Front Door Color Ideas

6 months ago

last modified: 6 months ago

Hey - looking for some input on a fiberglass exterior door color. The door faces west so gets a lot of sun and wind. As you can see from the pictures, the bottom part is peeling and the rubber door sweep will need to be replaced. Googling, it looks like we should paint versus stain since the door gets a lot of sun. The only color I am really anti is yellow--any shade.

The exterior siding color is Sherwin Williams 6257 Gibraltar Duration Flat. It is a blue-gray but sometimes looks bluer in different weather situations. The roof was re-done last summer and is Owens Corning Pacific Wave. The chimney brick is brown and we won't be painting it.

Also, the flowers to the left of the door are changed out seasonally for spring, summer, fall and winter so don't worry about those.

Two other questions:

1) Should the door frame be the same color as the exterior door, or should it match the white trim?

2) Should the inside of this exterior door be the same color as the outside?

Thanks for all your great ideas!

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PRO

Beth H. :

6 months ago

last modified: 6 months ago

(I've listed a bunch of photos and photoshop w/diff door colors/ styles. see if you like any)

I wouldn't get one of those fiberglass doors, especially not one that looks like this

Your current door is perfectly usable and fits the style of the home.

Sand it, put a wood sealer on it, (it dries quikcly) , then prime it. lightly sand one more time to make it smooth, wipe clean. now paint

I did an almost identical door for a customer awhile back. her door was in pretty rough shape.

I did a lot of sanding to get it down to raw wood and remove the dried up rough spots.

(she wanted this color get it to match some spanish tile she was using on the porch)

leave the trim white and see about doing a darker door. maybe a Hale navy color.

I did the garage door too. bring in a container w/flowers or plants and put that by the door.

You also need a new light that points downward. the other one is too close to your motion light? if you have to keep those white lights, please paint them the same color as the siding

You could also opt to do this door style in the same color as the siding. diff light, lose the flower thing, and do a container plant. (have you thought about painting your brick?)

Any of these other blues should work w/Gibralter. even the lighter colors would look nice

A lighter color would get you something like this. remove the flower cone and instead do a nice container planting w/flowers and greenery. I like this light too. I added a nice address plaque and covered that white plate. (if it must stay, paint it)

If you hate your door, then at least get one that looks a bit more modern to go w/the 1960's style of the home.

Get it in mahogany and do two coats of a good quality marine varnish to protect it from the UV rays:

or, get a pre-primed one like this, and paint it a darker brick red color. add some gold hardware, numbers, red pot w/bright greenery:

if you really want to take it up a notch, go dark (and accent it w/bright fuschia color flowers)

This is Tricorn black on the garage door, a black/silver vertical address plaque (easy to make yourself) the down turned light, and the dark, more modern 5-lite front door. This front door is more of a painted metal (which looks amazing) ,

but you could do black, Wrought Iron, Peppercorn (might match your siding color a bit better) or Iron Ore.

I also think doing larger glass or glass lites in the door fit your home a bit better.

I used Wrought Iron on my own exterior. it's a nice shade and would look great w/your siding and brick.

here's a diff door style in a straight black, brightly color container flowers, black garage, white trim

If you did your garage and front door in Peppercorn, it would resemble this color

Notice how the bright green foilage really compliments those blue-gray colors.

keeping your white trim and doing the garage doors in the same siding color, or a shade darker or lighter.

Stonington Gray is a compliment to Gibralter. you could try this on the door, the trim or the garage, or all three.

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Comments (15)

Susan
6 months ago
I think a white framed glass door will brighten up the entry inside and out in that corner and complement the style of the house.
hj_pet2 thanked Susan
ffpalms
6 months ago
last modified: 6 months ago
Here are a of couple ideas. They both rely on repeating the door color elsewhere in the entry area. I also think you should consider painting the garage door the same as your siding. I would paint the door trim the same as the door color.
hj_pet2 thanked ffpalms
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hj_pet2
Original Author
6 months ago
Ooh! I really like the idea of painting the garage doors the same color as the siding.
elcieg
6 months ago
last modified: 6 months ago
If you go with Gibralter on the garage doors, I would paint the trim of the door white and the door itself the color of the brick....Warm Stone 7032 in a gloss finish.

