How should I pretty up the front door area?

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

Hi! Our front doorstep is extremely blah and I don't know how to fix it.

I am thinking of painting the door, and we are getting a new storm door (the old one was made of particle board and crumbled away!! You can still see the old frame because it's stuck in the wood trim). I also think it needs more than just light cosmetic help.

Cosmetic issues: What color should I paint the door? And what color storm door should I get? The entire house is this putty color seen here. The doormat is mostly a sponge for rainwater but I don't know what to replace it with, either.

More serious issues: We live in the suburban Midwest but our winters are not too harsh. However, we seem to be having a problem with moisture ruining the wood around the door and the concrete on the front step. It's actually cracked where the step meets the pathway out of the frame of this picture, probably from improper drainage making the ground uneven underneath it. I just don't know where to start with these more serious issues. Can I add an awning? Another gutter? Feeling overwhelmed. Thanks for any ideas and suggestions!

EDIT: the photo is shrunken when I post it. I think if you click on it in the post, it shows the full length of the door and entryway area. I will take another photo tomorrow, though.

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Comments (8)

HU-187528210
3 years ago
Hard to see the whole area from the close up. But I would definitely paint the door or get a new one. I would love black. Would also maybe swap out the light for something new. Maybe a small seating area there as well. Again hard to tell how big of a space and what it really looks like.
HU-187528210
3 years ago
Do you have interest in coloring the brick. Maybe a white wash
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Would not even try center it with ?built-ins? in the entry along one side. Putting it clearly on one side is the better choice. Do carefully consider on which side of the entry it will be hung and, importantly, which side of the door you want the hinges to be on. Are you right handed or left handed and what position for the door knob is most comfortable for you. Is your home more "formal" or less so -- would you want to consider leaving a "window" open in the kitchen wall. In the entry, do you actually need two cabinets, requiring the side/end of one be against the front exterior wall, or would it be practical to have the hinge on the right side of the door as you approach it from the outside, with door knob on the left, and have the door more to that right side, giving you an opportunity to not only have a hall tree and/or cabinet or bench, but a narrow table against that left wall with a side light with glass above the table top height of that narrow table -- a table/cabinet that could be used to "catch" purses and/or or cell phone and charger or a message center of some kind.
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jck910
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Yes take a picture from further back so we can see the entry in relation to the house.

Paint the interior and storm door the same color. Black or bronze to match the light. Power wash the concrete and post another picture
partim
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Your brick colour is attractive and I would not white wash it. Agree that a picture of the whole house would help with colour suggestions for the door.

As with any accent colour whether indoors or outside, it always looks best when it's repeated. So if you paint your door blue, for example, then find a floor mat with some blue in it, and choose some blue flowers for the front of the house, or a big blue flower pot. Or a blue painted bench by the door. Here are some ideas.

Personally I find a yellow front door very cheery, and it will look great with your red brick. Bright gold yellow or a soft butter yellow or anything in between. Also it's easy to find yellow flowers in any season (daffodils/crocus/tulips in spring, many possibilities for summer, chrysanthemums for fall).

For your moisture problems, a closer-up picture of the cracked area will help people make suggestions.

Maybe an eyebrow awning over your arched window? https://designyourawning.com/pages/eyebrow-style-awnings

Or this style which can be longer https://www.generalawnings.com/door-awnings-c-80/fabric-c-122/baltimore-entry-canopy-p-278
kudzu9
3 years ago
You have a little too much going on there, and you could integrate it better if you painted the door a color that was close to or complementary to the brick.
charlenek168
3 years ago
Don't even worry about cosmetic issues until you solve the drainage problem. It looks like you have mold around the old storm door frame and on the bricks. Contact someone that can fix that problem first. The longer you wait, the worse and more expensive it will get. Make sure they check all the way around the house as well. There might be other areas that you don't know about.
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
3 years ago
IMO if you are going to install an aluminum storm door, your choice of colors for your door is limited to the colors offered for the storm doors.

Black Door with Black Storm door.

These are the available colors for standard storm door
The_Lane_Duo
3 years ago
It looks like the gutter to the right is leaking & not working properly. See the discoloration near the upper door? I would address the issue there before moving forward with anything else.

How should I pretty up the front door area?

Comments (8)

HU-187528210

HU-187528210

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