front door of your house

May 22, 2023

You open and close the door several times a day (to go to work, to walk the dog, and to empty the recycling), without thinking too much about it. But during the holidays your door will be in full view of friends and family you may not have seen in a while.

"The first thing guests see before entering your home is the door," says Marco Bizzley, certified interior designer and consultant at HouseGrail.com. "A refreshed door makes a great first impression."

Redesigning your front door can increase the curb appeal of your home , and not just when you're considering selling it. Making changes to your front door can alter the look of your entire home.

Thomas Jepsen, CEO of online architecture platform Passion Plans, says, "Most people see the front door as purely utilitarian, but it can also bring satisfaction to where you live and beautify the neighborhood."

Here are eight ways to make your front door stand out.

blue colored door with a hanging garland

COURTESY POWER HOME REMODELING

Blue doors and seasonal wreaths are in fashion.

1. Paint it

One of the easiest, fastest and cheapest changes to make is to paint the door . Choose a bold color to stand out, or a color that reflects your personality. The most popular colors are blue (especially royal blue), red, and yellow. You don't need a lot of paint, so experts advise buying a quart pot instead of a full gallon to save money. For those who paint themselves, it can cost as little as $20.

Experts recommend choosing an exterior paint suitable for the door's material, whether it's wood or metal, and sanding it down so the paint will adhere. However, before sanding, Jepsen suggests checking previous paint for lead. Although toxic lead paint was banned in 1978, if your home was built before then, the paint on your front door may contain lead. The US Environmental Protection Agency has approved three home test kits: 3M LeadCheck ($11 for a pack of two tests), D-Lead ($39.50 for seven tests), and one that is required for use in Massachusetts and is available only for professionals of that state.

2. Renew the lighting

Lighting not only improves security, but also allows you to change the atmosphere and highlight special features in your home. At Christmas, everything revolves around lights, whether it's garlands around the door or as porch decorations, says Kelly Fitzsimmons, a Chicago-area holiday lighting designer.

You can keep Christmas lights around your front door year-round, or change the color seasonally; yellow for Easter, for example. Don't have power outlets outside? Try battery-powered sensor lights. Other lighting options include hanging a lantern above the door, or installing vertical downlights on either side to create a soft glow.

3. Change the door

Installing a new front door can transform the entire look of your home, says Michael DiMartino, senior vice president of installations at Power Home Remodeling, a Philadelphia-area company. This option can also increase the security of your home or make it more energy efficient, he adds.

Experts recommend that the style of the front door matches that of your house. If your home is mid-century modern, go for a retro option, like an aqua door with square windows. Bizzley likes Dutch doors (also called "split doors"), in which the top and bottom sections can be opened and closed separately. A Dutch door can cost anywhere from $750 to almost $2,000, installation included.

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