Transform Your Front Entry With Transom Windows: Ideas and Design Examples
By: Mackenzie
When it comes to curb appeal, your front entry is one of the most vital elements. From the walkway leading to your front steps to the front door that connects your exterior to the inside of your home, entryways have plenty of moving parts. Our designers know how to consider every element, understanding how they work together to make a stunning entrance. Transom windows are one of our go-to ways to enhance front entryways whether the goal is letting more light in or highlighting the door. Read on for some of our favorite design ideas and examples to get you inspired.
If you want to learn what defines a transom window and discover more about other design elements, check out our exterior design dictionary.
Whether you have big design dreams or small updates you would love to manifest for your exterior, our designers can help. At brick&batten, we have found the balance between understanding our clients’ visions and tapping our designers’ skills. Learn more about what we do!
#1 // Transom windows for added height
The elevated architecture of this home is striking, so our designers made some intentional updates to amplify it. Emphasizing height, we covered the underside of the roof with wood siding. Our designers also capped the front door with a transom window, which serves as a visual extension that makes the entrance stand out.
Complementing the transom window above the entrance, we followed a similar format for the windows near the door. We also widened the stairway, simultaneously opening the space up to make the stairs more of a focal point. Finally, the exposed beams create a visual outline to bring some definition to the façade.
#2 // Brighten up the doorway
Transom windows are a simple and effective way to breed natural light. The entryway on this home had a cove-like layout and the existing architecture on the gabled section all but hid the front door. We revamped this section, breaking the space up into an upper level with siding and brick beneath, divided by a metal roof with wood porch columns acting as supports.
Leaning into the newly opened entrance, our designers wanted to allow more natural light to flow through. We chose a mostly glass front door along with sidelights and a transom window to brighten things up. While the window panels on the door and sidelights are rectangular, we used small square sections for the transom, complementing the combination of rectangles and squares seen on all of the other windows on the home.
#3 // Explore shapes and styles
Transom windows come in a variety of shapes and styles. In the before photo shown above, the front door featured a half-moon window above it. This client wanted a more modern aesthetic for their façade, so we swapped the half-moon transom and existing front door with black double doors topped with a paneled transom window with white trim, achieving a classic yet updated aesthetic.
At brick&batten, our designers know how to make intentional design moves with cohesion in mind. The panels seen on the transom window above the door echo the panels found throughout the rest of the design, on the garage doors, dormers, and windows.
#4 // Get funky with it
You don’t have to stay within symmetrical confines when it comes to transom windows. While we often see entryway designs that emphasize a cohesive look, this client was craving a contemporary transformation, so we experimented with the geometry and layout of the transom window above the door.
Instead of flanking the door with sidelights, we took inspiration from the original doorway and made some modern modifications. We appreciated how the existing window to the left of the front door allowed light in, so we interpreted a sidelight, flush on the left of the door. The wood siding on the right side of the entrance adds contrast, and the transom window is the connecting piece for all of the entry’s unique elements.
#5 // Accentuate the entrance
Our designers refreshed this exterior, replacing the cedar shake siding with vertical vinyl siding, rendered in Benjamin Moore’s Thunder. We amplified the gable above the entrance, adding bright white framework to draw the eye. Our designers accentuated the black front door with sidelights and a transom window, which makes the doorway pop. We also flanked the door with symmetrical windows and added more intrigue with light fixtures and planters.
#6 // Embrace windows to fill in space
This client came to our designers with goals of adding living space above the garage. In doing this, we were able to create an even roofline, adding one more peak to create a portico to cover the entrance. Our designers took this redesign as an opportunity to make a statement with the entry.
We framed the entrance with tall stone columns and added recessed lighting and wood siding to the underside of the gable. Filling the space further, we went with a glass front door and sidelights with a large transom window, allowing plenty of light to move through the space.
#7 // Frame the front door
Transom windows provide the ideal frame for a front door. Here, we exchanged the single door and sidelights for double doors with large glass panels. We capped the double doors with a simple and sleek transom window, aligned perfectly with the door and trimmed with the same wood. The doorway’s facelift is made complete with the molding and trim work, which makes the appearance all the more dynamic.
#8 // Subtle yet impactful
One of our favorite things about transom windows is how they can be simple and still make a statement. In the before photo, the exterior featured a transom window above the front door, along with sidelights. However, the decorative scrollwork on the porch roof shielded the transom.
In our rendering, we opened up the entry, incorporating a peak with wood columns and framing. To accentuate the front door, we swapped the existing transom window with a paneled one that matches the sidelights, creating a cohesive look.
#9 // Mix-and-match shapes
Why choose between arches and curves or squares and straight lines? Sometimes the ideal aesthetic is one that embraces a mix of shapes, creating a more visually compelling façade. We love the way the architecture curves above the entrance, especially since it offsets the sharp lines of the gabled layout.
Enhancing the arch, we mimicked the shape for the window at the top of the entryway. We didn’t want to leave straight lines behind, though, so we added rectangular sidelight panels and a matching transom window to crown the front door. The geometric contrast allows the entry to make a statement.
Thinking about a transom transformation?
Beyond their practical function of ushering in natural light, transom windows have the power to elevate a home’s ambiance. The interplay of light and design creates a welcoming atmosphere. Whether tapping traditional charm or manifesting modern minimalism, transom windows add a touch of elegance and appeal to any home’s entrance. If you’re feeling inspired to add a transom to your entrance, our expert designers are prepared to transform your doorway.
Maybe you’re interested in transforming your entryway with a transom window. Perhaps you’re feeling inspired to tackle other design dreams instead. Whatever your exterior design goals might be, our designers are experts at manifesting them. Get started today!
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