Why do some houses have two front doors?
Another theory that makes sense to me was that often these double front doors were to allow the owners to rent out a room if needed. Whether it was for a stranger to help cover household costs, or a young couple just getting started, the two front doors allowed for a bit more separation and privacy.
Are there double doors in Victorian houses?
We also don't mean double doors as we see in the 19th-century Carpenter Gothic house style or other Victorian-era American homes. Plenty of structures have double doors, which may have some connection with the style discussed here—two doors, separated by windows or siding, both on the facade of one house.
Why are there two doors to the parlor in this house?
There is only one explanation for the double doors, which was actually in practice by families through the 1950s. That is, when guests arrived, the one door led into the parlor. That was the only room kept in tip-top shape with the nicest furniture where the family never went except to entertain guest.
Does your home have a second front entrance?
A second front entrance still exists for many of today's homes-think of the door from the attached garage. Now our second front door is enclosed in a 21st-century status symbol, the multi-bay garage.
Why did some old homes have two front doors?
Two doors indicated that the house probably had more than one room, which was a real symbol of prosperity for the American pioneer class. This reason makes sense when you consider that many midcentury homes (and even today's houses) make a show of the number of garage doors attached to the dwelling.Oct 31, 2019
Why do Victorian homes have two front doors?
Families used to have numerous people; subsequently, two exits were needed in case of emergency. The other door was for servants in many homes. As the owners used the first door, servants are instructed to use the second one. Design and decoration are also considerable for having two doors at the old house.Dec 6, 2020
Why do Victorian houses have so many doors?
Historically, each room tended to have a very particular use, so it was advantageous to keep them separate. There was a practical element to this, too: The ability to close doors between rooms also helped heat and cool the home—no sense wasting energy in rooms weren't being used.Aug 5, 2016
Why do German houses have two front doors?
Over time, barns for animals were separated from the dwellings for humans, and in America, German immigrants seldom had barns and dwelling houses combined; yet they retained the two-front-door style.Nov 1, 2019
Theory #1 Symmetry
Old homes in the Georgian, Adams or Federal styles are built on rigid rules of symmetry. The front facade, especially, must be perfectly symmetrica...
Theory #2 Ventilation
Old houses didn’t have air conditioning and therefore have vastly more windows to help keep the structure cool on muggy summer nights. Many second...
Theory #3 Formal vs Everyday
I have the good fortune of having a neighbor who has lived in his house since he was born 90 years ago. And his house has two front doors. So, whil...
Theory #4 Rooms to Rent
Another theory that makes sense to me was that often these double front doors were to allow the owners to rent out a room if needed. Whether it was...
Why do people have two front doors?
Another theory that makes sense to me was that often these double front doors were to allow the owners to rent out a room if needed. Whether it was for a stranger to help cover household costs, or a young couple just getting started, the two front doors allowed for a bit more separation and privacy. The second front door allowed easy access to a bedroom without disturbing the home’s owners.
Why did old houses have windows?
Old houses didn’t have air conditioning and therefore have vastly more windows to help keep the structure cool on muggy summer nights. Many second front doors on homes, particularly Bungalows, lead from the front porch to the master bedroom. This way, couples could open the windows and doors, turn on a couple fans and enjoy a cooling breeze. This design was kind of a poor mans sleeping porch.
Why should you not have two doors?
If your neighbor has one door, why should you not have two? Two doors indicated that the house probably had more than one room, which was a real symbol of prosperity for the American pioneer class. This reason makes sense when you consider that many midcentury homes (and even today's houses) make a show of the number of garage doors attached to the dwelling.
Why do we have a door in the front parlor?
It's long been believed that one door was reserved for the dead, lying in repose in the front parlor, with a door dedicated to that solemn function of the soul escaping the bonds of Earth—or the neighbors coming in to say their last farewells.
What was the winter cold in the front door of the hall?
The winter cold came in the front door to the hallway, isolating heated rooms behind the closed doors of the living spaces. In warmer climates, however, a hallway was a waste of space for less affluent settlers. The center hallway was a luxury that many could not afford.
