What One Thing Will Elevate
Your Whole Exterior?
-Painting your front door the perfect color!
It’s where everyone looks when they see your house and it’s what should warm your heart as you drive up.
But even though getting it right looks simple, why do even colors you love still look wrong?
Turning Front Doors “Color Misses” Into “Home runs”
The 3 Most Common Color Mistakes on Front Doors
Color Miss #1
Not Considering ALL the Exterior Colors
Looking at your home’s base color whether that is siding, stucco or brick is the place to start. But not to end. And sadly, that happens way too often.
Notice how the above home has pink-gray and purple-gray undertones to the roof color? A yellow, orange, or red door would have been a color miss.
But the teal door is perfect with the roof’s purple and pink undertones.
And looks smashing with the crisp white and black house and trim colors, and the gray walkway. And even with the chartreuse landscape nearby.
The teal door color works beautifully with everything and creates a stunning focal point to elevate the look of the whole home.
Color Fix:
Simply take a step back, well, way back, and look at the color of everything on your home
The roof, the trim, the window frames, the porch, and any decorative stone or brick. Even your walkway and driveway. Are they concrete, tinted concrete, or brick, or have brick trim? All those colors (and undertones) need to be factored in.
TIP:
If everything doesn’t all go together, then coordinate the door color with the biggest/most important elements.
Which typically are the base color, decorative stone or brick, and the roof. (Unless if you have a modern, flatter roofline that barely shows or is a “no show” then it’s off the list.)
Now you know what kinds of colors will go with the overall palette of your home!
Color Miss #2
Ignoring Undertones
Sorry if you are tired of hearing about those troublesome undertones! But with all the neutrals we have been using for two trends in a row, it’s all about undertones. (And the paler the neutral the trickier it is to identify.)
But if your door color doesn’t look as good as you’d hoped it’s more often than not, an undertone issue.
This home above is a warm gray as it has a bit of green in it believe it or not. So the mustard front door color feels right at home with the green-gray. And the door color is perfect with the very creamy trim for the same reason.
Color Fix:
The trick to seeing undertones is to compare them
If you have a gray exterior for instance place a number of gray paint chips on it. Some may make your gray look more green, purple, pink, or blue in comparison. That’s revealing its undertone.
Or your gray may make the others look like they have a hint of color in them. In that case, you know your gray is a true gray, with no undertone giving you more front door color options. Because about any rich or bright color will work.
Once you identify your major undertones it’s a lot easier to know what colors will look best with it!
Color Miss #3
Ignoring Landscape Colors
Instead, ignore your home for a moment and stand at the street and just look at your landscape. What colors are you seeing?
You will want to take those into account too so at the least they won’t clash.
On the house above a raspberry or blush-colored door would look fine with the house, roof, and trim color. Except in the Fall with this nearby ornamental maple tree. It would be a color miss for a whole season. Not only that but a missed opportunity to look really fabulous.
Color Fix:
If you have any pronounced landscape color take advantage of it
This maple makes this door fabulous in the Fall especially. But even when it’s sporting its semi-bright green in summer that will still be a great look with this door color.
Even if you have all green landscape, what’s its dominant shade?
Greens are everything from chartreuse, variegated, blue-green, to dark green. So, choose a front door color that will complement the dominant green along with your home’s main color elements.
Once you marry your front door color to not only your home but your landscape – your whole property looks elevated!
Before & After:
A Front Door "Color Miss" Gets Fixed
Black front doors are both timeless and trendy right now,
but still, they are not for every home
You really want your front door to stand out and not just blend in with the rest of your home. Or it’s a missed opportunity to take advantage of your home’s natural focal point.
And to let your personal style show.
The home below is timeless in every way. White painted brick, black roof and shutters, classic architecture. But with all that going for it, it’s not eye-catching.
Because the front door almost disappears.
Not only because it’s just one more black element on the house but because under the portico porch roof, it sets back in a shadow that hides the details. So, at a quick glance, the door almost looks wide open, and we are looking into a dark hallway.
Then see how we gave this home real personality with just a front door color change.
Let’s See it Now Dressed Out in a Perfect Paint Color:
Perfect Front Door Color Instantly Adds Personality
So much more warm and welcoming!
If the door color can also reflect the home’s front room palette it starts the design flow right from the front door.
In that case, the exterior AND the interior of the front door can be painted one color. Making a statement coming and going!
Front Entry Styling Will Elevate a Home Even Further
Styling Your Exterior Entry Around the Front Door
-Will elevate your whole property
When you take advantage of dressing your front door in the perfect paint color that alone will change the look of your whole home.
When you add the finishing touches with styling it expands the effect and elevates the look of your whole property.
Creating a designed look that will catch the eye of everyone passing by and, the most important part… welcome you home!
We created that look here by adding
- Colorful potted plants in the front doors brick color in black pots
- Large, brick-colored pots with tall plants to soften the white brick and give the porch more presence.
- Satin brass front door hardware and overhead hanging light to add a bit of lux.
- Decorative house numbers
- Decorative door mat
From Before to After:
The story of a door that changed its color
– and that changed everything
If you are perplexed when it comes to picking the perfect paint color for your front door we can help
– NEW –
Front Door Color Consultation
(with Styling Option)
It’s the quickest way to elevate your whole home’s look
– and we make it easy
Virtual / or On-site in Greater North Seattle
Click for details
Or call me at
425-977-5599 /office
or
I can also help you make the best design decisions for your home with:
NEW! QUICK DESIGN ADVICE
30 or 60 Minute Video Call
Answers to your most pressing questions, + feedback, ideas & design direction
DESIGNER BY YOUR SIDE
On-going design help as needed for answers, solutions, & shopping on a project you’re managing
FULL ROOM DESIGN
From concept to curating furnishings to styling and the reveal!
COLOR CONSULTATION
In-home/Seattle, interior & exterior color palettes
THE STYLED ROOM
In-home/Seattle furnished room layout & styling + finishing touches
For questions or to Book
you can reach me at:
Call 425-977-5599 /office
or
