Choosing a front door color for your home is often an afterthought, but it shouldn’t be! After all, your front door is one of the first things people notice when they look at your home. It may not seem like a big deal, but a great front door color can make your home look welcoming, add curb appeal, and set the tone for what people can expect to see inside. This is especially valuable if you’re trying to sell your home, as many buyers will drive right past a home that has an outdated or dull front door. Let’s take a look at a few tips for choosing the perfect door color for your home.
Consider the Style of Your Home
Certain home styles work better with certain front door colors, so it’s important to take a look at the style of your home before dedicating yourself to a color. For instance, traditional homes generally work better with rich, deep entry door colors such as black, navy, green, or red. On the other hand, modern homes look great with bold colors like orange, teal, or yellow. If you have a cottage or farmhouse-style home, you may want to stick to bright colors that can be found in nature such as green or purple.
Of course, you don’t have to conform when choosing a front door color. If something works, it works, so don’t be afraid to experiment.
Look Around Your Neighborhood
Looking at the other houses in your neighborhood is a great way to get some inspiration. If you live in a mildly conservative neighborhood, you may not see too many bright colors on display. In this case, we suggest going with a neutral or muted exterior door color to avoid being the sore thumb on the block. While there’s nothing wrong with sticking out, you want to make sure it’s for the right reasons. Having a bright door could make your home look out of place and less desirable.
Choose a Front Door Color that Coordinates with Your Home’s Exterior
As a general rule, we think it’s best to stick to three colors when painting the exterior of your home. While many homes break this rule, and do so well, we believe that three colors provide a nice balance that allows for some interest without the potential of looking like a Jackson Pollock painting. When choosing exterior colors, we recommend one for the sides of the house, one for the trim, and a third as an accent for shutters and other architectural elements. If you do choose a fourth color, it’s best to limit that application to just the front door.
Don’t Be Afraid of Color
Bright colors can be intimating to some people, especially when it comes to their front door since it is such a focal point on the façade of your house. But painting a door is a much smaller commitment than painting an entire house or room, so why not experiment a bit? If there’s a color that really speaks to you, try it out! The worst that can happen is you hate it, in which case, you can try again. If you just can’t get behind the idea of a bright hue, don’t sweat it. There are plenty of colors out there and just because you don’t want a lime green door doesn’t mean you can’t find a happy medium like forest green. Using a tool like the Sherwin Williams color visualizer can take the guesswork out and show you exactly what your home would look like with various front door colors.
When in Doubt, Stick with the Classics
If you’re still not sure what color scheme to choose for your front door, it’s always safe to stick with a neutral such as brown, black, or gray. In some instances, even deep red doors and navy-blue doors can act as neutral colors, which are both classic front door colors that will add a pop of color without being overbearing. If your style changes or you change your home’s exterior in the future, these neutral paint colors will easily adapt to whatever style you choose. Another option is staining your door instead of painting it, which will emphasize the door’s natural material pattern while blending seamlessly into the rest of your home. When it comes to neutrals, you have options, and it really comes down to personal preference. Any neutral you choose will look good on your home for years to come.
When it comes down to it, your front door is a reflection of your home’s personality, so nothing is off-limits as long as it’s done tastefully. Using these tips can help you avoid some of the downfalls associated with picking a front door color. If you’re still feeling a little lost, you can head over to HGTV and take this quiz, which will help you determine what color to paint your front door. You can also get some inspiration here. If you’d like more inspiration or someone to bounce ideas off of, we’re always available to help! Just give us a call at (972) 393-3991 or visit us at claritywindows.com.