Then I would cover the pavers with more of the crushed stone and top with stepping stones.
hj_pet2 thanked elcieg
hj_pet2
Original Author
6 months ago
I like that door color option. If we put crushed stone and stepping stones on top of the pavers, will we have issues in the winter? The snow blows heavily into that corner and we shovel and snow blow the area. Just wondering if crushed stones and stepping stones will be hardy enough for our climate.
decoenthusiaste
6 months ago
White would be the best bet on a west facing door, IMO. Probably would say the same for the garage door since it gets the same harsh sun.
hj_pet2 thanked decoenthusiaste
PRO
Beth H. :
6 months ago
last modified: 6 months ago
Exterior paints (some of them) have UV protectants. Or she can coat it w/a clear exterior varnish. Most exterior paint should have a color fading protectant in the formula. (the good brands will)

However, here's a photoshop of a white door (from Lowes)

this door is better looking
hj_pet2 thanked Beth H. :
hj_pet2
Original Author
6 months ago
Beth, thanks for so many great ideas! I'll really have to think about this more. Normally we do have a plant by the front door, but only for about 3 months since we live in MN and that door corner gets tons of snow and ice--not plant friendly. Thanks for all the time and effort you put in. I really appreciate it! (Note: we are keeping the existing door which is a fiberglass door--just need to paint it and fix the bottom area. It really keeps the westerly wind from coming in our small entryway. We replaced an old hollow oak door which 3 rectangular windows that was the original. It was light purple when we bought the place; we stripped it and it was orange underneath; we stripped that and stained the door a wood color. Eventually we replaced that leaky door with the good winter fiberglass door--it has just faded so much over the years.) One more thing...if I may ask...if we end up keeping the garage doors white, is there one of your exterior door colors you mentioned that you like best with it? Thanks, again. :)
PRO
Beth H. :
6 months ago
last modified: 6 months ago
if we end up keeping the garage doors white, is there one of your exterior door colors you mentioned that you like best with it? Thanks, again. :)

Can I see a full picture of the front showing the whole garage? hard to say since I really can't see the entire thing.

I do like this look w/the white garage (but look into doing some iron carriage hardware)

The exterior lighting and the address is must for this look. and those funky white lights? can you do something else w/those?

I don't care for the wall mounted flower holder. in the warm months do a nice ceramic pot (or whatever) w/some annuals. maybe in the colder months switch to a wreath or some type of urn w/winter plants.

The red might be nice too. do a white plaque w/gold numbers

The white isn't bad either. But I'm not sure if I'd like it on that current door. (Why not sand that door and get it prepped and primed. Use Zinnser oil based paint. Take a picture of it w/the white primer. lets see how it looks.

all the other accessories would be a must.

My favorites would the darker combos

switch up you mat, and some other container plants (since the bougainvillea would be dead by october!)
hj_pet2 thanked Beth H. :
elcieg
6 months ago
last modified: 6 months ago
I have an idea how to cover the pavers and I can attest to a product like this, as we have it all around our pool....synthetic grass. Last winter was our first experience with the grass and it is a winner. the shovel just slides along the turf. You have to get one that drains...holes on the back side of it. We went the whole 9 yards with the install, here the business is called Forever Lawn, but you can also buy pre cut mats...just make sure it can drain.

BTW, it is pet friendly and you can clean it with a hose.
hj_pet2
Original Author
6 months ago
Thanks. So, it works with like 3 feet of snow and ice (which is typical for our front entry in the wintertime).
hj_pet2
Original Author
6 months ago
Beth, here's a picture of the entire garage (early spring before any plants were put out or bushes bloomed). Although I like the idea of painting the garages a darker color, I'm wondering if it would make the whole house too dark (since we have winter for so many months) and also if we'd lose the nice contrast.
PRO
Beth H. :
6 months ago
last modified: 6 months ago
I think I'd add some iron hardware to them, get your new door, and reassess.

Here's a dark door w/dark siding. I don't think it looks too dark. (especially if you consider doing the brick white. I think then it look amazing)

Honestly though, I think painting that brick white would make your home look way brighter and more cohesive. The romabio is a single coat w/no upkeep. it naturally patinas and wears over 10-15 years. at that point you could apply another coat. It also lets the brick breathe and resists mold. just something to think about.

even a light limewash on the brick may look nice and tie into the white. you could paint the siding any color you like.
hj_pet2
Original Author
6 months ago
Thanks so much, Beth, for all your input! You have so many great ideas. Two summers ago we had our siding professionally prepared, primed and painted, and we upped and bought the higher level SW paint that is supposed to last 10 years. We chose that color and absolutely love it, and it goes great with our new roof we had done fall 2021. So, we won't be repainting the house. Before that, our house was a very dull green-gray.

We'll definitely look at adding metal hardware to the garage doors, painting the front door (once we pick a color), updating the lights, adding house lettering by the door, new doormat, removing the garage door coder (we never use it anyway), etc. We're leaving the natural brown chimney brick and brick wraparound as we like how it brings warmth to the house. Also, with large white garage doors, white soffits, white fascia, and white trim, painting the brick white would be too much white, too stark, and not hold much visual interest, compared to the texture and shades in the brown brick.