A wide sidelight can hint at potential — but it rarely delivers the experience. This project shows what happens when that width is given back to the door itself.
This entry had plenty of horizontal space, but most of it sat in a sidelight rather than in the door. Visually, the opening felt stretched to one side; practically, the usable entry stayed narrow.
We replaced the single door and sidelight with a proper double door, allowing the opening to read as one balanced element. The change wasn’t about adding decoration — it was about giving the entry a clear centre.
In my personal experience, a double door is more shaky and a bit more drafty. It’s got pins in the passive door, and they always have a bit of play. A single door with a sidelight? Way sturdier. I wouldn’t install a double door for myself.
With the new double door in place, the front of the house feels more composed and intentional. The proportions match the scale of the entry recess, and the doorway works the way it looks — wide, solid, and welcoming.
The result is a quieter, more confident front entrance that uses the available space properly, without overcomplicating the design.
Need professional door replacement? If your current entry feels narrow or off-balance, even though the opening is wide, we’re happy to talk through what can realistically be done and what tends to work best.
