Curb appeal starts with selecting the perfect front door for your home. The idea behind curb appeal is to present your home so that it makes a positive first impression and appeals to passersby and potential buyers—if you are planning to flip your house for a resale—from the street. Consider the overall architectural style of your house, the type of materials that will fit within your budget, the color of your house, the range of door hardware available, and safety features. Most importantly, to make sure that replacing your front door is an easy, straightforward DIY project, select a door that fits within your current opening.
Door Lites
Most doors are available with different options involving lites and decorative glass. Among the many options are energy-efficient insulated glass and stained glass with genuine brass caming. A door may comprise one large lite or have a grille that separates the glass into several lites. Sidelites are available on one or both sides of a door.
Door Styles
When it comes to front doors, there is a very wide range of options available in prehung easy-to-install styles. Color, material, and lite options are the major characteristics you’ll sift through at your local home improvement store. Lites are offered in many combinations, shapes, and styles, and can be placed centrally, at the top, or on either side of the door opening. Keep in mind that you also will need to make sure the door you select fits inside your current door opening, swings the desired way, and is prepared with the hardware on the correct side.
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15-lite entry door: If you want maximum exposure in
your entryway, the 1 5-lite entry door provides your home with the
most natural light that can be achieved without using a glass door. 4-paneled
with a half-circle lite: Providing more privacy than the
15-lite door, the 4-paneled with a half-circle light offers some natural
light exposure in your entryway. 6-paneled door: The
popular 6-paneled door is the standard entry door on offer at most
home improvement centers. This door provides maximum privacy for the
homeowner.
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2-paneled with a window: The 2-paneled door with a
window allows you the view and the natural light, but with some privacy.
The example shown here features a stylish window. Custom
door: This
is an example of a custom-made door with a patterned center lite. It
is a left-hand door, because the hinges are on the left and the door
swings into the house. Custom door with oval lite:
A popular option, the oval lite is a stylish way to make an impression.
The door shown here is a right-hand door; the hinges are on the right and the door swings inward.