Make a Grand Entrance: Front Door Designs for More Light and Space

Your entranceway does more than welcome people into your home. The right design can bring in more light, make your foyer feel larger, provide privacy and transform your home's curb appeal.

Planning your entrance door design

When planning a new or updated entryway, there are three essential elements to think about: width, height and glass. Together, they create opportunities for an entrance that feels inviting, bright and balanced.

Sidelites or double doors can add width, while a taller door or transom can add height and architectural presence. Glass can bring natural light into your foyer. The best combination will complement your home's appearance while working with the space available.

Single door with sidelites

A sidelite (or sidelight) is a narrow, vertical window framed alongside an exterior door. It brings daylight into the foyer and, when clear glass is used, provides a convenient view of visitors before opening the door. Sidelites can be installed on one or both sides of a door, with glass choices that balance natural light and privacy.

Single Sidelite

A single sidelite is a versatile option for entrances where space or exterior symmetry makes two sidelites less practical. Placing glass on one side creates an intentionally off-centre architectural look while preserving more interior wall space on the opposite side for light switches, coat hooks, furniture or nearby closets. Whether it fits without enlarging the opening depends on the dimensions of the existing entrance.

Dual Sidelites

Dual sidelites frame the front door with glass on both sides, creating a balanced, welcoming appearance that complements traditional, transitional and contemporary homes. They can bring considerably more daylight into a dark foyer, but require more overall width than a single door or a door with one sidelite. This makes them well suited to wider existing entrances or projects where the opening can be expanded.

Transoms

A transom is a horizontal window positioned above an entrance door. Available in rectangular or architectural shapes, it draws the eye upward, adds visual height and brings daylight deeper into the foyer. Because the glass sits above eye level, a transom can increase natural light while maintaining privacy. Clear, frosted, textured and decorative glass options are available.

Height & Structural Considerations

Adding a transom requires sufficient space above the door. The available height depends on the door and transom dimensions, ceiling height, existing structural header and exterior finishes. Higher ceilings can provide more flexibility, but a transom may also be possible in homes with standard ceiling heights. The existing framing must be assessed before making changes.

Combining sidelites + transom

Combining sidelites with a transom creates a larger, brighter entrance without necessarily requiring double doors. The vertical and overhead glass can highlight the height of a foyer and give a single-door entrance a more substantial architectural presence. Glass styles can also be mixed, such as textured sidelites for privacy with a clear transom overhead.

Flexible Layouts & Key Considerations

Choose one sidelite and a transom for an asymmetrical design, or two sidelites and a transom for a more balanced appearance. The proportions of the door and glass should suit the home's architecture. Before selecting a combination, confirm that the available width, height and surrounding trim can accommodate the complete entrance system.

Double entry doors

Double entry doors create a grand, welcoming entrance that works especially well with wide exterior elevations and spacious foyers. Opening both panels provides a wider passage for moving furniture, appliances and other large items. In some homes, an existing single door with sidelites may be a candidate for conversion to double doors, although the framing and overall dimensions must first be assessed.

Understanding Active & Passive Doors

Most double-door systems have an active door, used for everyday entry and fitted with the primary handle and lock, and a passive door, which normally remains secured by flush bolts. A vertical sealing component called an astragal helps protect the joint where the two panels meet. When extra passage space is needed, the passive door can be released and opened.

Essential Considerations Before Converting

Glass configuration

Choosing your glass style involves balancing natural light, privacy and appearance. Options include full-lite doors with glass extending through most of the panel, 3/4-lite and half-lite designs, and completely solid doors. Larger glass areas generally allow more daylight into the foyer, while smaller or higher glass inserts can provide greater privacy at eye level.

Privacy Glass Options

Glass selection is particularly important for sidelites and door panels facing a street or front porch:

Also consider the position of the glass. Full-length clear sidelites offer more visibility into the lower foyer, while higher or obscured inserts provide greater screening. Some privacy glass may still reveal silhouettes at night when interior lights are on.

Energy Efficiency

Modern entrance systems can include Insulated Glass Units (IGUs) with double or triple panes, Low-E coatings, gas fills and warm-edge spacers to help reduce heat transfer and condensation risk. Overall performance also depends on the insulated door panel, frame, weatherstripping, threshold and installation quality. Compare the energy-performance information for the complete entrance system, not just the glass.

Security

Including glass does not automatically make an entrance insecure. Protection depends on the quality of the complete door system:

Design from both sides of the door

Your front entrance should look as inviting from inside your home as it does from the street. From the exterior, consider how the door's size, style, colour, glass and overall configuration complement your home's architecture. A well-proportioned entrance can enhance curb appeal and create a welcoming first impression.

