When you shop for a new entry door, you’ll most likely have to choose between two polar opposites. You may either prefer the traditional style with its warm charm or opt for a sleek modern design. There are no right or wrong front door designs as it is entirely a matter of personal choice and taste.

If you are planning to replace your front door and want to upgrade your home’s curb appeal, it would be helpful to know how each of these designs is different. At Ecoline, we sell fiberglass and steel doors. The good news is that we can customize them in both traditional and modern styles.

You can combine the two designs and use the key defining elements of both and install a modern front door on your traditional house. Then your exterior will take the best of the two styles. However, if you want to pick up one, read on to learn about the main differences between traditional and modern front doors.

Modern Doors

If you like a clean and sleek finish, you’ll probably like the look of contemporary front doors. Modern doors are minimalistic. The style has minimal embellishments for the reason that modern designs will lose their value as embellishments change over time.

Modern style doors are known for their rectilinear shape in parts, fittings, and clean and inline designs. They are typically associated with a kind of industrial materials such as steel, aluminum, plastic, and architectural glass.

Features

• Asymmetry, strong lines, and simplicity
• Minimalist trim
• Sleek and simple hardware
• Bright and bold colours
• Minimum details and accessories
• Blurred or frosted glazing, usually unpatterned

Traditional Doors

Traditional doors can simply be described as historical designs incorporating different features and cultures to preserve a distinct look and style.

Some traditional doors may include elements from the Victorian, Colonial, Craft and Neoclassical styles of architecture. Traditional doors give a sense of connection with the past. This makes the style unique, with minimal changes needed to keep the vintage vibe.

While there are no set style rules, traditional doors are known for being sophisticated and inviting.

Features:

• Symmetry, brightness, and ornamentation
• Typically wood effect finish
• Extravagant hardware
• Lots of details and accessories
• Dark and muted colours
• Refined and patterned glazing

A Detailed Comparison: 5 Differences Between Modern Vs. Traditional Doors

Just knowing the features of each style is sometimes not enough to understand how they differ and what will suit your home best. To make things easier for you, we’ve prepared a comprehensive comparison between the traditional and contemporary front door styles.

Door Appearance

Traditional doors, associated with old buildings, typically have a natural wood look or a wood-like surface if they are made from more modern materials. They are often equipped with coloured, patterned glass, combined with grilles and caming. Glass inserts tend to be oval or arched, creating gentle curves and soft lines. Unlike flat modern units, traditional doors are most often made up of panels, having a slightly uneven and rustic charm. They traditionally come in rich and dark colours.

Modern doors have a smooth, sleek, and simple finish. Their design includes straight lines and angular elements. Like traditional ones, contemporary front doors often feature frosted or textured glass inserts, but larger and without an abundance of decorative elements. Modern door designs come in both muted tones and bright colours.

Hardware

Door hardware such as handles, locks, and hinges may seem like secondary design elements, but they greatly affect the appearance of a front door and can make a difference.

Traditional doors often have extravagant and ornate fittings but in more organic forms and less metallic finishes. Traditional hardware often comes in more bronzed and muted tones for a vintage feel.

Modern doors usually feature simple and smooth fittings with straight edges and metal details. Contemporary-styled hardware is characterized by straight lines and strict forms.

Material

Traditional doors are typically associated with natural wood, while contemporary ones traditionally come made from more “industrial” materials such as uPVC and steel. However, modern technologies in the door industry allow you to think outside the box.

Today’s traditional doors are not necessarily made of solid wood. At Ecoline, we offer fiberglass doors with a spectacular woodgrain finish that perfectly imitates the look of natural timber for your front door and fits greatly into a traditional style cottage.

If you like the look of a modern door, even on a traditional house, you are free to choose from both steel and fiberglass doors in a wide variety of custom designs.

Price

When it comes to prices for traditional and modern front doors, it’s a tie. Style does not affect the cost of your door replacement project, so choose a style based on your design preferences.

The final price depends on design solutions such as glass inserts, hardware, etc. The size of your door matters, too – obviously, contemporary double front doors will cost more.

Also, the cost depends on the material: fiberglass is a bit more expensive than steel. At Ecoline, the price for a single door in both modern and traditional styles starts at $1,280 if you go with a steel door, and at $1,470 if you choose a fiberglass one. You can use our online cost estimator to define an approximate price for your new door.

Feel

Traditional doors are exactly as they are called: traditionally looking, with a certain vintage vibe and a touch of old-fashioned Victorian elegance.

Modern doors are more flexible in terms of design. While traditional doors usually bring the feel of the old world aesthetic, contemporary doors may convey any message depending on the design solutions and details of the door. They exude sophisticated elegance, aesthetic minimalism, and functional practicality.

Traditional Or Modern – Which Door Will Fit Your Home?

One of the best things about owning a home is being able to style it so that it reflects your personality. Consider your front door as part of a design statement. Not only does it allow you to get in and out, but it can make or break the attractiveness of an entire home. Choosing a door that perfectly harmonizes with the whole house is very important.

The truth is, there are so many design options within modern and traditional front door styles, so it can make you dizzy. Where to start?

1. Think about the overall style of your home.

Is your home a Victorian townhouse, modern condo, farmhouse, or McMansion? Do you live in a new building, an old house or something in between? First, determine the type and general style of your home. The overall design of the building directly affects the choice of door style. A traditional vintage style door would simply look out of place in a loft-style home, and vice versa.

2. Think about exterior design.

If your exterior features a lot of details, decorative elements, and panelling, most likely, an ornate traditional door will fit perfectly. In contrast, modern style is all about simplicity. If your home has a fresh and minimalistic appearance, free from an abundance of details and ornate components, it will be much better combined with a modern door.

3. Think about the message your door will convey.

Make sure you set the right tone when installing your new door. Focus on your personal design preference and what you want to broadcast in your exterior. Do you want your door to retain a vintage vibe or rustic charm, showing your commitment to traditions and old-time aesthetics? Our traditional front doors would be a great choice. If you want a bold and strictly structured design that will convey a certain aesthetic of life, laconism, and simplicity, select among our modern door collections.

You can always turn to our experts for help. Send us a request with the details of your project, and we will answer all your questions.