If you’re looking for a quick uplift to the exterior of your house, one you can accomplish yourself or hire someone to do in a day, adding a coat of paint to your front door provides big impact at a small cost.
Whether you’re painting your front door for your own pleasure or to appeal buyers for a sale, choosing the right color to match your goals and to complement the rest of the house is essential.
We asked Kristen Chuber, a certified color consultant at Paintzen, a service that connects homeowners and painting contractors.
“I consider choosing the right color for your front door to be particularly important when considering the design of a home,” Chuber wrote in an email. “The perfect door color can create a warm, ‘welcome home’ feeling that sets the tone for the overall experience the house provides.”
Some of Chuber’s tips for choosing front door colors include:
• When in need of a spirit-boost, use yellow: I love yellow for a front door when the homeowner’s goal is to boost the mood of anyone who sees the home, let alone enters it. Yellow adds a feeling of life to the house’s exterior. A yellow door works particularly well with facade colors like gray, light green, beige or white.
• When elegance is a priority, use purple: Purple may not be the first color you think of when it comes to front doors, but a soft purple can add whimsy and polish to the exterior of a home. I think there’s something soothing and graceful about the color when paired with white or cream.
• When wanting a cozy feeling, use orange: I love burnt orange hues for an entrance, especially when it’s paired with cream and beige. I think it feels familiar and warm — and of course, it’s incredibly welcoming.
• When wanting to make a subtle statement, use blue: I think rich blue is perfect for bungalows, Craftsman-style homes and cottages. While these homes are historically associated with earth tones like brown and green, a cobalt blue works perfectly for the houses’ strong lines and deep porches.
• When going for a modern approach, use green: I once heard a saying that goes, “You can’t please everyone; you’re not an avocado.” I take this to mean that the color avocado, which is particularly popular in modern design right now, will please everyone on a front door.
• When looking for an unexpected neutral, use gray: When you think deep, elegant gray, you probably think of offices, dining rooms or shutters, but I love a classic gray for the front door. It adds a tasteful, sophisticated appeal.
• When wanting to stick to the classics, use black: I love a black front door, especially when paired with a traditional brick home. It gives off a classic vibe and a refined tone. Your home will have instant curb appeal.
• When in need of a feminine flair, use blush: I think a blush pink front door makes an unexpected playful statement without overdoing it. The color is perfect for sweet summer homes, farmhouses and cottages. A soft pink also pairs nicely with white, pale yellow or green.
