storm door

The city I live in requires that we have a storm door. Ugh... The storm door that is on our house currently is a hideous aluminum unit that is half screen and half acrylic sheet. Quite stylish indeed.
So, I was browsing the local recycled building materials store (because I am thrifty, or quite possibly cheap) and I came across a wood storm door that was salvageable. I purchased it for the hefty sum of $7 and I have proceeded to strip it of all it's horrible hardware, such as farmhouse style hinges, and the ubiquitous black X in the lower 3/8ths of the door. Having routed that out, removed all hardware and cut it a bit shorter to fit in my door opening, I am now left with replacing the latch. The old door had the common style, with the square bar run through the door, a knob on the outside, and a lever on the inside. I would like to replace that with something nicer. This is where I am running into trouble. Where can I get a much nicer handleset for a storm door?
I should post some before and after pictures once I get it all done.
Michael

Ok, well, no ideas there I suppose.
I realize that storm doors are not very modern, but having the city harrass me isn't very pleasant either. So, it must stay.
I suppose a more modern unit would be nearly all glass, but that just turns the airspace between into an oven. All screen is okay too, but my 20month old would have it ruined in no time by leaning on it, or banging on it, or possibly just running through it.
So, I guess we are just stuck with a very unmodern front entrance for now.

okay, really. Just any ideas at all would be helpful.
here is a few pics.
before

got this unit for seven dollars. Ugly, but has potential.

Cut out that ugly barn door panel.

The stuff on the bottom is sawdust. The door needs a color, and so does the brick molding around it. Any ideas?

I just ordered a matching latchset for it.

Not ultra modern, but it matches the rest of the house now.

How do you like our zuchhini sculpture.

Nice find. I like what you did with it. I would take the kick plate off the front door and put it on the storm, and maybe paint the door a chocolate brown or charcoal (not black, too harsh).

regarding the durability and kid friendliness of an all or mostly screen door (which would be my preference, asthetically)

A friend of mine just rescreened their door with a screening material dubbed dog-proof. When she told me about it I was skeptical, but now that I've seen it, I'm certain it will hold up to anything her big dog and any kid could throw at it.
It looks decent but is a little thicker and more coarse than regular screen.

I like the $7 bargain. Could you fill the lower opening with some kind of ribbed or perforated metal sheet? There's a lot of cool stuff with various shapes and sizes of holes...

hmm - ribbed glass, or the cellular plastic sheets like Suntuf

Great ideas, I will look into the durability of that screen you recommended, which would hopefully allow me to have it all screen. The glass might be nice, but for this application it would have to be tempered. Kids, feet, furniture, you never know what might pass through it. :grin:
I think I want to keep the lower part clear, or as close to it as possible, so for now the metal is out.
I was thinking of placing another kick plate on the outside, just to match, but then I wonder if people would think I am daft putting the kick plate on the wrong side of the door. He he he... I am not opposed to the look however. I know several of my friends would point it out pretty fast. :cool:
Thanks for the fresh ideas!