skip to main content

Building a Home Design Dilemma

Wood Front Door and Wood Floors.. Should they match?

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

We're in the materials/colors choice phase of our build and I at a loss as to what to do with the front door and floors. I had intended on having a wood-look (ThermaTru Classic Craft) front door. It seems that none of the colors offered really match the wood (laminate) floors that we intend to install in the home. So the question is, should the door and floor match? Should we stain the door ourselves? Does it matter? We will have white trim inside, so should the interior of the door just be white? I'm attempting to make a decision on this soon and would appreciate some guidance. Thanks!

Tldr, having trouble matching fake wood with another fake wood. Help me, internet strangers! LOL!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

PRO
HALLETT & Co.
3 years ago
Safer to have them intentionally different but the same tone. Meaning don't put in grey wood floors with a mahogany door, but light oak floors work with a walnut door because they are both brown based.
sprink1es
3 years ago
Ideally (with staining wood) it would be the same as floors to millwork - you want them about 2 shades apart on the same palette, so they compliment eachother but aren't identical. Too close (1 shade apart) and there's a good chance it'll look like you tried to match but failed, and too many shades apart it's just harder to get it to work.

Loophole is to jump to a color on the front door. White is easy/foolproof, many people go red, I'm seeing a lot of teal/aqua recently too for an accent color

It'll probably help to lay out all your current colors on a table: shingles, siding, siding trim, masonry, window casings, then pick front door and decking if you have it, then landscaping stone/etc
Related Discussions
Wood Door Color? Match trim or floor or?
Q
Comments (13)
As advised, you can stain it first and paint it later if you do not like it, but a stained door will give a much richer appearance and be easier to maintain. Painted doors look cheaper because they ARE cheaper, as nhb22 said. Since you are doing three panel craftsmen style doors, a stained finish is more traditional and will be visually more interesting. In the 1950s, many plain flat interior doors were constructed with beautiful veneers and then stained, but a cheap flat door would look better painted. Paint is used to hide ugly wood - stain is used to enhance beautiful wood.
...See More
floor debacle. should woods all match?
Q
Comments (17)
I feel like the hardwoods in the kitchen don’t go well with the cherry cabinets? I then have that huge hickory unit in the living room so I just wonder what hardwood color I could place throughout that would work with all of it? I definitely do not like the orange tone of the dining and office floor. The kitchen is yet another type, more of a brown with some red to it and a wider plank. A lot of them are hollow and lifting so we do plan on removing all of that anyways. Honestly at this point I’m thinking maybe I should remove the dining and office floors and just start all from scratch rather than buy new and then refinish all of that. I’m a little scared of the refinishing mess!! Would love any hardwood color suggestions. The sturdier the better too as we have very active dogs!
...See More
Should we try to match our wood look tile flooring?
Q
Comments (3)
Is this the only doorway where the two types of flooring will meet? If so, I think you have more flexibility to choose the type of flooring that you want to have in the other spaces, whether hardwood or tile. If you want tile, I'd choose something that is a stone look tile, but I think you could make real hardwood work if you match the color as closely as posssible. However, if you have other big areas where these two types of flooring will meet, I think you need to use a stone look tile.
...See More
should we stain trim to match wood floors or paint them white?
Q
Comments (11)
@Skylar Ghrairi you are most welcome. I am trying to explain the why in all my responses because it's so frustrating to me to post a question and get strong opinions both directions but no explanation to help me decide. Someone doesn't like my design and says it's "awful" but even after I ask why it is awful I don't get an answer. I mean, if it's "awful" shouldn't the why be pretty easy? The other thing I try to do is focus on the original question instead of mentioning a whole bunch of things the poster isn't interested in. Twice I've posted a question about materials and got my rooms redesigned. Argh!!!!! That's why I hired an architect! Hahaha... Still... I did make minor changes on the design for one of them, and the other isn't started yet, so I might yet change my design. I'm also trying to check spelling. 😁 Glad you feel good about your choice!
...See More
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
3 years ago
Is this the inside of the door or the exterior? If the inside for now do it like the trim if out sdie then we need to see the actul choices for the exterior
PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
3 years ago
Simple solution is to make the door a harmonious accent color, with the floors a natural wood color that is not the same value as the door. Good luck!

Related Stories

REMODELING GUIDES Your Floor: An Introduction to Solid-Plank Wood Floors

Get the Pros and Cons of Oak, Ash, Pine, Maple and Solid Bamboo

REMODELING GUIDES Light Wood vs Dark Wood

By Margaret Everton

See What Shades of Wood Can Do for a Space

REMODELING GUIDES Designer Confessions: Torn Between Wood Floors

By KitchenLab Interiors

19 Photos to Help You Choose a Wood Floor Finish

COLOR 11 Terrific Paint Color Matches for Wood Details

By Charmean Neithart Interiors

Pair your wood trim and cabinets with the right shade of wall paint to bring out the beauty in both

REMODELING GUIDES When to Use Engineered Wood Floors

See why an engineered wood floor could be your best choice (and no one will know but you)

REMODELING GUIDES What to Know About Engineered Wood Floors

By South Hill Interiors

Engineered wood flooring offers classic looks and durability. It can work with a range of subfloors, including concrete

REMODELING GUIDES Laminate Floors: Get the Look of Wood (and More) for Less

See what goes into laminate flooring and why you just might want to choose it

DECORATING GUIDES What Goes With Dark Wood Floors?

By Laura Gaskill

Avoid a too-heavy look or losing your furniture in a sea of darkness with these ideas for decor pairings

FLOORS What's the Right Wood Floor Installation for You?

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Straight, diagonal, chevron, parquet and more. See which floor design is best for your space

KITCHEN DESIGN 13 Alternatives to Plain Wood Flooring in the Kitchen

By Erin Carlyle

Graphic patterns, surprising transitions and unexpected materials make these kitchen floors stand out

Sponsored

Frasure Home Improvements

2 Reviews

Franklin County's Highly Skilled General Contractor

More Discussions

Roof Framing Looks Worrisome

12

It's May 2024. How is your build going?

24

Foundation house plan

16

How to compensate for an off-center window?

17

Seeking Design Advice to Elevate Our Bedroom Aesthetic

2