The original entry was a double door in a warm honey-oak finish, each leaf carrying a narrow rectangular glass lite with a delicate scrolling leaded pattern, flanked by matching sidelights. It's a traditional, well-detailed design, but the lighter finish and small decorative glass strips gave the entry a softer, more dated presence than the substantial curved brick porch around it called for.
Project Story
The thinking behind the work
The Starting Point
The Thinking
The brick porch has real architectural weight, and the door needed to match that presence rather than read as a lighter, more delicate counterpoint to it. Moving to a deep espresso stain gave the entry immediate gravity, while a bold geometric diamond-lattice glass pattern, cut much larger and more graphic than the original's narrow scrollwork, replaced subtlety with a genuine design statement. The pattern was carried through both door leaves and both sidelights as one continuous lattice, so the whole glazed width reads as a single composition rather than four separate decorated panels.
The Execution
Built as a pair of solid mahogany doors with matching sidelights and frame, per the project record. Each leaf and sidelight carries a bold diamond-lattice muntin pattern in clear glass, spanning the full width of the opening as one continuous design. Below the glass, each door has two raised panels. Finished in a deep, dark espresso stain. Hardware is a matched pair of substantial dark pull handles with a thumb-latch mechanism, replacing the original brass handlesets.
The Result
The entry now matches the weight of its brick surroundings, the dark stain and bold lattice pattern give the doors real graphic presence from the street, where the original's lighter finish and delicate glass detailing had been comparatively quiet against the substantial brick porch.
Specification
Unit Size
7'-0" x 8'-0"
Panel Thickness
1¾"
Joinery
Mortise-and-tenon, no mechanical fasteners.
Glass
Clear glass, bold diamond-lattice muntin pattern continuous across both door leaves and both sidelights
Finish System
Marine-grade exterior finish, six sides, deep espresso stain
Hardware
Matched pair of dark pull handles with thumb-latch mechanism
Installed By
Scobis
Common Questions
Why move to a much bolder glass pattern than the original?
The original narrow scrollwork lites were delicate and detailed up close, but they didn't register as a strong statement from the street against a substantial brick porch. A bigger, more graphic diamond-lattice pattern reads clearly from a distance and gives the entry real visual presence to match its surroundings.
Why switch from a lighter honey-oak finish to a dark espresso stain?
A lighter stain can look soft or dated next to heavy brick and stone. A deep espresso tone gives the doors more visual weight and contrast, making them feel like a deliberate architectural feature rather than a lighter accent piece.
Why carry the same glass pattern across both doors and both sidelights?
Running one continuous lattice design across the full glazed width, makes the whole opening read as a single, unified composition rather than four separately decorated panels that happen to sit next to each other.
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