Bali Care / Bali Tourism Blog

This article inspired by FRV (Fine Restaurant & Villa) Magazine. Every houses or rooms has doors. According to wikipedia, door is a panel or barrier, through the door we can get in to the house or room. In Bali, it could be more than just a panel or barrier. Balinese doors like a portal into another world. It’s inviting, enticing and enchanting. Rich with complex carvings, in a variety of shapes & sizes, often custom-made to fit the proportions of their owners.
Traditionally Balinese doors were crafted of nangka, the strong wood of the jack fruit tree, timber or teak. Each wood boats an attractive grain, but in the old days the timber was seldom left raw, instead it was painted in bright colors, lacquer, or gold leaf. A good quality of Balinese door is made of timber that has been air-dried for two and half years, to ensure that the leaf of the door does not shrink or warp.

The unique Balinese door characteristics are the highest standards of carpentry & design without the application of any metallic bolts, screws or nails. The compound joint at the top of the door puts special demands on craftsman, who must cut a series of complex angels to ensure that all the components functions smoothly.
Balinese doors are an artistic expression. All the regency has their own characteristics. Heavily ornate with Chinese influenced is Singaraja Regency style. Whereas the Gianyar style is more settled and classic. Richly decorated or romantically rustic, antique and custom made Balinese doors can be found everywhere, all over the island. New doors can be ordered or found in any of the woodcarving workshops from Batubulan to Ubud area. And the original antique doors are available in many antique furniture stores in Bali.