I was just recently going through the process of choosing a color for my front door. Had settled on a red, but decided at last minute to go with black. Just thought on my house black would appeal to more potential buyers (I'll do red on the next house). I personally love a red door and think your house would be really pretty with red. Just picking the right shade will be the hard part.

I second the recommendation for red, but not fire engine red. I would suggest a brick or cranberry red. I would definitely stay away from the blues.

Thanks! I would not want fire engine red... nor do I want a hard to paint red that is a pita. Ill have to look at the cranberry and brick reds.

I definitely would not want a "blue". When I mentioned the seafoam, i was thinking something along the lines of Behr's Contemplation for references sake. It is that aqua seafoam ish color. I regret that we didnt paint the house a gray color, could have alot more fun with the door. :(

Keep in mind that door colors often need to be about two shades darker than you think to read right in outdoor light conditions. You will see more color in the door than you see on the sample, so be sure to paint a big sample board and take it outside to lean in the door frame. I would also paint that storm door frame to match the door.

Red and green are opposite colors, so a red door will make the green in your tan stronger. If you want red, go for one that is very brown, like BMoore's "Somerville Red" (HC-62), or "Georgian Brick" (HC-50). There's one in the Sherwin Williams Mount Vernon group called "Leatherbound" (DMV076), and one called "Spanish Brown" (DMV077) that might work well with your tan. If you get a lot of sun on the door, be prepared for the red to fade over time, but good-quality exterior paint will minimize the fading. Red is the least stable of colors in sunlight.

But on your house, with the roof and the street in view, I think a really rich deep gray would look elegant. Sherwin Williams has three I'd look at..."Backdrop" (SW 7025), which is warm; "Porpoise" (SW 7047), which has a very slight green undertone; and "Cityscape" (SW 7067), which is cool and stony.

And I also recommend a gloss paint for doors. It will look a little dramatic for the first few weeks, but the finish settles down quickly, and looks beautiful. Satin finishes get rather dusty looking pretty quickly.

I also think a deep gray would be nice.

Thanks for the responses. Im alittle surprised at the gray suggestions. Really? I just cant picture it. I went to look at some reds at Home Depot in the Behr dept. but finding a cranberry red is hard. I painted red in my hallway this year and it took 4 coats, so I dont want those that have the warning of needing more coats. lol Fortunately, some of the brick reds seem to be ok.
Ill have to check out the grays.

Cute house...love the color. I think cranberry red, black or eggplant would look great. What about the steps and walkway?

I vote for the rich deep gray! Our last house was a color called SeaSand and we painted the door and shutters a color called Wrought Iron, which was a deep gray or charcoal color. We loved it! I think the curb appeal helped sell the house. I am in a brick house now and I am also trying to decide on a door color. I think you have more options to accent your house. I don't think colors "pop" next to brick like they do on painted houses. Good luck on your decision. Red would also look nice.

I vote for the eggplant or deep gray to add contrast.

I would love to see a red door! Go bold! I would trim back the tree a wee bit on the right side of the pic in between the two windows, plant a garden around the front tree and incorporate a boulder with your house numbers on it. I have edged the walkway with river rock. Cute house!

Don't go to the Home Depot to buy an exterior red for you door. Just don't do it. A real paint store that sells Ben Moore or Pratt & Lambert are much better bets. Sherwin Williams would be okay too.

But first you have to determine if you can paint your white door red.

You have two issues: One, it's white, probably came from the manufacturer white. Not all white doors can be painted darker colors. You have to check your warranty and documents for the door. Usually the better quality and grade the door, the more options you have for color. The info for your door will specify a LRV, Light Reflectance Value.

Paint an inexpensive white door a mid-tone to dark color and you will have issues because the door was never meant to deal with the energy accume. Darker colors absorb more wavelengths of light, wavelengths are energy, energy turns into heat. Or, more simply put a dark color will cook your door. If it's made to handle the heat, you're fine.

Second issue is the storm door. It acts like a magnifying glass on a bug. Your door is the bug.

Definitely consider the integrity of the door's structure as well as how intense/not intense the exposure to the sun is on the front of your house.

North is the mildest, easiest on a home's elements. South and west can be wicked intense.

What about using a deep navy? It is great with tans and white trim, but will also work with the slight green undertone in the tan. Much more interesting than black, but still a strong statement.

See about painting the railings white, and consider covering the steps with slate tiles. Paint the edge of the awning in the navy from the door.

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funcolors made the most useful statement on knowing what your door is manufactured to handle. I did not realize that the door itself may not be made to take certain colors (in absence of storm door). I have learned that some doors are not rated to have a storm door at all. We just replaced our front door as the previous owners installed a storm door over a black 3/4 light oval door and it ruined the entry door. Total separation of the molding around the window and the heat buildup was tremendous. Anyway, thanks for bringing this up!!

Where the heck did that Nike business come from???

I would look at eggplant, navy or deep gray too. But I would also pick a darker color for the trim at the roof line; it will perk up the roof color and enhance the siding color. Gray door, gray roof trim? Navy door, navy roof trim?
Diane

"We just replaced our front door as the previous owners installed a storm door over a black 3/4 light oval door and it ruined the entry door. Total separation of the molding around the window and the heat buildup was tremendous. Anyway, thanks for bringing this up!!"

Amazing the damage it can do isn't it? It's one of the most common color mistakes homeowners and professionals (who oughta know better) make.

It's a tell-tale sign of designers and color consultants who are NOT paint or color experts. They run around thinking all the colors in the fandeck can be exterior colors - which they can not. And they also think they can paint whatever they want to any color they want to. Which they can't.

One of the saddest incidents was some fretwork that was not wood, not milled it was some kind of poly-something-something material. Unfortunately the designer didn't read the color specifications for the product and the paint contractor really didn't care either way, 'cuz he "just paints". What was suppose to be a scroll-like fleur-de-lis pattern ended up melted and twisted into a hot mess that reminded me of the giant stadium pretzels you get at the ballpark. Mustard any one?

Thanks for the tips!

Hm, I wasn't aware of that- I have no idea if the door is capable of handling a dark color. Hoping I can find that out. The door has been painted white, it actually came as a sort of flesh cream color. The house does face SOUTH directly so gets a lot of sun...which is why the house looks abit washed out in the photo. I was also thinking some version of purple or plum would look nice...but would have to find the right one. I wouldn't anything that looked black though.

Thanks for the landscaping additions...It is late summer so all the blooms that were against the house in the spring/early summer are gone right now. Id like to do something more interesting with the walkway, even though it is barely used (the side door somehow has become "the" entryway), I like the way the rocks look. LOL--I was hoping noone would comment on the overgrown bush in the front-- LOL--- it is long over due for a trim, I know!

The process of choosing an entry door color will depend on a number of factors, including your exterior paint, the style of your home and even your landscaping design. Also take into consideration your own personal style and preferences. Before making your decision on the color of for your entry door, consider the whole picture.

Here is a link that might be useful: House door painting

Funcolors, I always learn something from your wonderful knowledge...but in defense of some of us who are designers and who suggest colors from various palettes, I think you can assume that an experienced, reputable designer will think about and handle the details of light exposure and of paint specs for modern surfaces, and have colors matched in the appropriate paint when making unusual color choices.

I couldn't be more sympathetic to your frustration with unprepared, under-trained amateurs in the business, but I'd be happier with a gentler tone from you, if you would be so kind.