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Ironwood Builders A solid front door with raised panel sides is not unheard of. Take a look at these two. The double door is a grander entry, maybe, but the single door is an option. If you currently have sidelights, a good mill worker can replace the sidelight panels with a couple of raised panel solid units.[houzz=Traditional colonial exterior][houzz=Recent Exterior, Old Greenwich, Connecticut]

ASVInteriors http://www.houzz.com/red-front-door
This might help you visualize an appropriate design for your home - although it is true most of them use the glass to encourage light into the foyer. Then go to a mill worker, as Ironwood suggested, to change out the window panels...

GG Thanks for the reply and the advice, Ironwood. We don't currently have side panels, but we thought adding them would improve the look of our front door, since we don't have room for the lovely double doors. I like your design suggestion of raised panels (especially since I was just thinking regular panels)...I thought this would be called trim, so this is very helpful.

GG

GG AVS: The pictures are great and yes we love the idea of windows to encourage light, but we don't like the idea of people looking into our front entry, and the opaque look doesn't look as classy to me. We will maybe see if we can put windows above the door, but it could be tricky with only eight-feet ceilings.

Thanks so much for taking time out of your day to help us with this design dilemma. I am so grateful.

-GG

Ironwood Builders GG, double doors or sidelights and single door..same issue. If you don't have room for the double doors, you don't have room for door and sidelights. That's why I showed a picture of a single door in the colonial home. Also, with 8' Ceilings, without a major re-framing of the wall ($$) a transom, or window over a door, is not possible. You need structure above the door to support the loads above.

Linda It doesn't take a large expanse of glass to make a noticeable difference. Unless you are regularly visited by the local basketball team, getting a door with small glass panels near the top isn't going to be a major invasion of privacy.

GG Thanks Linda for your opinion and humour. After looking at the pictures Ironbuilders and AVS posted...I am coming around to your way of thinking. A bit of glass in the side panels really does improve the look of a door. I think we"ll go with opaque or maybe crossreed pattern on half of the side panels, but a plain door. That way we'll get almost privacy, but a nice looking door.

And Ironbuilder, we do have room for side panels...because I misinformed you before.. we already have one side panel, so we just need a bit of space to add another. But you are right...no room for a transom.

Thanks for all the help...I'm new to this Site, so I'll have to return the favor by helping others with their design dilemmas.

Thanks again,
GG

Dezign Studio Inc Along with the above suggestions a red door with white side panels would look great !

GG Thanks Dezign Studio Inc....I have never seen it done before, so I wasn't sure if it could be done or if it would look odd with windowless white side panels that aren't raised. Thanks for the opinion.