Are you looking for a beautiful front door paint color to give your entryway (and curb appeal) a boost? Use these tips and short list of top front door paint colors for inspiration!
If your home exterior needs a little refresh, consider painting your front door. Believe it or not, the color of your front door makes a big first impression, can impact the resale value or your home…not to mention it also can speak to the personality of the inhabitants who live inside!
If you take some time to do an internet search, you’ll find (too) many front door paint color options. So, how do you choose the best colors for your front door without going over the top (or banging your head against said door in frustration)?
I’ve got you covered with this guide! I’m going over tips on choosing a new color, what different colors mean, and giving a few examples of perfect front door paint colors that may inspire you.
Ok, let’s get started.
Why Should I Paint My Front Door?
Most people simply paint their front door the same color as the trim on their house.
But have you ever noticed a house with a front door painted a contrasting color? Or a shade that is only used on the front door? This approach can make your front door really stand out, and it’s a very popular look.
So here are a few reasons to consider taking the plunge yourself. The color of your front door:
- plays a significant role in your home’s curb appeal, and a change can instantly enhance it.
- is the first thing your guests see and makes an important first impression.
- sets the mood by producing certain emotions (welcoming, playful, etc.) based on the shade you choose.
- allows you to show off your personality.
- makes your home unique and sets it apart from the others around you.
- it’s just plain fun!! Shouldn’t that be reason enough?
Before we dig in, if you are the type of person who never feels completely confident in choosing paint colors, then grab a free copy of “5 Massive Paint Picking Mistakes” to help you avoid the pitfalls! Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
Best Front Door Paint Colors FAQs
What is the most common front door color?
Black and red are tied for this honor, with one occasionally pulling slightly ahead of the other. Other popular colors include various shades of blue and green.
My own front door is red (SW Show Stopper seen below), so I’m biased, but I definitely believe there’s a reason black and red are always atop the front door paint color pack.
Should all exterior doors be the same color?
No, not at all! I love seeing all the exterior doors painted the same as the house trim color except for the front door.
You can have all the doors painted the same color or paint your front door a different color so it stands out.
Is wood stain a good choice for a front door?
In lieu of paint, wood stains can be a gorgeous choice for a front door. However, wood stain won’t work in every situation. Many modern exterior doors are not made of wood.
Furthermore, a wood stained door can be more expensive to upkeep than a painted door. While a painted door only requires a fresh coat every 3-5 years, a stained door may need a full sanding and re-staining every few years, and a more frequent fresh coat of polyurethane to control sun damage and water intrusion.
We used wood stain for the front door of our cape cod home seen below (the paint color here is White Dove).
What is the best paint sheen to use for a front door?
Picking the right front door color is only half the battle. Choosing the right paint finish is important, too. Make sure you purchase exterior paints (not interior), and a higher sheen, like semi-gloss or high-gloss is typically a great choice for an exterior door.
Shinier finishes like these are better in conditions where water may be an issue, and they are easier to clean as well.
Are there any front door paint colors to avoid?
Although there’s no such thing as a bad color, there can certainly be poorly chosen colors in certain situations.
And while colors such as orange, yellow, purple, lime green, bright blue, and cream may not be traditional, or the most popular colors for a front door, in certain situations, ANY color could be a good choice.
If you live in a place that embraces unique home colors (Key West, FL comes to mind) then there’s really no color that’s off-limits.
Which front door color is best for resale?
According to a 2018 Zillow study¹, black is the top color selection, and the most profitable paint shade for resale.
If undertones make your head ache, you’re not alone! Grab your no-cost copy of “5 Biggest Paint Choice Mistakes” Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
Considerations to Keep in Mind
Before you dive in and begin looking at the plethora of options for front door paint colors, keep a couple of essential things at the forefront of your mind.
First of all, does your neighborhood have an HOA? This can often regulate the colors you can use on your home’s exterior.
Secondly, what is your home’s current color scheme? Do you want to choose a color that complements that color scheme or contrasts it?
