Traditional Front Door Paint Color Ideas Recommended by Designers
The new front door is in! And you know what that means; let the great paint color debate begin.
In reality though, after lots of analysis paralysis, I already landed on my front door color decision. But I figured why not pull together all of my favorite traditional front door paint colors in one place?
Chances are you might have a front door you’ll have to paint one day. So this guide I whipped up might come in handy for anyone else who faces analysis paralysis in the future.
Related: 6 Small Front Porch Ideas on a Budget to Add Curb Appeal
While our family was in Paris for a summer trip last week, Robert and I walked around photographing some of the gorgeous doors that inspired us there. So it seems only fitting to share some of them here for color inspiration.
The color of your front door is a pretty big deal. It’s your home’s first impression. And it’s a major factor in the importance of curb appeal; just ask any realtor and they’ll tell you the same.
We really hoped to keep our vintage Richmond storm door from our old front door, but the dimensions just didn’t fit, sadly. But I’m so glad our front entryway now has so much gorgeous natural light!
Seeing the raw, unpainted wood door was helpful in helping us decide whether to stain it or paint it. But a few other factors helped us decide too.
Related: How to Paint Doors and Best Ways to Make Them Durable
Related: How to Paint French Doors + DIY Door Replacement Cost
Should you stain or paint your front door?
Not only was debating the paint color challenging for us, but we seriously considered staining our new wood front door instead. I went all Rory Gilmore with a pros/cons list to decide that painting was the right answer for us.
These are some things to consider before you decide whether to stain or paint a door.
Benefits of Staining a Front Door
- highlights craftsmanship
- adds warmth and character to a home’s exterior
- adds an organic element
- creates a feeling of luxury to the facade of a house
Benefits of Painting a Front Door
- cheaper than staining
- requires less maintenance than staining
- better surface protection than wood stain long term
- endless color options
- requires less specialized skill to paint than stain (painting is easy to DIY)
In the end, we really didn’t want to deal with the maintenance of resealing it every 2-3 years, so we decided on the easier, cheaper paint route.
Some affiliate links are provided in this post. Full disclosure
Most Popular Classic Front Door Paint Colors
I did a lot of digging to find the most used classic paint colors recommended by designers for front doors. This post serves as the list of the ultimate paint color winners.
As always, before deciding on a paint color, I highly recommend that you sample the colors on the exterior of your door first. You don’t have to paint the samples directly on your door. You can simply paint samples on white cardstock to tape to your door or use swatches from Samplize.
Look at the samples in different lighting throughout the day from dawn to dusk and in cloudy and sunny conditions to find the best results.
Related: How to Choose Paint Colors for Your Home Like a Pro
Dark Gray and Black Front Door Colors
There’s nothing more classic than black and white. The best part about choosing a dark neutral is it usually hides dirt and scuffs really well. According to a study done by Zillow, a black door can even boost your home’s resale value.
Related: Making a Case for Black Paint
- Behr Cracked Pepper
- Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black
- Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron
- Benjamin Moore Black
- Sherwin Williams Iron Ore
Navy Blue Front Door Colors
I have a theory that navy blue is the best neutral paint color. It adds a pop yet it still acts like a neutral, like your favorite pair of jeans that goes with any color shirt.
If you’re afraid to commit to color, but you want something more interesting than a neutral, navy blue is the best way to go.
Related: Best Navy Blue Paint Colors Recommended By Designers
- Sherwin Williams Naval
- Benjamin Moore Hale Navy
- Farrow & Ball Hague Blue
- Behr Chimney
- Benjamin Moore Polo Blue
Light Blue Front Door Colors
A soft, sky blue is gorgeous alongside light or white color exteriors, especially if you want to achieve a traditional coastal style look on your home.
These light blue shades are by far the most widely used for front doors.
Related: Most Recommended Blue Grey Paint Colors for a Calm Home
- Benjamin Moore Smoke
- Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue
- Farrow & Ball Skylight
- Sherwin Williams Stardew
- Sherwin Williams Krypton
Red Front Door Colors
Did you know, traditionally, red front doors have multiple deep meanings?
In Scotland, a red front door can mean a homeowner has paid off their mortgage. In Ireland, red doors are meant to ward off evil spirits. In the United States, around the time of the Civil War, red doors marked safe houses for runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad. In China, red is a symbol of luck and means “welcome” in Feng Shui.
Whatever it means to you, it’s a gorgeous way to make a bold first impression on a house.
