After a while, it may feel like your home could benefit from a style reset. Right now, you may be looking for front door ideas that could inspire the rest of your revamped design.
We are here to introduce you to some good ideas. Consider the different ways you can approach redesigning your front door and come up with something truly special in the process. You will see how vast the design possibilities are once you examine all your available options.
Continue reading if you could use some front door inspiration. By the end of this article, you may already have a clear idea of what you want your new front door to be!
The Basic Characteristics of Your Front Door
When choosing a new front door, it helps to focus on the individual characteristics of that fixture first. By going through the process that way, you can ensure that you will end up with a front door that fits your home in more ways than one.
You may be surprised by how many options are available to you. Customized doors can be fantastic additions to any home. They are worth every penny if you opt to get one.
Let’s get into the different ways you can customize your front door.
Selecting a Type of Door Installation
First off, let’s discuss your options in terms of door installation types. You have two options to consider here.
Those options are slab or pre-hung. Which one is better for your home? Taking a closer look at both options should help you come up with an answer.
Slab Doors
Slab doors are the more basic option. It is basically the door with no other features included.
When we say that slab doors have no other features, we mean that. According to Angi, many of the slab doors available on the market do not even have holes cut out for doorknobs.
So, why should you choose a slab door over the alternative? Well, getting the most basic option is not necessarily a bad thing.
For starters, slab doors are significantly cheaper than pre-hung doors. If you are trying to minimize your spending, slab doors are better.
Slab doors allow you to reuse your existing door frame. You can do that as long as your existing frame is compatible with the new door.
Some homeowners also prefer slab doors because of how versatile they are from a design standpoint. You do not need to live with the original design of your slab door. Feel free to modify its appearance.
Pre-Hung Doors
Pre-hung front doors come with hinges, a frame, and certain hardware elements. You install it in one go.
Getting a pre-hung front door makes a lot of sense if your existing frame has already sustained damage. You will not need to pay for a replacement frame if you get a pre-hung door.
Choosing a pre-hung door is also fine if you already saw a design you like. Having the option to customize your front door is certainly welcome, but it is unnecessary if you already like an existing design.
Deciding between Inswing and Outswing Doors
Next up, let’s talk about how your front door should swing. Should it swing inward when opened, or should it open outward?
The right choice will depend on your home setup.
Inswing doors are more traditional. These are great because their hinges are safe from potential burglars.
Some homeowners like outswing doors because they are not as obtrusive. If you are planning to set some décor next to your front door, installing an outswing door is the right move.
There is no better option between inswing and outswing doors. You only need to choose the type that will fit your home best.
Picking a Specific Door Design
When coming up with front door ideas, one would be remiss for not considering specific door designs. The available designs can be pretty varied, but not all of them make sense for a front door setup.
Detailed below are the most common entry door designs. Go through the available options and see which ones could work with your overall design theme.
Traditional Doors
To get started, let’s talk about traditional doors. By design, traditional doors are not flashy and they typically do not come with some of the convenient features you will find in newer options.
Most traditional doors are wood, but they can be fashioned easily out of other materials.
Selecting a traditional door for your front door is a good decision if you want to keep things simple. If you would rather have your front door blend into your design scheme instead of having it become a focal point, then going the traditional route is the move to make.
Panel Doors
Panel doors are close to traditional doors in terms of the basic design. The main difference between them is the versatility of the panels.
Homeowners can change the number of panels t on the door so the fixture fits in better with their design sensibilities. You can go with two, three, four, six, or even eight panels. It is up to you to decide how many will be present.
Those panels can also be glass to serve a more functional purpose.
Panel doors that do not use glass are often used inside homes.
Craftsman Doors
If you want something closer to traditional but are left wanting more by the previous options, then you should check out some craftsman doors.
Wooden panels that feature some molding make up about two-thirds of a conventional craftsman door. The remaining third is typically for ornately designed glass panels.
Craftsman doors provide more visual intrigue compared to the other conventional options. They can blend into the rest of your design scheme, or you can make them stand out by adding a few flourishes.
Glazed Doors
Glazed doors are similar in terms of structure to traditional and panel doors. The overall design is simple, but it remains stylish in its own way.
Of course, glazed doors are different because they utilize glass panels. Similar to panel doors, you can change the number of glass panels present on glazed doors based on your preferences.
Typically, front doors are not fully glazed, so you can see out of the panels if you so choose.
