Front door colour ideas – 9 shades to elevate your home’s entrance and set it apart from the rest on your road

If you’re looking to make your home stand out from the rest and make your entrance inviting both for you and your guests, then choosing the right front door colour idea is key – but it’s also a fairly easy and inexpensive way to give your home’s exterior a stylish update.

Whether you’re not afraid of bright shades or prefer more muted but sophisticated colours, the perfect colourful front door idea will largely depend on your and your home’s style and colour palette – as your front door should be an extension of what goes on inside.

‘The best front door colours are the ones that work with your home’s character while offering a welcoming feel,’ says Victoria Yardley of Victory Colours.

Front door colour ideas 

‘Increase your kerb appeal with a spring refresh in the form of a front door makeover,’ encourages Sara D’Souza, content strategist and creator at Frenchic Paint. ‘Spring and the warmer months (as long as it’s dry) is the perfect time to start al fresco painting.’

So look to the weather forecast to plan the perfect day to makeover your front door and get to this easy DIY project.

1. Elevate your door with rich jewel tones

Rich jewel tones like the unexpected purple colour trend are getting more and more popular this year in interiors – so it’s only natural for this paint trend to be extended to your home’s exterior and the front door.

‘Think jewel shades, like the rich, inviting, olive hues of Constance Moss or the velvety dark blue of After Midnight. We’re increasingly getting braver with colour on our front doors, and a vintage green like Victory Lane will really make your home stand out,’ Sara at Frenchic says.

2. Go for timeless sage green

Whether you want to go for a timeless shade or for a colour that could boost the value of your home if you’re looking to sell in the near future, sage green is among the most favoured in either case.

‘If you’re looking to sell your home, timeless classics like Wise Old Sage will never go out of style,’ Sara at Frenchic says.

Marianne Shillingford, creative director and colour expert at Dulux, continues, ‘If you’d prefer a gentler greeting, then I’d suggest using the colours that reflect the most familiar hues of nature. Try a green like Fresh Sage that reflects the door’s eye view of the world which surrounds your home and link them together beautifully.’

3. Opt for sophisticated olive

Olive green was one of the trending green shades of last summer. But the undeniable grown-up sophistication of the shade has made it stick around for longer than a season. And we predict we’ll all be obsessed with olive green for a long time, whether that’s in our homes, clothes or on our front door.

‘Deep green shades like olive green are a fantastic nod to nature and feel wonderfully grounding,’ Victoria at Victory Colours says.

4. Choose an unexpected red with a twist

Despite its boldness and vibrancy, red is quite a traditional colour choice for front doors, especially for those wanting some colour. But this year, it’s not the classic red that’s enjoying much popularity. Instead, it’s all about the red with a twist.

‘Red is really on trend at the moment and is unlikely to be going anywhere soon,’ says Michael Rolland, paint expert and managing director at The Paint Shed. ‘It’s great for enhancing both a home’s playfulness and elegance. There is a definite shift from classic fire-engine red shades, seeing them replaced by richer, more sophisticated tones like burgundy and terracotta.’

5. Be bold with bright orange

Set the tone for the rest of your home with a stand out shade. Orange is a vivid colour so give it the finishing touch and a touch of visual balance with white self-adhesive door numbers.

'They’re the perfect budget-friendly option and come in a wide range of designs or customise your own using our bespoke templates,' says Joanna Baumard, co-founder of Purlfrost. 'The end product is a cost-effective alternative to having your glass professionally etched and is very easy to install. Each number sticker can also be used on any smooth non-porous surface like steel, plastic, as well as varnished or painted wood.'

6. Lift your mood with sunny yellow

If you adore colour then go for it – and if you have wood detailing that can be painted in the same shade then all the better, it will really create a focal point and become a design feature in its own right.

'If you’re feeling brave, I’d try a colour that’s bursting with joy – like a yellow, something that’s going to make you feel happy to get home whatever type of day you’ve had. My front door is currently yellow, I painted it in our Colour of the Year, True Joy and I love it,' Marianne at Dulux says.

7. Embrace regal dark blues

Dark blue shades, including navy, royal blue and nearly black blues, will add depth to your exterior. And they're ideal if you don't want to stand out, but still create a statement.

'Classic navy is always a winner – it’s elegant, works with any style, and never looks dated,' Victoria at Victory Colours says.

Michael at The Paint Shed continues, 'The Notting Hill-style front door is popular and for good reason. Try a luxurious dark or royal blue like Farrow & Ball's Blue Maize. It’s timeless, bold and a great colour choice for giving your exteriors an elevated sense of sophistication.'

8. Keep it pretty in pink

'For added warmth, consider a soft pop of pink with Dusky Blush,' Sara at Frenchic says.

Pink is becoming a more popular front door option, and if you've painted the rest of your exterior using another colour then choose a front door shade that's vibrant enough to hold its own.

Warming yet feminine, pink is a friendly shade that makes it a good choice and one that will make you smile as you walk up your path even on the darkest and wet wintery days!

9. Opt for soft pastel blue

A gentle colour that's easy on the eye, sky blue is a good solid choice if you want a clean and fresh looking front door and it looks smart with crisp white woodwork.

'The front door offers the perfect opportunity to inject some personality and there has been a significant increase in the popularity of bold and bright colours such as yellow and blue rather than the more traditional black or white,' says Helen Shaw, director of marketing at Benjamin Moore.

'Consider drawing on the natural environment and choosing tones which mimic the setting, such as sky blue or forest green as this not only adds familiarity and comfort to the home but complements nature rather than distract from it.'

FAQs

What colour is best for a front door?

'Your front door is a great introduction to the interiors that lie beyond, so choose your colour to express the personality of the household and be bold, but do consider how the chosen colour will sit with your brick, stone or render,' advises Patrick O'Donnell, brand ambassador at Farrow & Ball.

'Rich, jewel-toned blues and dark, smoky greens will act as a great backdrop especially if you are blessed with a verdant front garden of mature trees and shrubs, these paint colours will flatter the landscaping enormously, whereas bright yellows will always shout a welcoming hello to your friends & neighbours!'

What is the best paint for a front door that gets a lot of sunlight?

'Colours can often look several shades lighter when used on a south-facing frontage that is flooded with light throughout the day,' says Patrick O'Donnell at Farrow & Ball. 'Using a bolder shade will give your door maximum kerb appeal, and prevent it from becoming washed out by the light!'

'The front door is a hard working area and therefore you need to ensure you use the correct paint, especially if it is an area which is exposed to a lot of sunlight,' advises Anna Hill, brand director at Fenwick & Tilbrook. 'Our exterior eggshell finish uses exterior grade pigments and won’t yellow overtime. It has been designed to protect outdoor woodwork even in the harshest of weather and as it is water based it is not only very low in VOCs but will also flex with the wood, whereas oil based paints can be prone to going brittle and cracking.

A bright bold and sunshiny yellow such as Summer Glow will look fabulous in the sunshine, as will the burnt orange of Shepherd’s Delight or the terracotta pink of Marrakech. For a more neutral option, Portobello Road offers a soft, warm tone which will look elegant and welcoming in the sunshine.'

Even though there are front door colour mistakes that could be made, we believe that just like with the interior of your home, your front door colour choice should be based on what you like and gravitate towards. Is it classic black? Great! Or bright, sunny yellow? Even better!