Your house is a traditional story and a half from the pictures.

Flo, thank you for the information and direction! Yes, I did notice the larger light and that is one thing I will change at some point. The road is actually a little higher than the house and our living room is visible through the door. A lighter, brighter door is the direction I'll go, regardless of what door style is chose actually! Since the door is in shadow, a darker option tends to not show up.

These pictures are using the Therma Tru door brand visualizer. Disregard color (it's just a lighter color option that they had). If we didn't go with the more full glass door that you pictured (I really did like that, though), are either of these bad? I take it you think a raised panel is better than the flat? Note that there is an unfortunate "step up" into the door. I noticed you placed the yellow door on the porch floor and it looks WAY better that way, but it can't be changed.

When I place a door with 3/4 glass into the picture, at the correct level above the step, the door glass doesn't like up nicely with the porch windows on the house, like it did in your rendering!

Doesn’t have to line up with window. Just has to have similar characteristics. Because the picture is so small, I did the best I could with the mock up. That’s a dangerous step down. Can you broaden that step with a rounded area and perhaps using pavers? Would be much safer.

I... just don't make your porch post into a fork. There are way too many lines already, and that odd bit just adds chaos to the mix.

It might be nice to wrap the posts in barn wood ( loose that fork). Wood will soften the hard lines. Then eventually add bigger flower/shrub and trees to enhance your curb appeal.

Flo - Maybe someday the step could be broadened. We have never had any issues with it and accidents, though. I just think it looks so much nicer with the door lower like in your picture! Oh, well!

It may not HAVE to line up with the window, but I think it is a pleasing look in your picture, that it does :)

I have thought about a wood post, but there is actually only one post in the middle. It may look like three in the pictures, but you are probably seeing the corner trim. I know some people don't like it when a house has contrasting vertical trim on the outside corners, but I tend to like it, and the trim isn't nearly as bright/garish in real life as it is in the rendering. Hopefully it's not a terrible mistake to use all the off white trim on the outside corners, but it seems I'm drawn to houses trimmed out that way, so crossing my fingers I like it in the end. It's just a weird porch. If you enlarge the "real" picture, it may be easier to see what's going on. When we moved in, there was a rotten white picket fence around the front of the porch slab....making it a kind of weird courtyard. Anyway, I thought it might be odd since there is only that one post, to "highlight" it, by wrapping it.

It might be hard to see, but there is quite a bit planted in the landscape. I just need to wait for it to grow bigger!

Thank you again!

acm - the fork has been REMOVED. The real picture of our house is in it's current state...to show what it looks like with the storm door removed and the fork removed. We just removed the "fork" sides of the post last wk. The rendering with the siding done and the sunburst taken out of the gables was done before the fork was removed. Sorry for the confusion.

I don't lke the new curved corbels on the porch pillar. The are the focal point and are distracting. Too Victorian.

I like the @Flo Mangan 12 pane door. Your house is not craftsman, more farmhouse/traditional I suppose. Don't get a craftsman door.

I operated on the mysterious post. I would see if it can be removed. Or relocated. Or wrap it with the siding to make it less visible. I think it is going be be really nice and I am sure you will have some great equity in the long run.

@tracefloyd Thank you! I do like that one, too! The corbels have been removed, not added (I just didn't change the rendering because I'm not great at photo editing!). Of the door pictures I posted, are both of the ones with 6 panes (smaller top area) "craftsman style" in your opinion, or just the one with the shaker style panels? I am leaning toward at least 9 panes, but this may be a tough sell to my husband because I told him one of the reasons I wanted to change the door was for less glass/ more privacy 😁. But I'm not really loving the look of just the the smaller area of glass.

Flo, it does look nice without the post and with the symmetry of the two lights! I've often wished we could have lights of both sides of the door! It's believed however, that the post is structural. That is a good idea about making it he same color as the siding - I may try that!

Why?...does your husband think you change your mind too much already? Change it back, lol :-)

Honestly, who cares if the front door glass is oval! Is Architectural Digest planning a photo shoot? The house has an oval window to tie the two together. Get some frosted glass film. DIY is so easy. Trace the oval template of the glass onto paper. then cut the film to it. The plastic film adheres with just water and squeegie out the bubbles. We did it in the bath with green leaves but you can get plain or any pattern, texture or color.

