When doing a home makeover, few people give their front door much thought. But this particular piece of your home is one that deserves more attention! From materials and architectural design to paint color and door texture, you’ve got plenty of options when it comes to front door decor. And that’s not even to mention the bounty of accessories you can choose! So, let’s open the door to some fantastic door decor ideas (and mistakes to avoid).
Why Your Front Door Decor Matters
Front door decor may not seem very important in the grand scheme of things. But, think about it for a moment: You probably walk through your front door at least once a day. It’s something you see all the time and one of the first things that passers-by and visitors notice about your home. It becomes pretty clear that your front door decor should be high up on your remodeling priority list!
So, where do you begin? First, remember that your front door should be part of your home’s current (or intended) aesthetic. That means matching your front door decor with the rest of the house’s facade. However, what many people don’t realize is that your front door’s design should match the interior of your home, too. After all, the door does have two sides!
Also, be aware of the fact that front door decor isn’t limited to holiday decorations. Sure, it’s fun to put out some pumpkins on the porch for Halloween, and who can resist hanging up a beautiful wreath around Christmas time? While these are certainly enjoyable activities, such adornment isn’t really appropriate year-round. You should pay heed to decorative elements that will stand the test of time from spring to winter. For that reason, it pays to be mindful of details like mailboxes and door knockers (more on that later). With the fine print out of the way, let’s get into the nitty gritty of front door decor!
Choosing a Color for Your Door
Selecting an appropriate paint color is perhaps the most important part of re-doing your front door decor. This is because it’s the first thing people will notice about the door before they even step onto your property. There are a few factors that will help you determine which color is right for you.
Firstly, consider the rest of your home’s color scheme: What shade is the exterior? What colors decorate your home’s interior? You want your front door color to match both of these. Not necessarily an exact match, but a pairing that’s complementary and intuitively makes sense. You should also ask yourself whether the door color you have in mind works not only with your home’s interior but also its overall architectural style. For example, a bold scarlet works well for a modern home, but ivory would be better suited to a Victorian-style house.
The wooden door perfectly complements the wood window shutters.
Next, you should consider the psychology of colors. What emotion do you want to evoke? Every shade conveys its own feeling. For example, yellow is inherently cheerful and uplifting. By contrast, black creates a cool and collected aura, something a little more sophisticated. Light pink tones such as blush and millennial pink are romantic and whimsical, whereas blue hues might transport viewers to relaxing tropical islands. If you’re focused on creating a welcoming atmosphere, pastel and neutral tones such as baby blue or beige work nicely.
Lastly, think about your outdoor surroundings. If you live close to a forest or other wild, natural biome, there’ll be a lot of dust in the air. White or other light colors will show dirt very easily, so choosing a darker color would be better. By contrast, if you live in an apartment block shielded from the elements, you’re pretty much at liberty to pick any color your heart desires!
This neutral beige works wonderfully with the home’s stone walls.
Front Door Decor Ideas
Now that you’ve chosen your ideal color, let’s take a look at the real star of the show: your front door decoration. Here are some great ideas for sprucing up your threshold, from teeny tiny details to major adornments:
Flowers and plants
A bit of greenery and some blooms liven up any room or yard, and your home’s entrance is no exception. There are plenty of options when it comes to using plants to decorate it, but bear in mind that they’ll be somewhat limited by how much space you have. Having said that, take a look at these plant suggestions:
- Potted: Whether big or small, planters will make a great addition to your front door decor.
- Hanging: If you have a gutter running along the top of your front door, hanging plant baskets will add a wonderful touch.
- Trellis: Ivy and other creeping greenery such as passionfruit (if your climate is right) lend an air of grandeur to any front door.
Side note: If you don’t have a green thumb, faux flowers will do just fine!
Door furniture
You’ll be forgiven for thinking of outdoor chairs or tables when you hear “door furniture.” This actually refers to decorative ornaments you can use as front door decor, including:
- Door knobs: Every door needs a handle, and this piece of equipment is the perfect opportunity to carry out your preferred aesthetic to the front door decor.
- Knockers: While most people ring a bell or call a cell when they need to be let in, a door knocker can still be used to add a bit of flair to your front door.
- Mailboxes: Most people use e-mail these days, but that shouldn’t stop you from choosing a fabulous mailbox to complement your home’s exterior design.
An appropriate doormat can also go a long way in spicing up your front door decor. As with all the above, make sure the style, color, graphics or patterns and material of your doormat make sense when viewed in tandem with the rest of your entrance and porch.
Metallic embellishments and lots of greenery add flair to many front doors.
Avoid These Design Mistakes
It’s time to take a look at the other side of the coin: That is, what not to do. There are plenty of ways to enhance your front door’s aesthetic and equally as many ways to ruin it. So, without further ado, let’s look at a front door faux pas or two and how to prevent them:
Choosing the wrong color or materials
As you might guess, selecting an inappropriate shade for your front door is a crucial error. If you’re unsure about your pick, consult a color wheel or paint brochure. They often have helpful tips and tricks on choosing the best color to suit the rest of your home’s interior and exterior. In the same vein, certain materials won’t work well with each other. For example, you don’t want to pair an old oak door with slate tiles on the surrounding facade. Make sure your material pairings are cohesive.
Relying on holiday decor
Halloween decor during fall and Christmas door decor are entertaining, there’s no doubt about that! Ornaments like white pumpkins, red berries and even just a traditional wreath or garland can be costly, and they’re not exactly perennial. So, don’t lean on holiday adornments to spruce up your front door decor. Rather opt for permanent fixtures that will stand the test of time all year round.
Holiday decor like wreaths can be fun, but it’s not evergreen.
Selecting inappropriate hardware
Similar to choosing materials that pair well together, you’ll want to pay close attention to the odds and ends you add to your front door decor to ensure they gel with the colors and materials you’ve chosen for your door and walls. For instance, an ornate classical bronze door knocker probably won’t suit a more modern and sleek door and exterior wall design. Your best bet is to research all these elements from various architectural styles or time periods to make certain they work together.
We know this is a lot of information to digest. Too much, maybe! If you’re at a loss as to how you should begin sprucing up your front door decor, don’t fret. Erika Lee of Decorating Den Interiors is here to help.
Once you’ve contacted her, she’ll organize a consultation with you. She’ll come out to take a look at your home and get a feel for your style. After she’s met with you to discuss your vision, she’ll begin drawing up some plans on how to spruce up your front door decor with style. She’ll factor in your idea(s) and your budget so that our final product aligns with your concept. She makes sure to account for even the smallest detail to ensure that no door is unopened when remodeling your home’s entrance.
So, if you’re ready to go, contact Erika today to embark on your front door decor renovation journey and decorate BEAUTIFULLY with Erika Lee!
