I don't think the way a door opens reflects style as much as how the glass is divided. Lots of "panes" looks more Colonial, fewer looks Victorian, "panes" of different sizes looks Craftsman, and no divisions is more modern.

I don't see anything wrong with using traditional molding, either. From the outside, I wouldn't label your house as "modern".

Smile politely and follow your instincts. If your Realtor tries to discourage you from something, just say, "ahh, but I like it, so I'm getting it". Your house is neutral, and really pretty traditional looking--without getting up close and checking out materials and particulars it would be hard to date it. I think craftsman touches would actually work pretty well.

Your house exterior reminds me of some of the prewar farmhouses and small-town houses in east Texas (except for the hill). They weren't fullblown craftsman style but had many touches that were craftsmannish.

It's your house! Thank your busy-body realtor, then do as you please.

I could see the possibility of the right touches making your house look more cottagey, which is in a Craftsman direction. A French door comes off as feeling homey and bright, which I think would be positive for resale. Also, I think Riverspots makes a very good point about the division of the glass stating a specific style, and you might consider some different options. We used a 1-light door for our kitchen door (no pane separation, just one large piece of glass in a wood door)...This has the advantage of looking Contemporary or Craftsman, depending on trim and other features around it...or the eye of the beholder. :-)

I debated replacing my sliders with a french door. Two things made me decide against it. One, there is less obstruction to the view with a slider. Two, I had accessibility issues with the doorway needing to be easy to use with a walker. Another issue was the way they would need to open - toward the outside since I didn't want them to open into my cabinets. Opening into the sunroom limited furniture placement there. The other option I considered was one large door with two glass panels on either side - easier to use, but obstructed view. In keeping the sliders I voted for view and accessibility. If accessibility wasn't an issue, I'm not sure what I would have chosen.

I'm not sure what modern molding is, but I think a simple shaker type molding may bridge the two.

You can't turn it into a Craftsman.

But you can add Craftsman elements.

And you can sure as heck do what YOU like with YOUR house!

I think the basic style of your house is one that would lend itself to having a few Craftsman elements added, if that's the style you like -- a color scheme, maybe some roof elements, decor, and of course the kitchen. You don't have to go overboard, you can make your own style blend.

It's not like you're starting with an adobe or something, and splodging a totally conflicting style vocabulary and material library onto it, trying to turn a flat roof into a pitched, arches into wide pockets, tile floors into planks, stucco and timbers into quartersawn oak.

But really, the specific style doesn't matter. Your Craftsman might be someone else's Traditional or someone else's Cozy Modern with Schnauzers.

What matters is that you figure out what really makes you happy, and don't feel like you're getting talked into something. I understand sometimes that process involves trying on things other people suggest to see if they fit. This forum is an excellent place to king of think/talk things out, without everybody freaking out that you're changing your mind.

Good luck!

I was confused by the way you phrased it whether she was saying French doors are Craftsman style and it won't work to try to make your home that style, or they are not Craftsman enough and if you want to make your home that style, you need to choose the more modern look. You didn't say you were aiming for Craftsman, so I'm guessing she's thinking resale, and you need to try to get it closer to the neighborhood look for that purpose?

EIther way, I agree that you should do what you want. Just out of curiosity since we're talking about exterior doors, have you seen firshouse's slider? It's amazing, though maybe not the style you are looking for. Worth taking a look at, though. I don't remember the thread that had the picture that showed them but it wasn't about sliders.

if anyone finds that picture, i would like to see. thanks

jSweenc found me on another thread and sent me this way. I DO have a big slider door. It is 10' wide, each door being 5'. It is on roller wheels (because it's so heavy) that descend down when you turn the handle down, so you can then roll it to the left. When you turn the handle up, the wheels go back up into the frame and the door is then locked.

Here it is in context of the kitchen:

It was modeled after this one which actually goes all the way back into the wall. As you push back the door, when it hits the second door, it catches it and then they both slide all the back into the wall. That wall is almost 2-1/2' thick.

The guy here in California that has done this style is called Howard Backen. He is out of Napa. He designed Solage Resort, a number of hotels, etc. I couldn't afford him or the doors that slide all the way back, so I had my doors made by just a regular custom door company. The left slider doesn't move and the right one is a bypass door.

This last photo was the original inspiration for the house and follows a California Ranch look that has been somewhat modernized. It was my original inspiration for doing my rancher remodel--some people say it country, others say it's farmhouse modern, others say it's California. It was done by Brooks Walker of Walker-Warner Architects. They are another amazing firm with tons of inspiration. {{gwi:1452814}}From Misc photos

Here is a link that might be useful: Howard Backen Architect

Yeah, silly. Very silly. There are all kinds of French doors. There are Craftsman ones. French Provincial ones. Parisian ones. Spanish revival ones. English Cottage ones. Northern Lodge ones. Industrial chic ones. Super Space Age Jetsons ones. ETC.

All "French door" means in this context is two swinging doors that lock in the middle. What they're made of, the design of the moldings and lights, the detailing, color and hardware, dictate the design school.

Also, French doors are very in, making them, in all styles, "contemporary".

Personally, unless you're going to change the whole house, I wouldn't do any Craftsman elements. Instead, I'd find something that looks good with the exterior of your house, and your windows, but that also blends with the kitchen, and fits your budget as well.

