Annie, I know we cannot do that style. But I do love it - love the double doors & curve! They go perfectly with your home! We will consider wood. The house is in Florida, about 5 miles from the ocean. The house faces south, so I am not concerned about the sun beating on the doors. We went to the door lumberyard yesterday, & they seemed to think a wood door would work fine at our location & would not need maintenance too often, as long as it was painted/stained & sealed properly. DH is really struggling with glass & privacy. I don't want a frosted glass & he wants some glass but total privacy. The house will be set pretty far back on the lot, so I am not worried about privacy too much. I am one that could walk naked down the street with no issues, but he wouldn't walk around the house in boxers if there was non-privacy glass in the front. I played in PS again. Any thoughts on any of these door styles? The first one has some curves in the moulding, so that could introduce the cove ceiling element from the foyer. My favorite is #2, but that offers the least amount of privacy for DH. #3 might be a compromise for DH. #4 is too Craftsmen, but that is what he was originally drawn to. I don't think it looks right with our French/English style. This post was edited by wishiwasinoz on Thu, Sep 26, 13 at 5:28

Labmomma- Did I say anything about court? :-) Let me tell you the nutshell version of a story of how the dog whisper helped probably save our furry little behinds. I told this story on another forum and all the cesar-haters came out and told me how stupid i was so you're getting the short version. After watching the show, I decided I would make more of an effort to keep the dogs to my side instead of in front of me while on walks. I wouldn't say they had a pulling problem but the one would pee on everything in sight and the pup was starting to learn how that looked like fun so I felt like it was time to see if I can walk the dogs how cesar does on tv. And no I didn't contact a professional before using the technique like it says in the disclaimer! I thought I'd take a chance. Well after some time walks became a lot more enjoyable and didn't need someone to reinsert my arm into it's socket if a squirrel ran by and there's no more pee-mail. So there's something to be said for more structured walks and not letting the dogs go first. That's only half of it. Ok so we're on a sidewalk where some rednecks keep their pitbull looking dogs out in their yard and never walk them or probably do anything remotely responsible so the dogs had tunnneled under the fence. I didn't know this until a mean looking growling and barking dog ambushes us. My first instinct: soil trousers. My second instinct: must get out of here.* â note there is a "*" Normally these dogs of mine are very friendly, they think every person and dog is their friend and wants to give them cookies. They are personalities that people would kill for in a dog. The mean dog is circling us and I was trying to act like i didn't notice and wanted the boys to play along like we were all wearing iron clad armour. They stayed with the program, focusing on me and where we were going, not jerking me away to go mess with the mean dog. We managed to evade persuit, not getting bitten. I credit the dog whisper show for making me aware that perfecting the walk was possible and it paid off big. Now for that * I was talking about. On a recent episode Cesar talked about what do do in a situation where if you are face to face with a mad dog, you don't turn around and run away. He didn't give instructions on what to do, it was the post office seminar episode, but whatever we're still alive and the dogs did not engage thank god. He also says to be calm and assertive and not show fear. I would be very surprsied if I was not showing or smelling like fear but I'm sure I probably was pretty calm and assertive.

Thanks all. Sorry for the delayed response. I live in northern Massachusetts, about an hour north of Boston. The portico is about 5 feet wide. I requested a precast concrete step (figured this would be the cheapest) as my foundation is granite they mount them on cement slabs, no footings needed. Attached is the current portico...you'll notice the lovely sloping due to the stairs sinking. (Please excuse the hideous paint color...that is going as soon as I figure out the portico situation.) I requested the rebuild to have two columns with picture frame molding, with an open vaulted ceiling design and a drop light. Now I am thinking perhaps instead of the columns I will do brackets with a curved design to play off the "visors" over the window.

Here's' another option http://www.askhlm.com/Articles/ArticleViewPage/tabid/75/ArticleId/26/Paint-On-A-Clear-Finish.aspx   Original tester was in Texas. Try wiping a small area with mineral spirits to simulate what the door will look like with a fresh coat. If you need to add color, you might look at gel stains. They do not need to soak into bare wood like oil- or water-based stains do. But you will want to at least rough up the areas to get a dull base and remove any UV damaged old finish. And for me, there is not even a question, I'd remove the door to work on it. And another study that talks briefly about marine varnishes http://www.askhlm.com/Articles/ArticleViewPage/tabid/75/ArticleId/26/Paint-On-A-Clear-Finish.aspx   And, by the way, Minwax Helmsman is not in the same class as the real marine varnishes. Poly just has very limited UV resistance. It was the so-called spar urethane used in the first article.