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Custom French entry doors are a pair of doors designed as one composition. Their appeal comes from symmetry, daylight and the ability to open a wider passage, yet the most important decisions are practical: how the pair fits the opening, which leaf is used every day, how the inactive leaf is secured and how glass is distributed.
Not every double door is a French door, and not every French-style pair needs full-height clear glass. The term describes a design direction; the project brief still needs to define construction, operation and the complete framed unit.
Set the proportions from the complete opening
Start with the total available width and height, then consider how the frame and meeting stiles divide that space. Equal leaves create formal balance, while a wider active leaf can make daily circulation more comfortable in some openings. Sidelights or a transom may provide additional glass without forcing the operating leaves to become unusually wide or tall.
Compare the pair with the architecture around it: window lines, porch columns, ceiling height and the scale of the facade. Our single versus double entry guide helps frame that choice before decorative details are added.
Decide how the pair will operate
Identify the active leaf, preferred handing and opening direction. Confirm whether the second leaf should open occasionally for furniture or larger items, and discuss the hardware needed to secure it. Threshold conditions, weather exposure and floor clearance influence the completed unit as well.
Glass choice should follow the entrance’s need for daylight, privacy and visual connection. Clear, textured and decorative glass can all work, but the final specification must suit the project’s safety, energy and local compliance requirements. The door glass and privacy guide provides a practical comparison.
Coordinate the design as a single package
Panel lines, glass bars, handles and any carving should align across both leaves. Ask what is included: leaves, frame, threshold, glass, hardware preparation and finish may be supplied in different combinations. A reference such as the Oxford Opulence French-style double front door is useful for visual direction, but dimensions and details should be adapted to the actual opening.
Return to the custom entry door pillar guide for the full planning sequence, then send your approximate opening information through the custom door brief.
See a starting point: review the Oxford Opulence French-style double front door, then send your opening and preferred operation through the custom door brief.