Tips for Selecting Front Door Paint Colors
With all the options out there, choosing a shade may seem challenging. However, with these tips, you’ll quickly narrow down your choices and pick the best paint color for your front door!
1. Consider Your Home’s Architectural Style
Although it’s important to take your home’s architecture into account, it shouldn’t limit you. Instead, let it guide you as you decide whether to complement or contrast the rest of your home.
2. Factor in Surrounding Materials and Colors
Each type of material will bring different elements (and color options and opportunities) into play with your home’s exterior.
For example, building materials such as stone or brick may present inspiration or help you steer clear of specific front door paint colors.
3. Don’t Forget about Landscaping
While your landscaping won’t influence your color selection as much as other factors, it is worth noting.
For example, if you have tons of lush greenery around your front door (or framing it in the front yard), a green door may fade into the background.
On the other hand, if you want to strike a less bold tone, you may want to incorporate a color from the nearby landscaping.
4. Give Priority to Your Personal Preferences
Consider your personal style. If you love modern farmhouse style, you will want to steer clear of eggplant, turquoise, or cheery lime.
Or, if you’re going for a more modern tone with your front door, you may opt for something bolder than black or navy.
5. Don’t Shy Away from Color
Many people steer clear of going bold on their home’s exterior, by why not give it a try? If you love a particular bright hue that could work with the rest of your home, use it to make a bold statement on your front door. You can always repaint it if you don’t like it. 😉
Tip: If going bright is too much, you can still go “bold” with a darker version (ex: forest green instead of lime).
6. Front Door Paint Colors are Best Chosen Outdoors
When you choose indoor paint colors, you do it inside so that you can see how the shade will truly look in the space where it will live. The opposite is true for front door paint colors!
You still need to see how shades will behave in their designated space, so use color swatches on the outside of your front door to observe how they will read. And make sure to evaluate how the color looks with your whole house color, trim, accents, and roof.
7. Remember the Trim
You can take the trim in two different directions. One, paint both the door and surrounding trim in the same color. Or two, paint the trim the same shade as the rest of the house exterior trim and paint the front door a different color.
Either kind of color palette can work, depending on whether you want the door to pop against the trim or not.
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The Meaning Behind Different Front Door Colors
Having a basic understanding of the psychology of color can help you choose front door paint colors that fit your personality.
- Blue: Depending on the exact shade, blue can be versatile and calming (dark blue), energizing (royal blue), or friendly (light blue).
- White: This color is classic and exudes order, simplicity, and serenity.
- Red: This bold color choice is popular and considered “lucky” in some cultures. No matter which hue you choose, it’s vibrant and inviting.
- Green: Green (like nature) is a grounding and harmonious color. Bright green can exude excitement, while dark green gives a peaceful feeling.
- Yellow: Yellow front doors are less common but make no less of a statement. Their bright cheerfulness indicates confidence and humor.
- Black: Traditional. Elegant. A black door screams sophistication.
- Pink: Fun, flirty, floral, and a bit feminine. Blush pinks in particular are enjoying much popularity in recent years.
- Orange: A bold orange front door color gives the vibe of someone who is confident and likes to live “on the wild side.”
- Purple: Say hello to the free spirit who lives in a home with a purple door!
Colors to Consider
In addition to the ones we discuss further down in the article, here are a few other shades that I have written color reviews on that could work for your front door.
- Pewter Green – SW 6208 is a soft, dark muted green color
- Wrought Iron – Benjamin Moore 2124-10 is a rich, dark neutral paint
- Sea Salt – Sherwin Williams 6204 is a timeless, spa-like, coastal cool, green-gray paint
- Palladian Blue – Benjamin Moore HC-144 is a soft, blue-green-gray paint
- Kendall Charcoal – Benjamin Moore HC-166 is a popular moody gray paint shade
- Aegean Teal – Benjamin Moore 2136-40 is a rich, dark blue-green with gray undertones
- Peppercorn – SW 7674 is a rich, dark charcoal gray paint
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Top Front Door Paint Colors
To help you answer the question, “what color should I paint my front door?” I thought I would gather some examples of how different front door paint colors impact a home’s exterior decor.
