“Don’t Open the Door!” Liahona, Jan. 2006, 46–47

The night was freezing, with snow coming thick and fast. I was warm and safe in our home, and our three children were sleeping soundly. My husband was attending a bishopric meeting at the chapel some five miles (8 km) away. At about 8:30 there was an unexpected knock at the door. Immediately I felt strongly impressed that I was not to open the door. This certainty—this warning of danger—had never before come to me so strongly.

I was therefore quite stunned to hear my husband’s brother answer my query as to who was there. My husband’s only brother, Michael, a member of the Church, lived 70 miles (110 km) away. We had a very good relationship with him, and it was not surprising that he would visit, possibly expecting to stay a few days, as he had done many times before. It wasn’t even surprising that he hadn’t called, since the phone lines were down because of the weather. I should have felt safe and relieved, and it would have been normal for me to welcome him into our home on this cold winter night.

I could not understand the strong feelings I had or why I heard myself asking him to travel to the chapel to meet my husband. After a stunned silence my brother-in-law explained in a rather strange manner that he had traveled by train, then had caught the bus to our home, and now the snow was getting quite deep.

A powerful prompting continued to impress upon me that I must not, for any reason, open the door. I calmly explained that I was sorry and repeated my request for him to travel to the chapel to meet my husband.

Don’t Open the Door! The night was freezing, with snow coming thick and fast. I was warm and safe in our home, and our three children were sleeping soundly. My husband was attending a bishopric meeting at the chapel some five miles (8 km) away. At about 8:30 there was an unexpected knock at the door. Download Open door stock photos. Affordable and search from millions of royalty free images, photos and vectors.

For the remainder of the evening I reflected on my actions. Poor Michael had traveled several hours by train and bus, and on a cold winter evening I had turned him away. How could anyone be so uncaring? Yet at the same time I was unable to deny the strong witness that I was in danger and must not open my door.

It was late and I was almost asleep when my husband returned home. We discussed the situation very briefly, my husband confirming that his brother had met him and was now sleeping downstairs. I no longer felt any fear and slept very soundly.

The next morning I puzzled over how I could explain my actions to Michael. Would he be angry with me? I took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. “Michael, about last night … ,” I began but stopped when I saw that, far from being angry, he was actually smiling.

“I’m so glad you did not let us in last night,” he said. I had no idea until then that he had not been alone. He proceeded to tell me how he had met Steve, an old school friend, on the train, and it had taken him some time to realize that Steve was high on drugs. By then Michael had already told him where he was going. Steve became more and more aggressive during the journey. He explained he urgently needed money and a place to sleep. He forcibly accompanied Michael to our home with what my brother-in-law could describe only as “the most evil of intentions.”

“So, you see,” said Michael, “I stood outside the door, praying that you would not let us in. By the time we set off on the long trip to the chapel, Steve lost interest and said he would go and find some ‘action’ somewhere else.”

Don't Open The Doors

I will never know what might have befallen our family or me that winter night. I will just be eternally grateful to have learned one of the most valuable lessons here on earth—to obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Even when there appears to be no logical reason, we will be kept safe by relying on that still, small voice.

With the rise of the farmhouse and rustic styled homes comes increased focus on the Dutch door. A design that originally came about from the 17th century means that while this style of door is making a comeback in a big way.

The reason for this is that these doors have the unique capability to open in halves – split horizontally the door is capable of moving the top and bottom portions separately. These doors can be tightly secured together with a latch to convert to a more traditional style.

Like standard doors, these devices have a deadbolt on top, a handle with a latch on the bottom, and hinges on the opposite side.

Where they differ, other than their dual opening nature, is that these doors are often outfitted with a shelf in the middle and a second handle located near the top to easily open and close each portion. That being said, Dutch doors aren’t without their shortfalls.

Before we jump into why you want to avoid having an exterior Dutch door we first need to look into why people choose these doors in the first place.

Why do People get Dutch Doors?

