Just having a front door won’t cut it, will it? You can have the world’s most fabulous mahogany double doors adorning the face of your home, but things can still look rather bare if you ignore its surroundings. There’s the ubiquitous welcome doormat. Potted plants and sculptures help. Sidelites are a classic addition to a door that add width and character. But what about transoms?

“What about transoms?” you might be asking. Or, more likely, “what are transoms?”

Everyone has to look it up eventually, and now here we are. For the uninitiated, transom is actually short for transom window, a glass window installed above an entryway door. You’ve probably seen plenty of transoms throughout your life, but simply lacked the proper vocabulary to describe them. Fret no longer.

Thus, the burning question: are transoms in, or are they out? Well, as is the case for most home renovations, it all boils down to two things: context and personal taste. Many homeowners choose to install a transom to complement a door slab of similar design, which itself heavily features glass, such as this mahogany windowed door with a decorative iron grille. Transoms work even better when the entryway is flanked by two sidelites in a matching style. 

The result? An entryway that appears almost like a massive window, with glass and wood being the central visual theme. The combination of a glass door, sidelites, and transom window mean an abundance of incoming natural light in the daytime, and in the evening, a bright, shining beacon that can be seen from the curb.

Of course, a transom can be a great addition to a regular door slab, especially if you feel the interior of your front entryway suffers from reduced natural light. Transoms are a great way to introduce a little sunlight into your home. Transoms can also elevate commercial spaces, making them appear brighter, more welcoming, and more elegant. 

Transom Windows at ETO

At ETO Doors, we have quite a few transom window options available. All can be ordered with transparent or translucent glass, and beveled glass designs. Like many of our wood and glass door slabs, our transom windows can be purchased with decorative iron grilles.

Our transoms our available in three basic shapes, each with style variations:

• Rectangular

These windows are perfect for a minimal, angular look, and are especially suited for commercial applications. Rectangular transoms are well suited to homes of contemporary construction and style.

• Round

A touch more audacious than a rectangular transom window, round transoms will complete the entryway of homes with ornate or grandiose presentation. Of ETO’s transom catalog, our roundtop transom windows are the largest by window area, providing the most light penetration.

• Elliptical

The more understated version of a roundtop transom, the elliptical transom adds just enough window to prevent an entryway from looking plain. Some consider roundtop transoms to be a bit too loud and proud, leading them to choose a slim elliptical transom instead.