What is a dogtrot house?
Dogtrot Houses are modest American homes that were built in the 19th and early 20th centuries. They feature a curious design—two front doors. By "two front doors" we don't mean double doors, like double Mission doors or double Shaker style doors, side-by-side. We also don't mean double doors as we see in the 19th-century Carpenter Gothic house ...
What door would a hired help use?
Hired help of a different social class would probably use the back door or the door à gauche —the door to the left. For households without servants, one door may have been kept to enter a more formal front parlor, ready to accept guests like the local pastor coming to call. The daily comings-and-goings, along with associated chores, would be separate from the entrance of esteemed visitors.
What is a household?
A household consists of people, and each person may have a different household task to perform. The "Master of the House" may have wanted an entrance separate from the household, and also separate from in-laws or guests. Perhaps two front doors, each going to a separate room, was the beginning of the modern motel or the duplex apartment. Indeed, many houses with two front doors have been turned into multiple-unit dwellings.
Where are dog trot houses built?
While others think the Dog Trot house begat the home with a center hallway. Dog Trot houses are still built, usually in the southeastern United States. The practicality has been lost, except for the cooling breezes that sweep through the open area, but the design remains for aesthetic reasons.
You're going to adore the possible explanations
In the age of open floor concepts and farmhouse sinks, there are some design features from the past that just don’t make sense at first glance. Looking at you, card table closets and basement toilets. The same goes for houses with two front doors. Not a multi-family residence, a single-family home with two separate front doors.
Two Doors Made the Exterior Symmetrical
It might sound silly, but symmetry was in style. Georgian-style homes (which were trendy at the time) were designed around balance, order and classical symmetry, often achieved through the use of many windows, two chimneys and a front entry hallway that ran straight through the middle of the house.
One Door Was Formal, the Other Was Not
It’s obvious, but two doors might have been in place to provide separate entrances to the home, opening to different spaces. While one door may have led to a formal area, the other could have been used for day-to-day business. This thinking applied to other visitors as well—homeowners likely wanted to greet guests at a formal entrance.
Two Doors Were Better Than One
Neighborhood feuds go way back. If your 18th-century neighbor had one front door, why shouldn’t you have two? According to The Spruce, double front doors were a sign that a home had multiple rooms, which was a sign of wealth. Think about windows or garage doors on today’s homes—sure, it’s all about status and curb appeal.
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Hannah is a writer and content creator based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a passion for all things food, health, community and lifestyle. She is a journalism graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a previous dining and drink contributor for Madison Magazine.
Where did twin door houses come from?
In my experience, the twin door house first appeared mostly in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey areas with some random examples scattered in the other middle colonies. These homes were built mainly during the time that the Georgian style was most popular.
What is the purpose of one door?
These involve using one door for daily, domestic use while reserving the other for formal functions and receiving guests. One door usually opens into the "keeping room," where cooking and other domestic functions occurred, and the other opens to a more formal parlor.
When did double doors start?
Some historians suggest the origin and use of double entry doors is exclusively Pennsylvania German and was only for the period of 1800 to 1870. While it is found in many PA German farmhouses during that period, my experience has shown the style was also used in other areas by other ethnic groups.
Why do houses have two doors?
Two doors indicated that the house probably had more than one room, which was a real symbol of prosperity for the American pioneer class . This reason makes sense when you consider that many midcentury homes (and even today's houses) make a show of the number of garage doors attached to the dwelling.
When were two doors used in a house?
In older homes - built in the 1800's - the two doors were used by the family - one door for everyday family functions and the other was used to access the more formal areas of the home (like the parlor) for when you had guests.
Where is the coffin door located?
Most frequently associated with 18th and early 19th-century houses in Connecticut, the coffin door is an exterior door located on the side of the house and typically situated near a corner of the side wall.
Do you need two doors for a mobile home?
Additionally, does a house need two doors? An exterior exit door is called an “egress” door in the building codes. Just one is the minimum requirement, and it must provide direct access from the living areas of the home to the exterior without traveling through a garage. Mobile homes, however, are required by HUD to have two egress doors.
