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Original poster

Using back door as main door...

43 replies

CrapBucket · 07/05/2022 21:09

Does anyone use their back door as their main door? I'm thinking of doing this as I hate the hall being cramped when we all try and put shoes and coats on and off. It would mean we come in and out direct to the lounge which has French doors. So I haven't worked out what sort or curtains/blinds would be best. Or if its just a shit idea. Parking is generally out the back rather than front.

OP posts:
Honaloulou · 07/05/2022 21:12

I have, but only when we had a large area by the back door for coats, shoes ect.

Otherwise they'll just end up in your living room which must be worse!

SarahAndQuack · 07/05/2022 21:15

Most people round here do, and we use both interchangeably, but I wouldn't if you're coming straight into the lounge - won't it look odd with a doormat/rows of shoes? And if not rows of shoes there, won't people traipse mud through the house a lot?

Arewethebadguys · 07/05/2022 21:15

Definitely thought this thread was something else . . .

Dahliasrule · 07/05/2022 21:15

We had this set up once when front door looked out over a Green and the back door into the lounge was nearest road and garage. I hated it. Think about traipsing through your living room on a wet day….

Theunamedcat · 07/05/2022 21:18

Yes left the shoes in the kitchen and took our coats over to the front door to be hung up but it was a very small house it made more sense with a muddy buggy to take it around the back too

CeeceeBloomingdale · 07/05/2022 21:19

We did growing up (as did everyone else we knew). It’s quite common in terraces.

Chishnfips · 07/05/2022 21:20

We do but the back door leads into the utility rooms so there's space for coat hooks and a place to pull off muddy shoes. I wouldn't want it through the lounge. In fact it's because our front door leads into our lounge is the reason why we use the back door.

Didicat · 07/05/2022 21:23

We use the side door rather than the front door to go into the kitchen directly.

just feels right in this house

speakout · 07/05/2022 21:23

As a child the front door would rarely be used. It was kept for important guests only.
We did have an accessible back door at the side of the house that led into the coal cuboard then kitchen.

olympicsrock · 07/05/2022 21:24

I think it’s a bad idea. Your lounge carpet will get trashed.

furballfun · 07/05/2022 21:24

We do it (parking at the back for us) but we have a conservatory, which is largely used to dry clothes and store junk, so it's the ideal place for shoes and coats! You do really need something though, especially when the weather is poor.

speakout · 07/05/2022 21:26

We mostly use the front door. I can't abide the porch or hallway being used for coats or shoes.
When we come into the house, shoes are taken off, then coat and shoes put away in the bedroom.

vodkaredbullgirl · 07/05/2022 21:26

Yes back door leads into the kitchen, have a large box to put shoes in. Coats are then taken through the living room to the hall way and hung up.

gothereagain · 07/05/2022 21:31

Really weirdly, I have a covenant on my house which says I'm not allowed to do that. Absolutely no idea why anyone would care though!

summerdrinks · 07/05/2022 21:34

We did in our old house but it was straight into the utility. I wouldn't if it's straight into the lounge. You carpet/flooring will get dirty, shoes will be dumped everywhere and in the winter you'll be losing heat in the living room/ very drafty every time the door is opened.

JerkintheMerkin · 07/05/2022 21:36

Yes because my back door faces the main road and my car space is there. Strange, as I was thinking that I've actually used my front door to enter the house about five times in the last 18 months.

LondonQueen · 07/05/2022 21:40

Arewethebadguys · 07/05/2022 21:15

Definitely thought this thread was something else . . .

🤢😂

TinaTurtle · 07/05/2022 21:41

Arewethebadguys · 07/05/2022 21:15

Definitely thought this thread was something else . . .

😂😂😂

FailedFledge · 07/05/2022 21:41

@gothereagain how would anyone ever know? 🤔

bumblefeline · 07/05/2022 21:42

Not back not but my side door gets used lots, straight into the kitchen.

Bournetilly · 07/05/2022 21:42

I have a lot of family who do

TheCanyon · 07/05/2022 21:42

Our neighbours (terraced) do this, means going through an extra gate and they don't even leave their shoes in the porch.

Best friend over the road does it too but makes a bit more sense as their block is in a u shape with parking at the back and back doors closer to town so kitchen doors the preferred door.

bloodywhitecat · 07/05/2022 21:42

We do as it is the natural door to use when you come up the drive, the back door opens into a boot room where we store coats and shoes then there is another door into the kitchen. The actual front door is mainly obscured from view by a tree so visitors seldom come to the front door anyway.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 07/05/2022 21:42

I do for 2 reasons - I live in one of those narrow Victorian semis and don't have a hallway, the front door opens straight into the living room and I don't want dirty shoes on my living room carpet (yes, my house is a shoes off house).

Second reason is that my front door is really stiff, I need a new one but I can't afford it at the moment.

Isitcake · 07/05/2022 21:46

We use the conservatory as our main entrance, its the first door you come to off the driveway. Its hard floors so fine for wet/muddy stuff.

We have french doors to the lounge but I would never use that as a main entrance because of all the mud and dirt that would get tracked through.