Mediterranean style home - front door styles? (house, space, addition)
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We bought a Mediterranean style home (about 10 years old) and need to replace the front door. The current door is an 8 ft dark wood with large glass window (appx 6 ft tall, about a foot of wood are above and below the glass) with an iron work design (not intricate) over the glass. We like the dark wood and iron work, but are not fond of the huge window in the door. So we are searching for a replacement front door. We hope to find a door design that is appropriate for the Mediterranean house style.
My question: Is there an architecture website that might help us figure out what style would be appropriate for the style of our home?
When you go to the internet looking for door units, you will find hundreds and hundreds of doors.
You've just got to take the time to sift through page after page until you find something that fits your needs. You might want to start by taking measurements of the space you need to fill.
And you might want to start at your local door retailer to see what they suggest for the style home you have. Often a door makes a home pop.
Is the current door original to the house? I’m a big proponent of keeping the original features of a home so I’d be hesitant to replace it with a modern door. Keep in mind too that all that glass let’s in light. Are you prepared to significantly darken your home by replacing it?
If the glass is too much, have you considered adding a curtain to the door. My parents had a French door on the front of their house and we had a curtain on it that had a rod on both the top and bottom to keep it in place when you opened the door. The curtain was a gathered heavy sheer so you could not see through it. It was quite nice. You could even do a solid curtain on it.
Another option would be to etch the glass. They sell etching spray that will block the view into the home for added privacy.
If you are set on replacing the door, I would suggest taking your cue from other doors in the house. Try to match the wood and stain color. To me nothing looks worse than a modern door on an old house. It just looks out of place.
Have you ever watched the tv show Restored on the DYI Channel? It is about a guy in California who restores old homes in the Redwood/Riverside area. He’s done a lot of homes including a few Mediterranean’s. It might give you some inspiration. Jay
Would it be possible to have the glass removed and matching wood inserted in that space instead? You'd be staying true to the original door and could keep the ironwork that way. I, too, am a great believer in being true to a house's original time period. If it were mine, I'd investigate that option first. The light situation is a good point, though. Does it have a transom window above it to let in more light or does your entryway have additional light coming in?
Is the current door original to the house? I’m a big proponent of keeping the original features of a home so I’d be hesitant to replace it with a modern door. Keep in mind too that all that glass let’s in light. Are you prepared to significantly darken your home by replacing it?
If the glass is too much, have you considered adding a curtain to the door. My parents had a French door on the front of their house and we had a curtain on it that had a rod on both the top and bottom to keep it in place when you opened the door. The curtain was a gathered heavy sheer so you could not see through it. It was quite nice. You could even do a solid curtain on it.
Another option would be to etch the glass. They sell etching spray that will block the view into the home for added privacy.
If you are set on replacing the door, I would suggest taking your cue from other doors in the house. Try to match the wood and stain color. To me nothing looks worse than a modern door on an old house. It just looks out of place.
Have you ever watched the tv show Restored on the DYI Channel? It is about a guy in California who restores old homes in the Redwood/Riverside area. He’s done a lot of homes including a few Mediterranean’s. It might give you some inspiration. Jay
This is the original front door for the the house. The house was built in late 2009 (just over 10 years old).
Would it be possible to have the glass removed and matching wood inserted in that space instead? You'd be staying true to the original door and could keep the ironwork that way. I, too, am a great believer in being true to a house's original time period. If it were mine, I'd investigate that option first. The light situation is a good point, though. Does it have a transom window above it to let in more light or does your entryway have additional light coming in?
The house does have a 3' wide x 2.5' tall glass window above the front door. It lets in plenty of light.
The house was built in late 2009. (Mediterranean style homes are very popular in our area of the state.)
This is the original front door for the the house. The house was built in late 2009 (just over 10 years old).
Thank you for your suggestions,
Kelly
Oh, it’s a fairly new home. I was under the impression it was older. My bad. I’d still try to keep it especially if you like the hardware. I also like the idea of even replacing the glass with a wood panel insert suggested by monivon above. It might work since you have a large window above the door. Anyway, good luck with your project. Jay
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