make a bold statement

The Chinese philosopher Confucius said, “A man who does not plan long ahead will find trouble right at his door.” While the statement was intended to be a warning against procrastination in general, it can be applied literally when it comes to building a new home.

Planning is the key to getting a home that you will still love years down the road. Realizing this, most homeowners carefully pick their floor plans, cabinets, floorcoverings, and furnishings. However, when it comes to doors and windows they are often content with whatever a stock plan suggests without considering the impact that these features will have on the finished structure.

Think of a door as a separate entity of the home. It is a gateway that gives access to the innermost parts of your home–the place you feel joy, safety and love. Similarly interior doors give way to intimate spaces and cherished family gathering areas. Doors have an aesthetic role in creating an impression of what lies beyond. With this in mind, it is easy to see why doors should be thought of as more than just casual openings. If you want a home that truly characterizes your family through every detail, take the time to select doors that have substance.

You wouldn’t wear tennis shoes with a designer evening gown, so why put an ordinary door on a fabulous house. So often that happens when homes are built. Since family members enter via back doors, they are not accustomed to seeing what visitors often do. Doors are the most frequently used and visually obvious features of a home, but quite frequently they are overlooked as useful elements of style. Homeowners tend to put all their efforts toward the inside of the home, while forgetting an attractive door is what makes a visitor want to come inside in the first place.

Fortunately, the industries that supply entrance doors are recognizing that homeowners are learning to appreciate the value of a solid, well-designed door, and that not everyone has the same taste or style. In an effort to corner more of the market, door companies are now pushing to educate homeowners on the value of choosing a well-built and well-designed door. This is evident in the variety of choices and materials that are now being offered. Solid wood remains a traditional favorite for material but engineered wood, fiberglass, and steel are close seconds and are now offered in many pleasant styles suitable for the grand entrances our modern homes tend to have.

Homeowners are even turning their entry doors into an artistic focal point. Because houses in the lowcountry tend to have more scope and square footage than their original predecessors, grand entrances are being designed to maintain proportion and balance. Oversized doors, antique doors, and custom doors with glass features can be used as architectural elements that complement the lines of a home and display form while adding unique detail. If space allows, etched glass panels, sidelights, transoms or Palladian windows will showcase your door design and provide a source of natural light for your foyer.

Handcrafted doors are gaining momentum among people with custom built homes. While a bit expensive, doors crafted from unusual woods, iron and glass combinations or antique materials can be custom built in any size. If this kind of door is an option for your home, plan in advance with your architect or builder to create an entryway that is a real curb stopper.

If the exterior doors are well designed, is it safe to skimp on the interior doors? Absolutely not! Interior doors continue the statement you started at the entryway. Today’s trends in interior door styles make traditional hollow-core doors look flimsy and uninteresting. Interior doors with arches, transoms or frosted glass panels are turning up in homes around the lowcountry. Since today’s homes often use doors only for areas that require privacy, homeowners need fewer doors allowing them to spend more money upgrading quality or having custom made closures.

Because of fantastic views and great weather, many lowcountry residents have to consider more than just front entryways and interior doors. French, swinging and sliding patio doors have long been popular in new homes as an exit to yards and decks, but they haven’t always been the most beautiful, energy efficient or secure. As homeowners have become more savvy and sophisticated with their style, manufacturers have been forced to provide better quality doors that meet those requirements. When using glass patio doors, consult your builder to ensure the doors you’ve chosen have a good insulation rating and UV block to protect your furnishings.

With so many offerings, choosing the perfect door may seem daunting. Consider the space you have to work with, review your budget, and explore the style options available to you. There are many online resources for door solutions. Your architect or contractor can also provide suggestions that are suitable for your style home as well as the climate you live in.

Avoid inviting trouble to your door by planning ahead. The steps you take before you build will go a long way in making sure you have a door that expresses a sense of hospitality and makes a lasting impression.

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If purchasing a new door is not in your immediate budget, here are some tips to help make your entrance truly shine:

• Paint Your Door. This is a great, cost-effective way to give your entrance door a quick face-lift. A brightly painted entrance door demands to be noticed.
• Change the lighting. A well-designed lighting scheme is always noticed and provides better security.
• Add design elements. Large-scale pots placed at either side of your entrance door add elegance and a sense of symmetry to the entryway. Keep them filled year-round with both summer and winter bloomers.
• Add exterior trim. It won’t cost as much as you might think to add architectural millwork. Several manufacturers offer high-quality millwork made from durable high-density urethane foam. It looks like handcrafted wood molding without either the cost or the maintenance.
• Focus on the Hardware. A cheap set of entry door hardware looks, well, cheap. Sometimes splurging a little on handles, locks and hinges is all you need to spruce up an otherwise mediocre door and give it character.
• Extend the Entry. Arbors and trellises flanking an entry add some vertical design features to a plain yard and provide places to hang flowers or grow vines. Visitors will be “led” to the doorway while enjoying the trip.