A front door is more than just an entrance to your home – it’s a chance to show your style and personality. By replacing your front door, you can make a great first impression on visitors and it’s a wonderful welcome back home at the end of a busy day.
As well as enhancing the appearance of your property, a new front door can also conserve energy, improve home security, reduce noise and increase the natural light into your home.
Choosing a new front door requires a little thought, so we’ve put together our top 5 things to consider when replacing your front door to help with your decision. And of course, we’re always happy to help if you need any advice or suggestions.
Before starting to consider how your front door will look, it’s essential to consider a few practicalities.
The first thing to consider is security. The better the quality of the material your external door is made from and the front door locks you use, the less likely an intruder will break in quickly and the more likely they’ll be caught red handed. Our composite doors have 11 unique locking points surrounding the door, patio doors come with security as standard, with hook locking and anti-lift devices, and French doors are fitted with our high security 12 point lock system.
The next step is to think about how your door will function. Which way you want the door to open (left, right, in or out) is a decision that is often overlooked. Factor in the layout of your house and think about how your current door opens, including furniture or structural features, and where items such as coats, bags, shoes, keys are kept.
There may be accessibility features to consider such as being able to manouevre a wheelchair through the door or any handrails that might be useful.
Then there are accessories including letterboxes, doorbells, doorknobs and handles which all add to the appeal of your front door. Don’t forget to think about the positioning of your letterbox – if you have reduced mobility or a dog with a liking for stealing your post, then the bottom of the door is not the best choice!
Choosing an external door that is durable, hardwearing and secure is a worthy investment.
Made from a variety of materials including steel, composite front doors are a great choice. They are durable, efficient and strong and will even put up with the inclement British weather. As they are exceptionally good at retaining heat, composite doors keep your home well-insulated and save money on your heating bill.
Choosing a composite front door will let you really showcase your personality as there are so many colours and designs available. An added bonus is that they are ideal for both contemporary and traditional properties.
For smaller budgets, there’s the option of uPVC front doors. They are very low maintenance, affordable and secure, as well as being 100% waterproof. Although uPVC is a modern material, it is available in a variety of colours including wood effect, and there are also designs that include arched doorways as well as side lights and top lights.
Choosing how your new front door will look is a lovely task, with so many designs and colours to choose from. A good place to start is to decide if your new front door will complement or contrast the look of your home. We also suggest a walk or drive to get inspiration from similar houses nearby, creating a moodboard or online interior design idea sites such as Pinterest. We also have a handy ‘design a door‘ feature on our website to inspire you.
Plain or panelled, glazed or unglazed, modern or traditional you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to front door styles. Choose a funky front door to add interest or create harmony with a door that blends in with the rest of your home.
The only point to note is that if your property is listed or you live in a conservation area, you might need to check with your local council if you need to choose a particular style of door such as timber that will be in keeping with your home’s character.
You may want to use existing cladding, tiles or windows for a seamless look, or opt for a bold and bright front door to add the wow factor. Don’t forget about the colour of the inside of the door too. You can keep this the same as the exterior or choose a shade to fit in with your interior design.
Our composite doors are available in over 50 different colours, but if you’ve got something specific in mind then please talk to us about bespoke shades and designs.
With energy prices ever increasing, upgrading your front door is a fantastic long term investment as it will retain heat in your house.
All our high quality doors achieve a minimum B-Rating for energy efficiency and prevent heat escaping. The glass in the front door can be double glazed with a thermal barrier between the panes of glass containing air or argon to prevent heat passing through. This means a warmer house, lower bills and a smaller carbon footprint.
Another important factor to consider when choosing a new front door is whether you need panels of glass. These can be for aesthetic purposes or can let in a surprising amount of extra natural light into your home, which can open up a dark hallway or front room.
There’s also the beauty of the design elements available with glazing so you can really make a statement. As well as plain and obscured glass, you can choose from stained glass, sunburst or diamond shapes. A sidelight window at one side of the door, or even one either side not only looks stunning, but also adds plenty of light. Why not take a look through our brochure for inspiration.
And while we’re talking about light, don’t forget to consider lighting over your front door or wall lights for a welcoming touch.
We hope you’ve found this guide to front door design useful. If you’ve been inspired to design your own front door, then please browse our website to get started. If you need any help or advice, then please get in touch. With over 40 years of experience in designing front doors, we can offer suggestions and show previous customer projects to help inspire you.