Wednesday, October 25, 2017

A New Door and Decisions To Be Made

It seems forever since I've been here with all of you wonderful readers. 

I miss you and always wish I could spend more time posting here and also visiting all my sweet friends around Blogland. 

Life gets in the way, no doubt. 


There's a list a mile long on my kitchen counter of things I need to get done.

I really hope that whole cloning thing happens sooner rather than later because I could really, really use two of me!

One house project I am pretty excited about is FINALLY painting the exterior doors. 

I have done a lot of work on my house in the 2 1/2 years I've owned it, but somehow the doors were never painted. 


I don't seem to have a photo of how awful the doors are (probably because they are so AWFUL!) but they are painted black with half the black smudged onto the white trim. 

First of all....BLACK doors with a brown house? Not for me. 

Second of all, if you are going to the trouble of painting the doors, do it right!

It's bothered me since I bought the house, but there were always other things that took precedence over getting the doors painted. 

Until now. I decided I can't take them anymore, and before the snow flies those darned doors are going to be painted!

I think one of the very first things I did when I bought my last home was paint the doors a high gloss candy apple red. 

Those doors made me smile every time I looked at them!

I wanted to do something a little different this time, although I was still drawn somehow to a red door. 

So I started to browse around online for some inspiration. Here are the colors that jumped out at me as possibilities: 

MariaKillam.Com
This is a great red, exactly what I pictured in my mind when I was thinking of going that route again. Almost like the most perfect shade of nail polish! There's almost a pink or blue undertone to it, which may or may not work with the color of my house. 

MariaKillam.Com
Another great red on Maria Killam's blog is this deep jewel toned Burgundy. This one almost has purple undertones, but is it perhaps too dark for my house? 

MariaKillam.Com
Also on Maria Killam's Blog, this amazing orange door - wow, I just LOVE that color! I have to say, out of all the sites out there that have front door color inspiration, I found the most inspiration by far on Maria Killam's Blog.  This is a seriously fabulous tone of Orange, and is most definitely in the running!

Satori Design For Living
I've always been a fan of the combo of a bright green door on a house with brown trim. Maybe it's the reference to nature, almost like a tree with brown bark and spring green leaves. 

This chartreuse color sure is happy, like springtime in a paint can!

Satori Design For Living
Also found on Satori Design For Living is this creamy, butter yellow front door. This color is just fabulous with the grey color of this house and the black hardware, but it may just be a tad too light for my house. I do love it, though!

MariaKillam.Com
Back again to Maria Killam's Blog is another shade of yellow, this fabulous gold door. Doesn't this color just look amazing against the stone of the house? And those red geraniums just complement it perfectly! 

Lots of great choices, now I just have to pick one and get to work!

I also need a new storm door on the kitchen door, so I've been doing some research on that as well. Unfortunately at the end of the winter when we went to swap the glass for the screen the latches that hold the glass up completely shattered. The door is old, and it's time for a new, energy efficient one. Let's face it, our winters are cold up here and anything we can do to conserve heat is always a good investment. 

I think I'm going with a Larson storm door. There's a dealer right down the road, and they have a good reputation. Now I just have to figure out which one! I know it will be brown, with aged bronze hardware. But which door is right for me?

Larson Doors
I absolutely love the Fullview Storm Door. I wanted this door in my last house and never got it. I think if you have to have a storm door, this is by far the most attractive option, to let your 'real' front door show in all its glory. 

My only concern with this one is that my old girl,  Lily, likes to scratch on the door to get in and out. I'm worried she'll destroy either the glass, or the screen. I think I'll have to discuss that when I head to the dealer to make my decision. 

Larson Doors
My second favorite option would be the Screen Away Storm Door. The screen stays in the door and it's easy to ventilate a little or a lot, depending on what you need. Handy, for sure, rather than replacing the glass and screen seasonally, as in the Fullview Door. 

However, I still prefer the full glass from top to bottom as in the first version. 

Larson Doors
The third and final door I'm considering is this Classic Elegance Easy Vent door. It's almost full view, but with a little kick-plate on the bottom. This might just answer the question of how to keep my old girl from scratching up the glass or screen. 

Oh, and I'll take this sweet house, while I'm at it!

