Windows and Doors Design Ideas

Every home has doors and windows, making it quite easy to overlook these standards when examining a home’s design. However, the right door or window can actually enhance a home’s appearance, making it a true standout. With many new options in design and style now available, doors and windows no longer are relegated to the background. Now they’re taking center stage.

Making an entrance
The home’s front door is demanding a lot of time and attention from today’s homeowners. “People are focused on their front doors right now,” says Jim Lewis, president of Tango Doors, dba Vision Stairways and Millwork in Woodstock. “People are really liking doors as a focal point.”

Right now, there is a big movement to do away with extras and focus solely on the doors themselves. “Currently, the trend to replace your sidelites, door and transom with a set of double doors is popular,” says Carol Simmons, co-owner of Jennifer’s Glassworks in Smyrna. “It really changes the look of the home and makes a very impressive entry.”

Taller doors also are in demand. “I think people are looking for extra height and width in their designs because it makes it more of a focal point in the house,” says Judy Mozen, president of Handcrafted Homes Inc. in Roswell. “They want the front door to set the tone for the rest of the house.” 

It’s in the details
The hardware for doors continues to evolve as well. Iron grills are another way homeowners are dressing up their front doors. “There’s a large pattern selection available, but customers are coming up with their own designs, such as monograms and fleur-de-lis,” Lewis says. In fact, Mozen is excited to see just how involved homeowners are becoming in the selection of their doors. “I love the fact that people are not having to follow a rulebook,” she says. “They’re willing to be different. I love that they consider the door to be important.”

These iron grills also are more consumer-friendly. “Our iron door designs have operable glass panels so a homeowner can clean the glass easily behind the scroll work,” says Ted Kirk, president and co-owner of North Georgia Replacement Windows Inc. in Roswell.

Gorgeous glass
Glass options for doors also are expanding. Lewis says his clients are choosing glass with glacier, seedy and hammered finishes. “It’s been around but it’s popular with us right now,” he says. “Instead of clear glass, it gives it a little more security and adds a 

little more texture to the glass.” Simmons agrees. “Textures have become more versatile,” she says. “They offer privacy, lots of light and plenty of reflective sizzle!”

Interior impact
Of course, front doors are not the only doors receiving attention these days. Homeowners are looking for ways to incorporate the look of their interior doors with their overall décor. A tried-and-true standby, the raised, six-panel door is disappearing in homes across Atlanta. Instead, two-panel doors are on the rise.

Rick Anthony Bonner, interior designer for Insidesign in Dunwoody, says barn-style doors with an overhead track in unique luxury finishes (like polished nickel) are very popular right now. For example, homeowners are using a set of doors – “Think of it as a ‘double-hung door,’” Mozen says – at dining room entrances and to separate the adult  entertainment space from the kids’ play area. 

Traditional door hardware is being replaced with new, innovative fixtures. Bonner says some of the “hot” options he is seeing for door hardware  include combinations of cast bronze and glass, leather insets and handles. “Glass knobs are a great way to dress up interior hardware,” Kirk says. 

Door hardware is popping up in a variety of new finishes as well, moving away from the traditional brass. “They are taking cues from interior finishes,” Lewis says. These include oil-rubbed or antique bronze, satin nickel and pewter. “Sandcast and lost wax are a few types of hardware in Old-World styles in a variety of finishes,” Simmons says. “We have a really beautiful French antique brass that will coordinate very well in homes that still have brass fixtures,” Simmons says.

A new view
Like doors, window designs are also evolving. For instance, wider, bigger windows with fewer panes are becoming very popular. “We note a trend where homeowners are using larger windows and doors to tie the interior and exterior living spaces together,” Kirk says. “Many homeowners are opting to go with SDL, or simulated divided lite, grids to maintain or enhance the historical Southern architecture. Many people are also changing out traditional double-hung windows with casement – crank-style – windows. Casement windows seal up tighter from an energy perspective and also enhance the view.”

However, the standard double-hung window is holding strong. “Double-hung windows, also referred to as vertical sliders that open from the top and the bottom, are still the most  popular in terms of function and design,” Kirk says. “The new double-hung design windows almost all have a tilt-in-to-clean feature for safely cleaning the exterior surfaces.” 

Kirk says he also is surprised by the return of past window accents. “History repeats itself. Many homeowners are ordering windows with options such as divided lite grids, historical finger latches and even styles that we thought were out, like brass caming, are making comebacks,” he says.

But not all past favorites are holding true. “People are changing out the bath windows that appear dated,” Simmons says. “Sometimes you just get tired of looking at the art glass from the ’80s that no longer reflect your colors or style. Change it up! Make it your own. Custom leaded glass panels are a fun way to add a true art piece reflective of you.”

Don’t get locked in
When it comes to shopping for new windows and doors, homeowners are encouraged to explore every option before opening their wallets. “Windows and doors are personal in taste,” Kirk says. “A great door can add value and curb appeal to your home. New windows can help your home look and feel new again, both inside and out. By having an open mind when dealing with window and door openings, you can enhance your view and improve your window functionality, efficiency and aesthetics.”