The front door of a house is like the centerpiece on the family dining table; it brings attention to room and reveals hints of the owner’s personality. Some people choose stained wood with to make a bold statement; others choose elegant, detailed styling. Either way, a distinctive front door welcomes your guests warmly while keeping your family safe at the same time. Having a front door that meets those needs and wants is not only desired but necessary. Deciding what style is best can be a bit of a task, so here’s a guide to help out with some of those decisions.
There are lots of styles and designs of doors available to homeowners. When considering a front entry door to your house, two major things factors should be considered: the style of the door and the material of the door. Both of these add up to the unique look and feel that we want as house owners to invite guests to come up to our door and feel welcomed.
When considering the design of the door, we need to consider the design of the house. It would be a little odd to have a modern-styled door on an old Victorian house, because the door doesn’t fit with the character of the home. Most door styles fit into the categories of Traditional, Victorian, Modern, Southwest, or Craftsman, and each has its own unique characteristics.
*photos from Classic Doors
While a Traditional door is divided into panels that simulate rail-and-stiles construction with classical trim, the Victorian style is characterized with geometrical glass and decorative metal hardware. Modern doors tend to be a stylized mix of metal and glass in a simple design. Finally, the southwest and craftsman style both are characterized by wooden doors or at the very least fiberglass that looks like doors. They differ from one another though in that the southwestern style has a rounded top with a small window, but the craftsman mixes upper glass panes with a taller and wider than normal door.
Ray Novelly is the general manager of Nashville-based Classic Doors Inc, an artisan door manufacturer that specializes in custom entry doors. For Novelly, a door is more than an entrance, but rather a statement a homeowner can make.
“Just as paint can transform a room, a beautiful entry door sets the stage to what is beyond it,” Novelly said as he walked through a showroom displaying hundreds of doors. “Choosing a front door that conveys your home’s character is important. Many homeowners are discovering the beauty and style of a solid mahogany or alderwood door greatly increases the overall curb appeal and adds value to their home.”
After design, the most important thing to consider is the material of the door. While it is somewhat dependent on the style, there is still a wide variety of materials to choose from that fit each of the design types and has their own advantages and disadvantages. The least expensive material is steel, which accounts for about half of the market. While affordable, these doors are limited in style and design and are often used as perimeter doors vs main entry doors. They require little maintenance, and they’re energy-efficient. The downside is that steel doors aren’t as weather and wear resistant as wood, and if dented, they are difficult and fairly expensive to fix.
Fiberglass is a slightly more expensive alternative to steel starting around $200. It can be made with striations to simulate wood, resists wear and tear better than steel, and still has all the same benefits as steel. However, these doors can crack under severe impact. The sun can reek havoc on fiberglass overtime with no little remedy but replacement. These doors are best painted.
Finally, wood is the material that every other door material tries to mimic. With the high-end look and feel of actual wood comes a higher price range. Starting at around $700, price depends on the detail, type of wood, and size of the door. The advantages of the solid wood doors are they resist scratches and wear the best and longest, are the least likely to dent, and are the easiest to repair.
The transformation trend this year is updating a front entry by replacing a 6’8” door with sidelights and an above-the-door transom, with beautiful 8’ft double entry doors for a dramatic new entry, that instantly updates your home.
Visit Classic Doors in Nashville to learn what style of door is perfect for your home.
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