The Homeowner’s Guide to Entry Door Aesthetic Options
When choosing an entry door for your home, aesthetics are going to be one of the biggest factors that you consider, alongside price and energy efficiency considerations. The entry door is one of the biggest things to affect the curbside appeal of your home, determining whether or not your home finds buyers or sits on the market for ages.
There are several aesthetic options available when purchasing an entry door that can be used to match the style of the new door with your existing trim and furnishings.
Materials
Entry doors are typically available in fiberglass, steel, or wood. Wood is going to provide the best aesthetics, but it is also the most expensive option and carries a lower fire rating than fiberglass or steel. Fiberglass is a popular choice, as it is available in many different wood grain styles and stains, and can give the appearance of wood but at a lower price point and with a superior fire rating. Steel is the most economical option, offering a smooth profile that can be easily painted.
Glass Elements
Many brands and types of doors offer glass panels and decorative elements to enhance the look of your entry door. Glass elements can be very intricate, with panels made of beveled-glass prisms and lead-crystal jewels. Besides pattern, some door providers offer different caming options on the door glass. The caming is the metal work that joins the individual pieces of glass within the pattern, giving the leaded glass look. Door glass caming can come in my different metal finishes to match or contrast door hardware or other elements.
Decorative Elements
If purchasing a more upscale entry door, you might decide to add extra decorative elements, such as grilles in the glass or Clavos and Hinge Straps. Glass grilles are the strips of wood that separate individual panes of glass in a window—they can be incorporated into the door glass to give a more sophisticated look. Door glass grilles can be very simple, or elaborate as a wrought-iron design. For a more modern look and easy cleaning, some manufacturers offer between-the-pane grilles for a smooth profile. Clavos/hinge straps are the dark metal details that create the old-world look seen on many church doors.
Sidelights and Transoms
Sidelights and transoms can be the most expensive decorative elements that you can add to an entry door. A sidelight is the skinny strip of the window that sits on either side of a door and runs along with its whole height. A transom is the strip of the window that sits above a door and is sometimes used to connect the sidelights visually with the door and complete the entire package. Transoms can be rectangular or half-ovals, as well as semi-circles or arches. Transoms and sidelights can be plain or incorporate all of the decorative elements as the door glass with beveled details or camping. Sidelights and transoms can be a good way to add more natural light to an entryway, and can also be fitted with obscured glass or drapes to increase privacy.
There are many, many options and styles available to the homeowner looking to add or replace an entry door. It is recommended that you speak with a trusted professional distributor to determine the best fit for your home based on aesthetics, function, and price.