yes, you need a header for the taller door, can it be placed above the ceiling line, into the attic space?

You could frame the red box area with wood and fill in the opening with tongue and groove to mimic the look of a ceiling accent. I hope this isn't a DIY.

You could just replace the door with a similar size door. Sometimes plans just don't pan out.

Thank you---definitely not DIY!

Yes, he will move the headers for the door (and also sidelight) up. The new wall where the door is will be about 2 feet taller on the inside (one foot to accomodate the taller door and the extra foot so that there's a gap between the door and the ceiling (header will go here).

So, do you think the best approach is to get rid of the idea of a cut out (e.g., no cathedral or wedge ceiling)?

Just my opinion, but I think a taller door is out of proportion to the size of the foyer. You are trying to alter that by raising the ceiling - but that doesn't change the dimensions of the room itself.

Same with the outside - your entryway is narrow, and a taller door will just accentuate that.

My first thought was "Who talked you into this?"

My second thought is "That person needs to come up with a viable solution."

My third thought is "That person may not be capable of coming up with a viable solution."

With the information provided, it appears to me that the proposed changes to the interior entryway has a poor design relationship with the exterior entryway. You may have to get someone new involved that is local and has a better understanding of design and structure.

As I look at the outside of your house, its architecture and style- I tend to think that this is possibly an ill-conceived idea.

My advice (opinion) would be: Unless you regularly host lots of NBA players - consider putting everything back as it was.

Consider defining and highlighting the door in other ways. Landscaping. Lighting. Maybe a different door color.

Thank you all for the comments. I did re-add an additional picture that didn't appear to show up on my the post earlier. This shows the proposed exterior design.

That said, I have posted these designs here before we started the work and it seemed most everyone liked it. We also like it. We cannot turn back at this point as the project is now underway (door and windows purchased/delivered, demo has started, etc.). There were some other things I intitially started to write in this reply, but I felt it was turning this post argumentative/defensive and I really am not looking for that. I am just hoping for some advice or any suggestions, that someone might make with this new issue.

is the ceiling on the interior of the front door solid?

Is the problem with the structure there?

If that is alread demolished, can you show a photo of the exposed framing?

Yes, the ceiling on the interior of the front door is/was solid. This area was only partially accessible based on the roof structure. What we discovered after doing demo of this area is that there is some structural components, plumbing/etc, that sits further in than we thought. The plumbing/electrical/hvac is for a bathroom that sits adjacent to where we were going to put the vaulted ceiling. Unfortunately this intrudes more than we thought into the space (basically the red line in the pics) and we needed to revise the plan to accomodate this structure. Our other option would be to do a tear out of the bathroom and move structural components/plumbing/etc., which is just not in our plan/budget right now.

I'm not at home now, but i can try to take some pics when i get back and post.

If you aren't willing to cover the additional cost to make it look as designed, then I would skip the whole vaulted concept. Most people won't even notice as they spend a few seconds walking through the space.

Lyn, I'm curious, do you think this wood cladding option is much preferred over the wedge shaped option here:

Oh gosh when you showed the ceing looking for lighting I thought that was already done.So the new door needed a new header is thta waht started this issue ? I am not so sure I would bother with the wood ceiling but maybe now a really cool light for there is all you need . I am abit confused is the new door installed or not ?

No, the side with the exterior door is not really an issue. I think the framing should be in place for the door (header/etc.) either today or early next week.

It's really the opposite side that is sort of an issue. In our original remodel design, the cathedral ceiling started like 6" past the front door and extended just past the black bi-fold door (the right side in the first pic below). Unfortunately, based on this new issue, the cathedral ceiling can no longer extend past the bi-fold door and instead stops about a foot before the end of the trim on the bi-fold doors (the first pic again, but the red line shows where we can't go past). So, i am looking for any ideas/thoughts on what to do with the cathedral ceiling plan. Our initial direction to our contractor is to change it from a cathedral ceiling style to more a wedge shape (See second pic, red line to show that we would have to shorten the wedge)

Hello- I think it looks cool. Use the Golden Rule to place the end of the wedge. My husband said it is 1.618 of the total width of the opening.

Full view front door? One piece install.

Visually, I do not see the need to have a "taller" door. I see the need to have the door a full view, to compliment the windows.

Thank you! So, if i understand correctly, I can't make the cut out longer (front door to end of the wedge), however i can make it narrower. So, I believe the length from door to the end of the wedge is about 5.5 feet. To make it proportional, i would need to make the width about 3.4 ft. Am i thinking about this correctly?

Can you flip the wedge, so the high side is at the door?

Right now you are heading at a high rate of speed into kludgeland.

Unfortunately, I can't do that because the roof is in the way.

Has the contractor provided you with any ideas (other than gutting your bathroom in order to move plumbing/etc.)?

Will you post a photo of the current space inside (and outside)? It would be good to see where you are at currently with this update.

