YOU GUYS!
This home project makes me SO happy. And it’s all because of our new door thanks to Next Door & Window.
If you missed it, be sure to read the first post where the founder, Justin, shares EXACTLY what to look for and why a door can increase your home’s value. The amount of thought that goes into a new door will SHOCK YOU.
If you live in the Chicagoland, they’re hosting an OPEN HOUSE Tomorrow, August 24th at ALL THREE of their locations {Burr Ridge, Arlington Heights and Naperville}.
******Mention Cedar & Rush when you book an appointment with Next Door and Window to get $100 off your order!*****
Like most people, we use our backdoor significantly more than our front. It’s where we access our garage, take Penelope and Larry out for walks, bring in groceries, run out to the farmer’s market, jaunt out for coffee, and how we entertain outside.
Our home is almost 100 years old and our back door had tons of issues. So it was important to find a company who could solve the root of our door problems versus a quick bandaid approach. Which ends up costing you more money in the long run. Here were the issues we faced…
Our Old Door Problems
We were throwing money out the window! Our storm door was the incorrect size, leaving a large gap between the floor and door. Cold air was blowing inside during the winter and we were basically air conditioning the outside in the summer. Yikes!
It looked terrible! The main door (which was real wood) was beat up. And don’t get me started on the storm door. See all the marks, dents and erosion happening above. Let’s not forget the malfunctioning doorbell too. We tried painting the wood door but after a few months, it was right back to where it was. We simply couldn’t keep up!
Next Door & Window enlightened us to why this was happening! A wood door is a huge undertaking in locations with harsh weather. Especially in the Midwest! With wood comes yearly maintenance so they recommend something more durable, like fiberglass. Which is what we got! It’s the best bet for a long lasting, durable door. They even incorporate grain detail for an authentic look!
Our floors were constantly dirty. Although the storm door had a huge gap, there was ZERO space to keep a doormat under the main door. This forced us to keep a rug across the room (so the door could swing open). As a result we were tracking in mud, water and leaves all the way into the kitchen. It was a nightmare.
Now that we’ve been through the entire process and lived with our new door, here are all the benefits we’ve experienced. Yes, the door looks aesthetically INCREDIBLE. But the amount of time and money it’s saved us on upkeep and keeping our home clean is where it shines.
BENEFITS OF OUR NEW DOOR
- We can lock our door now. Our old door wouldn’t lock in the summer because the heat would cause the door to swell. This affected the lock and our door wouldn’t close. Not safe!
- Our floors stay CLEAN. As mentioned, we couldn’t fit a doormat under the door. We were tracking mud dirt, mud and water all the way into the kitchen. Not the case now!
- No more waking the baby. It closes softly, smoothly and so quiet. When you have a newborn this is GOLD.
- A brighter and lighter home! Give me all the sunshine. Our old door only had windows on the top half. The full window style gives the appearance our small mudroom is BIGGER and BRIGHTER.
- Crystal clear glass! A fun feature: Look closely and you’ll notice there’s one window pane between two pieces of glass. Versus a piece of glass between two window panes. You can clean the door in one full swoop instead of washing each individual square.
- It looks SOOOOOO good. Given our home is old, we had an irregular door size. So we couldn’t go to Home Depot and pick out a standard size door. It had to be a custom. Next Door & Window made ours fit seamlessly, as if it were original to the house.
- Our home stays warmer/cooler. The insulation installed regulates this back area temperature like a steel trap. This room would get SO cold or hot depending on the season. Now that we fixed the gap and it’s well insulated we actually enjoy sitting in this room!
Next Door & Window’s Process:
- A consultation (SO. MUCH. FUN.)
- Measuring (they measure at the consultation too but they believe in measuring twice so there are zero mistakes!)
- Installation
THE STYLE CONSULTATION
The initial consultation is eye opening. You’ll see! Gary (who I HIGHLY recommend!) came to my home and walked me through everything. He was so informative and educated me on finishes, materials, size, functionality, weight and styles to consider so I could make the best decision.
Before I began this process, I had my heart set on a dutch door. You know those doors that can open on the top or bottom?
But after listening to Gary, we went with a door that would increase the value of our space. Which was a full window pane making for a brighter more open room.
When you spend all this time and money on home projects, knowing you will LOVE what you’re getting before installation is the best investment I can think of.
Thanks to Next Door & Window’s cool and fancy technology, they have a “door visualizer”. This is where they take a picture of your room or the front of your house and show you EXACTLY what different door styles and colors will look like in your space. It’s all done on an iPad and takes about five seconds!
It’s one thing to talk through ideas and suggestions, but it’s another to actually SEE IT before you buy it. This made me feel SO confident in what we selected!
If you are meticulous and like a cohesive home – you will LOVE this…
Since Next Door & Window installs new casing, trim and a door, they matched our trim paint used throughout our home exactly to the new door! They also paint the trim in warehouse so there’s zero fumes or painting in your home. With a newborn, this is ideal!
INSTALLATION
The installation is basically Christmas! And since they do the majority of the work in their warehouse, it’s seamless and clean during and after installation. They also take extra precaution by covering the work area in plastic to prevent dust going all over your walls and floors. Something you don’t think of until it’s happening!
You’ll see below how they waterproofed our entry, insulated it, removed our door bell and added clean trim. This extra effort makes the entire mudroom look sharp! I had no idea how much our previous door was hindering our space.
Oh and did I mention they have a TEN YEAR WARRANTY?
Next Door & Window seriously thinks of everything. If you need doors and/or windows and live in the Chicagoland area – book your consultation with Next Door & Window today! They will transform your space.
Ok, let’s get to the good part! Scroll below for the BEFORE + AFTERS!
BEFORE & AFTERS
Everything is cleaner, brighter and crisper.
Something I wanted to point out that’s not obvious. Do you see the barely there storm door in the After photos? It’s complete glass and barely noticeable. This lets the black door shine in all her glory. A few months ago we swapped out the glass for the screen to let the summer breeze in!
What do you think of the transformation? If you have any specific questions, leave them on my Instagram post here!
******Mention Cedar & Rush when you book an appointment with Next Door and Window to get $100 off your order!*****
Photos by Wonder & Awe
A huge thanks to Next Door & Window for collaborating on this post! All opinions are 100% my own.
