When I was asked to write a story about front doors, I’ll admit I grimaced. After all, a door merely serves the function of entry and exit. But as I began researching front doors I became fascinated with the options available and the impact an entryway door makes on a home.

Sure, they protect your from the weather and provide security. But function isn’t everything. Front doors set the tone for a home because they tell visitors about the homeowner’s personality and decorative style. The right door tells visitors they’re welcome.

“There’s only one chance to make a first impression,” Paul Grant, general manager of Stellar Millworks in Caldwell says. Front doors are an extremely important investment for homeowners.

“The houses are taller, the ceilings are taller and the entryway needs to be in balance with the house,” Randy Neary, owner of Solid Rock Homes in Caldwell says.

An enhanced entryway may have the single greatest impact on your home’s curb appeal. The return on investment for a front door vs. landscaping is estimated to be at least five times the value.

Today’s trends

• Taller and wider designs complement the new home styles with 10-foot or higher ceilings and add a stately appearance. To balance the look and feel of a home, the entry doors need to be taller and wider.

• Traditional entry doors are 80 inches tall and 30 inches wide.

• Today many builders install 96-inch front doors that measure 36 to 42 inches wide. Grant, who’s made doors for 30 years, says some are even larger, like the 11-foot front door he made for a very large, custom-built home.

• “Mediterranean and Tuscany-style homes are especially popular because of their tall ceilings and open floor plans. A standard height door would appear dwarfed with this architectural style,” Neary says.

• Front doors are most often made of wood, fiberglass or steel. The door selection should take sun exposure, weather exposure and budget into mind. “An east-facing front door with a covered entry is the perfect location for a wood door. For a west-facing front door, it would be wiser to consider fiberglass to withstand the exposure,” Neary adds.

• More doors have side and top windows. Both make a front entry appear larger. Stellar Millworks uses all kinds of hardwood for entry doors, including cherry, mahogany, alder and oak. The mill also includes any type of etched, beveled or stained glass to complete the entryway.

• Front doors do not have to be rectangular – they can have semi-round, barrel or gothic-styled shapes, too.

Want to update yours?

• Consider a new paint job, a new color or a decorative stain. A gel stain gives fiberglass doors the appearance of wood.

• Replace your front door with a pre-hung door. It can cost up to $1,000, using the existing size and frame, but something a skilled do-it-yourselfer can probably accomplish.

• The average DIY homeowner should get professional help to restructure a front door. It’s often an expensive chore, costing anywhere from $4,000 to $10,000 or more depending on the material, the design, the extra details for sidelights or transoms and the required adjustments for height and width.

• Personal designs can be created for sidelights and transoms. Estimate approximately $200 per square foot (multiply width times height; then divide by 144 to get square-foot measurements) for this f