As you can imagine, these doors are remarkably unique. One of the first areas a person looks at when visiting a home is the front door – these entryways are what everyone waits at when knocking or ringing the bell.

The unusual nature of these devices can bring some extra personality to the front of a home. Being the main entryway to your home also means that this type of door can also be a conversation starter.

To add more to their look, Dutch doors can come in a large number of different sub-styles and colors to add even more uniqueness to the front of a home.

On a more practical level, a Dutch door can also be used to let more fresh air in while simultaneously keeping pets and children inside. This can work both ways too – effectively being a window that can move means that animals will have a hard time traversing the barrier of the bottom half.

Being able to open at the top also makes these entryways more easily interactable with delivery personnel while also doubling as a more attractive option for a baby gate.

The range of styles isn’t only the look of the door either, as these doors can come with a windowed or solid top. The solid being perfect for those that want a bit more privacy.

Nonetheless, despite all these advantages, a Dutch door has a few problems that should be mentioned more in full.

Disadvantages of Dutch Doors

As the name implies, Dutch doors originated from the Netherlands. While no doubt unique and beautiful in their own right, the design of this door reflects the weather that it came in.

If you live in a humid area with lots of insects, a Dutch door really won’t be ideal for you.

While screens can be installed to repel against bugs from entering your home, these devices are often extremely cumbersome to install. Even if you manage to get a good screen this only covers up the intrinsic problem.

The selling points of these doors are effectively moot if the environment outside is either extremely warm or cold. In the same way, you wouldn’t open your windows in an extreme environment, you also wouldn’t take advantage of the main selling point of a Dutch door.

Furthermore, Dutch doors do require a bit more upkeep than their more traditional counterparts. Every door, especially ones found on the outside of a home, will face a deal of maintenance as the forces of nature work to erode it. Because Dutch doors require more parts to work, such as hinges and handles, they’re much more susceptible to creaking or breaking over time.

There can also be additional problems with insulation – the warping of frames and the door itself with the changing of the seasons naturally causes gaps around the perimeter. Being dividable down the middle adds an extra set of weak points for this door.

Other Exterior Door Options

If a Dutch door seems much less attractive choice now than you’re going to want to consider other exterior door options. Thankfully, there’s a wide variety of what you can find here ranging from style to material.

Exterior door options range from simple to the more intricate, with different types recommended depending on your location.

When it comes to what these doors are made out of you can typically find them in three materials – wood, metal, and fiberglass. Wood is the oldest type and is very popular as it’s considered one of the most beautiful.

Doors made from wood that are from the tropic zone, have a natural insulation against the weather. Regardless, a wood door requires a bit more upkeep as it’s prone to warping and bugs, requiring owners to apply a level of stain every couple of years.

Metal doors are some of the hardiest material, but can they have an issue with insulation as it’s naturally reactive with the outside air. Fiberglass doors are also hardy and can have great insulating features.

In terms of style, you can find exterior doors usually come in one of five – carved, windowed, panel, storm, and sliding. As imagined, a carved door typically only comes in wood and is the most ornate of the styles.

Windowed doors are pretty popular and allow for a good deal of natural light to come into the home. The panel is by far the most common though and consists of a series of raised panels to create a fairly mundane style.

Storm doors are often put on the outside of other doors as an extra layer of protection. Finally, a sliding door can be found around patio enclosures and offer a much larger entryway compared to regular hinged doors.

Final Thoughts

While they’ve been around for centuries and originated in the Netherlands, Dutch doors are still a popular choice across the world. It’s not a wonder either as these doors have a unique look and a certain practicality that’s admirable.

Unhooking the top portion of this door can allow for interaction with the outside world while also serving as a comfortable barrier.

That being said, these doors are notorious for not being viable in environments with lots of bugs or more extreme weather found in the far North and South. These doors can also suffer from inferior insulation and have some issues related to their hardware.

The good news is that there are plenty of other options for exterior doors on the market that can fit your preference of material or style. Whatever door you pick make sure to follow proper maintenance procedures so you can get the most out of your door.

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