Black Front Doors
It has already been noted that black is the most popular paint shade for a front door.
Because of its neutral quality, coupled with a distinct ability to pack a visual punch, black makes for an impressive front door color without being too splashy, like some may find the 2nd most popular front door paint color…red.
But there are hundreds of shades of black paint out there. Which is the best for a front door? Here are our two top selections…
Sherwin Williams Iron Ore (SW 7069)
SW Iron Ore is one of my personal favorite color choices for black(ish) front doors.
As this example from Fox Hollow Cottage shows, it’s a dark color but has a slight softness that creates a welcoming ambiance while still looking sharp and chic.
Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black (SW 6258)
If you’re looking for bold and traditional, Homemade Lovely proves it doesn’t get any better than Tricorn Black!
A front door in this color can both stand out and step back in favor of allowing other bold colors to pop.
Front Doors Painted Red
Red is one of the most popular colors used for front doors. There’s nothing like a red door to make a bold statement for the entrance of your home. But is a red door too trendy? Or could a red door be outdated?
Actually red is a timeless classic paint shade for a front door that has stood the test of time.
Sherwin Williams Show Stopper (SW 7588)
Isn’t this color great? It’s like a classic red lipstick…always a good idea.
One House 2 Barns went bright and bold for a look that’s eye-catching and exciting. But my favorite part about this color is definitely the name – it’s a “show stopper!”
Benjamin Moore Heritage Red (HC-181)
Between Naps on the Porch chose a slightly deeper red for this front door, BM Heritage Red, which is bold yet classic and works with traditional style homes and many different types of materials.
Look how well this shade of red works with the traditional brick color on this home.
Blues, but specifically navy blues, can be an excellent choice for your front door. Navy paints can actually be neutrals, but perhaps a little more “exciting” and modern than the more traditional, ever-popular black.
Sherwin Williams Naval (SW 6244)
SW Naval is one of the most popular navy blue paint shades.
It’s one of those versatile colors that works nearly anywhere yet adds a little pop of color as it does on this front door from On Sutton Place.
Benjamin Moore Hale Navy (HC 154)
Like Sherwin-Williams Naval, BM Hale Navy is a very popular navy paint color as well.
Entertaining Life chose to go just a little brighter with Hale Navy to give this otherwise simple porch a lovely and grounding burst of blue.
Light Blue Front Doors
Perhaps the least traditional on the list, light blue still has a very timeless quality. This shade, especially the blue-green shades look amazing on both coastal homes, and homes with a farmhouse style.
Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue (HC 143)
This shade (and several others on this list) are part of the Benjamin Moore historical collection, designated by a color code starting with the letters HC.
Ben Moore Wythe Blue looks wonderful as a haint blue porch ceiling shade (popular in the south). It is also a beautiful color for bathrooms, bedrooms, and exterior shutters. Beyond all that, it makes for a welcoming shade on your front door.
More playful than traditional perhaps, Emmy Lou Styles shows how this lighter teal-leaning blue looks against the earth-toned bricks on the front of her pretty home.
Sherwin Williams Watery (SW 6478)
Pale blue can be beautiful, too! Similar to Wythe Blue above, SW Watery looks amazing in all the same spaces and situations.
Brittany of Duchess of York blog used this gorgeous shade of pale blue to both complement and stand out against this modern farmhouse-style porch. Stunning, right?
When all is said and done, your front door paint color should enhance your home’s exterior decor and portray your unique personality and sense of style.
Whether you decide to go traditional and complement your home’s style and color scheme, or you choose to go playful and contemporary, have fun picking out your new front door color!
Pin this front door paint color post for later! And if you choose one of these colors for your front door, leave a comment on the pin! That helps others decide if they want to try one of these paint shades, too!
Ready to show those boring, bland walls who’s the boss at home? This no-cost guide will help you sidestep mistakes that almost everyone makes when it comes to picking paint! You’ll be on your way to perfect paint promptly…pinky swear.
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