What is the style of the house or what is the style you want to achieve?

I try to avoid anything fake.

Thanks for your thoughts. I never really thought to name the style of the house. Traditional? Country? I have never seen anything like this used at a door but I was thinking I might install one to three 7' vertical trim pieces at the right and left of the door and paint them dark brown like the rest of my trim. I don't want anything trendy or fake but shutters are fake in the strict interpretation and they look very nice. My entry door is not going to be showy due to its placement along a short side wall so I may take the safe route and keep the siding build standard.

It might look interesting (negatively or positively), but the time and money may be better spent by getting a better door or devising a way to manage the rain running of the metal roof to not deteriorate the hardy siding.

I have a half-glass metal-clad door with a composite frame on order. I wanted to go fiberglass clad but I decided there were too many reports of fiberglass warping or not closing well. The composite frame was a no-brainer for me but I also plan to install a storm door. The metal roof on the left will get replaced soon. It connects to a double wide mobile home on the left that will get demolished and removed. Once I clear it out, the plan is to level its footprint and pour a slab for a largeish garage.

" I have a half-glass metal-clad door with a composite frame on order. I wanted to go fiberglass clad but I decided there were too many reports of fiberglass warping or not closing well. "

Good quality fiberglass door is better than a steel door any day, especially for a front door and a builder grade steel door may be worse than a builder grade fiberglass door overall. I cannot see the "embellishments" you speak of looking any where decent personally.

I appreciate the comments on the fiberglass clad door. Perhaps it's due to my relatively hot climate but I ran across several examples of fiberglass that warped. I had one and heard of another. The brand may be the solution. I looked at several...forget the brand...and was amazed to find it was NOT covered along the top surface with fiberglass. I was just floored!

I will probably skip the sidelight-wannabe embellishments. I hoped there would be some photos of builds folks had done with examples I could see but the fact there aren't any....well, I don't plan to be the one with the tacky entry door :>) I am already a bit on the cusp of raised eyebrows with my entry along the eaves.

I would use 6 inch trim around the door instead of 4 inch. My home has 4 inch trim at the corners, but the doors and windows 6 inch.. 4 inch around the door would just be too spindly and cheap.

I would also consider using a router to put some flutes in the vertical trim boards along side the door. 3/4 inch "round nose" router bit. Put like 4 grooves in the vertical trim boards but don't go the full length top to bottom, leave about a foot at the bottom unfluted and 6 inch at the top.

And the trim board across the top of the door, apply some molding on top of it so it is not a plain board. Find a nice piece of molding and nail it across the top edge. Crown molding of some type.

Thanks Michael and Seabornman! I already have some wider format Hardi trim and like the concept.....many thanks for that recommendation.

Also checking out the book for other ideas.....might be able to find it in the library.