From the interior, think about the foyer's appearance and everyday functionality. More glass can make the space feel brighter and more open, while a wider frame or different door swing can affect wall space, furniture placement and traffic flow.

Exterior Considerations

• Symmetry and relationship to nearby windows
• Rooflines and overall architectural style
• Brickwork, siding and exterior trim
• Porch size, steps, railings and overhangs

Interior Considerations

• Furniture placement, coat closets and light switches
• Nearby stairways and hallway sightlines
• Flooring, thresholds and interior trim
• Natural-light distribution and privacy

Everyday Use & Accessibility

Consider which way the door will swing, how much clear passage width you need, and whether the threshold will be comfortable to step over. Families moving strollers, large items or mobility aids through the entrance may benefit from discussing opening width, handle placement and threshold options early in the planning process.

What can actually fit? Understanding the existing opening

Before selecting a new entrance, it's important to understand what your existing doorway can accommodate. Replacing a door with one of similar dimensions is generally more straightforward than adding sidelites, a transom or double doors, which may require changes to the surrounding opening.

Many homes can accommodate larger or more elaborate entrance systems, but the possibilities depend on the structure, available space and exterior finishes. An on-site assessment can identify practical configurations before you commit to a particular design.

Existing Opening vs. Desired Configuration

Common examples include:

• Single door → single door
• Single door → door + sidelite
• Door + sidelites → double doors
• Standard door → taller door + transom

Structural & Finishing Considerations

Expanding an opening involves more than simply installing a larger door. Depending on the home, the work may affect:

Some alterations may require a professional structural assessment, building permit or engineering review, depending on the work and local requirements.

Planning Your Entrance Dimensions

The rough opening is the framed space into which the complete door system is installed. There is no universal opening size for every configuration: requirements vary by manufacturer, door size, frame system, sidelite width, transom design and installation method.

Before ordering, have a qualified window and door professional measure the entrance and confirm the manufacturer's required dimensions. This helps determine whether the selected system will fit as planned or whether framing and finishing modifications will be necessary.

Weather performance

Adding sidelites, a transom or a second door panel introduces additional joints that need to be properly sealed. For a Canadian home, ask your window and door professional how the complete entrance system will manage air leakage, water and changing temperatures.

Entrance configuration decision matrix

The following comparison provides a general starting point. Actual privacy and natural light will vary according to the size, position and type of glass selected.

Configuration	Space Requirement	Best For	Privacy	Natural Light	Key Consideration
Single Door	Narrowest	Limited openings, simple entrances	High–Very High	Low–Moderate	Maximum wall space
Single + 1 Sidelite	Wider	Asymmetrical entrances	Medium–High	Moderate–High	Good balance of light and width
Single + 2 Sidelites	Wider still	Symmetrical façades	Medium	High	Requires substantial width
Single + Transom	Taller	High ceilings, privacy	High–Very High	High	Requires vertical space
Door + Sidelites + Transom	Wide + tall	Statement entrances	Medium–High	Very High	Requires careful planning
Double Doors	Wide	Grand entrances, large openings	Depends on glass	Moderate–High	Interior/exterior clearance
Double + Sidelites/Transom	Largest	Major architectural entrances	Depends on glass	Very High	Significant space and structural considerations

Questions homeowners should ask

Before choosing an entrance configuration, consider:

• How wide and tall is my existing opening?
• Can my preferred configuration fit without structural modifications?
• How much natural light and privacy do I want?
• Would one sidelite, two sidelites or a transom suit my home's proportions?
• How will the new entrance look from both the street and the foyer?
• Will the door swing interfere with furniture, stairs, closets or switches?
• Do I need extra passage width or an accessible threshold?
• Will brickwork, siding, interior trim or porch features need to change?
• What glass, locking and energy-efficiency options are available?
• How will the complete entrance system be sealed against winter drafts and moisture?
• What additional work, permits or approvals might be required?

Summary

Choose the entrance around your home:

• Sidelites can add symmetry and natural light to an entrance.
• Transoms can add visual height and daylight from above.
• Double doors can create a wider passage and grander appearance.
• Combined configurations can maximise light and architectural impact.

The best choice depends on more than appearance. It should suit your home's structure, available space, privacy requirements, weather exposure, security needs and everyday use. A professional assessment can help turn your preferred design into an entrance that looks right and performs reliably.