Do any of you have a Larson Storm Door? If so, which one? Do you love it or wish you had chosen a different one?

Either way, I need to get this ordered and installed and SOON because our weather is about to change!

Stay tuned for the decisions and hopefully a completed project or two!

48 comments:

  1. I have had a Larson screen away door for 12 years and love it. My previous house had the Larson full view storm door just we found it a pain to switch out as well as store safely (we chose our basement). I am a blue person but I like the orange and gold best for your front door. Sharon in Ohio

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    1. Thanks, Sharon, for your input! I appreciate you taking the time to give me your honest opinion!

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  2. So many fun choices! I love the orange and chartreuse colors!

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  3. I bought a storm door and hired it put up before I even moved in, but I can't remember what kind it was. I like the red and yellow doors.
    Brenda

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    1. The house had storm doors on all the doors when I bought it, Brenda, which was good....but in the spring when we were trying to change out the glass for the screen the stupid clips that hold up the glass broke. Oh well, the door is old and it's time for an upgrade!

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  4. So many pretty colors! Glad you are the one to make the decision...ha! We have a Larson full view in wine/burgundy on our front entry and love it. We leave the glass in all seasons. Our dogs don't go out that way so we don't have the jumping on the door problem. Take care, kisses and hugs for the dogs...hope your sweetie is mending...

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    1. Thank you, Donna, yes my sweetie is most definitely on the mend! There's a full view storm door on the other door (the one we only seem to use in summer, and then rarely!) I don't know what brand it is, it was there when I bought the house. The pups do love to lie by the door and look out at the critters, it's so cute!

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  5. I vote for the bright red or orange for your door. Our front door is painted a buttery yellow, but our siding is gray (with blue undertones). I'm not sure what brand our storm door is, but we've been very happy with it. I think it was from Home Depot. Anyway, it does have a metal portion at the bottom - which I think would be perfect with your dogs. And the top glass portion slides down to where there's a screen. I love that because then I can leave the front door open, pull down the glass portion, and have a breeze come in the front door. It's also helpful if you don't want to completely open your door to talk to delivery people or "strangers" at your door. (Though I don't know if you get "strangers" at your door where you live!)

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    1. Ha, no strangers here, Melanie.....well, just once, and they were local politicians who were up for re-election!

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  6. I like the chartreuse and the yellow/gold doors! They are all pretty though. I dont like the full glass storm doors, although they look the best, they didn't work for us with two big dogs, LOL Plus I like to have at least half a screen to let the breezes blow through and changing out that thing to screen was a pain and ALSO didn't work with big dogs

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    1. They are all pretty, aren't they? It was a tough decision, for sure! I imagine in your neck of the woods you keep a screen on all year long, or at least most of the year? Here we do about 6 months of each....it's nearly time to change out the screen for the glass, we've had some really cold nights already!

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  7. I love that first red door - gorgeous stand out color.

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    1. It sure is, Karen - I have always loved a red door, so welcoming!

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  8. I love the gold door but also if you want to get a glass door (we have one) and are worried about the scratching - you can get ones where the glass doesn't start at the floor but a little higher up. Also, our backdoors have glass the whole way down and the dogs scratch only at the frame part (wood shavings everywhere lol). I should put a scratch guard up actually. I do like the gold door though.

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    1. Thanks, Ellen! Ha ha, I imagine you always have something to clean up with all those cute furbabies of yours, just like in my house! They rule the roost, that's for certain!

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  9. I don't have a Larson, but was thinking about colors - Pimento or Mustard perhaps??

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  10. We had a full view storm door on our last home and when we moved to this house we installed one also. The pups love it. Rowdy taps on the glass when he wants in, and Izzy just lays in front of it without tapping on the door. The two brands of full view doors we have used are Pella, which we did not like, and now we have an Anderson door which is great in every way. I say spend the money and buy a good one! Oh, and I like the orange door!! Yummo!!

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    1. Thanks so much for chiming in! The pups love the full glass door on the other door, they lay in front of it and watch the critters at the feeders. I have to say, I love it also - it's great to let some extra sunshine in on a winter's day!

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  11. I love the orange door. Can't wait to see what you pick!

