There’s truly nothing like the feeling of arriving home. Whether it’s returning after a trip, or simply pulling in the drive after a day at work or school, the sight of home should always make us smile. We all want our friends and family to feel the same way when they arrive at our house, and creating a welcoming entrance is the first step. In the same way the kitchen is the centerpiece of the interior, your front door is the focal point of the exterior of your home. The style and color of your front door goes a long way to defining the overall look of the entire elevation.
Our front door options fall into 3 main categories: wood, smooth fiberglass, and textured fiberglass. Wood doors come in a variety of species, but we find that mahogany provides the most beautiful finish. Mahogany doors are available with and without glass, and create a rich look for the entry way. They can be stained in a large variety of colors, allowing the gorgeous natural grain of the wood to come thru.
Fiberglass doors are a wonderful lower maintenance option for Florida living. The textured fiberglass doors have a gel stain applied to give you the look of a wood door with the moisture resistance of fiberglass. The smooth fiberglass doors are used when you want a painted finish on your door and provide a strong, virtually maintenance free front door. Both the textured and smooth doors come in a multitude of panel styles and glass insert options.
The style of door you choose will help you create the specific design style you are looking for on the exterior of your home. For a farmhouse look, consider a door with simple panes of glass, or a 3 panel door. Adding glass and a bit of molding to a 3 panel door works well for a craftsman style home. If your style is more transitional, there are gorgeous decorative glass inserts available for painted or stained doors. Contemporary exteriors are complemented by a solid door with a full piece of streamlined glass designed with geometric shapes. Glass inserts with decorative wrought iron go well on Mediterranean or stucco homes.
As you look through ideas on Pinterest or Houzz, step back and consider the front door styles you see on homes that you like, and it will give you a good starting place to find the front door that’s perfect for you. You can find further inspiration on Masonite’s door gallery. Be sure to bring pictures of the door styles you like to your design appointment and together we can create a beautiful exterior for your new home, complete with a grand entrance that’s sure to bring a smile to your face.
