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wfgworks

Should the Front Door be Centered

2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago

Hello

We are at the start of a renovation and need to make a decision about our front door. We'd like to do a door with 12" sidelites on either side but this will not have the door centered between the two posts/pillars when walking up to the house. The current design calls for a door with a single 12" sidelite as you see in the photo. Inside the entry is a closet to the right so that's why adding a sidelite will shift the door to the left.

Was looking to get people's thoughts on should we center the door? Or will shifting it 12" not be a big deal?





Comments (11)

  • 2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    it looks a bit unbalanced to me with the single sidelight and I'm not even a person bothered by imbalance. Can you do a faux sidelight on the right side just for balance i.e. make a sidelight but cover it over on the inside?

    Why do you want sidelights? If it's to allow light into the foyer, a solution might be to do no sidelight and install a front door with windows. Lot's of options out there for windowed doors in all styles.

  • 2 years ago

    I would probably be bothered by an uncentered door so would keep as is. Could the closet be reconfigured to accommodate a sidelight?

  • 2 years ago

    What does the floor plan look like? I would be inlcined to definitely add a second sidelite or eliminate them all together, one makes it look just off. The lack of symmetry would not bother me in the slightest, that however. I also do not like full glass doors like that for a front door as that to me always looks more like a patio type door.

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    Would be best to center whatever door/sidelight combination you have on that bay. Will also suggest that the column of your porch look a bit undersized and there is no beam between the columns that I can see. With this design now it looks like the column just disappear into the roof. It would be a better look to have a beam (built-up or soild wood) that spans the entire width of the porch.

    wfgworks thanked Norwood Architects
  • 2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I added the floor plan and a rendering of the finished product.


    We lack closet space in the house so this closet will go the full length of the wall on the right, with a bench/cubby combo opposite of the front door on that far wall even though that's not on the plans.


    The rendering isn't exact to scale as the front porch goes closer to that far right window and the post are further apart but wanted to give people a better look at the front door option with a single sidelite.


    Dropping the sidelites and going with just the 3/4 Lite Single door is an option.

  • 2 years ago

    Shift the entire door unit to the left and use a second sidelite or center it and use a 42" door with no sidelites.

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    I would centre the entrance door to where the middle left post is and move the powder room to the right. It looks unbalanced at the moment.

  • 2 years ago

    @Bright Space Design, unfortunately from a budget and structure standpoint, we need to have things where they are. Thanks for the suggestion.

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    You're welcome. If you create a strong focal point of your front door, eg, with lighting, plants and the pathway leading up to it, it will help make it feel visuallly appealing and look great :)

  • 2 years ago

    I found an 18” full view sidelight online which I plan to use with a 36” full view door in a 63” opening. It obviously won’t be centered, but I think it will look more like a narrow stationary door than a sidelight. (I know it will look more like a patio door but I have seen pics of modern homes with similar arrangements.)

    I wonder if you could use a 24” slab door as a single sidelight if you have the room and could find the doors to match.

    A large one-sided sidelight would be a more modern and asymmetrical look.