5 Front Door Trends Designers Say Homeowners Regret (Yes, Even This Popular One)

Other than your curb appeal choices, your front door sets the tone for the inside of your home. The perfect front door complements the design of your porch, and can also highlight your stunning exterior materials. But, as some interior designers say, aesthetics may not be everything when it comes to choosing the perfect front door style for your home.

“Many homeowners easily choose doors based on aesthetics, trends, or what looks good in isolation without considering daily function, architectural compatibility, or how the door performs in their specific climate and lifestyle,” says interior designer Jennifer Fordham.

While aesthetics certainly are a part of choosing a front door for your home, you also want to make sure it functions how you need it to. Thinking about privacy, low-maintenance materials, and how your style will age are factors that are just as important to consider. That’s why we spoke to two professional designers for their input. Here are the five front door styles designers see homeowners regret the most, and why.

All Glass Contemporary Doors

Glass doors may look sleek and clean as the perfect complement for your minimalist or modern home, but both of ours pros say they come with some drawbacks. Predominantly, when it comes to privacy.

“These look stunning in showrooms, but homeowners quickly regret the complete lack of privacy, especially in neighborhoods where the front door faces the street or where the property is not fully gated and secured 24/7,” Fordham says.

And not to mention, Lerner says these doors can be extremely annoying if you have dogs in the home that like to bark every time they see someone walk by.

They also both note that they’re not the best option when it comes to heat or being energy efficient, depending on the location where they’re placed in your home.

“South-facing doors can get unbearably hot, whereas north-facing doors will feel chilly, especially in cooler, winter climates,” Fordham says. “Western-facing doors will bake (along with everything in your foyer) in the evening sun if the property lacks shade.”

Bold-Colored Statement Doors

There was a day and time when many people got the itch to paint their front door a bold color to add character to the home.

While this can be a fun way to showcase your unique personality and style, Interior designer Lauren Lerner says the payoff from this design choice fades rather quickly.

“Ultra-trendy statement doors in bold colors or exaggerated profiles tend to age the fastest,” she shares. “They feel unique during construction, but a few years down the road, they can feel disconnected as tastes shift or the surrounding architecture evolves.”

Faux Wood Fiberglass Doors

If you’re like me and love the look of a wooden front door (but hate the price tag), then a faux wood option seems like the better alternative.

While it can seem like a better bang for your buck, Fordham says most homeowners tend to regret not going for the real thing later down the road.

“Homeowners think they’re getting the best of both worlds with low maintenance and a wood look, but come to regret that the ‘wood grain’ texture looks artificial up close and cheapens the entire facade,” she says. “The door reads as builder-grade rather than custom, undermining other exterior investments.”

To help with this, she recommends going with a door material that’s consistent with the home’s exterior materials and quality level the first time around.

Oversized Farmhouse Doors

Back in the day, when the rustic/farmhouse aesthetic was in its prime, it seemed like everyone was on board for a barn-looking, oversized farmhouse door.

This was the perfect finishing touch for homes with this style, but it’s another door Fordham says most homeowners come to regret, especially once the trends start to change. She notes that the chunky hardware and heavy wood aesthetic may have felt trendy during installation, but likely now feels dated and out of scale with the home’s actual architecture.

“The door should complement and enhance the home’s architecture and announce the design within,” she says. “We love an accent door, but advise clients to consider the architecture and maintenance requirements carefully.”

She also says that these doors can really overwhelm a Colonial or traditional facade that never asked for a barn door entrance, so it’s best to choose an option that closely aligns with your home’s exterior aesthetic.

Doors With Mid-Height Windows

One popular door style that most people tend to regret, according to our experts, are those with mid-height windows. Fordham says install these for the natural light, but then immediately cover them with window treatments for privacy.

Then, to add privacy back to the home, she says homeowners are left with an ugly shade that is often left flapping loose at the bottom when the door opens and closes, or an out-of-character window treatment that is always closed.

“The window in the door rarely functions as intended,” she says. “A better solution is a solid door in an accent color paired with a full glass storm door. You get light when you want it, and privacy when you need it.”