Advice on my front door (alternatives, windows, colors, installed)

[titaniummd]

I bought a new construction house and I am not happy with my 8 foot French doors. It is a double pane see through glass. I may only live here for 3-4 years so I don't want to drop a lot of $$ into it, although I have probably already spent $20k in the past 5 weeks.

I have considered the following remedies:
1 Replace the door with a solid door (either wood or fiberglass) but it's going to cost $3k - $4k.
2 Get some blinds to cover the door $125 per door.
3 Get Stained Glass put in and not replace the door. I would like to stay under $1k

The blinds would look nice but it's a front door and everyone in the neighborhood has some ornamental door. It would be a negative when trying to sell.

I am still looking into door replacement alternatives (switching from French to Standard door with side lights or buying a Double 8-0 door which there aren't many to choose from). I have called around and people don't have use for the doors I have so those current doors would just get thrown away - I suppose they can go to HGTV.

The Stained glass option looks like a nice 'middle ground' and would take less time to install, give me privacy, be a better value for the money (especially since I cannot sell the doors - just have to throw them in the dump) and improve the resale in the future. This is what I am strongly considering.

What do you guys think?

[katzenfreund]

I would go with the stained glass! It will look beautiful, let light in and won't cost as much as a new door.

[martinez4]

Agreed....stained or leaded glass would be perfect. Our front door is leaded glass and it lets in light but you can't see in unless you look through one of the clear sections in the pattern. One pro for the leaded is that your don't have to worry about picking the right colors whereas stained glass usually has some color.

[riveree]

I like the look, but if you have a dog they can end up at the door barking all day trying to look out.........my neighbor didn't think about that when he installed a glass door and now I hear his dog yipping and yapping anytime I'm in my front yard - the dog just doesn't stop !

I allow my dogs some 'window time' to look at the activity out front, but if they start acting up I can close the shutters and block their view.....I couldn't do that with a glass door.

Just a thought.

[titaniummd]

I came back from the glass store. It is closer to $2k.

[movingtolou]

I would worry that stained/ leaded glass might 'date' the look of the doors...can you have the glass etched/ or sand-blasted to obscure & gain privacy? Or I would go with drapery...a 1/4" rod at the top & bottom of each door/and a shirred shear or lightweight linen...

[momof2dfw]

I LOVE my leaded glass front door and don't see them dated at all. Leaded glass has never gone out of style especially in an upper end home. I have a single solid wood front door w/ the center being leaded glass along w/ two sets of french doors across the front w/ the huge palladium window over them and they are all leaded glass. I love leaded over the stained glass option as then you don't have to worry about design or color.

[Baltic_Celt]

Hi Titan -

Good ideas here. I'm wondering, could you begin with the cheapest option first? Since you mentioned blinds, perhaps those will work for you & save you money. Also, this may sound odd, but I've stenciled glass before using metalic paints (gold, silver, bronze) & if using a sophisticated stencil (they're not all baby bears & country scenes), it can be quite gorgeous. I was always how I got such a beautiful design engraved into the glass. Just a couple of thoughts.

Good luck... VV

[movingtolou]

I think I stay away from the leaded/ stained glass because I am used to a very New England-esque home. Think Martha Stewart...this is more along the lines of what my house looks like. However, we just purchased a second home in Louisville, KY...and when we were searching for houses, I saw leaded/ stained glass everywhere...I think regional tastes play a role...

[DanielChang]

What price point are you at? I used some kind of sticker product to partially obscure the windows to the sides of my doors. I was afraid that it would look incredibly tacky but it was done well to not be obvious.