Poll Alert! New front door question, two parter this time!

by The Philosophical Fish

June 1, 2014 – Hey everyone, all of you who voted on the doorknob poll over the past couple of days on Facebook, I have a new poll for you, posed here this time since it’s a bit more complex.

On the 5 square side-lite door in red, when I asked about knob A vs B, the field tilted pretty heavily in the opposite direction I wanted it to go…I was firmly in the B camp. I liked the heavier directionality of the less symmetrical of the two, but only because it was on that particular door. I liked A, but it felt unbalanced on a door with square side-lites.

However, yesterday when our builder came by he told us the front door is not a standard size, and the door we were slated to order, did not come in the size we needed. No major shocker there really, absolutely NOTHING is standard about this place.

So it provided an opportunity really. We had settled on that particular door, with the five square side-lites mainly because it was as close as we could find to something that would be relatively period for the place, even though it was going to take up to four weeks or more to get it.

But, since that off the shelf option went sideways, we were told that a slab door would be ordered and the doormaker would have to cut the side-lites and install the glass as a custom job.

So, we started to look online at period doors again (Google “mid century modern door color” (figured I’d find more with the American spelling) and you find some awesome doors. We asked if we could have the glass a bit different. Seems like yes, so we went with a slightly different glass configuration that we like better, stuck with the same glass (called chord, sort of wavy streaking rain pattern).

The other choice is colour. I’d initially headed straight for red. I’ve always wanted a red door again. We had one on the house I grew up in, and my Grandma and Grandpa had a bright red garage door. Red signals home to me. Plus a bright door just seems to belong on a mid century modern home.

But then I started seeing all those other fabulous statement colours!

Choices!

It IS only paint, and that’s probably the really fun part, it can always change again.

Below is what the place currently looks like, but it is going to be painted a mid-dark grey with black trim and flashing and we have a black garage door.

It is just crying out for a punchy front door colour! Don’t you agree?

Although I was all about a red door, I have to admit that there are definitely other, wonderful, colours that were used on doors in the 1950’s. Cherry red, lime green, sunflower yellow, teal blue, marmalade orange…. so many awesome choices!

Just look at these wonderful options! (I have to admit that I don’t think either of us wants a yellow door though, doesn’t suit the place, so I didn’t present that option, but the others are truly in the running)

So, if you are still willing to play, here is the new question.

  1. What colour do you like best on the new door configuration?
  2. What doorknob would you put on it? Bear in mind that knob A will be over farther than B since A sits 5 inches in, where B sits at a standard doorknob location, near the edge of the frame.

I’d love to get your thoughts!

Leave a Comment

20 comments

Hans Rasmussen June 1, 2014 - 9:43 pm

B… go B, you know it’s the correct choice. Directionality is strength, you and I even agree on it. You have dark chocolate and cream happening at the front of the house, so your choices need to take that into account somewhat. The red is a statement, the orange would balance the 2 outside colours. The teal would be interesting, no to the free. Have you thought about a burgundy?

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Paige Ackerman June 1, 2014 - 10:27 pm

Hey Hans, you missed the bit about painting the exterior of the place a fairly mid-dark grey with black trim. No more cream and chocolate when we are finished.

I do like burgundy, but it will seem to brown against the new exterior paint colour when finished.

As for A vs B…I hear you, but while I thought B was better against the squares and brought balance where A was too square itself…I’m now leaning the other way….

Decisions, decisions….

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Hans Rasmussen June 1, 2014 - 10:30 pm

paying attention is not my strong suit 😉 ok, grey and black….hmmmm…. teal… still B

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Linda Herbert June 1, 2014 - 11:45 pm

In order I like teal, red, lime, orange. But I love the combo of grey (or black) and teal so I’m probably biased. My personal OCD compels me to pick B because I don’t like the idea of the doorknob surround intruding into the space between the windows. LOL. Will the extra inset on A result in any additional work/hassle when it comes to installing the locking mechanism? I’m assuming not but that thought just popped into my head. Hope you are enjoying making all these fun decisions – owning is so much more fun then renting, lucky you!

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Richard Machida June 2, 2014 - 4:02 am

IMHO, red & “A”.

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Marne Birch June 2, 2014 - 4:44 am

Ok…with the new door I like B better….and lime green all the way…..which is odd as I usually go for red. Second choice for colour would be teal.

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Anina June 2, 2014 - 5:38 am

Red and B. Over the years I’ve learned to go with what your heart first tells you. Your history of red doors and home stood out.

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Helena June 2, 2014 - 6:20 am

I always said B. And either the red or the blue. But if your first gut was to go red then do it – don’t be swayed by opinion and regret it later! xx

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Denise Warrington June 2, 2014 - 7:15 am

Still love the Red…and think B with the new glass. You must be having fun!

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Shayla D Adams June 2, 2014 - 8:01 am

A and green. red’s been done

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Paige Ackerman June 2, 2014 - 8:49 am

Linda, the extra inset means a 5″ lock extender, but it’s part of the kit.

Something I’m not liking is that the deadbolt would also have to move out, and so would the manual doorbell turn. I think I wouldn’t mind if it was just the doorknob sitting out farther, but my OCD tendencies mean that everything has to align smartly, and that seems like too much clutter away from the edge….

I’m leaning back to B again….. If the door was solid, plain, and had nothing else on it, it would be A in a heartbeat….

Still open to other opinions though!

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Linda Herbert June 2, 2014 - 2:00 pm

LOL. Love how our OCD tendencies align on this one. Good luck deciding!

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Marilyn Joy June 2, 2014 - 9:18 pm

A and teal or whatever #3 is called. It sits beautifully with the red of your childhood. And won’t fight with live greenery, like #4 might. Don’t worry that that colour is “trending” now (Is it trending now? What’s trending?). It will keep coming back. And it’s ocean and silty Rocky Mountain lakes…..

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Marilyn Joy June 3, 2014 - 4:18 am

A and teal or whatever #3 is called. It sits beautifully with the red of your childhood. And won't fight with live greenery, like #4 might. Don't worry that that colour is "trending" now (Is it trending now? What's trending?). It will keep coming back. And it's ocean and silty Rocky Mountain lakes…..

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Bill Hughes June 8, 2014 - 9:40 pm

…it’s your house! 😉

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Christine Saruyama June 8, 2014 - 9:49 pm

Hehehe ^ Bill, I love the colour lime green! Good choice 😉 funny I always say purple and pink are my favourites but really its green

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Bill Hughes June 8, 2014 - 9:55 pm

Don’t worry Christine: she’s smart; she knows better than to listen to me! 🙂

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Marilyn Joy June 8, 2014 - 10:48 pm

damn

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Heather Halliday Darin June 8, 2014 - 5:31 pm

Given the door style I go with B although I really like A much better. Call me difficult but our neighbours have an eggplant coloured door and it looks amazing. I’m more about understated elegance though, not bright grab you by the balls colour. LOL

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Heather Halliday Darin June 9, 2014 - 12:31 am

Given the door style I go with B although I really like A much better. Call me difficult but our neighbours have an eggplant coloured door and it looks amazing. I'm more about understated elegance though, not bright grab you by the balls colour. LOL

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