The front door is more than just a point of entry; it reflects your home’s personality and style and is the visitor’s first impression. With considerations ranging from materials and design styles to colours, glazing options and hardware, choosing the right front door can transform your home’s kerb appeal and enhance its security and energy efficiency.
This article aims to provide you with the knowledge and inspiration needed to select a front door design that meets your practical needs and complements your home’s architecture.
Type of External Front Doors
Glazed Doors
Offering a modern twist on traditional door designs, glazed doors are crafted with various sizes and shapes of glaze sections that can also be full-length panels to create a bright and airy entrance. Regarding the aesthetic appeal, the glass can be clear, frosted or patterned, allowing natural light to penetrate the interior spaces while providing security and insulation.
Composite French Doors
Composite French doors enhance an external front door with their elegance and sophistication. Their double-door design, typically with large glass panes, offers a striking visual impact and brings ample light indoors. Durable and weather-resistant, they complement both modern and traditional architecture.
Stable Doors
Stable doors, with their split-door design, blend well with various architectural styles, from country cottages to modern homes. They permit ventilation and security by allowing the top half to open independently. Made from composite materials, they mimic the texture of wood for a rustic yet sophisticated appearance while offering enhanced durability, thermal efficiency, and low maintenance.
Fire Doors
Designed with a focus on safety and security, fire doors are robust and sturdy, often thicker than standard doors. Versatile in their aesthetic appeal, they enable homeowners to finish them with various colours and textures that complement their personality and external surroundings.
Type of Door Materials
Timber
A Timber front door offers timeless elegance and warmth, unmatched by other materials. Though it is prone to warping, paint peeling, fading and cracking, it’s versatile due to its beauty and sophisticated finish. Many traditional and listed properties and modern homes suit doors made from timber.
uPVC
uPVC external front doors provide durability, insulation and an approved locking system. Though they’re lower maintenance than timber, they can still warp and discolour over time if they are of substandard quality. They offer a cost-effective, energy-efficient and stylish alternative to traditional materials preferred in modern houses.
Solid Core Composite
Solid core composite doors feature a steel and hardwood frame, a foam core and a glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) exterior. As a result, it’s secure, energy-efficient and weather-resistant. As it’s highly resistant to warping, fading and cracking, it needs very little maintenance. Ideal for any property, it is favoured over uPVC.
Steel
Steel doors excel as external doors due to their strength, resistance to forced entry, weather durability and fire-resistant qualities. The versatility in design and the ability to customise their appearance make steel doors a suitable choice for enhancing the kerb appeal of any home.
Best Front Door Styles for Home’s Architecture
Below are some design examples for solid core composite doors.
Traditional
Minster 1 – Ideal for traditional homes, this door design has two mid-sized glazed areas to allow light to flood through.
Caunton – This traditional door has a large arched glass design that can be customised with various patterns and colours.
Contemporary
The Cromford – A stylish design that complements any home can be fitted with a large glazing area, centre or either side of the door.
The Carsington – Styled with trendy lines and a grained finish, this design gives a modern look. It can be solid or glass, depending on the homeowner’s preference.
Urban
Wellow – These cottage-style doors come with a variety of glazing options. Homeowners have a choice of long or mid-central glazing in the design of a curve. Homeowners can complement the door further with a variety of side panels to choose from.
Halam – The option of the full-length glass placed on the left, centre or right gives this traditional cottage-style door a contemporary look.
Features to Consider for Exterior Front Door
Glazing
Options range from full-length glass panels that flood your entrance with natural light to decorative or frosted glass that offers privacy while still letting in light. Consider triple glazing for improved insulation.
Bold Colour
Bold colours can add personality and charm. It can also help to ensure the door complements the overall colour scheme and the home’s architectural style.
Size
Standard sizes are available. However, customised sizes can provide a unique look or accommodate non-standard openings. Oversized doors or those with side panels can enhance the entrance’s lighting.
Hardware
The hardware, including door handles, locks and hinges, should match the door’s style and offer security and durability. Options range from modern, minimalist designs to more traditional styles, allowing customisation for security requirements.
Door Furniture
Door Furniture like door knockers, letter boxes and kick plates can add functionality and style to your front door. Aim to choose accessories that match the door’s hardware and contribute to the overall aesthetic.
