Skip to main content

How to choose the right paint color for your front door

When you’re driving along the road, what is it about a house that draws your gaze? Usually, it’s not just one aspect. Rather, you’re struck by the general curb appeal — the gorgeous landscaping, window shutters, facade color, and front door that tell you so much about the home. From a cursory glance, you can tell if it’s rustic and youthful or modern and sophisticated. That being said, is your home’s exterior bold enough to draw the eye of passersby?

If you’re looking to upgrade your home’s facade, start with repainting your front door. Whether it’s understated or bold, your front door’s color gives viewers a sense of your style and personality. Picking the color is always difficult. With so many shades and finishes to choose from, it can feel overwhelming. To get you started, take a look at some of these trending front door ideas that can help you express your style.

Consider a black front door

Black is a subversive option, adding tons of drama and interest to your facade. It’s an incredibly versatile color and can work well with various home styles, be it rustic, traditional, or modern. A black door is especially interesting when paired with a light exterior like white brick or gray paneling, but if you’re looking for a more contemporary look, be bold and couple it with a red facade.

Think about classic navy blue

When sophistication is the name of the game, navy blue is always a top choice. It’s neutral enough to fit well with a traditional design but can also be paired with bold colors for a more modern look. This is also one of the best ways to incorporate color without going overboard. While neutrals like white, cream, and gray are classic and will never go out of style, navy blue adds a pop of color without clashing with any existing decor.

Light blue door in stone building
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Light blue front doors provide a carefree vibe

To craft a bohemian-inspired home, light blue is our pick. You can go bright and airy, pairing in with a classic exterior in a warm cream or a crisp white. Alternately, you can make it more eclectic and lively by incorporating hues of yellow, orange, and green into the window shutters and landscaping. While often featured on farmhouses, cottages, and other rural homes, this hue is perfect for the urban setting as well, differentiating your entrance from the others in the row.

Keep it classic with crisp white

Nothing shouts “tradition” like a clean, crisp, white entrance to your house. There’s just a sense of timeless elegance when paired with red brick or an otherwise moody, dark exterior. It also goes well with a newer, modern farmhouse look, especially with a facade accented with black trimmings.

If you opt for a white door, give yourself permission to be a little bolder with the landscaping. Pick plants in a variety of heights, petal sizes, and colors, and have fun with the ground cover and shrubbery. The white will just make these colors and textures pop even more.

Let your front door be gray

Gray is a softer alternative to white, bringing in a bright, clean touch without being too stark. When curb appeal is the main goal, however, be wary because gray has a tendency to fade into the background. Be sure to incorporate a wreath, brightly colored flowers, lights, and other eye-catching decorations to keep your exterior interesting and full of character.

Don’t use a color at all

Perhaps one of the more interesting kinds of front door is one that doesn’t have a paint color at all. Instead, allow the wood’s natural beauty to do its magic. Many traditional homes look stunning with a stained wooden entrance, as this style certainly lends itself more toward rustic farmhouses and traditional cottages. That being said, it can also be a unique way to soften up the colder exterior of modern homes.

People outside front door at Christmas
Image used with permission by copyright holder

A few other color considerations

In addition to the color of paint (or wood stain) you choose, unleash your creativity and include other design elements to enhance the overall aesthetic of your home’s entrance. While the front door can be a statement feature, curb appeal is more than a single detail. Consider adding seasonal decor, exterior lighting, flower beds, and a cobblestone walkway to enhance the overall appearance. Whatever you decide, make sure that you incorporate your own unique flair so that your home reflects your particular point of view.

Editors' Recommendations

Will Blesch
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Will Blesch is a copywriter, content writer, and someone passionate about anything that lets him discover more about this…
Time for a new bedroom accent color? These are our 4 favorites for fall
You will love these bedroom accent wall colors that are perfect for fall moods
Couple posing with paint rollers in front of painted white wall

Fall is well on its way, and if you're anything like us, you're already planning all your home remodeling projects for the season. Many remodeling projects focus on the public-facing areas of your house — updating appliances, decor, and furnishings to better cater care to your guests. But it's always a great idea to use a fraction of your renovation budget on yourself. If you're looking to redecorate one or many rooms, consider transforming the bedrooms with a new coat of paint. Your bedroom is meant to be an escape from the day — a place to rest, recharge, and get some much-needed peace from the outside world. Make it your own with one of our favorite bedroom accent wall colors.

There are some inviting and fun colors that are on-trend for the cozy, cool season, and these hues are sure to revamp the space, whether you paint the whole room or just a single accent wall. These accent colors for your bedroom are bold but versatile, so they can work with most decor as long as you know what you're doing.

Read more
What colors go with gray? How to make a neutral hue pop in your home
Make gray walls work for your home decor with complementary colors
Modern living room with gray walls and yellow furniture

Neutral colors like gray and taupe are always popular options for your home's interior design. Both are versatile shades that can go with a plethora of other hues, which means you can easily change up the look of your decor with gray walls and a rotating rainbow of accessories like colorful throw pillows. With all the different shades of gray paint available, from matte to glossy, warm to cool, and brownish to blueish, it's certainly possible to find the one that's perfect for you and your home.

Of course, you can always have too much of a good thing. While gray can be a sophisticated and elegant shade, too much gray can wash out a room or make it feel dull and dingy or cold and unwelcoming. Think of gray as the neutral backdrop on a canvas that lets your color palette shine, and you can't go wrong. So, it’s important to incorporate other colors into the decor, whether it be with pieces of furniture, art, or throw blankets -- but what colors go with gray? If you're looking for the best options to brighten up your current decor, keep reading to find out how to accent this elegant tone.

Read more
5 spectacular ways to add boring ol’ slate blue to your home
Great ideas and color pairings for using slate blue in your home
Blue door with "Welcome" sign

Slate blue colors are wonderful hues to add to your palette when you're looking to invite more peace and serenity to your space. This faded, cool color focuses on the simplicity of a soft blue-grey tone, perfect for uplifting and neutralizing any room. Unfortunately, the challenge with using this color is that it can sometimes leave your color palette feeling dull and boring due to the washed-out and faded undertones. If you adore this gentle and calming shade and want to add it to your space in a way that works, we have a few tips to help you achieve a lovely aesthetic.

We've gathered five spectacular ways to add a slate blue color to your home to create a relaxing and vibrant space.

Read more