As the entrance-way to our homes, it’s becoming increasingly important for our front doors to be aesthetically appealing. This is the first impression visitors have when coming to your property, and a front door sets the bar for what’s to be expected once inside the building. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that we want to take time and care over the decoration of our front doors.
With the new year now well under way, you may be thinking that now is the perfect time to be making home improvements. An outdated or tired looking front door can really detract from the beauty of a home’s exterior and can significantly reduce its kerb appeal. Whether you’re getting your house ready for sale, or you plan to stay put for years to come, it’s likely you’ll want a front door that boasts that ‘wow’ factor.
When it comes to replacing or revamping a front door, the task is rarely simple as many aspects need to be taken into account. From styles and materials to colour schemes and added features, a lot of work goes into creating the perfect exterior door. As well as being stylish and pleasant to look at, we also want our doors to be resilient and hard-wearing. After all, they need to protect our homes from intrusion as well as adverse weather conditions. In order for you to find a door that takes both of these values into account, we’ve created a guide to different door styles and trends, helping you make the right decision for your property.
Contemporary vs traditional: styling your new front door
When it comes to settling on a style for your front door, there are two overarching options to choose from: contemporary or traditional. Both styles offer a broad range of design options, but it may be beneficial to decide which best suits your property as this will help with further decision making. A modern new-build is likely to be complemented by a contemporary model whereas a period property would possibly be suited to a more traditional design. However, personal preference is also an important aspect to take into account.
It’s all well and good deciding you want a contemporary front door, but what are the typical characteristics of this style? Contemporary front doors are often quite simple in design and use clean lines to create a sleek aesthetic. In contrast, a traditional frame often has curved lines and maybe some glass panels to create a classic design with an understated elegance. So, consider both the interior and exterior of your home and choose a style accordingly to ensure your new front door stands out for all the right reasons.
Materials
Arguably the most important aspect of the design process, choosing materials for your new door is not a decision to be made lightly. As previously mentioned, a front door should be durable whilst complementing the aesthetic appeal of a building’s exterior- but how is this achieved?
Composite doors
Composite doors are made up of a combination of materials, making it a superior choice for constructing a door frame. Whilst single-material doors usually come with a whole host of pros AND cons, composite doors layer different materials to try and counteract any flaws they might have. Composite doors are known for being extremely resilient and weather resistant and although they are likely to be more pricey, the value for money is undeniable.
At Finewood, our composite front doors offer amazing energy efficiency and come in a variety of colours to suit any home. Visit our website to find out more.
Colour scheme
Nowadays, different colour schemes and finishes can be applied to a wide range of front doors. Although your chosen colour(s) will ultimately boil down to personal preference, here are a few important factors to consider when making your choice:
Property exterior
The last thing you want is for your front door to stick out like a sore thumb. Consider the exterior of your property carefully and choose a colour scheme to complement the brickwork.
Bold
If you want a door that makes a statement, opt for a bold colour such as Ruby Red or an eye-catching Irish Oak. This will be sure to make your property stand out and is a great way to add character and vibrancy.
Neutral
If you’d rather your front door was low-key, why not go for a neutral colour scheme? Slate Grey and Emerald Green will make a property look simultaneously appealing and understated whilst a Anthracite Grey will look simple yet stylish.
Famous front doors
When making home improvements, it can sometimes be helpful to use others for inspiration. Whilst many of us walk past countless front doors on a daily basis, we’ve picked just a few famous front doors that are undeniably iconic.
10 Downing Street
The front door to 10 Downing Street is arguably the most famous front door in London. The glossy black finish looks effortlessly sleek and stylish whilst the lion head door knocker gives it a distinctive edge.
William Thacker’s front door in Notting Hill
For those who have seen this classic rom-com starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, you’ll likely remember William Thacker’s deep blue front door. Although it’s fairly nondescript and a little rough around the edges, the door is seen frequently throughout the film and it remains iconic to this day.
The door to Monica’s apartment in Friends
Painted a deep green on the outside and a soft lilac on the inside, Monica’s front door in the US sitcom Friends is certainly unique. There aren’t many who won’t remember this distinguishable front door complete with a light yellow frame surrounding the peephole. The contrasting colours truly make the door stand out, injecting character and vibrancy into the apartment.
Finewood: a team of door specialists in Scotland offering bespoke made to measure Composite Doors
Here at Finewood, we pride ourselves on providing top quality internal and external doors suitable for homes and businesses. Having been in the business since 1990, we have the expertise needed to offer an unrivalled service at an extremely affordable price. Our high-quality Compsite doors are extremely durable and can be customised to suit any and every customer.
To speak to a member of our team about your requirements, contact us today and put your home a cut above the rest with Finewood.
