Help with front door/front of house

10 years ago

There are changes to be made to the rest of the plan but right now I want to focus on the front of the house. :)

Do you think the downstairs windows will look alright? Not too big, not too small? They are centered with the three dormers in the 2nd story in a cape cod style.

Now the front door. Right now it has a sidelight to the left. Dh doesn't want that because it makes the door weaker where it closes. We are thinking just a front door with some sort of window in it. Not sure of the exact look.

Would you move the door over at all if not doing a sidelight? What do you think would look better - a full window, half, other? Is there a reason to pick one over the other as far as strength and durability go or is it purely cosmetic and personal preference?

This house will be in the country about 1/4 mile off the road so we aren't too worried about privacy. Although, if we go with glass it will probably be opaque.

Thanks!

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Comments (9)

kirkhall
10 years ago
So, why doesn't he want the sidelight? Is he worried someone will break in? (the weaker part is what I'm confused about...) If so, it seems it'd be easiest for someone to break in through a large window or a door with 1/2 window or more.

If it isn't an issue with breaking in, then I am not sure the reason stated.
tammyte
Original Author
10 years ago
He was worried with a lot of traffic that it might not be as sturdy with a sidelight. We have 5 kids and they aren't the best at shutting the door softly. Although, I hope they use the back door and garage entry the most.

I'm pretty sure that's what he said. I can ask him later.
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Awnmyown
10 years ago
I know my own door manufacturer, makes the doors and windows separate, and then frames them together. So it's like having a door on a frame, a little fixed window on a frame, and then a larger frame around those two. Which makes it as strong imo as a regular door, which really, is just held in by the nails/screws through the shims.

To add, my folks had 3 kids and a sidelight door, and never a problem with it breaking/wearing out. Tell the kids to go 'round back ; )

(I do however know someone with the 8-panel light front door that someone thought they could "break one glass" when they got locked out, figuring they could reach in and unlock the door, only having to pay for one tiny piece of glass replacement...surprise, they're "fake" lites, and the whole piece broke. Huge cost. Unrelated but amusing story ; ) ).
tammyte
Original Author
10 years ago
Awnmyown - Oh my goodness about the fake lites!

I think we need to research how the doors are made. I would prefer more windows as I like a lot of natural light.
bridget helm
10 years ago
I'd have to see the exterior elevation to see what would look best
sweet.reverie
10 years ago
Yeah, can you post the front elevation?
pps7
10 years ago
Hard to say without seeing the elevation, but I would want a double window in the music room and classroom-similar to the one in the master bedroom.

As far as the front door, I'm not a fan of sidelites on one side only. I like symmetry. Plus, why is the door shifted over to the right so much?
tammyte
Original Author
10 years ago
I like symmetry as well. :) Yes, I was wondering if those windows are too small. It's a hard balance between the exterior looking the way I want and keeping useable wall space inside.

I'm not sure why the door is moved over so far other than to help with the flow in the foyer. The stairs are to the left of the door and the foyer is just wide enough for the stairs and a hallway to the right of them.
bridget helm
10 years ago
The front door definitely needs to be centered in my opinion. I think that you could get away with not having sidelites, but maybe have some lites in the door itself??

Also, you really should add 2 windows -- one on the left of the door and one on the right. Have you considered grilles on the windows? That would help too. Last but not least, you need some shutters on the windows of the main wing, and maybe a set of closed dummy shutters on the left wing.