Related: 12 Trending Burgundy Paint Colors Recommended by Designers
- Benjamin Moore Caliente
- Benjamin Moore Heritage Red
- Sherwin Williams Sun Dried Tomato
- Farrow & Ball Preference Red
- Behr Red My Mind
Green Front Door Colors
There is something invigorating about a green front door. It’s a beautiful way to incorporate a pop of color in your curb appeal while harmonizing it with nature.
The more saturated the green you choose, the more of a statement it will make. Traditionally, green front doors are on the muted, desaturated side. So if you want your home to have a modern pop, lean into the kelly green / chartreuse family.
Related: 12 Best Sage Green Paint Colors for a Relaxing Room
- Sherwin Williams Evergreen Fog
- Sherwin Williams Rosemary
- Benjamin Moore Essex Green
- Benjamin Moore Hunter Green
- Farrow & Ball Beverly
Gray Front Door Colors
(Side note: Olivia and Regan wanted a “photoshoot” in front of this soft bluish gray front door, and I don’t think I’ve ever loved a photo more in my entire life.)
Gray might sound boring, but there’s something elegant about a soft gray door. Not all gray colors are created the same as some can lean warm with yellow undertones or cool with blue undertones.
Place gray color swatches on a piece of white printer paper so you can see the undertones more easily. Always make sure to test them on your door’s specific lighting beside your home’s other exterior colors.
- Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray
- Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray
- Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray
- Sherwin Williams Classic French Gray
- Farrow & Ball Manor House Grey
Yellow Front Door Colors
Yellow is on the edge of daring for a front door, but it can be a gorgeous choice when you find the perfect shade. These 5 yellow paint colors work beautifully on a traditional style home.
There’s a fine line between bright school bus yellow and soft butterscotch, so make sure you sample colors on your own door before making your final decision. Yellow is just plain fickle that way.
- Benjamin Moore Hawthorne Yellow
- Benjamin Moore Stuart Gold
- Farrow & Ball Sudbury Yellow
- Farrow & Ball Citron
- Sherwin Williams Alchemy
What sheen to paint a front door?
The most popular sheen designers use for a front door is satin. However, high gloss sheen will make a big statement, if you love drama.
Just keep in mind that the higher the sheen, the more flaws it will show. If you have an old door that you don’t have the patience to patch and sand smooth, satin will give you a more clean looking finish while hiding the flaws.
Avoid flat and eggshell sheens on exteriors as they’re nearly impossible to keep clean from the elements.
I’ll share our new front door painted with the color we chose soon! (Spoiler alert: It’s probably no surprise to you if you’ve been following along for a while.)
This door replacement has been on our updates to-do list since the day we moved in. So it’s a huge relief now that it’s finally done!
Do you have a favorite front door paint color you’d add to the list? What color is your front door? Drop your own paint color recommendations in the comments so we can all keep on gathering ideas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Black, red, and blue are the most popular paint colors for front doors.
According to a study conducted by Zillow, a black front door is more likely to be revisited by potential buyers and can boost your resale price by $6,450.
Nope! A little contrast goes a long way. Whether you choose a gentle contrast or a drastic contrast, it’s best that your front door be painted a different color than your siding.
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wood vs fiberglass for your front door, how did you decide?
We like the look of real wood. It was just personal preference @ fit the exact look we were going for.
I’m not sure if I missed it, but could you share where you found your door? I want a quality reputable brand but (like everything else) options are all over the place! Looks beautiful!
Hi, Laura. It came from Pop’s Discount Building Materials in Charlotte. And we painted it Behr Cracked Pepper and Behr Ultra Pure White.
Sure! The door package itself was just under $5,000 and the labor was $4,000. That plus our paint supplies came to about $9300. I got some quotes from the big name brands like Simpson and Jeld-wen and theirs were going to cost a good bit more. So we used local. Our general contractor got us in contact with a local building supply shop where we found the door. So I’d talk to a local contractor in your area. They might know of some connections to save some money on the project.
In all the articles about painting front doors, no one ever mentions the (ugly) screen doors most of us have, at least here in Wisconsin. Don’t other parts of the country need to open the front door and let fresh air in? What can we do about that? A painted door which is half hidden seems like a waste.
Barb
Hey. I know different areas all have different needs that can change the ability for flexibility in decor. Have you seen this option? It is a retractable screen. It can be open when the door is closed and you pull it across when you need to use it with the door open.
https://rstyle.me/+J8SSoJ8AeDhAbn3aE-i9PQ
Awl I was admiring it’s natural beauty, actually. Was thinking you just sealed it. So I can imagine you painted it black then. Black front doors are gorgeous. Your choice is gorgeous. Appreciate all the paint info too.
I truly loved the color of the door. But when we step back and look at the house of a whole it just makes sense to paint it black. The maintenance will be a bit more manageable as well.