Painting your front door is a perfect warm weather project and a great way to create a sense of welcome!  Now that we are on the verge of summer entertaining season, what better time to spruce up your front entrance?

The front door is the place where you want the eye and your visitors to be drawn, so making it a contrasting color is an easy way to do that.  And different accent colors can be a great way to express your personality and add great curb appeal to your home!

While the sky is the limit with possible paint colors and front door accent colors, there are some things to consider.

Take your house style into account

Not that you are locked into a certain palette, but sensitivity to the house style is the best way to create a harmonious look.

This New England antique is a house I pass on my walk every day, and every day I exclaim “I love this house”. It has so. much. charm.

It doesn’t hurt that the yard and landscaping are impeccable and beautiful, but the peachy-taupe color with soft cream trim is perfect for the house and perfect with the brick walk and roof colors.  I love the painted chimney too. 

And the front door is picked out in an accent color of a deep green-black that sets it apart and draws attention to it.

I also pass this recently painted green house and every day shake my head in bewilderment about the choices they made.  It’s harder to see in the picture, but the trim is a bright white and the shutters are a deep navy and the doors are three different shades of fall gold to russet.  It’s confusing. I’m wondering if this is a compromise of warring factions in the house and everybody’s choice got used somewhere. 

And then there is this purple wonder I came upon.  It certainly commands attention and is even more neon in person. Wow. 

Maybe they love it and have gifted all the neighbors sunglasses, or more likely, they picked out what looked like an innocent periwinkle on the one inch paint chip and came home to a very expensive mistake. 

The door color is great, though, just maybe not on the neon purple house!

This purple might work in a tropical environment on a beachside cottage, but on a New England stately antique, it is probably a little over the top.

Take the surrounding colors into account

Be sure your siding doesn’t clash with your door color. And consider any hardscape colors of stone or brick and any prominent landscape colors.  A barn orange-red against a sea of pink-purple rhododendrons is probably not the best choice, for example.

Red doors look striking with stone and with neutral white, taupe, or grey colored houses. They can be tricky with brick - you have to have the right shade, and they usually don’t work well on beige or yellow houses (though there are exceptions!)

Shiny black doors have an unbeatable quiet elegance.  But there are many shades of black with tinges of blue or green or brown or purple - choose one that best complements the other colors on your house.

Take the mood you want to create into account

Pastel colors can be more casual and friendly, bright colors can inject some whimsy and drama, and deep colors are often more formal. 

A dark green or green-black door on a white house is a classic, while a more pastel green can have a modern farmhouse or more casual feel.

Yellow doors can evoke a sunny mood, a soft cottage vibe, or make a vibrant modern standout statement on a classic city row house.

Wood stains range from rustic to formal depending on the style and color. 

A couple of other random questions I am often asked:

Should the sidelights be painted to match the door?

Generally, unless they are part of the door surround (like in the example above), the sidelights should be painted to match the rest of the trim so the door can be the focus.

What color should the storm or screen door be?

The storm/screen door should be the color of the front door, otherwise it visually shrinks down the size of the front door and makes it look less welcoming at best, and a confusing mix at worst! THIS post has side by side examples of a storm door painted to match and not painted to match, and the difference is striking!

With so many options to choose from, a front door color is a great way to personalize your home. Need some color inspiration? These Benjamin Moore paint colors are a great place to start!

Happy Painting!

Other posts you might enjoy:

More of the Best Front Door Colors

Creating Curb Appeal in a ho-hum ranch house

Exterior Design Makeover

Choosing Exterior Light Fixtures