You're looking to add some style to your entryway. But you don't want to go with the same old wooden front door you've always had - there's too much worrying about the steps needed to take care of different types of wood species. Besides, you have another material in mind:

Iron.

And that's not all. You're feeling inspired by the style of French doors and you're looking to double up your own. But before you start researching doors, services, and hardware, you need the answer to a simple question - Is a front double door right for your home, or should you go down the single route?

Exterior Double Doors - The Plus Points

Let's start with what you want to hear - what will make you say "yes!" when you shop for double exterior doors?

Pro 1 - They're Available in Several Styles

People often think of French doors when they imagine double doors, and that style is certainly a good choice. Large glass panes allow plenty of light to flow into your home - perfect for people who love a light and breezy space.

But taking a page out of the Francophile's book isn't your only option for double doors.

For instance, you can put a unique twist on the French door look by taking a modernistic approach. You'll see this in PINKYS' Air 4 Double Flat range - double doors that mimic the basic look of French doors while creating more bold and geometric shapes through the use of iron or steel framing around the glass panes.

Other options could remove glass entirely, instead relying on ornate scrollwork or simply emphasizing the metal used for the door ahead of glass. The point is that you have options with double doors, so you're not restricted to a specific design or style.

Pro 2 - They Create an Expansive Entryway

Grandeur may be the goal when choosing your front door.

That's especially the case if you live in a larger home. A single door can often get lost among the many architectural features these homes have on their frontages. Think of a large archway leading into an extensive porch area, with a small door off to the side that's barely visible, and you get the idea.

Double doors are more expansive than single doors.

Obviously, this means they take up more space, meaning they're ideal for replacing what would otherwise be empty wall space. But they're also expansive - they make the space you have look even larger. A single door is narrow. Constricting. Double doors open wider, thus expanding the space into which they open.

Pro 3 - Bridging the Gap Between Indoor and Outdoor Spaces

Single front doors can be limiting in other ways - especially when it comes to accentuating a gorgeous garden or allowing natural light to flow into your home.

The expansive nature of front double doors helps here, too. For instance, your doors may make heavy use of glass panels (as in the PINKYS Air range) that allow light to flow freely into a foyer or entrance hall, ideal for making these spaces seem larger than they already are.

Then, there's the view to the outside.

Double doors are a little like large bay windows when they're primarily formed of glass panels. They provide an unhindered view of the outside. If your home's front garden is beautifully manicured and worthy of admiration, double doors with glass panes give you a much larger glimpse of your frontage before you step outside.

Pro 4 - Improved Curb Appeal

You may not be looking to sell your home right now, but you may in the future. And when you do, you have to think about curb appeal - how your home looks to somebody from the outside. Increasing curb appeal is key to getting higher offers on your home because it helps you create a better first impression. And that impression is important. It forms in about a tenth of a second, and it influences what a potential buyer will think even as they explore the rest of your home.

How does this apply to double doors?

Simple - double doors convey prosperity and luxury to the viewer. Thus, they help people instantly form a strong first impression of your home, long before they see inside. It tells them your house is beautiful and appealing – perfect if you're trying to achieve a fast sale.

Pro 5 - More Options for Porch and Patio Decoration

Earlier, we told you that a single door can often get lost in the shuffle, especially when set against a larger entryway. Think giant arches and tiny doors and you get the idea. And the same line of thinking applies with any decorations you add to your patio - go too large and your door is no longer the focal point of the porch.

You won't have that problem if you double up.

Double doors are large enough that no item of furniture can overshadow them. The result - you get more options. Large plants on either side of the doors, for instance, or a bench placed alongside the door can both look out of place and overly wide when sitting alongside a single door. But with double doors, these decorative features simply add to the grandeur that the doors already provide.

Exterior Double Doors - The Drawbacks

A grand frontage and more options - those are the biggest reasons to double up on your doors. But beware. There are a few downsides that make double doors unworkable in some situations.

Con 1 - Overwhelming the Space

Just as double doors can add to a larger space's sense of grandeur, so too can they be so massive that they overwhelm a smaller space. You'll see this when people fit double doors that lead to a tight or compact foyer, or when they have such a small porch area that the doors practically flare out from the front of the house.

It's an issue of scale.

Aesthetic design principles tell us that achieving scale makes a design look more pleasing to the eye. When things are out of scale, they also look out of place due to being too large for the space or being so small that they get swallowed up by the space.

For instance, a single door would look strange fronting a mansion because the building itself, combined with the architectural features built into it, is so huge. A single door is practically lost in the shuffle. The same issue of scale applies to double doors installed in a cozy cottage or similarly-sized building - they're so big that they distract the eye from the rest of the building, appearing as an outlier compared to the rest of the design.

Con 2 - Double Doors Cost More Than Single Doors

This is an obvious drawback - you pay more for a double door because you're getting two doors instead of one.

But it's not just the doors themselves that add to the cost. You also need to double up on every piece of hardware used for the doors. Hinges. Locksets. Every other framing device (such as rails). They all cost twice as much because you need twice as many.

Your installation team will likely charge more, too, because they have to spend more time fitting a double door than they would a single one. Again, there's double the hardware and two doors. It all adds up, though manufacturers like PINKYS work to minimize the costs as much as possible.

Con 3 - The Energy Efficiency Conundrum

Saving energy can become a challenge when you opt for a front double door that makes heavy use of glass.

According to the Department of Energy (DoE), windows and glass panes account for about 30% of a home's heating loss annually. And on the other side of the coin, the DoE points out that 76% of the sunlight that hits windows in the summer months translates to heat inside the home, so you'll likely spend more on powering an air conditioning unit.

Why do these stats matter in the context of a double door?

Twice the door means twice the number of glass panes (at least in some designs). Thus, a double door can become a bigger source of heat loss during the winter and heat gain in the summer than a single door.

Again, smart manufacturers mitigate this as far as possible. For instance, PINKYS Air range of doors (which are primarily made using glass panes supported by sleek iron frames) use Low-E glass that has a film effectively acting as an insulator. This makes them more energy efficient. But in general terms, you'll lose more heat (or gain more in summer) with double doors than you would with single ones.

Find Stunning Double Front Doors at PINKYS

You now have the pros and the cons - weigh them up to determine if a front double door is right for your home. Assuming you're shooting for grandeur and have space to pull them off, double doors can go a long way to emphasizing the size of your home and can become attractive feature pieces if they open up into expansive foyers or large porches.

Next up - finding a supplier that offers beautiful double doors.

That's where PINKYS comes in. We offer a large range of double doors and French doors (as well as interesting bifold, arched, and sidelight-ready doors) that add elegance and grandiosity to your entryway. Check out our collection - our California-inspired doors let you double up on the modernistic style and stunning natural light streaming into your home.