New front door - Opinion needed

Legacy_user

Morning all,

We're currently renovating our first house and its time to replace our old white PVC 1970s front door. We've chosen a new dark grey composite one but before we order i was hoping to get some opinions

The front door includes a 'sidelight', which is an extra panel to the side of the door normally about 10inchs or so wide and either fully glazed or half and half

The stairs run down next to the front door so our sidelight is glazed at the top and has a flat white panel in the bottom half

With the new door we have three choices....

1. Matching composite side panel for an £350 extra


2. Standard side light with a white bottom panel
3. Standard side light with a matching colour and textured bottom panel

Closest example i could get for 2 & 3



I can do most DIY but I'm terrible at making choices on colour and style

Doozergirl

I'd opt for a full window as a sidelight. Opaque if you want privacy. Perfectly possible but not given as an option?

Doozergirl

Sorry, I can't edit my posts on my phone but I think number one looks contrived and the second option would be cleaner without that middle bar.

Rain_Shadow

I think 1. would be ok if the side panel was the same level at the bottom as the door.


But, a single pane full length privacy glass side panel would be my preference.

Annie1960

I'm getting new doors so have been looking at similar ones recently.

If you have space for a sidelight, get a full sidelight. The first picture you posted looks very strange.

The purpose of sidelights is to let more light in, so they should be glass. It will look more elegant if the frame colour of the frame of the door and sidelight matches your door, but of course more expensive.

Will you be having obscure glass on the door itself? I would, and also have obscure glass on the sidelight.

System

The front door will have a fancy pattern glass which unless you get the composite side (Option 1) then the sidelight glass won't match

Thinking of just getting a lightly frosted glass for the side light

I would love to have it top to bottom glass but with the stairs being the otherside it just wouldnt look right

Doozergirl

It doesn't matter where the stairs are at all! The primary objective here is always light.

Frosted glass and you'll never see what is on the other side.

marc81

I don't think option 1 looks right at all, it's almost trying to look like a door when it's not. I agree with Doozergirl, full glass would be my option, something like this...

http://www.justdoorsuk.com/images/Composite/SidePanels/glenwright150615.jpg

Annie1960

AlexandLauren wrote: »

Thinking of just getting a lightly frosted glass for the side light

Good idea. Looks clean and modern.

I would love to have it top to bottom glass but with the stairs being the otherside it just wouldnt look right

Why not? Most houses have stairs the other side of the door. With obscure glass it should not make any difference. What are your concerns about this?

Annie1960

marc81 wrote: »

I don't think option 1 looks right at all, it's almost trying to look like a door when it's not. I agree with Doozergirl, full glass would be my option, something like this...

http://www.justdoorsuk.com/images/Composite/SidePanels/glenwright150615.jpg

I agree with this. The only thing that would make this look better is a frame the same colour as the door, but this has extra cost.
Just my opinion as it's personal taste.

TheCyclingProgrammer

Side panel without the middle bar. That's what we have, although our entire frame is a match to the door (black/brown), not white as this wouldn't have matched our windows. We went for stippolyte glass for privacy.