What Color Should I Paint My Front Door?

Three Easy Steps To Choosing the Perfect Color for Your Front Door

The front door is the first thing we see as we enter our homes. Everyone has one so everyone has to have some type of color for their door. But what color do we choose when there are literally a gazillion colors to choose from? 

The first step is to look at the overall color of your home. Does it have a cool color palette with grays and blues? Doe it gravitate toward a warm palette such a beige and browns? We are talking about undertones here and it’s probably the most crucial part of how you choose color for everything for your home for both interior and exterior. If your undertones aren’t the same, you’ll be doomed from the start.

UNDERTONES: Let’s say your home has a warm color palette with beige, creamy whites and browns. As seen in this graphic, you’ll notice that all three colors are “warm”.

Now I know what you’re saying, “But I see gray! Gray is not a warm color”. Like all colors, gray can have a warm undertone like you’d see on a piece of beach driftwood or cooler similar to a submarine or shark gray. It just depends on how much yellow is in the hue. 

If you’re not familiar with undertones, just think warm colors are colors that have a strong yellow base or cool colors that have a strong blue base. Looking at the graphic you’ll see all three hues contain a fair amount of yellow which makes them warm.

ROOFING: The second step is to look at your roof. I know! You wouldn’t think to look all the way up there but you need to! Is your roof dark gray? Brown? Light gray? Terra-cotta tiles? 

Your roof is what anchors your home because it’s usually a dark color and covers a very large surface of your home. Luckily for the most part, your builder does keep roofing color in mind when the overall palette is designed for your home.

I would say for the most part, your roof is going to be in the gray family which is smart. Believe it or not, gray is considered a neutral much like black but just a few shades lighter. There is a reason that most homes have a gray roof and it’s because it will accommodate most color palettes.

FACADE: What surface or facade do you have on your house? Stone? Brick? Siding? Wood? All the factors that I’m talking about today are very important for choosing the right color for your door.

Do you have a brick home? I know for a fact that the #1 color most people want for their front door is red. This is the LAST color you should choose if you have a brick home! Most reds will clash with each other and the addition to yet another red onto your home will be just a little too overwhelming. Look at the darkest hue in the brick which will be similar to a slate blue. Darker to medium tone blues are an excellent choice for brick homes.

In the graphic that I provided here, you’ll see that I have highlighted three colors. Look very closely at the stone and you’ll see those three colors right there! With slight adjustments to tone and value, THIS is how your tie in the look of your home - from shutters to front door color. Wasn’t that easy?

This is actually my home and I chose the Arresting Auburn SW 6034. It’s a nice complement to gray which is the dominant color in the facade. It coordinates with the roof, the stone and looks beautiful with the black hardware accents that you see on the coach lights. 

Do you want to know what the best thing about these colors are? They are unusual and not the typical green, red, white or black that you see on your neighbors doors. Choose a color that will bring out the beauty of your home you now have four easy ways to do that. Take the color of your choice and a quart of semi gloss paint and you’ll be on your way to having the best front door color for your home.

Bio: Donna Frasca is a Color Expert and founder of Decorating by Donna based out of Charlotte, North Carolina. She has a degree in Interior Decorating and Design and is highly specialized in designing color palettes for open concepts spaces. She has been published in several magazines talking about her color expertise and how to get the best color for you home.