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  12. Go with the full view storm door and that amazing orange, I say! Lily will be fine, and so will the door, and you will be happy, happy!
    I'm happy to hear from you!

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    1. I'm happy to hear from you also, Rita! :) I like the way you think....go with the gut, and be happy!

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  13. I am completely smitten with the orange door for your brown house! LOVE it! I do like the full glass storm door but you will always be cleaning it! When we chose a side porch door I made sure there was some "door" on it otherwise the screen gets stretched from everyone using it to open! Looking forward to seeing what you choose.

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    1. That orange is a fantastic shade, isn't it, AnnMarie? I'm not sure if I'm drawn to it because it's fall.....or just because I love bright colors!

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  14. My first choice is the first red door, but then I'll bet you knew I would choose that one. I also love the bright green door. That would look fantastic against the brown siding. As far as the storm door...I've never owned one and (to tell you the truth) don't really know much about why you would want one! Sorry, California born and raised. ;) It will be fun to see what you end up choosing, and I am sure it will look perfect when it's all said and done!

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    1. Storm doors are pretty important here, Vickie, for an added layer of insulation against the cold....and also in the summer to let the breezes in but keep the mosquitoes and other bugs OUT!!

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  15. Your first yellow door example is like the ones we just installed at the cabin. We also have Larson storm doors, both our main house and for the cabin.
    Hope your to do list gets smaller! Thanks for your sweet comments about the cabin. It is just outside of Asheville, NC.
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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    1. That's a great door, Cindy, and I'm sure it looks amazing at your sweet cabin!

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  16. I like the Gold door. It just looks cozy and country Cottageish.

    Lisa

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    1. I love this, Lisa - that is exactly what I want for my house - cozy and country cottage!! :)

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  17. Decisions, decisions! I am sure you will come up with the right choice! We do have a Larson storm door. Nancy

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    1. I never heard of a Larson door until I started doing my research on replacing this one, Nancy! Apparently they are quite popular!

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  18. I love red doors! Though all the options you posted were pretty.

    Blessings~

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    1. I love red doors also - the one at my old house made me smile every time I saw it!

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  19. CHOICES, CHOICES, LOL! Maybe you could buy some paint samples and paint them on the door to see which one you like best? And because I know how we love our doggies, and the problems with their paws and scratching, I like the Larson door that has the plate at the bottom, it would definitely be better than all glass, I would think. I can't wait to see what you decide, I know it will be amazing!

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    1. I love that you have so much faith in me, Marilyn!! Hopefully I'll have a post up soon showing you which color I went with....the storm door post will have to wait until the door comes in, but I did get one ordered finally! :)

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  20. Oh this is very timely for me, I too have an ugly door! It needs to be replaced and painted. I think I see some lovely choices right here...thanks...and good luck!

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    1. I can't believe I waited this long to paint the doors, Kim - they really drove me nuts, I guess I was just too busy so it had to take a back seat to more pressing projects!

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  21. I actually liked every one of your inspiration photos, so no help here! We have the full glass storm door and I do like it, but when we have the screen in for the summer months, I have to close the inside door when there's a chill in the air. Good luck with your decision!

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    1. There were a million more inspiration photos out there, Vickie - bright purple, turquoise, hot pink, lime green....all awesome, but none quite right for my little country house!

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  22. We have the Larson full view doors...double doors....for almost 20 years. No problems what so ever! Just remember if you go this route...you have to think of some place safe to store the glass panels, while screens are in place. Happy door hunting....and painting! ;)

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    1. Thanks, Donnamae - 20 years, that's a good judge of the quality of these doors, I'm delighted to hear that!! Thanks for your input!!

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  23. Hey Mountain Sister! I can't wait to see what you decide on and show us the finished project. I hate our front door and want to replace it. I need inspiration!

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    1. Isn't there always something we don't like and really want to replace in our homes, Mountain Sister? I also hate the fact that there's no proper entry but there's not much I can do about that right now!

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  24. I love all these colors for your house except the burgundy one :). What is it about front doors that makes it so hard to decide?!

    (The orange is my fav).

    xxx

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  25. I'm late to the party here, but I have a Larsen as well. I've always been very happy with it and when I had an issue (not the door's fault), I found their customer service to be stellar.

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