Our homes provide shelter, and doors play a key role. Doors not only protect your home’s interior from the weather, they also provide access to your home’s interior. Doors used to provide security, i.e. think back to Robin Hood and feudal times. In some ways we still use our doors to decide who to let into our homes, and our lives. Think about:

European Carved Door (www.doors-carved.co.uk)

• Those people you simply won’t open the door for, i.e. why there are peep holes in our doors.
• Other people you’re happy to chat with for a few minutes while standing in your open doorway, but you don’t invite these people into your home.
• Your friends, family and other invited guests who you welcome into your home with open arms!

Like picking the clothes you wear each day, picking the neighborhood and home you buy or build is a reflection on your values, your personality, your lifestyle. While the number one factor in picking your home is location, location, location … your front door is likely the most important element of your home’s exterior, although great landscaping is a close second.

We’re people and while the overall presentation of your home, what is commonly known as curb appeal, evokes an emotional reaction. The front door invites human interaction so we’re drawn to this feature over any other. Doors are intriguing and when you’re traveling to other parts of the country, or other countries, try looking at the doors to gain  insight into the local culture and the people who live there.

Dressing Up Your Front Door

Single Door w/Trim

There are many ways you can dress up your front door, to make it more welcoming. You can enhance your existing door or, space permitting, replace a single entry door with a double door or sidelights on one/both sides of your door to bring more sunlight into your home.

The possibilities are endless so enjoy planning and, ultimately, implementing your door’s transformation … and notice that many of these ideas add function as well as beauty.

• Bring in more sunlight with a new door style that includes glass, add sidelights to your door … or if you can’t expand your doorway sideways, maybe you can add a transom over the door.
• Wood is the preferred material for custom, high end doors. In the US, design and the use of glass seems to dominate while in Europe, they seem to prefer carved doors, which continue a tradition that is hundreds of years old.
• You can decorate your door with trim on the sides, over the top of the door or build out from the house with columns and a decorative/protective covering over the doorway.
• Lighting is both decorative and functional for guests arriving at your home at night. Sconces are popular or a hanging light fixture creates the feeling of a room when there is an alcove or protective awning type structure.
• In some parts of the US, front porches are popular although less functional today with indoor air conditioning and driveways, in contrast to when more people walked and sat outside to cool off.
• Decorative touches include shrubs, flowers and seasonal wreaths are popular … but it is really a matter of matching your door to your personality.