The Latest Front Door Trend Is Ideal For Letting Light Into Your Home

It's no secret that natural light is seen as the secret ingredient to a stylish interior. Sunlight streaming through the windows creates a space that feels more open and airy — and it can also illuminate the true colors of walls, furniture, and décor, allowing them to appear more vibrant. (That said, there is such a thing as too much natural light.) Many people focus on bringing natural light into their homes through windows, sometimes skylights, but there is one place that homeowners often don't realize can let in more natural light: the front door.

Glass front doors are growing in popularity, with trends saying the more glass, the better. The trend is influenced by the iconic Critall company, which has been manufacturing steel-framed glass doors and windows since 1884. But even if your front door doesn't have the signature steel frame, especially since the style leans more towards having a more modern or industrial style, there are still plenty of ways of bringing in more natural light through your front door.

One of the best ways to maximize natural light is to have French doors. These double doors, especially when they're largely made from glass, will let in plenty of sunlight throughout the door. Similarly, opting for taller, full-glass doors will increase the amount of sunlight you'll get into your home. Eight-foot doors are becoming more popular and since the standard ceiling height is about nine feet, these doors will look like grand statements in a room. You can make an even bigger statement if you've even higher ceilings.

However, you don't only have to think vertically when considering adding more light to a front door. Adding sidelights to front doors will also allow for plenty of natural light to flow in. Side lights are skinnier panes of glass that sit on one or both sides of a front door They can also make your front door appear wider, which could be an alternative to French doors. Sidelights are also more decorative detail, adding a little charm and visual interest to both the interior and exterior of the house.

More natural light, but less privacy? Not necessarily. While there may be a concern about having more glass on the front of your home, allowing people to peek inside, there are ways to enjoy the natural light and maintain your privacy. One solution is textured glass, such as rain glass, frosted glass, or reeded glass. These types of glass are still clear, allowing sunlight to still come through the window, but the texture prevents a view straight into the home. However, textured glass also prevents having a view from the inside out.

If having a view while you're inside is important to you, tinting the windows may be a good solution. Adding a tinted film reflects some of the light that hits the window, making them appear dark from the exterior of the home, which makes it difficult or impossible to see inside the home. However, from the inside, you'll still be able to enjoy the sunlight flooding in and the view outside your home.