front door ideas for houses with stone

Stone in all its forms is having a comeback and just like metals it’s here to stay. Stones’ ability to fit into many different house designs and on contemporary and classic buildings gives it all the credentials it needs.

Hardwood doors look stunning with stone – it’s the texture that works so well. Mixing textures, different timbers and stone can achieve a spectacular finish but keep in mind that other elements on the building can also affect the overall result.

This contemporary house features mixed, light coloured stonework and the iroko front door stands out beautifully

The iroko front door contrasts against the lighter stone in this house

How to choose the right hardwood to work with stone houses?

Start by thinking about all of the finishes going on to the façade.

Is there only stone on the building? Is there render or brick too? What colour are the windows and soffits?
What are the internal hallway finishes? Will the stone wall carry on to the inside? (This is popular with more contemporary buildings.)

Once you’ve established all of the above it’s easier to choose a hardwood that works.

If it’s a light or cream coloured stone you are going for, then Iroko and Oak match very well because of the deep brown hue.
Walnut and darker woods however work better with grey tones.
If the whole building is stone, then it’s probably even easier because whatever you choose will stand out and work anyway.

The front door and cladding are both European Oak - but the different design of the front door helps to create an individual identity

The glass of this facade dominates the entrance way but the fumed oak front door is the standout element bringing the variety of mixed building materials together

How do I make sure the front door works if there are other more dominant materials (other than stone) on the façade?

If you have more timber cladding than stone for instance on the building, it’s helpful to consider a hardwood that works with both elements together. Going darker than both is a good option, as then you are not particularly clashing with one or the other. But matching works too. You could match the cladding and front door but make sure the designs aren’t identical to give the door its own identity.
If there is a smaller area of stone around the front door or on one wall – in the form of a trim or small detail, and the rest of the building is render or one material, it would probably be a good idea to match with the stone.

This house features mixed materials but the hardwood front door still works and matches the garage doors and wood cladding

Our bronze door stands out against the glass and mixed colour stonework

Is it a good idea to avoid hardwood if there are already a lot of other materials being used?

Yes, it may be that you decide that a hardwood front door isn’t the best option and you end up choosing to match the door to your windows or another RAL color on the building. But if there is a good balance of materials, it could still work as you can see in most of the examples illustrated here.

As we recommend in our idea pages, it’s a really good idea to create a render of the building in the colours you are proposing to help you visualise. It's also useful to use a sample board to see all the finishes together.

A sample board doesn’t need to be fussy or very organised, literally placing all the materials side by side is enough. If they don’t work in that scenario they probably won’t work on a larger scale.

But do keep in mind that the door might be one of the smaller areas so keep it to scale as well in what you see of each material.

Look up www.norstone.co.uk for stone products that you may find suitable for your project.