Your front door isn’t just a way in—it’s a reflection of your style and a critical part of keeping your home secure and private. We’ll explore various front door styles, including wood, steel, and fiberglass, discussing how each material affects natural light, security, and overall design. By showcasing a range of options, we hope to help you find a front door that not only matches your home’s architectural style but also addresses environmental concerns and meets your privacy and security needs effectively. 
Most Popular Front Door Styles
Modern/Contemporary
Modern doors feature sleek, minimalist designs with clean lines and often have large glass panels. Materials include wood, steel, fiberglass, and aluminum. These doors suit modern homes and offer a stylish, cutting-edge appearance. This modern-style door features a tall, sleek design with a rich, dark wood finish and a minimalist aesthetic, highlighted by a long, slender door handle that adds to its contemporary appearance. It stands out against the white wall, providing a striking contrast that is both simple and sophisticated, embodying the clean lines and understated elegance of modern design. 
Traditional
Traditional doors often feature raised panels and glass inserts with classic designs. Although the individual pieces of the door may vary, common materials include wood, fiberglass, and steel. These doors blend well with various architectural styles and offer timeless elegance. This traditional style front door features a warm wood finish with a classic design, incorporating upper glass panels to allow light while maintaining privacy. The door’s sturdy construction and natural material harmoniously blend with the home’s welcoming porch, white trim, and grey siding, exemplifying timeless charm and curb appeal. 
Craftsman
Characterized by straight lines, raised panels, and often with glass windows at the top, craftsman doors are typically made of wood or fiberglass. They provide a classic, handcrafted look that complements bungalow and craftsman-style homes. This Craftsman-style front door, with its rich wooden finish and symmetrical design, features a large glass insert at the top that invites natural light while preserving privacy. Set within a stone and wood facade under a prominent gable, the door’s robust and straightforward aesthetic anchors the home’s entrance with a blend of natural materials and architectural integrity. 
Dutch
Dutch doors are divided horizontally, allowing the top half to open while the bottom remains closed. Commonly made of wood, they offer ventilation and a quaint, country charm suitable for cottages and traditional homes. This Dutch door, painted in a striking matte black, offers a blend of functionality and style with its split design, allowing the top half to open independently. The X-brace pattern on the lower half adds a farmhouse touch against the crisp white siding, creating a striking contrast and a cozy, inviting entryway to the home. 
Farmhouse
Farmhouse doors often have a rustic, welcoming look, with wood being the primary material. They may feature panels, X-braces, and glass inserts. These doors complement farmhouse-style homes by adding a warm, inviting touch. This farmhouse-style front door, with its natural wood finish and distinctive X-brace design, exudes rustic charm complemented by the glass panes that invite light while offering a glimpse of the indoors. Set against a backdrop of white-painted brick and flanked by traditional lantern-style sconces, it creates a warm and welcoming entryway that perfectly captures the essence of farmhouse aesthetics. 
Victorian
Featuring ornate detailing, stained glass, and vibrant colors, Victorian doors are usually made of wood. They are best suited for historic or Victorian-style homes, offering a grand entrance that reflects the period’s elegance. This Victorian-style front door exudes classic elegance with its rich wooden panels and decorative glass inserts, providing a hint of the intricate details inherent to the era. It stands as a focal point amidst the home’s charming blue exterior and ornate white railings, welcoming visitors with both grandeur and a sense of historical beauty. 
Colonial
Characterized by symmetry, colonial doors often have paneled wood and small glass inserts. Wood is the most common material, providing a timeless look that complements colonial and traditional architecture. This Colonial-style front door, painted in a vibrant red, stands out against the home’s white trim and the rustic stone facade, drawing the eye with its bold color and classical paneled design. The door’s symmetry and clean lines, flanked by sidelights and crowned with a traditional transom, reflect the historical charm and formality characteristic of Colonial architecture. 
Art Deco
Art Deco doors showcase geometric patterns, bold lines, and sometimes vibrant colors. Materials include wood, steel, and iron. These doors fit well with homes that have an artistic, vintage flair. This art deco style front door, featuring a bold grey hue and streamlined vertical paneling, embodies the sleek design principles of the era. The textured glass windows at the top not only enhance privacy but also serve as a classic art deco element, harmonizing with the door’s clean lines and the home’s minimalist aesthetic. 
French
French doors feature multiple light windows (lites) set into the full length of the doors, opening in the middle. Commonly made of wood and glass, they provide an elegant, classic look, enhancing the home’s natural light and access to outdoor spaces. The French doors pictured are framed by elegant maroon shutters, presenting a classic and symmetrical design that complements the white-paneled exterior of the home. With multiple panes of glass, they allow for ample natural light to enter the space, enhancing the open and airy feel of the entrance while offering a view to the lush garden surroundings. 
