either a 'school' style bell that would mount on one of the columns (which you can hear for a country mile)

or an iron 'cook's bell - the big triangle ones?

either would be really wonderful in that setting : )

Beautiful entry! I'd put up a a knocker and one of these. The guests will use the knocker and you will be summoned by the doormat. Looks like the transmitter could be be made loud enough to live out of sight in a closet

Here is a link that might be useful: door mat alarm

I had never heard of the wireless doorpad! That's a good idea so that i can pick what i want for aesthetics and be sure we still have function. interesting for dog training, too...

Mounted on the column --- hmm, i did not consider that

Yes, we bought two, which we might use on other entrances. They are lovely, epsecially the sound they make!

I looked on ebay and it does not have the photo in our purchase history anymore? It was a solid brass antique mechanical twist doorbell. Maybe i can take a photo for you.

How wide it the trim on the barn door?
http://www.signaturehardware.com/product12866

I have no suggestions at the moment but want to say how lovely and unique.

I was thinking more along the lines of a driveway bell. We have a long driveway and like the idea of knowing someone is coming down the drive befirer they are out of the car and at the door.

eandhl - i love that! Is it so cute. Would you put just one, though (symmetry?) ... on the right? or could i wall mount it somwhere i wonder

schoolhouse, thank you!

katy-b --- the previous owners put in the gate systems, which open when they sense a car. I know they were very costly so I don't want to bother changing them. Id rather know when they've made it to the door!

mtnrdredux, I love hand forged wrought iron and did a search of "forged door knockers" many came up but that one cought my eye because of the upside down horseshoe holders on your door.

If it were me I and it fit I would mount one on the opposite door that has the handle latch.

I think the door mat solution goes well with your unique entrance.
I have tried to get people to use a large dinner bell in place of the door bell and they just will not do it.

Thanks, Carol, it is good to have input on that particular point. I do fear that people will feel uncomfortable ringing a bell like that ... and your experience suggests I am right. I think I will go with the mat and have a small bell just for decoration, or perhaps as a sociology experiment to see who will/will not use it!

I wouldn't use a bell either. But the doormat is the perfect solution!

I'd really like to see the rest of your home. Love the rock porch!

That is the best entry ever!!! You have wonderful taste!!!

We don't have a door bell either. Live in a gated and our property is also gated/fenced. Until earlier this year, I didn't even have a bell for anyone to ring. If someone is coming out this far they call first. UPS and USPS let themselves self in/out and leaves packages on the front veranda.

I ran across a smaller version in a local antique store of a bell my parents bought in Europe years ago. Theirs hangs in their breakfast room. We mounted ours to the brick part of the house inside the front door area.

They look like this... this one looks like the size of mine:

In Latin it reads "he who touches me hears my voice."

The house I grew up in was a large Tudor, up on a hill overlooking a lake. Mom got a large iron dinner bell she would ring when she wanted me to come home.

In our cases, bells really aren't needed since they wouldn't be heard with house noise going or if we were not semi-near the front porch. They are just for looks.

Your front doors are very pretty. Do the barn doors stay closed all the time? If someone comes to your house, are they going to open them to go into the next area and knock on that door, or stay outside the barn doors? Since they'd have to get in the gate, seems like it wouldn't matter.

btw, before we got the front door bell (that no one has used), we bought a Dakota driveway alert that we can turn on/off (leaves, squirrels, deer, etc set it off at times) if we open the gates and want to hear when someone expected is driving up - the dogs really do a better job!

Oakleyok, Thank you! I have a website but it's out of date. We started a reno 2yrs ago, moved in 7 months ago, and are going through the painful punch list stage. I am so glad I found GW when doing the kitchen - IMHO the community of advice here is better than any professional i've worked with. And that is not to dis the professionals as much to praise the concept of a "designwiki". Below is a link to a thread with 5-6 good photos of our house.

Roarah, you always have something nice to say! Thank you!

Allison, I wish I had thought of looking for a bell in our travels. How nice! I love the imagery of a little girl flying up the hill when Mom rings for dinner. We have one in the backyard for the same purpose. It's really helpful!

