Exterior door and trim questions

[Susie]

We need to replace the trim around our garage door (the skinny red trim - it's rotting near ground level), and that will mean painting the new trim. 



There's also a side door to the garage that you can't see above, which also has trim that needs replacing (same reason). That door is red with white trim, which you can sort of see in this random photo (the door is partly blocked by our trash cans):



Right now, the side door, the trim around the main garage door, and the front door (behind the white storm door) are all red.  They don't quite match, and some are more faded than others. 

Turning to the front door: Don't like it. Never have.

Grievance #1 is petty; I don't like the yellow plastic edging around the glass.  (I've been trying to figure out how to paint it white; not sure if it can be done well.) 

Grievance #2 is security related:  someone could break the glass, reach in, and turn the lock. 

Grievance #3 is that I think the storm door looks cheap and flimsy.  I'd prefer glass that shows the red door through and/or something with a screen for summer.  Or no storm door.  The current storm door does nothing for me.
 

My ideal front door would look more like this:

Enough to let a little light in, but more secure.

So the questions.

1. For as long as our house siding, etc. is the current color, I think I like red for the front and side doors. Should we repaint the garage door trim red like the previous owners, or white like the rest of the trim on the house? (I think I know the answer, but I want to hear it.)

2. What sheen of paint should I use for exterior trim and doors? If you are a SW paint user, which product? (We use semi-gloss ProClassic for interior trim.)  Most of the rest of the trim on the house is white vinyl/unpainted.

3.  There's nothing wrong with our front door, per se, but what are your thoughts on replacement?  Should we replace it?  Just give it a fresh coat of paint and wait for something to go wrong with it?  Take the storm door off the hinges to improve its look?

[FoxInFiji]

I like to keep things easy. Replace the trim with white unpainted vinyl. Done and done. No maintance, matches the rest of the house, and looks good with any color you paint the house/doors down the line. Oh and don't forget matches with any window you replace in the future as well. Custom exterior window colors are extremely expensive.

For the front door either take off the storm door or replace it with a glass one (they aren't that expensive from a big box store). I'd try painting the yellow part around the window or even prying it off and replacing it. Look into exterior door refurbishing to see if that can be done for your door. I think that would be a big help. Replace the whole door down the line when you have time/funds.

[Deleted]

I'm with Fox. Ours is vinyl around all the door trims and it's so nice. Easy scrub no upkeep.
It's also super cheap and goes up easy, it's NBD at all.

As for the front door, I did paint that trim piece around the window area. Mine comes out with like six screws, so I just laid it flat and painted it. Mine is the same color as the door (black). I wanted it to blend in. If you want a new one..get it..I think it'd add a lot to the front of your house.

Take the screen door off...or get an all glass one.

[Susie]

I am definitely on board with vinyl trim. That will make things a lot easier.

The yellow plastic part on the front door is apparently screwed on, but I've looked at it and can't quite tell if it would come all the way off. I should try it. If we keep the door, should I paint the grill white or repaint the whole door + grill the same shade of red?

I have window film too that I've intended to put on assuming we keep the door, because otherwise people on the porch can look right into our kitchen through the window in the door. We have a Jehovas Witness hall near our neighborhood, and they come door to door too frequently for my taste. :/

[hbomdiggity]

I would replace the storm door with a full glass one.

I'd also price new doors, but you are forewarned they are not cheap.

[auntie]

Paint or cap the garage trim to match the rest of the trim.

Paint all the doors red. My guess is that they "yellow" is oxidized white vinyl that could be primed and painted to match the door. JMHO, I think it looks stupid when people leave this trim white- I notice some of my neighbors have done this with door units. It's unnecessarily distracting.

Replace the storm door with a decent full glass unit. Preferably one to match the door color or black to match the shutters. Pay attention to the hardware, it should match/coordinate with your handle set and lighting finishes.

Susie said:

"We have a Jehovas Witness hall near our neighborhood, and they come door to door too frequently for my taste. :/"

I feel your pain. I got a hand addressed and handwritten letter from a JW in the mail last week. Freaked me the fuck out. I mean it's one thing to have some randoms turn up on your doorstep, it's another to have them know your name and address.