What did you end up doing? If you are still deciding, I would advise against a 4 panel door for your 10 foot space. As another poster said, that will result in a lot of posts within a small area. The result will be less glass and a more crowded look. Once you factor in all the posts required for a 4 panel door, and the large section in the middle where the two closing panels meet, you will loose a lot of light and your opening will not actually be that much larger than a 3 panel door. I think 3 panels would work very well and, after allowing for the posts, will leave you with an opening that is around 3 foot wide. A 36" opening is very respectable - also, you will then only have one moving panel which equals less moving parts (see: things that may/will break some day) and only one screen door. A 4 panel door will generally be less weather resistant: two moving panels must join in the middle and try to create a seal with one another, which weakens the door's structure. this counts when a storm kicks up and you get a lot of wind driven rain. with a 3 panel door, each end of the moving panel will always close/seal against a FIXED panel. This is more stable and reliable. i'm not making this up - check the DP rating of a 3 panel door Vs. a 4 panel door for the same manufacturer. The 4 panel doors always have a lower rating. Another negative score against the 4 panel door is that you are forced to have the opening in the center of your room - which makes it difficult to furnish, as you must allow a passage way through the center of a room. Not an efficient use of space in many situations. 3 panels allow the flexibility to have the opening on the left, center, or right side. I'm not an authority on this... just my opinion :-) Good luck! Please let us know what you decided and if you are pleased with the result.

I find red oak to have a pink/cinnamon cast to it...whereas the maple/hickory are MUCH MORE gold. I foresee a clash of undertones with the red oak. Of course, if you PAINT THEM your fine. But a natural (even a stained finish) with red oak is going to cast a different colour of wood. The maple cabs, though a pale fleshy colour right now, WILL turn to a slightly darker GOLD. In a year or so, the cabs should be a very close gold/yellow match to the gold in the hickory (which is why I like the two woods put together). The red oak, will start out a pinky fleshy reddish hue...and stay that way. It will clash until you stain them or paint them. Your current front doors are OK-ish. The brown is just about right for the hickory. A snick on the reddish side but nothing I would lose sleep over. That's as "reddish" as you want to go with hickory. Red Oak will be worse until you paint.

Do you mean the trim molding shape or the trim color?

We are currently building and in the selections process. Our architect is well known for creole style homes so it will have elements of that, with some interior finishes also resembling modern farmhouse. I know it sounds weird but it will be beautiful when finished. Our cabinets will be shaker. I was leaning towards the 2 panel but then saw the 1 and 3 and thought well maybe I should go with one of those. But I think I will stick w/ the 2 panel. :) THANK YOU ALL!!