Thank you. The barn doors stay closed. People who know us well park in the area closest to the house and go in a side door. Guests are directed to a further gate and have a trek to the front door. Heretofore, noone opens the barn door, they stand there.

We don't leave the gates open. Deer are a huge issue around here. Once a workman left a gate open, and our landscape person had to chase a family of deer out, including carrying out a baby fawn... aww. Plus we have a puppy.

Here is a link that might be useful: scroll down 3/4 of the way

Ah, your gate is right at the house. Ours is quite a bit away.

Have you seen the English (?) door bells that are bells inside the house, with a wire (?) that goes from a pull ring, through the exterior wall of the house, to the bell that is hanging inside the house? There is also an electric version (but would need to be installed during construction, or at least a wire run to it if done after (not as easy, but not always impossible).

If you do a search, you can find other places (closer) to order:

Here is a link that might be useful: English Door Bell

There are two gates. The one you see in the other photo is marked "service entrance", and has limited parking and access to the side door, garage area, and leads to the area with dumpster, oil tanks, generator etc.

I don't have a photo that shows it, but the "guest entrance" gates are on the other end of the property. I am not sure I would have chosen the same nomenclature, but the PO set the gates up this way. I am sure he did it because, to him, "guests" meant large parties, and at that end of the property he has lot of space to park on cobblestone and pea gravel. It makes for a bit of a hike to the front door even after you park. Hence, friends usually use the service entrance and side door (which is a normal door and can accommodate a bell).

Cool link, but I think those bells are similar to the ones w bought. They are mechanical twist bells. The problem is you can't mount them on the door, since they need to slide open, and can't mount them through the wall, due to its thickness. We will use them at spots other than this entry.

More than you ever wanted to know. I am pretty sure I am using the mat idea (thank you again!), and then I will also hang the sweet little school bell we bought (link below). Belt and suspenders, as it were ...

Here is a link that might be useful: our lil' bell

Mtnrdredux, every time I see another pic of your home I am more in love!

I love your home, too. Can you tell me the color of your barn doors, please. It is beautiful against the white.

Thanks so much, hoosiergirl.

Thanks, Kitchen. It Is is a BM color called Hampshire Grey (i think of it as an olivey green though). I am a colorphobe and this is about the only "color" in my house. I have it on the trim and mullions in my DR, and in the bookcases in the LR.

No suggestions, but love your entry! This is OT, but can you share where you ended up getting your barn door hardware, and did you shop prices? We're preparing to put a barn door up in our home to block off one area of it, and I'm gathering info.
Thanks
Dee

Thanks, Dee. Our architect ordered it, but I searched my emails and the specs she sent say

152-p23 Latch. Crown Industrial Supply

I don't have the cost handy. good luck

Thanks! How thoughtful of you to take the time to look that up.

Crown Industrial is the one I found others said had the best price.
Dee

Of course! We GW'ers stick together. : )

I have no advice, I just had to to say - your entry is stunning!

Can't think of anything to offer, but I must say that your entry is stunning!

Ditto what Arapaho said. I love your entry. Why wouldn't one of those radio controlled bells work? I have one just "pasted" to the side of the door and the bell itself is in the kitchen. They certainly have a low profile at the front door. I'm sure there is a reason you don't want that since you surely would have thought of it by now.

Thanks all. I am going to put up our little bell for looks, and use the mat under a coir mat for function. Thanks again for the idea!

Completely agree - your entry is gorgeous! Love what you've done. I personally wouldn't put anything on the exterior - leave it just as it is - so beautiful. If anything, I'd do the knocker or bell at the next doorway. It appears as if there are doors that are locked there. Could that work?

Thank, you Dalma. In the months we have been here, people are flummoxed when they see the barn door. They seem afraid to open the latch. I suppose we need to strike up aquaintances with more farmers?

So I think I am going with the mat that Olychick suggested, and mounting my little school bell on the wall to the far right.

Thanks!