As we all know well, dressing up for a night out is not as simple as just choosing the right dress or the jacket we’re going to wear. In fact, important details depending upon your style like shoes, jewellery and ties will define and pinpoint the wanted look! Similarly, when it comes to our homes, you won't be able to achieve a successful external facade without paying attention to those important details like gutters, windows, wall colours and garage doors, AND the front door! Well that’s one of those super important items as it's where you’ll greet your guests, and possibly come and go every day, So it’s gotta be right.
I created this award winning home, by combining an ‘all white’ exterior with dark windows, Striking ‘marble look’ Italian tiles and that all important front door in a timber tone to match the timber feature above. Front doors come in different materials and as many colours as you can imagine; but whichever style you tend towards, it should always match the architecture of your home and be able to enhance the exterior look and style of your property. Here are a few tips to get you started when choosing the front door.
Choosing timber which is available in different hues and grains and can be stained to match other features, will help add a welcoming warmth to a façade, especially well if it’s one with austere looks. If preferring a coloured door, then matching the windows will help to achieve a calm and elegant look, whilst a contrasting colour instead could be just what’s needed for a distinguishing touch of glamour and an effective lift to a façade. Colour can make a big statement however, the colour should never be chosen on a whim but rather carefully selected to either match or complement the other finishes of your property's exteriors. As you can see below gloss black or white are usually a no brainer, BUT teaming daffodil yellow on a grey wall, or maybe a deep inky blue with some red based bricks can really make even the smallest home sing!
James Treble photos, neighbouring homes in a Darlinghurst lane, NSW
Once at home, after closing the door behind, you may find that together with the noise, traffic and prying eyes, you’ve also stopped that precious natural light from coming in. But don’t panic, there are solutions! In fact, there are a great range of doors where glass is an integral part of the door’s design, from one large panel, to a few smaller ones: the choice here is only directed by your taste, and side-lights (being side panels of glass) or highlights (which are glass panels above the opening) can also work a treat. However, depending on how close your home is to the public footpath and to protect your family's privacy, you might prefer translucent or frosted glass. Coloured glass and lead-light panels are generally advised only for ‘period’ homes, where this detail might also be a value-adding feature.
Looks aside, the functionality of the front door is paramount for security and it’s worth investing in quality products to also guarantee durability and functionality. One door is actually all you need to enter the home, however some of my clients request double doors, which do look grand. But as you’ll only really open one of them each time, you might end up with a narrow entry by only using half of the overall width! A wider, higher door (such as 1200x2400mm high) instead of 2x 820mm doors can really make a statement, whilst providing a generous width to greet your guests.
Remember, if building from scratch it’s worth allowing for a wider & higher entry adding great value to your home, and always try to allow natural light through glass panels. If renovating instead, you may be restricted with the existing opening size, but if your're lucky to have one narrow door and side light, replacing it with one single and wider door may be just the trick to transform and update a home. As I’ve mentioned, there are so many choices and if you’re unsure which front door will work best for your property, I suggest you start with a walk around your area, taking notice of entrance doors on other homes similar in style to yours.
James Treble photos, neighbouring doors in San Francisco, USA
And yes, this is a feature you can have fun with, but do not take this decision lightly as the front door is one of those details that can truly make or break the overall looks of your property's facade..
A Treble of Tips:
A wide front door will add a grand and inviting feel to your property,
Select doors with glass panels (or include sidelights) to allow light into your entry foyer,
Whether in a stained timber or a painted finish, the colour you select must match or complement the overall style of the façade.
James Treble is an ambassador for Planet Ark and firmly believes in sensible purchasing, recycling and creative re-purposing. James has 3 decades of accumulated experience in the Building Industry, Real Estate and Interior Design and regularly shares his knowledge and experience in adding value to homes through clever design & styling. Watch his free videos on YouTube, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram for more free information.
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