Cass Smith had already taken on some major exterior renovation projects. The inspiring DIYer behind Cass Makes Home had painted her exterior a creamy white and her garage door an inky black. She had widened her front steps and given them a facelift with a layer of warm red brick pavers. Everything was updated and polished, except the front door. It was a solid black door without a window or much ornamentation at all. The only light that shined into her entryway was through a small sidelight window. Cass decided a new front door with sidelight was what she needed to complete her exterior refresh and transform the entrance to her home. Keep reading to find out how she went about selecting the perfect door, right down to the last detail.

Cass chose a Straightline 181-style front door with a glass panel and a sidelight for an updated look that also brightened up her entryway. She mixed in traditional (grilles) and contemporary (hardware) elements to create the right look.

Did you know? Our front doors are handmade of wood. They can be painted, stained or clad in aluminum on the exterior (for weather resistance). They come in both single and double-door options and can be configured to swing outward or inward. Learn more about our front doors.

To match her home's traditional features and complement her windows, Cass chose to add grilles to her door’s glass panel. She selected a colonial grille pattern, which divides glass symmetrically into squares.

Did you know? Grilles are decorative patterns applied to the glass. They don’t actually disrupt the glass, which is better from an energy savings perspective, but they do add a touch of architectural interest. Grilles are available in various patterns (complementary to different architectural styles) and can be applied to the glass in a number of different ways (exterior and interior, interior only, etc.). Find out more about the grille options available on our windows and doors.