“Ouch!” It’s an exclamation I heard often within the confines of my small kitchen, where people regularly banged into an awkwardly placed door when trying to maneuver around the rear of the room. The door wasn’t a problem when it served as the back entrance into my 1903 American Foursquare. But ever since a previous homeowner enclosed the back porch decades ago, the four-light entry door hung in what amounted to a hallway, serving as a stumbling block for folks coming and going. My wife, Theresa, noticed that the door’s dimensions nearly matched those of the solid wood door fronting our cellar stairs. “Why don’t we move the four-light so we can see as we’re coming and going from the cellar?” she suggested. Thus, we decided to create two much more functional spaces, while breathing new life into our home’s original back door.
Related Posts

There are a few quick tips to edge your lawn like a pro. Check these out. A neatly trimmed lawn is a thing of beauty….
Doors mean different things to different people. Topping our list of the many elements integral to what makes a door make an entrance are detail,…
Every so often, the forces of the universe conspire — and not in a nice way — to block people from success. If you’re a remodeler,…



Faux can be amazing when done with intention and integrity. And when you can sprinkle in a touch of humor in anything, I’m sold That’s…



Discover which 6-inch random orbit sander is the best. Sanding is boring—and a lot of work. Depending on the project, you might be attached…
Three Fences Designing, detailing, and installing fences for looks, quality, and production speed Mark Clement If I said I didn’t like building fences, I’d be…
For many homeowners, adding a deck can lead naturally to thinking about ways to connect the new outdoor living space with the inside of the…



Even though grass geeks like me link our lawns with grillin’ and chillin’ summer fun, fescue is a cool weather plant and it thrives…
Mark and Theresa make a roof replacement happen on a 120-year-old Georgian-style home, with smart historic charm and on-budget peace of mind for young homeowners…
If you are looking for new windows and screens for your home, here’s a product you might fall in love with. Simonton Windows has a…
So we thought we knew which door we loved, until I discovered the Avonlea glass option. We might need to change our minds on our…
Question: An 1890s era home (OK, mansion) in my town has a unique window cut into the roof. It’s slender all of 8 inches wide…



Old doors sometimes mean squeaky hinges.
Mark and Theresa are supercharging inside Lowe’s home improvement at the International Builders’ Show. If you’re curious about how to get your energy use in…



An old house gets a new door—and more. Mark checks down professional-grade techniques for safely installing a new door in an old house, and increasing…