A black front door: What colour should you paint yours?

There are a number of important considerations to make when choosing your front door colour.

Whether you are looking to boost kerb appeal in order to sell your property or just want to offer a more inviting atmosphere for visitors, choosing the right colour of paint for the entrance door of your home is vital for creating that all-important first impression.

The front door of a property is often the first thing people will notice and updating its appearance will be a real game changer in terms of how people will perceive you and your property. Whilst this may sound like a relatively quick win, there are many considerations to make before reaching for the paint pot.

A recent article in the June 14th issue of Country Life, polled 18 of the country’s most experienced agents for their opinions. The verdict was that blue is the colour and specifically from Farrow & Ball.

This article will look at other important considerations when choosing your door colour.

Period property features

It is vital to take into consideration the era in which the property was built and any period architectural features it may have and plan the entrance door colour around these accordingly. For example, a Georgian townhouse can suit some of the strongest shades of paint on its entrance door, while neutral Regency architecture would be better suited to softer subtle shades. A modern eco-build might allow for a more experimental palette of pastels or perhaps even bold colours. However, if the property is a listed building or conservation area, you may need to seek permission before even thinking about picking up that paintbrush.

Surroundings

The property’s location, surrounding architecture, and landscape are all factors that will influence the external aesthetics of a property, including the front door. A nestled muse house or mid-terrace property would look out of place with a post box red door if all of the surrounding properties have grey doors with white trim. The entrance doors and facades of coastal townhouse properties are often found to mirror the blues and whites of their seaviews, while rural countryside homes will have potential to suit a wider spectrum of colour contrasts, although natural woods or leafy green hues appear particularly smart against a rich organic landscape.

Interior inspiration

The entrance door can be coloured to create a seamless flow to the inside of the property. For example, a deep shade of navy or aubergine paint will create a striking impact to set the scene for the feeling of a bright and spacious interior. Similarly, adding a few stylistic details to your front garden or porch area, such as a plant pot or ornament in the same hue of your interior walls will give the illusion of a larger, more connected space.

Finishing touches

If a completely new door is in order, ensure its panels and glazed insets are in keeping with the style of property and neighbouring brick or woodwork. Opt for entrance door furniture and accessories that complement the paint colour – as a rule of thumb brass for traditional, chrome for contemporary. If the property is of no particular heritage, then there is more room for flexibility in terms of overall style, colour, and finish but traditional and timeless classics generally work best for front doors. High-quality materials that are well looked after will always create a lasting impression.

Colour and design are of course hugely subjective and the final decision will most likely come down to personal preference and taste. Take the time to plan carefully as getting it wrong risks the appeal of the entire building and those surrounding it, but getting it right will completely transform the front elevation.

For more entrance door advice and inspiration, or to see the Westbury paint colour chart, please contact us today.