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by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for The House Designers
A good entry is necessary for balanced curb appeal—does yours seem lacking? Depending on the size and structure of your house, the answer could very well be to expand the breadth of the doorway. Unbalanced façades are much more likely to feature undersized entries and most homes are well-suited to more than just a regular-size door, so don’t be afraid to imagine something bigger! There are tons of possibilities beyond double door configurations—here are some design ideas for any kind of home!
Decorative Traditional Doors
Traditional architecture is known for dressy entries. The style of the door and its decorative glass really set the tone and differentiate each unique style. From simple farmhouses, to ornate Victorians and European designs, to rustic Craftsman and Mediterranean homes, each type calls for particular embellishments around the entrance, and following the historical precedents is a great way to establish curb appeal.
Consider the whole doorway. Do you have high ceilings inside? Enough room on the sides without any wall interference? Add a transom and some sidelites! Not only do they increase the size of the entry and the amount of decorative impact, but you’ll also get a brighter, more welcoming foyer on the other side.
If you don’t have the space or desire for glass elements, you can also use color to make a door stand out from the rest of the façade. Whether a contrasting wood tone or paint, people have gone this route for centuries as a way to set their homes apart from others. There are plenty of ways to make a statement with your entry when it comes to traditional designs!
Bold Contemporary Doors
Modern and contemporary homes dial back the ornamental element to focus on simple shapes and clean lines. While suitable decorative glass designs are available, you’ll find that diverse doorlite shapes and attention-grabbing color contrast make the most impact from the street. Of course, you can always fill any doorlites, sidelites, and transoms with the glass of your choice, be it clear, textured, or patterned with caming and a variety of glass types.
Perhaps you need to find the perfect complement for a naturally bright and bold design? Just as with windows, there are modern doors that aim to maximize the glass-to-frame ratio and offer larger-than-standard dimensions. This option blends the entry into the exterior for a more seamless look, so it’s perfect if you have land with views to take in. You’ll find plenty of regular hinged doors in this category, but if you want even more oomph, look into pivoting doors. They rotate open and closed on an axis rather than swinging from the edge—movement well-suited for extra-large entries and perfect for modern aesthetics!
Maintaining Privacy
As you’ve probably noticed, most larger entries feature glass prominently. There are plenty of solid doors if that’s your style, but glass elements grab attention and add extra decorative potential. Sidelites and transoms also offer flexibility, allowing you to increase the breadth of an entry in smaller increments and, in many cases, create a more cohesive final picture than just maxing out the size of the door(s). So, there are plenty of reasons to include glass, but what if you have privacy concerns?
Privacy and decorative glass types both come with privacy ratings. The higher the rating, the more obscured the view is between indoors and out. And depending on the glass types used in a decorative design, it can be as private as privacy glass, so don’t think you need to settle. Feel free to ask a professional for help selecting architecturally appropriate glass—they know what works best in any case.
If you’re looking for an awesome entry to complete your home, Therma-Tru® has all sorts of wonderful designs for your consideration. Not only will you find door sizes up to 8’ tall and 3’6” wide for their main lines, but the new Veris™ Collection offers extra-large single entries up to 10’ tall and 5’ wide for anybody who needs even more. Unsure what will complement your home? Find a local dealer to help you navigate the options!