Red Doors Spice Up Home Fronts
Quaint or contemporary, a red door can be a key ingredient in creating a warm, welcoming entry to your home
Elizabeth Arden was onto something when she painted the door to her Fifth Avenue salon a bright, bold red. A crimson door is a wonderful welcome to any home or business. Even more welcoming is a red door with a window adjoining or embedded in the door; the glass gives a feeling of openness and lets light into the interior.
When painting an existing door red, be sure to test several colors to find a red that complements your house color. You should use the best-quality exterior paint that you can afford for a lasting finish (high-gloss paint is a common choice). Red doors can also be made from red-stained wood, metal or other composite materials.
I rounded up photos of 11 front doors in various shades of red and a wide variety of styles. From cool and contemporary to cottage cute, there's a red door for every home.
When painting an existing door red, be sure to test several colors to find a red that complements your house color. You should use the best-quality exterior paint that you can afford for a lasting finish (high-gloss paint is a common choice). Red doors can also be made from red-stained wood, metal or other composite materials.
I rounded up photos of 11 front doors in various shades of red and a wide variety of styles. From cool and contemporary to cottage cute, there's a red door for every home.
This red door is so quaint it almost hurts. With an arched top, paned glass and a Dutch cut, it is a perfect choice for its location: picturesque Carmel Valley in California.
A red door adds to the charm of this home's elegant entrance. The geraniums and other scarlet-petal flowers near the entrance add even more welcoming color.
Red goes contemporary in this bold door on a home by architect Ana Williamson. Frosted glass is a great choice for letting in natural light while still retaining privacy.
A cardinal door paired with sunny yellow siding makes for a particularly inviting entrance. This door has panels on either side and a single pane of glass in the upper third of the door.
The facade of this home, set in a neighborhood of affordable artists' housing, respects its rural New England surroundings. Red is a traditional color for agricultural structures, and the area includes working farmland.
This kitchen by Rauser Design opens right up to the outdoors through a red door that is more glass than wood. It is painted with Redwing by Sherwin-Williams.
A double door with arched glass insets and a stained glass transom is in keeping with the Victorian architecture of this San Francisco home lovingly rejuvenated by EAG Studio. Brass kickplates extend the life of the door.
Red is a natural choice for this barn-style door of a contemporary cabin by Swaback Partners. A nearby collection of walking sticks adds to the woodsy charm.
A porthole-style window is a playful choice for this arched cherry-colored doorway. It hints at the nautical theme that continues inside this carriage house.
Even apartment buildings and offices can benefit from a welcoming scarlet door. Designer Tineke Triggs snapped this photo of the entrance to her Artistic Designs for Living office. The zebra-patterned carpeting gives the hall a sense of Hollywood glamour.
Cranberry-hued doors aren't just for New England. This California residence maintains a distinctly West Coast vibe with its slate and river rock path, potted palms, native grasses and midcentury-style red entry.
More:
Fresh Start: Paint the Front Door
How to Choose a Front Door
What Does Your Front Door Say?
More:
Fresh Start: Paint the Front Door
How to Choose a Front Door
What Does Your Front Door Say?