From the Patriot Ledger
April 25, 2002

Making an Entrance
by Nicole Cirone

Front doors offer a glimpse to who's inside

From Colonial to cottage to whimsical, front doors hold, not only the keys to a home, but insight into the occupant's personality. Let's face it: A person who paints his or her front door purple is not likely to worry what the neighbors will think.

These days, though, more neighbors are likely to think well of the door next door as homeowners dedicate more time and money to beautifying front entranceways.

The choices are endless, say designers - brass door handles and locks for the country look, and wrought iron and stone statues for a traditional feel. Feng shui followers have the choice of wind chimes to redirect bad energy away from the home, or mirrors over the doorway to keep out negative energy.

No matter the style, it's the homeowner's call on whatever tone they wish to create, said Mona Stephens, a visual designer for EXPO Design Center, which has a location in Braintree.

"Whether your home's style is contemporary, traditional or somewhere in between, the entry sets the tone for the entire residence," Stephen said.

Roy Kirby, owner of Craftmanship with Pride, Inc. in Marshfield, said he works with many homeowners who have just caught onto the fact that front doors are more than a place to insert a key.

"We are seeing people where quality wasn't put into their front entrance but they want it now," he said.

Last fall, inspired by the nation's resurgence of patriotism, Kirby traveled to Greece to study architecture and the themes of front entrances.

"The closet thing that represented pure democracy was in ancient Greece," Kirby said. "Our forefathers built things (in the U.S.) using Greek themes in architecture," one notable example, he said, being the White House.

In Greek Revival periods, the front entrance was designed to be the foremost feature, Kirby said.

These days, he's applying what he learned on his travels to the South Shore, where homeowners will spend anywhere from $4,000 to $18,000 to make a good first impression.

One of Kirby's customers, Elaine Donahue, said she'd always thought the front entranceway to her 40-year-old Colonial home in Marshfield was drab.

When she asked Kirby to redesign it, she had no idea what it would be like.

A quick sketch turned into "the house I've always wanted," Donahue said.

Round columns decorate the front porch, while fluted, flat columns compliment the six-panel door. The door fits snuggle around custom wood trim, and long "lights" on either side of the door call for beams of crisp sunlight. The renovations were finished in early April.

"When I look out my window, I'm looking at a piece of art and it reminds me of Italy," Donahue said. "I was amazed at the craftsmanship.

Perhaps more importantly, Donahue said the renovation is a way of expressing who she is.

"On the inside of my house, I try to change things all the time to show a part of my personality,: she said. "But now I have it on the front door."

Kathy Porter's personality is evident in her front door. Driving past the Hanover home, passerby can't help but notice the inviting double doors that grace the entrance of the stately Colonial.

"I find the double doors particularly welcoming," Porter said, referring to the black, raised four-panel doors which can be swung open to greet guests or entertain a slow, summer breeze.

Amazingly, the doors are the original ones; the house was built in 1741. Having lived in the house for 21 years, Porter and her husband, Bruce, recently refinished the doors and found three layers of paint: red, gold and black.

The doors are constructed with mortise and tenon (keeping with true Colonial carpentry), and the exterior details are reminiscent of the prosperity circulating through the colonies in the early 18th century. There are pediments with triangular caps over the door and fluted pilasters set into the wall on either side of the entrance.

"The Americans borrowed the style from England's affair with Georgian architecture, but simplified it," Porter said.

An intricate tulip design is affixed to the brass latch. Above the door, six panes of bull's-eye glass-circular-swirled, green-tinted, hand-blown glass popular in Colonial homes-allow soft sunlight to brighten the foyer.

But a front door doesn't have to have fluted columns and brass door-knockers to catch the eye. Just drive by Frank Hamner's home in North Weymouth.

"I think the door says I'm a realistic dreamer," Hamner said laughing, referring to his old oak door with an 11-inch by 11-inch porthole in the center.

Combining his love of the ocean and the home's location near Wessagusset Beach, Hamner purchased the porthole in Plymouth, though he was told it's originally from China.

"I appreciate the door, and people come in and admire it," Hamner said.

His daughter, Nancy, agrees.

"It fits the neighborhood, being near the water with the boats going back and forth," she said. "It definitely adds a personality to the house."

As a young girl, she remembers her father being handy.

"I remember him bringing (the door and porthole) home, and when he first put it in, I thought he was nuts," she said. " But the more I look at it today, I think, 'Wow, that's really nice.'"

"The front door makeover by Craftsmanship with Pride is the perfect curb appeal update for my Cape Cod style home."
-Jane Corliss, Marshfield

“He puts his heart and soul into his work. Roy is one of the most skilled people imaginable in fine woodworking and home building. Everything he touches comes out perfect.”
-Lenny Taylor, Taylor Forest Products

“…the house I’ve always wanted…I was amazed at the craftsmanship.”
-Elaine Donahue, Marshfield

“Roy Kirby has the knowledge and expertise to translate a few lines on paper into an exquisite and quality piece of work.”
-Christopher DeOrsay, Campbell/Smith Architects, Duxbury, Massachusetts

"Roy and the crew at Craftsmanship with Pride are unique in their approach to building projects. Throughout the project the owners collaborate in the process from the vision and design to materials and finishes. The advantage over other builders is the quality and architectural authenticity of Roy's designs, combined with expert craftsmanship. The result is work that is both timeless and tailored to the setting. The men and women at Craftsmanship with Pride work to the highest standards and tolerances. Each aspect of the work is planned for and completed with a focus on quality of fit and finish. The crew was always professional, organized, careful and cleaned up at each phase of the project, missing no details."
-Mike and Debbi Tilley, Marshfield