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Exterior view of a TruStile Front Door Craftsman style with Hazelnut color on a gray home.

The Ultimate Guide to Front Door Styles

Before you buy a new front door, reviewing a front door buying guide can help you get familiar with front door styles, options, and materials. Marvin Replacement offers TruStile®, a Marvin® brand, entry doors. Your front door can enhance your home’s curb appeal. A new entry door also serves as the first impression to your home. An entry door can create a welcoming atmosphere with a transom window or sidelites.

A front door protects your home from the weather. But not all front doors are alike. The type of front door material you pick makes a difference. The style of your front door and design options also makes an impact. Find out more about the choices to consider when replacing a front door. 

Front Door Materials

Several types of materials get used to build front doors. Wood, fiberglass, steel, and aluminum are common materials for front doors. Each front door material has its advantages. You can find some differences between them. It’s important to consider energy efficient doors. Energy efficient doors can help reduce your energy bills.1

Wood

When you’re thinking about front door replacement, you can consider wood for your entry way. Wood has classic appeal that people enjoy. Marvin Replacement offers wood entry doors from TruStile. TruStile features the Resilient™ and the Reserve™ wood entry systems. The Resilient line can be painted while the Reserve line showcases stained natural wood.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass is a durable door material. It also has great energy efficiency because it doesn’t transfer much heat. Fiberglass won’t warp or swell, like some entry door materials can.

Steel

Steel has great strength and durability. You can also select options like an inner wood frame to improve energy efficiency. Steel doors can suffer dents and scratches. Scratches can lead to rust if water reaches the spot and goes unnoticed.

Aluminum

Aluminum front doors have long remained popular entry door options. Aluminum doors offer an affordable front door choice. They do have their drawbacks, though. Aluminum conducts energy well. That means heat can pass through it easier than other materials.

Front Door Styles

Whether you’re considering double front doors or a single entry door, you have many styles available. The front door style you choose should complement your home’s architecture.

Street view of a TruStile Traditional Front Door in Nutmeg color on a white home with two columns.

Traditional Style Front Doors

Traditional style home often feature entry doors with sidelites and transom windows. The extra windows bring in more natural light. They also can make an entry way feel warm from the sunlight. You can use decorative glass to preserve privacy. Sidelites and transom windows make an entrance feel grander.

Exterior view of a TruStile Modern Farmhouse style entry door.

Farmhouse Front Door

Farmhouse front doors offer classic and contemporary looks. They use symmetry and sleek lines to achieve timeless looks. Farmhouse doors can feature large glass areas. They often come as white doors, darker colors, or feature natural wood. Farmhouse entry doors can come as double front doors. You often have several panel design choices with farmhouse style, too.

Coastal Front Door in Slate

Coastal Front Doors

Coastal front doors often feature large glass panels to let the sun fill homes. Coastal entry doors also come in a variety of vibrant colors to create a calm, beach house vibe. Coastal front doors tend to blend in with the outdoors with cool colors that reflect the scenery.

Mediterranean Front Door in Walnut

Mediterranean Front Doors

TruStile Mediterranean front doors come custom built to fit your home. The design options include arched Tuscan-style doors. They feature the charm and warmth of Spanish and Italian living when included in homes.

A light blue French County stile TruStile front door on a white house

French Country Front Door

French country doors can have several styles. They often feature divided lite patterns on large glass areas. French country doors can also include an arched design at the top. TruStile offers single French country doors and double front doors in French country style. You can also include transom and sidelite windows for a bolder front door style.

Craftsman Front Door in White

Craftsman Front Door

Craftsman front doors sprouted from the Arts and Crafts architectural movement. They offer a vintage look, highlighted by clean lines. Craftsman front doors also take their name for the intricate woodwork designs. They can feature a dentil shelf for more appeal.

Street view of a TruStile Cape Cod Front Door in Hazelnut color with a four-column entry way.

Cape Cod Front Door

Cape Cod front doors emphasize symmetry and live at the center of a home. The front door can separate the home into two equal sections. Cape Cod entry doors often have transom windows. They can also have one sidelite or two sidelites for more natural light. Cape Cod front door colors vary but white and shades of blue are popular. Some homes will add a bright colored front door, like a red, to draw attention.

View of a TruStile Modern Front Door in Nutmeg color with a sidelite on the left on a gray house.

Contemporary Front Door Ideas

Contemporary front door ideas run the gamut. Though it’s tough to find a consistent theme, they generally have clean lines and minimalistic looks. Contemporary doors can feature multiple glass panels rather than one large panel. You can also see window grids with contemporary front doors. Color choices can span the rainbow, too. More often contemporary doors have dark colors. A bright yellow or orange can get used for a pop of excitement.

Mid-Century Modern Front Door Ideas

Mid-Century Modern front doors are a blast from the past. They can have an ornate look, but they’re also unique. Some can have glass in the door panel. The glass is usually a thin vertical window that’s offset. Mid-Century Modern doors can have an asymmetrical look. They often have one sidelite and a geometric design. The colors of a Mid-Century Modern door can be a lighter blue or darker colors. Mid-Century Modern doors often feature natural wood.

Front Door Colors

Front door colors leave an impression. Warm colors, like red and orange, create a welcoming and energetic environment. Cooler colors, like blue, show a calm entry way. People often use bold colors as a pop of color to homes that feature a white exterior color.

FAQs

Are red front doors still in style?

Yes, red doors are still in style. Red front doors have timeless looks. Red attracts attention to your front door. A pop of bright color can increase your home’s curb appeal. Red works well with several styles of homes and doors, too.

How to choose a front door style?

Choose a front door style that complements your home’s architectural style. You can also consider the front door material, energy efficiency, and color. There are plenty of design options with front doors to think about, too.

1Source 2023: D+R International in support of ENERGY STAR. Savings estimates are based on EnergyPlus 9.5 modeling for typical homes in 132 U.S. cities. Ranges are based on the average savings among homes in modeled cities. Actual savings will vary based on local climate conditions, utility rates, and individual home characteristics.

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