Make an entrance: doors that say "welcome home"
/Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press• August 1, 2015
If you are looking for a summer pick-me-up for your home, you've come to the right place! The front door of your home.
This will change everything. It's one of my favorite decorating tricks that gives you a big change for little investment. It will make you happy every time you walk in front door. It sets the tone for your home. It doesn't cost much. And you can do it today!
Benjamin Moore's Crete Countryside is a beautiful green tone for a front door. Photo: Benjamin Moore
It's simple. Pick out a gorgeous color and paint your front door.
Some doors just speak to you. A bright bold color in a high gloss finish. Perhaps with shutters. A wreath on the door. It just screams "welcome everyone."
Think about it. It's the first thing people see and the last one on many homeowners' to do list. The color of the front door offers a teasing glimpse into your home. It gives you a chance to do something bold, fun and playful. As a Fort Myers interior decorator who spends a lot of time helping clients with color palettes, I always encourage homeowners to start at the front door.
Take a step back and think about the style of the door, along with the trim and siding that frame it. But don't over think it! This is the one place where you really can't make a mistake and it should be fun.
It's a chance to use a color that you may be a little tentative about putting on your walls or in fabric for your sofa. But you love the color so try it on the door. Front doors should be an accent color. A dramatic, bold shade. And it can be a color that is not repeated anywhere else in your home although this is not a rule!
So now is good time to think about your favorite front door colors. And make a statement.
Pick a bold, fun color for your front door. One that you love but might not use inside your home.
You may love a deep dark purple but it's just too much for your living room. But not for your front door. My front door is currently a bright, bold turquoise that would be too much for my interior walls. But as a front door color, it is pure happiness and makes me smile when I pull into the driveway.
Benjamin Moore's wildberry in high gloss. Photo: Benjamin Moore.
Some of my favorite front door colors: red, indigo, orange, black, green, yellow, dark gray, blue. Done in high gloss so it pops!
A front door color makes an immediate impact, complementing the style of the home and improving curb appeal. Your home is a good guide for what works and what doesn't when it comes to choosing front door colors. Take into account the materials, colors inherent in those materials, style, and surrounding landscape.
And to really make it fun: carry the color around to the interior side of the door! Be brave!
The color you choose for your door says a lot about you. All for the investment of a can of paint. And the best news of all: if you don't love it, you can easily change it tomorrow!
Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator. Home Inspirations appears the first Saturday of each month. Visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 949-1808 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog. And to see a selection of her favorite color palettes, go to www.pinterest.com/ wrendagoodwyn
