How to Design a Home's Main Door
- 1). Review home design books and various remodeling magazines to see what doors are appropriate with a home like yours. Go online to review additional choices for main doors as well. Spend some time driving around your neighborhood to gather ideas, too. Design a main door entrance that enhances curb appeal. Consider porch features and special landscaping that will add to the beauty of the door area as well.
- 2). Sketch the front facade of your home. Draw different sizes of doors by including a double door system, double doors with side glass panels and various widths of single doors. Use graph paper to design the door in exact proportion to the rest of your house. Designate one square of graph paper as six inches of real space. Increase the area for the main door, if needed, by adding wooden side framing or full-length shutters. Sketch some crown molding around the top of the door if desired.
- 3). Consider all of the types of exterior doors on the market today. Look at doors with glass panels or panes in clear glass or frosted glass. Review doors in various materials and finishes. Plan to use a steel door if your house is in a very upscale neighborhood, for example. Review all security features such as motion detector lighting for the door area and burglar alarm systems. Include security measures in your design, especially if you travel a lot and are away from home for extended periods.
- 4). Don't design a front door that is too narrow for the front facade of your house. Avoid a door that is too small in any way, since this will negatively impact the entire front of the house. Plan to use a double door system if your home is 80 feet long or longer. Add to curbside appeal by designing features for a porch area, such as evergreen plants in large pots to make the front door seem elegant. Keep in mind that the effect of the front door has much to do with the market value of your home, according to real estate experts.
- 5). Choose a single door, or double-door system, with a design that matches your home's architectural features. Select a smooth door with no panels, for example, or plan to install a door with lots of wood carvings if you have a European-style home. Invest in good hardware, door knobs and kickplates in brass or bronze for the door. Spend money on accoutrements that will add to the visual appeal of the door.
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