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michal_ricca

Front door railing

last year

TYIA!

Trying to figure out what to do with this railing.
Paint?
Or completely replace with something else? If so, what would match exterior style?

Comments (12)

  • last year

    It's kind of rustic-looking and you have a classic door. Painting it a white to match the window trim would be helpful. Black wrought iron would go well with the style of the door.

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    I agree with pt. It seems that most saltboxes don't require steps, so it is hard to find examples that would help you, at least with only a quick search. This plan popped up and I thought it might work reall well for you if you are up for changing the steps a bit. If not, paint the steps the color of your trim.

    saltbox steps

  • last year

    I agree. The material is not suited for your home.

    I googled Colonial Williamsburg homes and found this one. The porch materials look like stone or concrete and wrought iron.


  • last year
    last modified: last year

    I am not seeing a salt box house nor a Colonial. It has a full side gable. It is a good rendition of Federal.

    Love the red windows but not loving the red front door.

    Do the steps in red brick to compliment the red windows. Add a black railing and change the front door to black.

    Good example of steps and railing. Don't do a cheap metal rail... this is the gateway into your home.



  • last year

    Paint them the trim color. When you take pictures you want the sun at your back, not behind the structure.

  • last year

    Thank you all! I agree to not do a cheap metal rail. Something thicker or a different material?

  • last year

    Here's an example that might help. (As others have said, colonial houses were set low to the ground and rarely had more than a step or two at most at the entry, so examples with stairs are few.)

    Look closely at the details at the front door. Double entry doors are not typical for colonials; maybe consider replacing those at some point with a single door with sidelights? Notice the substantial trim around the door, especially above it. (I would probably skip the gold eagle and just put the house numbers on that wide upper trim.) The simple black iron railings are on the stairs, not beside them, and attach to the door trim on both sides.

    Because colonial houses were so low to the ground, little foundation showed, so shrubbery to hide it was not needed; these houses often have little or no foundation planting. When plantings do exist, they are usually simple and symmetrical arrangements of evergreens. (I can't tell what the young shrubs are in your photos, but assume you will be adding more plants.)

    I would have edited your photo so you could see these changes, but that's hard with these photos (sharply angled viewpoints and washed out from sun on the camera lens). Maybe post better pictures if you want a mock-up?

  • last year

    Here are some better photos of the front. I LOVE the black door idea. Glossy or matte? And would love an idea of what kind of black railings and if maybe I paint the cement stairs? It so, color?

  • PRO
    last year

    You have a simple Georgian house. An iron handrail seems most appropriate

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    Here's the house with just the changed entry and some landscaping.

    Now, if this were mine, I would also paint the windows to match the window trim. Right now, the dark red blends with the dark-appearing glass, making the glass look too large and the outside trim too narrow for a colonial. Here's the house with that additional change (and with the window dividers emphasized a bit to bring them a little closer to true divided lights):

    Choice depends on whether you want more authenticity or a contemporary version of it.

  • last year

    Thank you!