Entry Door Window Styles for Any Home

While it’s perfectly acceptable to have an entry door without any windows, the wealth of window options and styles make for a great customization option for any home. Entry doors are often underappreciated in a home’s exterior design, but they are an important part of every architectural style. That’s why having a custom wooden entry door adds so much character to a home, and it’s the window options that bring a lot of the character out in the design. 

If you are in the process of selecting or designing a new entry door for a home, here are some of the window options that will enhance its design. 

Sidelites: Single and Double

Sidelites (sidelights) are narrow, door-length windows that sit on one or either side of an entry door, and are non-opening. Doors have single (one-sided) or double-sided sidelight options (one sidelight on each side of the door). Sidelites also come in four different options: 

1. Full view (the glass pane runs the full length of the door) 
2. ¾ view (the glass runs ¾ of the length of the door, and a wood panel takes up the other ¼ of the sidelight) 
3. ½ view (same as ¾ view, but the glass pane and wood panel are split half and half) 
4. Fully custom (sidelights can be custom built and placed into any door frame) 

Keep in mind that if your current entry door does not have sidelights, the frame of the door will need to be expanded and rebuilt to incorporate them. 

Transom Windows 

Transom windows (also known as transom lites) are similar to sidelights in that they are placed outside of the door itself, and are non-opening, but still contained within the framed opening on the home. The difference between transom lites and sidelites is that transom lites are located above the door. Transom windows come in a variety of shapes and styles: 

• Rectangular 
• Squares 
• Rounded tops 
• Elliptical 

Custom shapes and sizes can also be built, depending on the size of the door frame and the entry door being placed within it. 

Built-In Windows

Any style and shape of windows can be built into an entry door. This is the benefit of ordering a fully custom-built door that is handcrafted from scratch. Windows can be placed on nearly any part of the door, from full length windows to top sections and anything in between. 

If you are looking at dungeon door options, you can also consider incorporating speakeasy windows into the design. These custom window options come with custom hardware that resembles authentic wrought iron present on historic speakeasy doors from the early 20th century. 

The options for windows on custom entry doors are limitless. To see some inspiration for your next design, see our gallery for plenty of options.   

Ready to get started? Have questions about a door? Get in touch with your regional CAMBEK representative today.

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