And what is the big rush? You don't need any more pressure right now making another decision. Wait 6 months after the project is done then maybe consider changing the door, but why? Another expense?...and when you bought a fixer to begin with. It is very presentable and servicable. It's lasted this long, let the next owner deal with it.

ps leave that post white. and please don't make excuses to people why you can't or won't use their suggestions.

@tracefloyd I would absolutely LOVE, love love (can I add another love?) to scrap the whole door thing and not make any more decisions. In fact, just yesterday, I tried to get out of this door decision and do just as you suggested...live with it and decide later. But, I asked the siding installer and was told it is much better to change the door before siding than after😭 so if we are going to do it, I think it's now or never. I hate all these decisions...I'm not good at I at all and constantly second guess myself.

And YES! My husband thinks I'm absolutely insane and change my mind way too much! Honestly, If you could "swing" the cost of a new door and it's best to do it now, would you do it in this case? If we are going to the HUGE expense of the new siding (and all the windows have been replaced...) does it make sense to just do the door as well?

And...sending you a virtual hug and thank you! Seriously, having someone "get" and acknowledge the pressure involved with all these decisions made me tear up a little. I want to be happy with the choices I ultimately make, but also want others to feel the make sense and add to the look/value of the house! As much as I don't want to admit I care about what other people think, I do 😁. Also, if you are local to the Kansas city Missouri area please come over to my fixer up and help me pick (or not) a darn door 😁.

Thanks MV, I'm glad I made someone's day. My job is done here :-)

Okay, I'm already spending a ton of money so let's spend even more!!! On this blog people ask one simple question about paint color and get a ton of different opinions on how to rebuild everything!

I think the siding installer assumed you would need to swap out the door frame which, yes, would involve construction. You may have shown him a different size door? People get new doors all the time that fit the frame they already have. Tell him to forget about it. You'll keep the door you have. I live in California :-(

@tracefloyd my understanding is it can be pretty challenging to just swap a door, even if it's technically the right size for the frame. I'm sure we could figure out a way to get it done, but I've heard it often costs as much or more than a pre hung door and the results with the pre hung are usually better as the weather stripping, etc. is specific to the door itself. A lot of manufacturers don't manufacture the doors without the hinge area mortised, so it would involve a possible special order You also don't get a warranty on the door if you don't go with their frame.

Darn about being in CA!

There are several options for front doors with glass. The porch overhang will reduce the amount of thighs yo get in your entryway, so I agree with @Flo Mangan. Also, it will be harder to find he,o if you don’t do it while the workers are there.
Some ideas for you. Home Depot has a lot of options. Not sure where the others can be purchased. Ignore the sidelights.

I meant to write “reduce the amount of light you get”…

Just two weeks ago I swapped my 1980s "Victorian" door for a used, classic, almost entirely glass door. I bought the door off Facebook Marketplace for something like $70 and had it installed by a local handyman, who charged me $250 to replace it along with two other doors (it was $250 total for all 3), including installing hardware. No new door frame, just hanging new doors. It would have been a DIY if I had the time. It could be something you might want to look into.

@HouseofGodsmith how did he handle getting the hinges and strike plate to line up? I know filling things in is an option, but our frame is already bit of a chiseled out mess.

Unfortunately I wasn't there to watch so I'm not sure how he handled the strike pate. The hinges do need to be filled, but that's something I'm handling on my own when I paint the door.

You probably need to replace and new doors can be purchased with frame as a set. Definitely change now. Too difficult and more expensive later with potential damage to new siding.

I would get local handyman to come out and check out the situation and see what can be done. He will have resources for new doors and jams too. I have Your Door Guy here and he is great. Has taken care of all our exterior doors for decades! Google things like that to identify some one who is experienced and has good “reviews”.

Since your frame is a bit of a mess, get the door that has a new frame with it. It usually costs less to install a door with the frame, than it does to fit a door to an existing frame, and with the frame, you will get the right weatherstripping too.

I would do a 6 light with Flemish glass (or some kind of obscuring glass). The Victorian door doesn’t go with the rest of your home. Most people don’t get that ideal decision making environment so we all make the best decisions we can given the information we have. It will be beautiful!

Tnese people know about doors!!

