Best Front Door Styles for Your Home!

Planning to replace your front door? Can't decide which style suits your home's interior and exterior best? We're here to help!

We'll start with some front door styles per se, and then move to some details about front door materials, hardware, and finishes, all of which can affect the final look of your front doors!

Front Door Styles and Designs

While we acknowledge that you may not find the front door of your dreams in our article (after all, there are thousands of great choices on the market!), we hope that our guide provides you with the much-needed inspiration to design the door that suits your home best!

As such, here are the most popular front door styles among homeowners!

Modern Front Doors

Modern front doors are all about clean lines and a lack of excessive ornamentation. They often have flat panels, sleek handles, and (sometimes) integrated glass panels. Modern entry doors are usually made of steel, fiberglass, or smooth wood and finished in bold, solid colors.

These doors are a perfect match for contemporary or minimalist homes and pair well with facades with large windows. Designers often suggest adding subtle long-bar handles and incorporating hidden hinges to enhance their futuristic feel.

Traditional Front Doors

And here we are, on the opposite end of the front door spectrum: the traditional front door, which, naturally, is the perfect match for the traditional home!

These doors are typically paneled and feature classic, symmetrical designs. Traditional front doors are often deep red, green, or blue, or even finished in rich wood tones like mahogany or cherry.

Traditional doors are excellent for homes with a colonial, Georgian, or Victorian design and can certainly become the focal point of the facade. If you choose one for your home and want to further highlight its beauty, you can install brass or bronze hardware and equip the door with sidelights or transoms. And don't forget about proper lighting! It will totally change your home's facade - for the better, that is!

Farmhouse Front Doors

Farmhouse-style front doors are usually made of solid wood or painted wood. They feature vertical planks, crossbuck details, and barn-style accents. Some are classic white, while others have a natural wood color.

If your house has a farmhouse, cottage, or country design with a wide porch and warm exterior siding, you can definitely install a farmhouse front door. To make it stand out, use black or oil-rubber bronze hardware and incorporate glass panels.

Double Front Doors

If you have a large home with enough space for a double front door, why not go for it? Double front doors create a grand entrance, perfect for homes with kids or pets who run in and out of the house all day long! They can be customized however you want - minimalist, heavily paneled, and traditional, or with glazing options.

Double doors can bring to perfection an entryway with high ceilings or a formal facade because they create a sense of symmetry and grandeur!

However, if you do choose to install double doors, make sure they're highly secure and energy-efficient.

Dutch Doors

Dutch doors are a bit unusual, but the word goes that homeowners love them! They basically split horizontally so the top and bottom halves can open independently! Quite a unique door inspiration idea, isn't it?

They are usually made from wood and often feature small window panes in the top half and solid panels below. Dutch doors pair incredibly well with farmhouses, cottages, or casual coastal homes.

But what's with that design, right? What does it serve for? Ventilation, primarily. You can keep the top half open for ventilation and the bottom half closed to keep your kids or pets inside. In the past, they were also installed to keep animals out of farmhouses.

And here's the thing... Dutch doors often feature bright paint colours and contrasting hardware, which can highlight the unique split design. So, if you want to experiment with colours, add Dutch doors to your good door options list!

Craftsman Front Doors

Craftsman doors have a sturdy, handcrafted appearance. They often feature small square or rectangular windows at the top and solid panels below. Craftsman front doors usually have wood finishes or muted paint colours that highlight their craftsmanship.

Craftsman doors complement bungalows, Arts and Crafts, and early 20th-century-style homes, and pair extraordinarily with sidelights or transoms, which accentuate the clean lines.

Arched Front Doors

Just like their name suggests, arched front doors come with a rounded or curved top. You can install a front door that is arched itself, or you can install a standard rectangular front door and an arched transom window above for the same effect.

These doors pair well for homes with both a modern style and a traditional style, as they can be customized in countless ways. They can even work perfectly well for homes with Gothic-inspired architecture!

Designers suggest pairing arched doors with complementary masonry or stone details and using decorative hardware that follows the curve, such as curved handles or wrought iron accents.

Front Doors with Transoms

A transom is a horizontal window placed above the door. Its primary goal is to allow additional light into the entryway. However, transoms are often custom-made so they match the door design and enhance your home's curb appeal.

