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This post could also be titled “proof that we’re not that observant”.
Because we didn’t notice that our front door opens out, instead of into the house. But you guys noticed it the first time I posted a picture of the front of the house over a year ago.
I had forgotten about the Buddha. 🙂
And we also didn’t notice if that was odd at all. The door opening out, not the Buddha, we knew the Buddha was odd immediately. But, how did all of our other front doors open? Other than Curacao it turns out that most front doors open into a house.
But I feel like you knew that already … because that might be the most frequent comment about our front door.
It’s not about the glass door panels, or the colorful new look inspired by Key West, or the hand crafted painted etching. Or even the blue painted beadboard on the ceiling.
The most frequent comment is about the security factor with our door hinges on the outside of our door. That the hinges are easy to remove making our house easy to break into. I didn’t like the sounds of that at all so I did a little digging on the topic.
Turns out that the doors opening out here, and in other hurricane prone areas, is in itself a security feature. It is by design to prevent the doors from being pushed into a home during heavy winds or flooding from any type of tropical storm or hurricane.
And the hinges are special outswinging door “stud” hinges like these.
And this discussion brings us full circle back to when I first posted about updating the front door and proclaimed “when something looks good in a photo doesn’t mean it really looks good in real life”.
We had every intention of updating the door hinges when we did all of the little front door upgrades, but we couldn’t get the darn old hinges off. Ummmm, I guess the security feature works. 🙂
So I just sprayed a bit of ORB spray paint onto a paper plate and used a small craft brush to paint on the look of ORB, like I did when I updated our old door hardware without removing it. They are very imperfect up close, but we’re still holding out hope of one day installing the new hinges we already bought. One day when we’re more mentally prepared to be outsmarted by a small hinge. 🙂
In the meantime I say thanks for all of the concern for our safety, and for being so observant that it only takes a few photos for you to realize something we didn’t notice … about a door we walk through about a dozen times a day. 🙂
Have you ever had an outswinging door? Heard of any other reasons than the old wind/water problem?
And if you want to take a virtual vacation this weekend click on over to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter because I’m heading off on a girls’ weekend with some of my favorite gal pals and we’ll be sharing all of the fun in the sun as we go.
Happy Weekend!
deb says
Well, I didn’t notice it either and had to think a minute about how my front door opens! It appears there are excellent reasons for it where you live…
Karah says
Glad I’m not the only one, Deb!
Karah says
Yes, that part does seem unhospitable. :/
Mariela Newlin says
I have lived in South Florida all my life. I grew up in a home that had double doors that swung inward. In 1992 we evacuated our home for Hurricane Andrew. When we returned we found the doors wide open and damage inside the house. Because of Hurricane Andrew we now have stricter building codes.
Karah says
Wow, we are crossing our fingers we don’t have to experience an evactuation while we’re here. But we’re thankful for the new solid, outswinging doors for sure!
Erin says
What happened to the Buddha? 🙂
Karah says
I mailed him off to you, Erin. 😉
Erin says
🙂 🙂 I think that he would prefer the Cali sun over the hot Florida sun anyday!!!! Of course, I would have to paint him Aqua. lol!!!!
Karah says
LOL!! (But, of course!) 🙂
karen@somewhatquirky says
Can’t think of any other, or better, reason…To me the hard part is that when you open the door you have to push it out into the people who are visiting you. Good thing you have big front porches!
Karah says
Exactly, so glad we have that wide porch!
olivia says
My door swings out, but it’s because of commercial code. My house was converted into a business for a number of years. When it needs to be replaced, we’ll switch it back. Super irritating with the small landing outside the door! 🙂
Karah says
Oh yeah, makes me glad our porch is extra wide, I hadn’t thought of that.
Sue says
Huh. I never noticed it swung out either. Are you surprised by this? 😉
Karah says
Ummmm, no 🙂
chris aka monkey says
i understand that fire codes in some places make doors swing out because people got trapped xx
Karah says
That’s interesting, too!
michelle@decorandthedog says
This is fascinating. I would have never thought about it!
Anna@DirectionsNotIncluded says
Miami native here. I get completed confused when I visit friends in other states with doors that swing in. I’ve only ever lived with doors that swing in. Considering I’ve been through hurricanes more than once, I’m glad they are designed that way!
Ursula says
This post is cracking me up! I am 40 years old and just learned this about a month ago. I spent a weekend at a campground and could not figure out for the life of me why I kept wanting to open a certain door the wrong way. My husband and I kept talking about it and finally figured out that all businesses open out and homes open in (in Ohio anyway). We had obviously picked up on this subconsciously, but never realized it. It was the oddest thing! This building felt like a business/public place, but opened in like a home. Anyway, I’m writing you to say that my husband is a police officer and says that it everyone just kicks in a door when they want to break in, and that would be near impossible for your door, so in reality, you are much safer than the rest of us.
Karah says
That is so funny, Ursula! Shows how we haven’t learned anything subconsciously, LOL. And I’m thrilled to hear your husband’s take on our safety, there will be no door kicking in around here. 🙂
Chris in Spokane, WA says
We have a 1973 single wide mobile home plus addition in a small lake resort north of Spokane, WA for the summer season. Both doors from the mobile home section open outward, and the addition opens in! Our screen door on the front porch is on the inside…strangely, but the only way to do it. We have a huge deck, so it doesn’t matter, but it goes to show, there are different reasons for everything, I guess! I’m new to your blog, and am enjoying it so far. Kudos to you for all the work you’ve done! It’s beautiful!
Karah says
Hi Chris! Thank you so much for the kind words about the blog. And too funny about the doors, I’ve honestly never noticed which way they swing.
Chris in Spokane, WA says
Karah, I forgot to mention…we’ve been on a few Caribbean cruises, the most south being Barbados. That’s not far from you, is it? I relish your climate, and the beauty of the islands. It is soooo different from Spokane’s mountains and pine trees! We were on a cruise once deterred by a hurricane, landing in St John the next morning, as scheduled. We saw no damage anywhere from it that week, and enjoyed the islands of St John, St Maartin, Martinique, Dominica, and Barbados. What an incredibly awesome vacation! I bet you love living there!
Karah says
We do absolutely love living here!! But, we also think we’d love the north west. I’m originally from Maine and love me some pine trees and snow … every once in a while. I will admit, we don’t miss the changing of the seasons, which we thought we might. It’s fun to live in all different kinds of places I think. Sounds like you hit a bunch of great islands on your cruise. Have a great day!