Front door color ideas – the 8 best shades for your interior

Carefully chosen color ideas for the front door speak volumes about the occupants of the house inside. It’s an opportunity to be bold with color and express yourself.

Painting your door can be a fun one-day project that the whole family can get involved in and change the look of your home in an instant. Taking note of the style of the door along with the trim and siding that frames it can define the whole look. Adding a stately color can make a simple cottage-style door look more sophisticated, while a casual, bright hue can make a formal facade more friendly and imaginative. Let our experts guide you and be inspired by our front door color ideas, while adding a ton of appeal to your home.

Front door color ideas

1. Like the style

Credit: Victory Colors

When the right balance is struck, a contemporary colored front door nestled in a historic building can make the entire facade sing, but it’s important to consider the elements around it to achieve the perfect marriage of elements.

“The same way you would combine paint colors with fabrics and furniture, you should also consider the architectural elements of your exterior,” advises Ruth Mottershead, director of Little Greene. Do you have red or yellow brick, limestone or granite walls, what color are your roof tiles? Build these into your design scheme to ensure your paint choices are complementary. Softer colors like ‘Dorchester Pink-Mid’ pair beautifully with white brickwork for a delicate finish that matches the current interior trend for pastel shades.”

2. Use shine

(Image credit: Sandtex)

There’s nothing like a shiny front door to make a passerby stop and take a second look. A glossy finish makes a door look freshly painted and hints at elegance within – but it’s also a hardwearing treatment and practical for high traffic areas – and is therefore often incorporated into living room ideas.

“We always recommend painting the front door with our 10-year exterior gloss or satin gloss, as both are durable and hard-wearing,” said Matthew Brown, Sadolin & Sandtex Technical Advisor. “If you want to go for a more subtle and casual look, a pastel shade in satin works best. However, adding a dark or bold stately color in high gloss is not only perfect for high traffic areas, but it also creates an ideal color for high gloss are Oxford Blue, Racing Green, Black and Pillar Box Red.”

3. Matches the masonry

Credit: Farrow and Ball

Matching paint colors with masonry can be an extremely tricky decision as original masonry itself radiates so much color. A spectrum of earthy colors – saturated and gritty or somewhere in between – and then there are variants of textures and grout to consider. For this approach, it is helpful to know the colors associated with red.

“Use opposing colors for your bricks or masonry as a starting point,” advises Jessica Plateo, a spokesperson for Craig and Rose. “There are certain colors, like deep reds and rich greens and blues, that match the details of that era and stand the test of time. Pullman Green, for example, looks great next to red brickwork.”

4. Select the door frame detail

(Image credit: Crown)

A door frame can often be an afterthought when choosing the door color, but think carefully about the surrounding hue and finish that will elevate your chosen statement color.

“Choose a favorite shade that will put a smile on your face and spread a little love among passersby, then pair it with a simple neutral shade on the door frame to create a clever color contrast,” advises Marianne Shillingford, creative director of Dulux . “All of our colors come with the new Weathershield Promise, so you can paint the outside of your home with just as much confidence as the inside.”

5. Customize your trim

Credit: Little Greene

Another idea is to take your front door color all the way to the edges or beyond. Having windows around the doors can be a way to preserve the color and pick out the architectural features of your front door.

“Adding a bold color to your front door gives your home character and radiance,” says Victoria Yardley founder of Victory Colors. “Make sure to apply the color all the way to the surrounding frames and any window frames for maximum effect!”

6. Combine jewel tones and landscaping

Credit: Farrow Ball

This beautifully ornate porch surrounded by greenery and with a mature front yard is a perfect canvas for color and this contrast fits well with current garden trends.

“Rich, jewel-toned blues like Pitch Blue or Drawing Room Blue and dark, smoky greens will act as a great backdrop,” says Patrick O’Donnell, brand ambassador for Farrow and Ball. “Especially if you’re blessed with a green front yard with mature trees and shrubs. These paint colors will flatter the landscape, while bright yellow will always give your friends and neighbors a warm welcome!”

7. Match the hue to nature

Credit: Benjamin Moore

If you want to promote serenity, soothing shades of green or blue are perfect for both contemporary and historic properties, and pastels help your door stand out without looking too bold, and match current color trends.

“Front doors are an easy way to add color to your home and a project we can all complete in a few hours,” advises Helen Shaw, UK Director of Benjamin Moore. “Consider taking nature’s example when deciding on the paint color for your front door. Greens in a variety of shades, from rich forest greens to fern tones or soft sage, look and feel strikingly suburban.”

8. Be bright and cheerful

Credit: Annie Sloane

With warm hues of yellow and orange evoking feelings of hope, positivity and joy, it’s no wonder yellow doors are gaining in popularity. Bold, sunny hues, as well as terracotta oranges, tend to feel jovial and friendly, and will give you and any visitors a warm welcome as soon as you arrive. This is also why terracotta is big in current kitchen trends.