Barn Door
Taking inspiration from rustic barns, these sliding doors add a unique, country charm to the home’s exterior. Typically made of wood, they save space and add a distinctive architectural element to the home. This front door demonstrates a modern barn door style with its deep charcoal hue and bold diagonal lines, offering a contemporary twist on rustic charm. Set against a backdrop of whitewashed brick and flanked by minimalist planters, it makes a striking statement that is both welcoming and stylish. 
Arched
Arched doors have a curved top edge that adds architectural interest and elegance. Common materials include wood and wrought iron, providing a timeless look that suits a variety of home styles, from Mediterranean to traditional. This arched-style front door features a classic wooden design with a graceful curved top and a large glass pane, offering both elegance and transparency. The door’s natural wood finish and traditional appeal are enhanced by the surrounding brick archway and white trim, harmonizing with the home’s stately facade. 
Louvered
Louvered doors feature angled slats, providing ventilation and privacy simultaneously. Typically made of wood, they’re suited for homes in warmer climates or as secondary exterior doors, offering a functional solution with a distinctive style. This louvered-style front door, set within an arched frame, offers a contemporary take on classic design, merging privacy with ventilation. The neutral tone complements the clean, limestone walls, and the door’s simple, functional elegance is accentuated by the lush greenery flanking its threshold. 
Pivot
Pivot doors rotate on a pivot box rather than traditional side hinges, creating a dramatic entrance. Made of wood, glass, or metal, these doors are ideal for modern homes, offering a statement piece that combines functionality with a bold aesthetic. This pivot-style front door embodies sleek modernism, with a broad, frosted glass pane that swivels open on a pivot mechanism rather than traditional side hinges. The warm wooden frame contrasts with the glass, offering a seamless and expansive entryway that enhances the home’s contemporary architecture and open-plan design.
What is the Most Common Front Door Style?
The best types of front doors can be a controversial conversation due to personal preferences, but when it comes down to it you really can objective about the best material at very least. Making sure your front door is well-suited for your environment is a great step toward finding the best door from an objective standpoint. Based on our data from 2023, the most commonly requested front door style for the Seattle market leans towards the modern and minimalist, marked by clean lines, unadorned surfaces, and a sleek, uncluttered appearance. This popularity can be attributed to the modern door’s versatility and the way it complements both contemporary and traditional homes by offering a touch of updated elegance. Materials such as steel and fiberglass, which are frequently used in modern doors, contribute to their favor due to their durability, energy efficiency, and low maintenance needs.
Popular Entry Door Materials
Front doors are commonly made from materials like wood, steel, fiberglass, and aluminum, each with unique benefits. These materials cater to various preferences, balancing aesthetic appeal with functional advantages. Maintenance goes a long way with any material, but anything used everyday will wear out eventually so make sure you know when to start looking for a new door. If you’re willing to invest in the cost of your Seattle doors, make sure you’re willing to invest the time to maintain your investment.
Wood
Wooden front doors embody a timeless charm and warmth, lending a sense of character and sophistication to any home’s entrance. Functionally, wood offers excellent insulation and durability when properly maintained, ensuring both aesthetic appeal and practicality for front door applications.
Steel
Steel front doors provide a modern and minimalist aesthetic, offering clean lines and a sleek appearance that can enhance the contemporary design of a home. Beyond style, steel doors offer exceptional security and durability, making them ideal for front entrances where safety and longevity are paramount concerns.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass front doors offer versatility in design, mimicking the appearance of wood grains or smooth finishes while being more resistant to warping, cracking, and rotting compared to traditional wooden doors. They provide excellent insulation properties, helping to maintain energy efficiency within the home, making fiberglass a stylish and practical choice for front doors. Fiberglass is one of the best materials for front doors in cold weather environments.
Aluminum
Aluminum front doors present a sleek and contemporary aesthetic, often featuring clean lines and a modern appearance that can complement various architectural styles. Functionally, aluminum doors offer durability, corrosion resistance, and low maintenance requirements, making them a practical choice for front entrances that require longevity and resilience against the elements.
Current Trends with Entry Doors
Style
The front door industry is currently embracing a mix of bold aesthetics and technological advancements. One of the most striking trends is the shift towards extra-wide and high front doors, which offer a sense of grandeur and space. These larger doors not only enhance the facade of a home but also provide practical benefits such as ease of access and the visual expansion of the entrance area.
Technology
Smart-home technology integration is another area where the industry is innovating. Modern front doors are increasingly equipped with features that can be controlled via smartphones, such as automatic locking and unlocking, alerts for security breaches, and even biometric access through touch or facial recognition. These features not only add to the security of the home but also enhance convenience and ease of use.
Materials
In terms of materials, there’s a growing preference for doors that combine different textures. For instance, doors that mix wood and metal or wood and glass are gaining popularity. These materials are not only chosen for their style but also for their durability and the ability to offer both security and a modern look. Glass front doors, including those with glass inserts, are particularly favored for allowing natural light into the home while maintaining privacy. This trend is also reflected in interior design, where glass doors are used to elegantly separate different living spaces without compromising the open feel of modern homes
