle.
Let me know what you think. These are the quiet conversations that fuel better design.
