Stand across the street from your house and look at it the way a stranger would. Your eye goes to the front door before almost anything else. It sits at the center of the facade, it is usually the only thing on that wall with real color, and it tells people whether the home is cared for. Swap a tired door for one that suits the house and the whole front looks different, even if you change nothing else.
This post is about the look of that door: style, color, glass and the trim around it. If you are still deciding between fiberglass, steel and wood, start with our separate post on choosing the best type of entry door, then come back here.
Match the door to the architecture
The best front doors look like they were always meant to be there. That starts with the style of the house.
Craftsman and bungalow homes
Older central neighborhoods like Hyde Park and Allandale have plenty of bungalows and cottages. These homes look right with a door that has simple vertical panels and a band of small glass lites across the top, often with a dentil shelf below the glass. Stained wood tones suit them well.
Mid-century ranch
Crestview and many streets around it are full of low, wide ranch houses. They pair well with flat or nearly flat doors, offset or vertical glass slots, and a bold color. Keep hardware slim and modern.
Traditional suburban brick and stone
Much of Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Georgetown and Leander is brick, stone or a mix, built in the last few decades. A six-panel or arched-top door is common on these homes. You can update it without fighting the architecture: try a two-panel shaker design, a deeper color, or decorative glass that lets in light while keeping the entry private.
Modern and farmhouse builds
Newer homes with metal roofs, board-and-batten or crisp stucco suit full-lite or three-quarter-lite glass doors, black frames and long bar pulls. A pivot-style look or a wide single door with tall sidelights reads as current.
Pick a color that works in strong light
Color does most of the work in curb appeal, and Texas sun changes how color looks. A shade that seems rich on a paint chip can wash out in midday light or look nearly black in shade. Look at samples outside, against your brick or siding, at the time of day you usually see the front of the house.
- Deep blues, greens and reds stand out against limestone and tan brick.
- Black and charcoal look sharp on white or light gray homes, but they run hot on a sunny west wall, so they suit a covered porch better.
- Stained finishes add warmth to stone and earth-tone exteriors.
- If you belong to an HOA, check the approved color list before you fall for a shade. Many subdivisions around the metro regulate front door colors.
Use glass for light and character
Glass changes both the outside look and the feel of the entry inside. A dark foyer brightens up fast with a glass panel in the door or a pair of sidelights. Decorative and textured glass gives you that light without letting people see straight in. On a door that takes direct sun, ask for low-E glass so the foyer does not heat up.
Proportion matters. A small door with oversized glass can look busy, and a large opening with a solid slab can look blank. Sidelights and a transom fill out a wide entry and make a standard-width door feel grand.
Hardware, lighting and the frame around it
A door can be perfect and still look off if the details around it are tired. Some small upgrades that pull the entry together:
- A handleset in a finish that matches your light fixtures and house numbers, such as matte black, satin nickel or aged bronze.
- Wall lights scaled to the door, roughly a third of its height, set on both sides or one large fixture above.
- Fresh trim and brick mould painted to match the window trim.
- A storm door with a full glass panel if you want ventilation in spring and fall without hiding the door behind it.
Do not forget the windows on either side of the entry. If the door is new and the windows next to it are yellowed, mismatched builder windows, the new door can make them look worse. Many homeowners plan doors and windows together for that reason.
Installation is part of the look
An uneven gap along the top of the door, a sill that sits crooked or caulk smeared across the brick all show from the street. So does a door that has to be shoved closed. Austin’s clay soils move many foundations a little over the years, so a good installer checks the opening, sets the new unit plumb and square, and seals it cleanly. The result looks crisp and closes with an easy push.
If your home is in a City of Austin local historic district, changes visible from the street may need review. Check with the City’s Historic Preservation Office before ordering.
Ready for a new front door?
Browse styles, colors and glass options on our entry doors page. When you are ready, call The Window Source of Austin at (512) 524-9455 for a free in-home estimate, and we will bring samples so you can see them against your house.