I'm not, but mostly because I hadn't seen the sidelights and transom all done in matching stained glass: some of those are just stunning.

Oh, I'd seen them before, of course. Just hadn't realized they were being made anymore.

We have sidelights (both sides), but both on our door and on the sidelights the glass is only in the upper portion...A Craftsman type of style. I didn't want glass all the way down the sides, but wanted to be able to see who was at the door and have a little light come in...also wanted the wider look for the front entrance.

Here's a photo...Ignore the tape!

This is what we're doing.

{{gwi:1485019}}

I loved the whole setup when I first saw it years ago. When we decided to build, I designed the house specifically so I could have both doors and sidelights for my entry. Here is a close up of the door.

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Good luck in your decision! I think this is another one of those personal preference things. I've read on here before about how some don't like to have them for security reasons but I've always felt that I have plenty of windows so I don't view sidelights any different.

We are installing side lights, too. I have always loved them, so we designed our entry way to accommodate them. This is a Wasau door.

although the doors with the side lights posted are beautiful, we are not using them - because I like privacy and double solid doors offer that for us.

We have sidelights. Just very simple. They are the same as the rest of our windows. I do not have a recent picture of them but here is what they looked like a few months ago when they were rocking. The post in the front are now all rocked. Our knotty alder door has just a small window at the top. I have always loved the side lights BUT the only reason I went with them is because we are building out in the country so I was not concerned about people being able to see in. My friend is building also right now (they are about to close and they stared after us...*sigh*)anywho, I do not care for hers. I mean they are beautiful but you can see right in her house and in part of her daughters room. City, no, country yes! I guess it just all depends on you. My sister has side lights but has small curtains up. I love the light we get from them!

Here is that picture
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I think once the door goes in it will look great!

Good luck with your decision!
KEl

We opted for an 8' mahogany door with leaded glass and matching leaded glass sidelights ($2K unfinished). We are staining the door, but may paint the exterior sometime in the future since it will get a lot of sun. We are building on 2 acres so privacy isn't a concern.

I agree about the privacy of them. With ours, you have to stand right in front of them and try hard to see in through the actual flower part. I did this with my salesman. He was standing about 5 feet away on the other side and even when I was looking through the flowers he wasn't clear and I had my face about an inch away from the door. We're on a fenced 43 acre parcel so we don't have to worry about people seeing in either. Even in the city though, if you had glass in them that obscured I think you'd be fine.

I wanted some natural light in the floyer. We have an 8-foot X 42-inch archtop door within a larger archtop that contains the sidelights. We're back 200 feet from a country-style road within a suburb. You can see into our foyer and LR, but that's all. Really important (to him) our Westie can see OUT.

We planned very carefully to use two stacking panels of antique church stained glass, and designed the sidelight space specifically to hold them; this also drove the size of the door, spacing, on and on. However, once it was framed in, we couldn't stand to block the view of the woods! (The photo now charmingly features a view of the Port-o-Potty, but hopefully that will be gone soon . . .)

So, now we've got a bit ol' awkward rectangle with nothing to recommend it at all . . . and we're planning to box in the stained glass panels on an interior wall & light them from behind. So much for careful planning, eh?

We also have a craftsman/bungalow style door with sidelights on the uppers only. For privacy, we also but in obscure glass.

Here is a link that might be useful:

We live in the country, so privacy wasn't much of an issue for us. We have double 8' solid mahogany doors with very simple full-length sidelights. We enjoy the natural light the sidelights provide.

My gosh there are some beautiful doors on this thread! Housewitch your door is stunning! Happykate I can not WAIT to see your door when it is finished! Shoot, I just can't wait to see my door! LOL!