Thank you all for your ideas and opinions! Yesterday I taped a piece of blackout material to the inside of our current door, to mimic how much light/glass there would be if we only had a 1/4 light door. I really didn't like it at all. The good news is I asked my husband what he thought about it and he said he also didn't like it :)

I'm currently getting quotes on the therma tru 1/2 lite and 3/4 lite doors pictured in the thread. Crossing my fingers I haven't waited too long to get a door before the siding is supposed to be started.

It’s always better when the other half agrees with us.

Get a new ThermaTru door, with the frame already on it, and you’ll be happy. Then you’ll decide the color. Give yourself more windows in the door for more light. Can’t go wrong with those doors.

Doesn't anyone use wood filler and sandpaper any more? Just throw out the old doorjam. $$$$

Oval glass door needs to go. I would choose the 3/4 lite door like the yellow one upthread.

If you are worried about privacy--then semi sheer sash curtains? I don't see them used much anymore--must not be on trend. But I have always liked them and would use them if needed.

@Flo Mangan

I hope this isn't too annoying, but I wanted to get your thoughts on 2x3 grid pattern vs 3x4? Is one more pleasing or correct in your opinion? I realize the grid pattern on our windows across the front isn't consistent since the pattern on the double hungs below the half arch are different than the others (I trusted our installer that they would match...I have since learned to check on every possible detail and not assume they care about things like this...).

Kind of personal taste. I like the bottom one. You can get the door with the mullions in between the double pane of glass which makes cleaning easier. The smaller panes might give a bit more privacy too. So I vote #2 which you call 3/4 I think.

I like the bottom one, the 3 x 4 lites best, too. The majority of your windows are 3 lites across so it works with the windows. And odd numbers almost always look better than evens.

Yes, the bottom one seems to work better with the windows you have.

Ive been looking for front doors too . I keep coming back to this one . Maybe something like this will provide the privacy you want . The glass is called flemish

Love Flemish glass. Great look for your home.

Not sure why I am just now seeing these comments. I think it would bother me to have obscured glass, since I do look out the door a lot during the day. I think I'm going to rig a window covering (clear 3m hooks) that we only put up at night for privacy.

I'm still debating the number of panes. I thought I had chosen the 12 lites, but then when I was looking at the therma Tru options (hardware etc) I kept seeing the 6 panes in the 3/4 glass doors. It would seem they are much more current. My mom also said she thinks the larger pains help pull in the half round window. So, now I'm conflicted again.

I don’t think there is a bad choice here.

neither is a bad choice . I prefer the six panes on your house

My mom also said she thinks the larger pains help pull in the half round window

If you are replacing the siding, I would ditch the half round window and install a rectangular transom in its place. Should be relatively simple to accomplish.

Thank you all. I think I'm going to stick with the 3x4. In thinking about the fact that I am seeing the 2x_ doors and windows all over the internet (and on some of the newer builds around us), I think I'm going to avoid the trend. I appreciate knowing that neither pattern is a mistake. Going with the 3x4 just feels a little safer and less like I was trying to fit into the farmhouse trend.

Whatever you need to tell yourself to get to a decision, right?!

@ci_lantro it would have been wise to consider changing out that half round. However, the front windows were replaced (minus the half round because it's still in good shape) about 8 yrs ago. This siding project is set to start the end of this month. We recently ordered some windows for the back of the home and the price had DOUBLED in the 8 years since we replaced the front windows. We wouldn't have enough time to order the transom at this point and we're probably at the point of "good enough". Hindsight is 20/20. There are things I would have done differently if I had a do-over button (window grid patterns etc. - I didn't know at the time that we could customize the grids in the windows we were getting and the installer didn't ask what we wanted). I've learned a lot in 8 yrs. Maybe these half round windows will come back? Yeah, probably not!

I dont think that rounded window looks bad at all . I think its an attractive home.

@auntannie123 thank you for the kind words! I very much dislike making all these decisions and pray I like everything when it's complete! I saw your post on your own home exterior and agree with some of the others that your home is attractive as is!

@M V Oh Thank you ! I dont like making these kind of decisions either . Just go with your gut . No matter how many people might like a certain thing , you have to be the one who likes it — Im talking to myself here too lol . BTW , If i remember correct , you put new siding on the house , doing a side at a time as you could afford it . I loved that ! I tend to be impatient and want it all done . Thanks for reminding me to have patience :)

Had to go back to original post to remember what door you had and I love this new one !

Good choice!

So much better. I can't stand those faux Victorian doors but the builders love 'em.