Oh, and stop worrying about it.

Imagine this:

Husband: What do you think? The finished basement is a real plus, right?
Wife: What are you talking about??!!!??
Husband: Why are you so upset?
Wife: Didn't you notice those Craftsman style French doors in the kitchen????? How can you even consider buying a house with those??!!??

firsthouse, thank you! Your doors are amazing -- just beautiful -- even without rolling into a 2 1/2' wall!

plllog, LOL!

pugrolls, what do YOU want to do? (The answer is NOT "Make her happy")

Tell the realtor - politely - to STFU! If you want to put some Shaker/Craftsman details in or on the house, do it.

You could shove the whole house considerably towards the 1910s by using exterior colors from that era, and installing wider moldings on the door and windows, maybe the eaves boards too.

I am going to get flamed considering how the responses have gone but....

Architecturally, it is really hard to make one type of building into another. Your roofline is such that it maybe hard to push into the Craftsman detail and feel. You, however, can still use traditional molding with for example "shaker" style interior trim which will complement the exterior.

If you are drawn to French doors because of the mullions, they will look absolutely rediculous in a house where no other windows have mullions, IMHO.... Which means that you will have to update all windows with mullions. You see how one thing leads to another. Even so, you already have slider type for your bedroom windows and they can look awful with mullions.

If you get French doors with one large glass in the center, then the look is minimally different from the sliders. You are only chosing to have the option of opening both doors. There is not enough space to have the French doors open into your room. So the windows will have to open out. Is there enough space outdoors to accomodate that?

Look at the roofline. That is one thing you cannot do much about. Craftsman houses often had hipped roofs or gabled roofs with BIG eaves with decorative rafters. This makes the building substantial and anchorded down to the ground. These are the details that give the building their "feel" or certain look. Unfortunately, it is the small eaves on your house that you will have a hard time working with. Because of the small eaves, the house has more "colonial/fedealist" feel, if you were to pick a traditional architecture. I have seen 60s nondecript ranch houses with relatively low pitched roofs with large eaves which have been given craftsman detail with a degree of sucess. They often change out all of the windows, resided using cedar shakes on the upper part of the building in addition to lower level lap siding, and entire house trim etc. These houses have had "major" over haul that cost BIG bucks and they look it. Not just a few things here and there.

All in all, from the exterior, the small vertical windows are such that they will be very difficult to transition the house into more traditional look from the exterior. One thing you may consider is to change those windows out with wider double hung windows. (Again, expensive..)

I suggest you really play with the decorative pieces on the house by drawing or using architectural software and see how they look before spending money. I agree with your realtor that you will have easier time making a "stunning" modern house versus a "stunning" craftsman with the same amount of money spent.

For the interior, you can trim with more "substantial" apearing/larger baseboard, window casings and moulding, which will result in a mixed contemporary/traditional feel. Shaker style goes well as a transitional architectural element. Often, people find the lack of trimwork in contemporary houses hard to live with. You can put more detailed trim that has a contemrary feel and not make it necessarly craftsman.....

For example, firsthouse mp with the sliders, has very contemporary feel to his room but he uses shaker/craftsman molding style. Notice the matching mullions on his windows and sliders. Try to imagine his large kitchen window as a vertical slider, rather than two side by side double hung. It would not look good in that room.

I have a Craftsman. I see tons of homes that aren't that do have elements of Craftsman style.
I say if you like it, go for it. French doors look great in any home- oh and my Craftsman doesn't have French doors.......so, now that I know French doors are "Craftsman" maybe I'll put some in! LOL!!

I have French "style" doors in my kitchen to my screen room, and my house is Colonial. I say "style" becuase they look like french doors, but only one door opens, the other is fixed. I just think they look nicer than sliders, with the exception of those gorgeous barn door style sliders pictured above!

Wow. I love this forum.

Thank you SO much for all of your thoughts. Seriously, you guys are great! You've given me a lot to think about. Rhome et al, good thoughts on the style of the glass. I'm thinking that the 1-light door would be a good fit. Doraville, good thoughts on accessibility, but we should be good with a door opening into the room. Kaismom, thanks very much for your thoughtful response. I had been toying with the idea of getting 10-light (mullion) doors, and then changing out the windows in the room to be mullion, but...yeah. That would look silly if I didn't change all the windows in the house (and we're not budgeting for that). Thanks for helping me think that through. And firsthouse -- GET OUT! I loooove your slider. Probably not a good fit for my space or budget, but WOW! I am so envious of that entire room. It is just going to be amazing -- exactly what I want for my "forever" house. (The house we're in is our first house).

Thanks again!

I forgot to mention the folding sliders which you might want to consider if you have an unlimited budget and a good view to make them worthwhile. See url below. Also you can search for Nanawall for one of the US options. I wanted one badly but the cost was too much for my sunroom. They are most popular in the western US where they don't have to worry about mosquitoes.

Here is a link that might be useful: folding sliders

yes, wow, firsthouse.... great doors. I also wanted doors like that and, like doraville, was stopped when I got to the $$$! they are also called lanaii doors:

http://www.lanaidoors.com/

But to the original post: agree with all, get what you love. you can't go wrong with new french doors in most any home, I think.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lanaii Doors