Modern Doors
Next up, we have modern doors. Modern doors can be pretty varied in terms of how they are designed. Some feature symmetrical designs while others do not and some will include glass elements while others will not.
The design possibilities with modern doors are almost endless. That is why they are so fun to play around with.
Modern doors also work great as central elements of your home’s exterior design. Their bold appearance makes a statement that can help define your personal style.
Flush Doors
Flush doors are probably the ones you know the least about among the options detailed here. The word “minimalist” best describes the appearance of a flush front door.
You will not find many additional elements present on the door. The only thing you will probably see is a door handle.
The surface of a flush door is also typically pretty flat. The sunken or embossed panels on other doors are not present here.
Flush doors mesh well with most modern design schemes. Consider them carefully if you are thinking of giving your home a more modern flair.
French Doors
French doors are made up of two large glass doors. They are considered traditional home fixtures, but you see them integrated into modern designs quite often.
Those French doors are great for highlighting your home interior. Guests will see the way you have decorated your entryway so you can wow them before they ever set foot in your home.
From a practical standpoint, installing French doors also makes sense if you want to welcome some more natural light into your home. The two glass doors will allow plenty of sunlight to enter your home so you can keep the lights off for most of the day.
Builder’s Doors
Last up, you may also see builder’s doors used as front doors. Builder’s doors are about the same size as French doors but are designed differently.
Instead of two single doors set by side, you have one door positioned at the center and two panels set at the sides. The side panels may also be glass.
Builder’s doors are kind of a compromise option between French doors and more traditional doors. If that sounds good to you, then shop around for those fixtures.
Choosing a Material Composition for Your Front Door
You have selected a type of door installation, decided between inswing and outswing options, and also picked a specific design. What else is left for you to decide? At this point, we need to talk about material options.
This is an important choice to make because the material composition of your front door can help determine its appearance, longevity, and other important traits. Detailed below are some of the material options you should consider for your front door.
Wood
Wood is the classic choice for any front door, and it is easy to understand why. Wooden doors are sturdy, stylish, and highly customizable. Special designs can be carved into the wood if you are willing to pay extra.
The elements will eventually get to your wooden door, but that does not need to be an immediate concern. If you properly maintain your wooden front door, it can remain a fixture of your home for decades.
Steel
Steel doors are second to none in terms of strength. Even after absorbing plenty of damage, they will remain intact.
You should also consider getting a steel door if you run your HVAC system often. Steel doors are better than the other options when it comes to preventing heat transfer.
Rusting over is a concern with steel doors. Keep a close watch over them and maintain them properly to prevent that issue.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass front doors have become more common in recent years. That is mainly because homeowners see them as the practical alternatives to wood and steel.
Unlike the other two options, fiberglass doors are not especially susceptible to the elements. They will hold up fine with minimal maintenance. Even appearance is not much of a concern with fiberglass doors since many of them can mimic other types of doors.
Opting for a fiberglass door means you are abandoning the traditional options, but that trade-off may ultimately turn out in your favor.
Accessorizing Your Front Door
Accessories can improve the functionality of your front door. You do not need to add every accessory available, but some items can serve as positive additions.
Which accessories should you consider adding to your front door? Learn more about them in the next section.
Storm Doors
According to Family Handyman, storm doors are additional doors that are supposed to provide an additional layer of protection. They are great for shielding your new front door from the elements, and they can also keep unwanted pests out of your home. They also excel at preventing excessive heat transfer.
Storm doors can be customized so they can fit in better with established design plans. It is up to you to decide if changing the appearance of your storm door is worth it, but it is an option.
Door Hardware
Examples of door hardware include doorknobs, handles, and hinges. Door viewers and door knockers are also considered examples of door hardware.
Some doors already come with hardware when you buy them. If you are buying a slab door, you will likely need to purchase the pieces of hardware yourself.
Investing in door hardware is a good idea because those items can help improve your home security. They can also change the appearance of your front door.
Electronic Features
Lastly, you can also accessorize your front door by adding a doorbell and/or a security camera. Thankfully, many of those accessories are easy to disguise. You will not need to worry about them disrupting your design.
The design possibilities for your new front door are near endless. Hopefully, you have picked up some front door ideas here that you want to try out.
Contact us at North Shore Window Inc. if you are looking for a new front door. We have an extensive selection of doors and we are confident that we have something you will love!
