FAQ: Why did old farm houses have 2 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.
Why do old houses have two front doors?
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 front doors on homes, particularly Bungalows, lead from the front porch to the master bedroom.
How do you use the doors in a farmhouse?
One door usually opens into the "keeping room," where cooking and other domestic functions occurred, and the other opens to a more formal parlor. There was one older man, selling the farmhouse that had been in the family for generations, who explained how the family always used only the door nearest the barn for daily activities.
How did people enter and exit the barns?
There was one older man, selling the farmhouse that had been in the family for generations, who explained how the family always used only the door nearest the barn for daily activities. When wearing their best for Sunday services, they would enter and exit through the other door.
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.
What do you think?
Why do people have two front doors?
Why did old houses have windows?
What is the theory of symmetry?
Why do farm 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.
Why do PA farm houses have two front doors?
But builders became more frugal in the 19th century. They eliminated the center hallway, which was absorbed into the two front rooms. These two rooms became the living room and the parlor, the latter used for company, funerals, weddings and other special events. Each room had a separate entrance.
Why do old houses have half doors?
Those panels of glass you'll still find on old homes are called transom doors. Their main purpose was to let in natural light in the front hallways and interior rooms before electricity became the norm. Today, they still allow in natural light, but they're more aesthetic than functional.
Why did old 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.
What does a red door mean on an Amish house?
A red door means “welcome” in an old early American tradition. If a family had a red front door tired travelers traveling by horse and buggy would know that a home was a welcoming place to rest. They would be able to spend the night there. A red door provides protection.
What is a coffin door?
Many colonial homes in New England have a feature called the Coffin Door. This door had only one function: allow easy access to the front parlor for the coffin containing the remains of a recently deceased member of the family. The door is also known as the funeral door, the casket door, or the death door.
What was the point of half doors?
Dutch doors, also called double-hung doors or half doors, are divided in half horizontally so the bottom half can remain shut while the top half opens. Used in early New England as a way to let light in while keeping children close, the style works equally well for a modern-day kids' room.
What do you call a door with two doors?
Side by side doors, also known as double doors, are two door configurations where both doors are next to one another. Another name for this type of doors is a French door. The doors can either be active or inactive.
Why do old houses have 10 foot ceilings?
Because it was (sometimes) more efficient. In warmer climates, with no A/C systems, a high ceiling allowed hot air to rise, leaving a (slightly) colder one at the people level. It was specially useful for the last story of the buildings to provide insulation from the heat radiating from the ceilings.
Why do Americans have 2 front doors?
Those are known as “screen doors” or “storm doors.” They provide an extra barrier to keep out any outdoor things you don't want to come indoors, such as bugs, animals, and (in the case of storm doors) cold air. They also protect the main door from the effects of weathering.
Why do some houses from the 50s have an extra little door in the hallway?
The Real Purpose of Little Doors In some old houses, the little doors are designated storage space for a card table! These small spaces were meant to keep card tables—which almost everyone had in the 1950s—tucked away neat and tidy until you had company over.
Why do old houses have sinks in bedrooms?
I lived in a large victorian home some years ago and every bedroom had a sink in the corner It was actually very useful when we only had one bathroom. It meant we could wash our faces, brush teeth etc in the privacy of our own rooms and not clog up the bathroom with people attempting to do the same.
Should a house have 2 doors?
The required 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.
Can you have two front doors?
You're going to adore the possible explanations. The same goes for houses with two front doors. Not a multi-family residence — a single-family home with separate front doors. It might sound strange, but this feature exists in many American homes built in the 18th and 19th centuries!
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...
10 Good Reasons for 2 Front Doors - The Spruce
No Interior Center Hallway . In colder, northern climates, the hallway was a draft-keeper and heat separator. 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.
If You See a House with Two Front Doors, This Is What It Means
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.
Two Front Doors | Old House Web
We own a home that has 2 front doors, very close together and both open onto the front porch. The home is in south-central PA and was built around 1850.
Two-Door Dilemma... and other exterior questions - Houzz
We are doing a modest makeover of our home exterior. I am seeking advise for paint colors with the hope of finding a good color that updates our aluminum siding! I'd like a medium-light brownish/gray or grayish/brown. (-; Our new roof color is "driftwood" which I see as dark brownish-gray. And...
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.
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.
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 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.
What is a fire exit?
Some people think of the second door as a fire escape, which is a credible theory in light of 19th-century wood stoves that had the ability to overheat and set the whole house on fire.
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.
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.
Who is William Kibbel?
About the Author. William Kibbel III is a home inspector and restoration consultant specializing in historic residential and commercial buildings. He is vice president of Tri-County Inspection Company, serving Southeastern Pennsylvania and Central New Jersey.
What do you think?
I know there are plenty of other theories about why an old home might have two front doors. Maybe you know one that I haven’t heard. It may be that you have access to someone who knows the truth, definitively. I’d love I hear any other ideas in the comments below. Let’s hear your thoughts and try to crowdsource an answer to this architectural mystery.
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.
What is the theory of symmetry?
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 symmetrical and sometimes rather than have a single door in the center of the house, two mirror image front doors gave not only a more pleasing design, but added utility. ...
