Before we get into how to choose the right front door for your home, it helps to understand the front door’s importance. Of course, your front door may be a first line of defense against intruders and the weather. But, it is also a focal point of your home, a key determinant of resale value and the first experience almost everyone has of a house.
There are few other elements of your home that have that level of importance.
Here’s another perspective on the significance of your front door. Let’s say you’re doing a major home reno, or even planning your dream custom home. Regardless of how much you spend, or how amazing the rest of your home looks, the wrong front door can spoil it all.
5 Tips for Choosing the Right Front Door
1. Front Door Styling
We could write an entire series of blog posts about front door styling. Keeping it simple, the usual answer on style is obvious. Choose something that fits the style of your home. Victorian homes might need a solid, styled wooden door. Conversely, a metal door with opaque glass panels might better suit a contemporary home. If your home is fairly standard, you can try to match your window styles. However, your door is such a focal point, you may also be able to make it a singular statement that fits and balances the other visual elements of the home.
2. Front Door Colour
Sometimes, like in the case of the Victorian home, you may need to go with a neutral or stained wood finish. But, if the style of your home allows it, you may have more freedom in choosing the colour of your front doors versus the colour of any other exterior feature of your home. If you’re wondering what impression the colour of your front door might project, purple is considered royal and wealthy, blue is true and peaceful, softer greens and browns can be warm and inviting, and red symbolizes luck and prosperity.
3. Front Door Materials
Until relatively recently, most front doors were wooden. In the past few decades, other materials, including aluminum, steel and fibreglass, have expanded your options. While all front door materials are sturdy and durable, wood can be more difficult to maintain. But, while other materials come close, nothing else looks or feels like real wood.
4. Door Features & Accessories
From the door hardware you choose, including locks and handles, to whether you add a knocker or have glass panels, they can all significantly affect the look and impression you door conveys. In the case of glass panels, or their absence, they can also affect the amount of natural light inside your home.
5. Ask Your Renovator or Builder
Your renovator or custom home builder will have as much experience in choosing front doors as anyone. If you’ve chosen them wisely, they will be able to either make selections for you, or at least guide your decision making.
Looking for the right custom home builder? Check out our recent article How Do You Choose a Custom Home Builder?