Front door canopy ideas: how to create a warm welcome for your home
Lara loves writing about every aspect of the home – from the latest colour trends to emerging designs. She has a lot of experience writing about home trends and interior advice for leading titles such as The Telegraph, Metro, and Homes & Gardens.
Much like a front porch, front door canopy ideas finish off your home. There are practical benefits too. Covering a front door will protect visitors from the elements (especially in the event of a sudden downpour!).
A door canopy generally sits directly above your front door. It creates an overhang which sticks out from the front of the building and can shelter you against run, sun and wind.
Door canopies can also be fitted with a built-in light to add a welcoming glow to the exterior of your home. A lit-up door canopy adds an extra layer of safety too – especially during the winter months.
Whatever style of property you live in, there is a door canopy to fit. From a rustic cottage to a sleek, contemporary pad, door canopies can enhance the look and kerb appeal of your property.
To help you work out what style of door canopy you need, we’ve put together some hints and tips.
Read on for our round-up of great looking front door canopy ideas.
1. Consider the age of your property
Front door canopy ideas can go horribly wrong if you don’t look at your property.
The best door canopies consider the period and style of your home. If you’re buying a new build or a period property – the same rules apply. Look at the architecture and build date of the home for style pointers.
If you’re trying your hand at an exterior renovation look at the rest of the houses in the street.
In some instances, you might come up against local planning rules and regulations as to what can and cannot be added to your home’s exterior.
Do your research. Make sure your door canopy is in keeping with the rest of your house – and neighbouring properties.
2. Modern front door canopy ideas
Door canopies aren’t simply for thatched cottages or Georgian properties. So don’t fret if you’re hankering after front door canopy ideas and live in a new build.
Contemporary homes can be fitted with seriously stylish door canopies that reflect the building’s look and age.
We are here to get your creative juices flowing.
So, take a look at these modern door canopy ideas.
Modern pivot doors are difficult to fully weatherproof so will need a protective canopy. A simple, modern overhang will do the trick.
Seek out materials such as zinc, steel, glass and stone to create a striking minimalist canopy.
Try a Bauhaus-inspired geometric shaped door canopy in powder-coated aluminium. Metallic canopies look great with a zinc roof.
Stainless steel and glass canopies are a classic modern design choice – stylish and weather-resistant too!
Flat canopies look really cool with a more contemporary home. Try a super-wide, timber clad overhang for a simple, modern statement.
LED spotlights fitted into a modern canopy or overhang will add masses of design flair – and practical plus points.
3. Traditional front door canopy ideas
Cottages and period-style properties are the perfect match for a front door canopy.
Look at the door canopies in your street, town or village to get a better idea of what works best. Matching canopy materials to your house design is crucial too.
Read on for more ways to enhance your period property with a traditional canopy.
- A wooden framed front door canopy is best suited to a classic cottage
- If you have a thatched roof, you will need the expertise of a thatcher who can create a matching thatched canopy. Here’s our thatched roof cost guide
- Paint an oak framed porch or timber canopy in a colour to match the outside of your house. White will add a charming and timeless mood
- Match the materials of a newly built canopy roof to the main roof for a coherent finish. So, slate with slate, thatch with thatch
- Add a flourish of greenery to a period property for a super grand statement you’ll adore
4. Protect your front door
Front door canopy ideas can also protect your front door from weathering – especially if you choose a large canopy that extends across your entrance.
You might want to extend your canopy to create a larger verandah area with room for seating.
A well-proportioned door canopy is well worth investing in. It means your front door won’t get battered by the rain or as suffer quite so much from exposure to harsh sunlight. The good news is that your front door won’t require as much maintenance over time.
If you are looking for ways to restore a front door though, read our handy step-by-step guide.
Properties that live in very exposed locations might want to rethink a door canopy. In fact, a fully enclosed porch might be a better solution.
Living next to the sea front, for example, puts your property in danger of a potential onslaught of corrosive saltwater.
In this instance, a closed porch offers a more robust solution with less maintenance to keep your front door looking fabulous.
5. Add a front porch instead
Front porches offer a more enclosed structure to the entrance of your home. They cover and protect a doorway with posts and sides.
So, if you want more shelter and extra storage benefits, opt for a front porch instead.
Front porch sides can be partially open or have solid sides. Open porches are built without solid fronts or sides. Instead, they have a triangular or lean-to-roof, pillars, open beams and balustrades.
Covered or enclosed porches offer more protection and storage – they sometimes have a second, separate front door too.
They are the perfect place for visitors to take off their shoes before coming into the main house. Wet and muddy pets can be rubbed down in a front porch which will hopefully cut down on trails of dirty paw prints inside.
Take a look at our blog on front porch ideas for masses more information and style ideas.
Front door canopy takeaways:
- Research what you want from your front door canopy – shelter, door protection or extra storage?
- Make sure your front door canopy fits in with the age and style of your property
- Modern front door canopy ideas will add a striking finish to your home
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