Question - how high could the cut out be where the issue is along the red line? Not sure if that's clear or not - how high could you raise the ceiling behind the red line? I assume the plumbing doesn't come all the way down the the ceiling of the lower level?

dani_m08, based on the roof angle, at the short end of the wedge (in front of the front door) it'll probably be about one foot. At the tallest end (opposite the front door), it can go as high as 5 ft, but it will stop short of the end of the trim on the bi-fold door by about a foot or so.

Okay here were two pics i could grab. I think the one of the door is probably the clearest. (Please note, i should have mentioned this earlier, but this door has failed --we've tried adding weather stripping and modifying the jamb/etc., but it just does not keep out the cold/heat).

The opposite of the wedge picture is included, but you can't really see the issue as it's covered by some drywall. Behind the drywall is some structural support and plumbing/electrical. The only way to keep the original design would be to redo the bathroom. Another person mentioned just deleting the vaulted ceiling all together---which is an option the contractor also suggested.

Oh, also someone suggested going with a glass door. In addition to already having the door purchased, this is a west facing door and it gets extremely hot in the summer. We deliberately chose a door that was solid for this reason.

Hi, I was able to upload a couple of pictures. I'm not sure if it provides any additional information or perspective on what I should do. Is the best option to delete the plan to have a wedge/cathedral ceiling and go back with regular drywall at this point? I really appreciate any advice/thoughts. Thank you so much!

If the interior will not support your vision structurally as it exists why not go outward? Since the existing outside structure does have your vision would moving your exterior door out create that vision? Just a crazy thought as I tend to think outside the box. Less costly than raising the roof which is a much larger endeavor.

What is the area like as you continue from the front door forward into the house? Is it an entrance hallway?

Just looking at your pictures, one thing that jumps out at me is that with the wedge, as you're coming in the door you're presented with this rising flat wall, kind of a visual "block" or "stop". It seems that with the original cathedral plan, you wanted an airy, dramatic, upward flowing type of vibe above you as you walk in. I feel like once you change the shape to a wedge, you loose that...it becomes a blockage type of thing. Just because it's still something that creates an open volume above as you come in doesn't mean that it achieves your (presumed) goal.

I also think the lack of symmetry would continue to bug you.

What about something symmetrical and much lower than the original height? I also really like the wood cladding shown, so at least incorporate that. I think you do have options to create a bit of a moment on that ceiling area as you come in. It seems like the wedge was just the plan to modify the un-doable cathedral, and it doesn't really work. Maybe start from scratch, not from the cathedral mind set.

Good luck!! I'm sure it will come out great whatever you do, but seems very stressful at the moment! Trust your gut.

I would remove the outer brick wall and just have one strong post at the end of the roof. It would open up the entry porch area.

On the interior, keep the same door height, just raise the ceiling a bit but still flat.

In theory I get what the wedge would supposed to add to the entry, but in reality, without it being perfectly symmetrical or domed, etc, and especially without any windows in it, it seems to be a little unsettling, having an empty, shadowy space above as soon as you enter.

What is the BEYOND interior?. Stand with your back to the door. Convince me that the original idea ever really made any sense..." _ which to me it didn't. If it was to accommodate a hanging light? A spot for a wood accent?

Show some interior, please?

This below? AI......and what bothers me? What is the point when the rest of interior is standard 80 inch door/header?

To me, it is a one from column A , One from Column B design......and there was never a need for an 8' door, despite you needed a new door.

"The design won't change here"..........but should. The gray window trim, ( better with black ) and this new elevation and worsened with sheers in the windows: )

I would put a new door in the same height as the one you have. The taller one is going to look out of place because, it doesnt go well with all the other doors in the interior. I see no good reason for a taller door, in your entry way.

You saw a picture of the tray ceiling in a foyer, and fell in love. That inspiration picture may have worked with the design of that particular house. With yours, it does not. So far I've kept my comments mum on that aspect on this website and the other one you posted.

Your house is a 70s-80s take on the MCM style. Not an MCM house, but a nod to it's stylistic traits. It's ok to bring in some more traits since you like that style. But, right design, right time, right place.

You walk towards a vaulted (let's say "sideways") porch. Then, if you put in the proposed Foyer tray (with a desired cathedral, or settled on vault), this vault is rotated in conflict of the porch roof, or turns into a rotated mini cathedral, both of which don't flow with the same design intent of the house, and isn't proportional when you consider the exterior porch nor does it fit in with the pretty standard design of the Foyer and surrounding rooms. Even the siding angle supports the porch roof. Further muddled by the choice of trim/use of crown which competes with the style of the door, glass doors, and strong exterior of the house. It looks awkward in any configuration.

I think I might understand the intent of this exercise. It would be if the ceiling of the porch continued past the front door into the main house. But the design of your house cannot support that.