Simple changes, like updating your front stoop and door, can make a big difference in how a house says “welcome” to visitors.
“[The entryway] sets the tone of the building and allows you to move into other spaces,” said architect Bob Wilkoff of Archaeon Architects in Cabin John.
| Resources |
| » archaeon.com |
| » kramerarchitects.com |
| » michaelcallison.com |
| » danzigerdesign.com |
| » reshefskyinteriors.com |
An entryway does not have to have a full-blown porch or even a roofed area. For one Maryland client Wilkoff built a trellis out of light wood and topped it with glass.
“It allows light to penetrate; doesn’t feel like something heavy on your head, but gives you protection” from the elements, Wilkoff said.
While adding a structure without a roof is less expensive than putting on an entire porch, it also may be a homeowner’s only option. In Chevy Chase, for example, roofed porches may only extend three feet into a lot’s minimum required setback.
“Three feet does not make a porch,” said Mark Kramer of Kramer Architects. Adding a trellis or pergola, he said, still can be one of the most striking additions to a home’s exterior.
“I did one for myself and we sit under it almost all spring and summer,” he said.
An even simpler addition, if space is available, is a bed of flowers or attractive shrubs. If space is not available, consider what you can lose.
Washington architect Michael Callison replaced his home’s front driveway with landscaping. “Now we park the car in the street and we have a driveway in the back,” he said.
Consider also how visitors approach the home, Kramer said. Gone are the days of house-hugging walkways. “You never get a feeling of your house,” Callison said.
Owners with yard space to spare should consider putting the walkway farther from the house. “You get a perception that’s totally different. You walk at the house, not along the side up to the door,” he said.
To make the entrance itself more interesting, consider adding color and/or architectural elements.
“If you want [a door] to stand out, go with something bright red, deep green or almost-black navy. Never pastel pink,” said Irma Reshefsky, owner of Washington’s Reshefsky Interiors.
She added that, while some people coordinate their door color with their shutters or trim, it’s not necessary.
Other ways to make front doors more interesting include adding sidelights, which are tall windows that flank the front door, or tall shutters. Sidelights, in particular, give “a visual connection to the outside,” Callison added.
For an even bigger visual connection, consider replacing a wood door with a full-view glass door that lets light in and lends a new look to the front.
“Usually the comment is, ‘I’m worried about it. Suppose the alarm company doesn’t like it,’ ” said designer Wendy Danziger of Bethesda. “My answer is that everyone has those French doors in the back of their houses and the security companies find a way to work with that.”