Front doors with transoms often feature clean or decorative glass panels. If privacy is a concern, you can install frosted glass instead.

Transoms are especially favored for home facades that lack architectural details. So, if you feel like your facade needs a curved or geometric design that doesn't overwhelm your new door, pair it with a transom!

Front Doors with Sidelights

Sidelights are also windows, just like transoms, except that they're narrow and positioned on one or both sides of a door. This way, sidelights help create a broader, more welcoming entry.

Sidelights pair well with both single and double doors and work with almost any front door design. Like transoms, sidelights can feature clear glass or frosted or textured panels for privacy. The most popular styles include muntins that separate the glass into smaller panels, which match the new front door's hardware.

Front Doors with Stained Glass

Entry doors with stained glass panels add color, texture, and artistry to a facade. They can be either traditional (with floral or geometric design choices) or more modern (with abstract patterns).

Stained glass works well with Victorian, Craftsman, or eclectic-style homes. To allow the glass to truly shine, it's recommended to keep the door frame and hardware simple.

Other Front Door Ideas

If you still haven't found your door, here are some more front door ideas!

Front Door Styles: Door Materials

These are the most popular front door materials (which also affect the door's design):

• Wood, which allows for carvings and paneling, and ensures a warm, natural look
• Fiberglass, which can mimic wood
• Steel, which is often preferred in modern or urban homes
• Aluminum doors, which are great for contemporary designs
• Composite doors, which combine different materials and pair well with various architectural home styles.

Door Hardware and Accessories

As we've briefly mentioned in the paragraphs above, the hardware you choose for your exterior door can completely change its look. We're talking about handles, knobs, hinges, knockers, locks, and more...

For example, if you choose a sleek steel door for a minimalist house, go for long-bar handles, minimalist locks, and hidden hinges, as well as metallic finishes. If you pick a wood front door, install brass, bronze, or wrought-iron hardware.

In short, when choosing a door type and door style, don't pay attention just to its design. Think about the tiniest details, even about the finish of screws and bolts, as they can drastically change its appearance.

Don't Forget About Practicality

Functionality and longevity matter just as much for a contemporary front door. If you live in Canada, you should look for energy-efficient front doors, considering our climate. For example, steel and fiberglass entry doors offer excellent insulation and are quite low-maintenance as well.

Furthermore, keep in mind security features. Multi-point locking systems, reinforced frames, impact-resistant glass: all of these are of the essence nowadays, especially if you live in an urban area. Speaking of which, if your house is on a busy street, you can also consider soundproofing door ideas.

Looking for the Most Stylish Front Door in Canada? Contact Magic!

At Magic, we provide you with the most durable, secure, and energy-efficient front doors... But we also prioritize style and curb appeal! Magic simply does not like sacrifices, so we've decided to create the Ultimate Entry Door, which is incredibly strong, highly insulated, and stylish like no other door in Canada!

Curious to learn more? Book a free consultation with Magic! But until then, here's a quick summary of our front door's key features:

• 40% more insulation
• 30% more steel
• Proprietary multi-pocket compression seal that is rebated directly into the slab
• "J-bend" design that resists folding or buckling under pressure
• Multi-point locking systems
• Integrated anodized aluminum rain deflector
• Auto-trigger with a proprietary U-channel design that locks air out

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most popular front door style?

The most popular front door style is the classic paneled door, often featuring a combination of raised or recessed panels with glass inserts.

What are the options for front doors in Canada?

In Canada, front door options include wood, fiberglass, steel, and composite doors. You can also choose from a variety of designs, colours, and glass insert styles.

What is the most welcoming front door color?

Red, blue, and brown are usually considered the most welcoming front door colors. However, any color, even black front doors, can feel welcoming as long as the door is cohesively incorporated into the overall home design.

What door styles increase home value?

Fiberglass or steel doors with decorative glass panels, modern hardware, smart locks, and revolutionary energy efficiency features can increase home value.

What are the advantages of double front doors?

Double front doors enhance your home’s elegance and provide an inviting entrance with increased natural light and airflow. They also simplify the process of moving larger items.