new front door - researching original

wallofbeans

Hi All,

I'm looking to replace the front door and wanted to try and find out what the original door would have been and get something in keeping with that. The rest of the street is a mix of doot styles so that's no help. The house has got to have been built somewhere around 1910-1950 but I'm not sure of anything more specific. And even if I had a year, there still seem to be various styles within each era. 

Any ideas where to start?

gwynlas

Can you date the building from local maps/library resources? A forty year spread at the tine would cover late Victorian styles that carried over similarly Arts and Crafts. Edwardian, pre war post war Art Deco etc and the style of door would have tied in with other joinery such as windows. soffits. Was there stained glass, Opaque Glass, fanlights or tiled panels in the porch? What was used would have depended on the type of housing, class of owner occupier and taste of builder. Surely along the street there should be someone who hasn't ripped out all the character and retained some original features.
Otherwise take a couple of non identifying photos and post them on here so you can get 101 ideas of what would be appropriate.

EssexExile

Search on Google for historic pictures of the area, you might get lucky and see a house similar to yours.

wallofbeans

It's a house almost identical to this... maybe this is the original door..? But I don't see this style door listed on tradditional front door selling websites so maybe not...

https://imgur.com/a/ZXQUrLl

Doozergirl

It's a Victorian worker's cottage. 

I think it would have been a relatively plain door like this one. 

http://www.chilterntimber.co.uk/product/external-door-hardwood-london-4-panel/

If you want light, then the top two panels could be glass.  

NeverTooLate

gwynlas said:

Can you date the building from local maps/library resources? A forty year spread at the tine would cover late Victorian styles that carried over similarly Arts and Crafts. Edwardian, pre war post war Art Deco etc and the style of door would have tied in with other joinery such as windows. soffits. Was there stained glass, Opaque Glass, fanlights or tiled panels in the porch? What was used would have depended on the type of housing, class of owner occupier and taste of builder. Surely along the street there should be someone who hasn't ripped out all the character and retained some original features.
Otherwise take a couple of non identifying photos and post them on here so you can get 101 ideas of what would be appropriate.

If it was built before 1911, you might be able to date it to within 10 years by searching for it on the census records.

Emmia

Are there any photographs on somewhere like Francis Friths of your area? 

wallofbeans

Emmia said:

Are there any photographs on somewhere like Francis Friths of your area? 

I had to google what Francis Friths was, but not much - just some from the 60s of a parade of shops and a park.

wallofbeans

The estate agent marketing this one:

https://imgur.com/a/oeIBrrC

say it's an 'Edwardian Terace'. It looks similar to mine and the other pic, could that be it I wonder?

Rosa_Damascena

Why don't you go for smart and statement over original? A nice door can transform the look of the house.

AFAICS original in this case is just dull.

wallofbeans

Rosa_Damascena said:

Why don't you go for smart and statement over original? A nice door can transform the look of the house.

AFAICS original in this case is just dull.

Thanks but I'm not sure the doors in the photos are original. I'd go to go original or close to it, but you're right - if I don't like what original turns out to be, I'll go for something else. The glass and door knocker etc, plus the colour choice, can make a huge difference too. But I've got to find out what the original was before I decide against it.