Few doors or windows in our homes shape as many memories as the front door does. In an entranceway, the front door is the backdrop to countless hellos, goodbyes, and sometimes even those lingering, wholesome conversations with family and friends that continue long after festivities end. In Kolbe’s corner of the world, we call that the “Midwest Goodbye!”
With all of this in mind, it can be overwhelming to take on the challenge of creating a unique front door. Kolbe is here to help you navigate the questions that come with custom craftsmanship, always arriving at answers that are authentic to you and your vision.
Take that first step by looking over these common questions and answers about front doors below.
“Customization” means consistently making thoughtful design choices that add up to the most effective solution possible. For a door, this may involve shaping the unit to suit a certain opening, adding detail to reflect a specific architectural style, or selecting unconventional colors and patterns to catch the eye.
To get a sense of what craftspeople like those from Kolbe Windows & Doors can accomplish, visit our Custom Solutions Gallery online.
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Wood, metal, and glass are often all present in some capacity in today’s door designs. Kolbe Windows & Doors offers several different product lines, many of them illustrating the rich relationship between these materials.
For a traditional, timeless look, you will likely to be drawn to a wood-centric option. Kolbe’s Heritage Series uses wood on the interior and exterior of its doors, setting the stage for extensive, classic detail.
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More contemporary options will embrace metal and glass to a greater degree. Kolbe’s Ultra Series and VistaLuxe WD LINE can offer lighter, airier looks with sleek aluminum exteriors. The interiors, however, retain the wood for an organic touch.
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If you envision something even more streamlined, all-aluminum construction may be your solution. Kolbe’s VistaLuxe AL LINE includes options for some of Kolbe’s most forward-thinking entrances, focusing on dramatic scale and minimalist style.
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There are no right or wrong answers when selecting your materials and your aesthetic. It all comes down to the message that you want to convey with that first impression of your design.
A single swing door is perhaps the most common configuration for entrance doors. The door swings inward or outward from a hinge attached to the side of the frame.
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French doors are a variation on this concept, with two swinging panels that operate within a single frame, connecting to one another in the middle without the use of an additional, central mullion. This creates a more expansive opening while maintaining a similar operation style as a single swing door.
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Dutch doors split a single swing door panel across the middle, allowing the top half to operate freely while the bottom half remains closed. This can permit you to greet guests or welcome fresh air while keeping children or pets securely indoors. The panels can also open together as a full single swing door panel.
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Commercial doors take swing operation to the next level, meeting the necessary safety and accessibility options without losing the style and performance capabilities. This is usually accomplished by applying emergency exit hardware, creating wider openings, and incorporating other commercial-grade features.
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To break from the swinging-style formula, there’s the pivot door. Instead of hinging on the side of the frame, pivot doors operate on pins that are mounted above and below the panel. This differentiates the entranceway experience, moving with newfound elegance. Pivot door panels can also reach tremendous sizes, creating new opportunities for daylighting and accessibility.
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It can be helpful to think about your front door in terms of its full silhouette. Transoms and sidelites offer additional size, daylighting, and design flexibility. With this extra glass to the sides, above, or both, entering isn’t simply about operating the door panel but passing through the entire portal you have created. Some sidelites can even be designed to operate like another swing door panel, when needed.
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These adjacent windows can even add curves and other unique shapes, transforming the implied outline of the passageway.
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Of course, the door panel itself can be more than just a rectangle, as well, incorporating a rounded top, for example.
Much like the door panels themselves, the glass openings aren’t limited to simple rectangles. Positioning and shaping the views with precision and creativity ensures the result will be nothing short of memorable.
The choice of glass itself provides additional benefits. Different Low-E coatings can be applied to define the lighting, comfort, and efficiency of the interior space. Specialty glass can prepare your door for impact certification, protect wildlife like birds and turtles, and even minimize cleaning and maintenance.
Smart glass adapts to your needs at a moment’s notice with switchable privacy features. This glass swaps between transparent and obscured with the flip of a switch. Whether you need to let the sun in or keep eyes out, options like CLiC™ On-demand Privacy Glass enable that flexibility--no shades or blinds needed.
There are even more options to uncover in Kolbe’s complete glass selection.
Handles are how people and doors interact, so they ought to be both functional and fashionable.
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Kolbe offers a variety of lever handle styles featuring both single- and multi-point locks. Keyed handle sets and deadbolt locks are also available. The look and feel can be precisely defined with your choice of shape and finish. Beyond traditional lever handles, certain pivot door options also offer full-length pull handles--sleek bars that run the height of the door panel.
Plus, although hinges may seem purely utilitarian at first, selecting the right ones can be that finishing touch that demonstrates your attention to detail.
A bold finish reinforces the power of the front door, and it just might also be the missing piece to your façade. One Kolbe customer described her front door--finished in a custom teal--as “the jewelry on the house” that completes the look.
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In a commercial context, the right color can help bolster a brand identity, as well.
Of course, paint colors aren’t the only routes to eye-catching entrances. When wood is used on the exterior as with Kolbe’s Heritage Series, specialized and durable finishes enhance and preserve the material’s natural appearance. And to bring the look of wood to aluminum-clad doors, a custom Decoral finish will replicate the grain and color.
To add character to the glass opening in your door, consider divided lites. Traditional grids support a familiar and welcoming atmosphere, and custom patterns are another way to incorporate your stylistic signatures.
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Performance divided lites--sometimes called simulated divided lites--apply bars to the interior and exterior of the glass to convey divisions without compromising energy performance. These bars can take on many shapes and sizes.
True divided lites hold individual pieces of glass together to fill the opening in your door. This option is often selected to maintain historical accuracy within a design.
Once you’ve shaped your panel with the dimension and design your historical project needs, you’ll want to ensure it is framed appropriately, too. The right exterior brickmoulds and casings can make an incredible difference. Kolbe’s options vary in size and type, and custom options are available. You can even select the nosing to your door’s sill to further perfect your replication or restoration efforts.
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Automation brings an extra layer of convenience, accessibility, and security to your front door. Electronic multi-point locks can be installed into a door panel and integrated with the preferred operating interfaces like keypads or fingerprint sensors. These can then be connected to smart home systems for a seamless and intuitive experience.
Get a glimpse of the automation capabilities that Kolbe offers for front doors and beyond.
While timelines may be extended when pursuing highly specialized materials or options, Kolbe Windows & Doors crafts each and every door to order. Custom craftsmanship is part of the Kolbe Team’s day-to-day work. When searching beyond stock and standard, trust manufacturers who live and breathe “customization.”
As you step through each of these questions, we hope your vision for your front door is coming into focus. For complete options, page through our Extraordinary Entrances brochure or connect with your local Kolbe partner. For more inspiration, peruse our online photo gallery.
And if you’re customizing other doors and windows, these questions may serve as reminders of what elements to consider, as well. Designing a space as personal as a home is a series of critical choices, and the Kolbe Team treats each one with care. No matter the idea you have in mind, you can count on Kolbe to craft for you a complete and fulfilling solution.