The owners of this house have had trouble finding people with creative ideas to make suggestions. I’ve often seen very good creative suggestions here, so I thought I’d take my chances.
They want to a custom wooden door and are considering a portico. The house (see photo) is about 1940 and simple in design. The neighbourhood is quite upscale. New construction on the street tends to be quite elaborate and often in the $1-2.5million range. Above the door is sort of a nice feature in the brick – one half-circle of red brick accent immediately above the door on an otherwise ginger brick facade. Photos of doors and/or portico designs that might work with the scale of the house would be really welcomed. Thanks.
-H
Replies
I'd think a hip roofed portico with wood colums to match the window would look best. Please don't put one of the oval window doors in, they are on about every McMansion around here. I think a door with 4 lites in the top would match well.
When you say match the window, do you mean same height, width? Would that not make for a small - kinda ineffective - shelter. If the portico is deeper, how should it be scaled?
-h
Harmonious to the window was my thought. I don't see you getting much shelter in that small area anyway. I think you're just going to have to draw up some designs and play with it.
If it was deep, I'd just hip the front part of the roof. I think a gable end would be wrong.
Except for the color of the door, you won't be able to make anything look better than that vine covered facade.
That is class.
SamT
looks like Rosedale to me. I think what others have suggested about portico would look best on this house.
South Armour Heights, actually. Know anyone in GTA who does great doors?
<Know anyone in GTA who does great doors?>
That video game, Grand Theft Auto?
Haven't seen the door design feature in there.
Forrest - trying to understand
...sorry, Greater Toronto Area. Reply was to another poster from the same neck of the woods. Didn't mean to be cryptic.
-S
It depends what the budget will allow. Are you a homeowner or a contractor?
I'm a HO and neighbour. I fall in and out of addiction to this site and suggested posting. Another thing they're considering is to beef up the look of the new front door by adding a portico which is not a shelter, just the frame look. My architectural terminology is poor, but I mean trim columns up the side and a decorative transom/frieze/arch, over the top as an accent, either in wood or a superficially applied precast stone type product. They don't like the flush brickwork detail immediately above the door (hidden by vines 5 months a year) and would like to hide it while making the entrance a bit more substantial.
Don't know the exact budget, but they aren't naive as to what one will spend for a custom solid wood door and they haven't been able to locate a designer with anything useful to say, despite being willing to pay for that service. Not willing to pay for a radical rebuilding of the masonry.
-H
HO's hobbies or interests? Can those be reflected in the door.
DW likes Scottie dogs, so did a motif on those for the back door.
About $10 worth of surplus parts, $30 lead came, $5 glass at garage sale.
About 50 hours invested, at $60 hr and buy parts would be a $3500 door.
Photo is of the inside.
View Image
Edited 7/29/2007 11:40 pm ET by junkhound
The HOs will like the compliments on the ivy.
I would use a pergola frame to train the ivy into a tunnel around it, keeping the frame up and back far enough to allow for the growth.
I think an additional full hip roof entry similar to the bay window roof would compete too much with it.
If they want something that protects from rain a bit, then I wouild incorporate a smale copper low slope in the pergola
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I would look at cutting the vines way back from the door area and installing some sort of a fluted pilaster (leg casing) up each side with a frieze board and top or crown molding to finish it off. To add any "roof" design over the door would create a bulky/heavy look.
I think they are barking up the wrong tree. Get a nice mid priced door in bright red or yellow paint to add zip. Then rip all the plantings in front except for the ivy and go for a more "modern" or exotic plant look. It will be way cheaper and add some zing. Planting under the window, especially juniper styles, are uninviting. Use bright modern or exotic above ground planters for some style. The don't need architechture, they need style.
Changing the entry surface to a brighter or more modern looking stone would help. It needs to be wider and more inviting. Its too small. It should be much brighter or much darker to contrast with the door. Any landscapers care to add their .o2?http://www.etherhuffer.typepad.com
Artisan doors makes very cool doors, take a look.
http://www.artisansdoors.com/