The classic coastal combination of blue, grey and white speaks relaxation and serenity, and can be easily achieved with a front door in an elegant blue. (Front door in Resene Blue Night and trims in Resene Alabaster). Project by Emily Somerville-Ryan. Image by Bryce Carleton.
First impressions last, and that includes the impact of your home. In particular, your entrance, whether it's part of a large porch or a small, understated entrance. A statement front door sets the tone for the rest of the house, whether the aesthetic is bright and cheerful, pretty and pastel or soft and dusky – the ideas for a unique style are endless.
Painting your front door in a colour you love is a way of adding your personality to your home’s exterior. Not only will you be stamping your style, but you’re also enhancing the curb appeal and making a pleasant impression on those who visit your house. Boosting your curb appeal can apply whether you’re looking to sell or not. After all, what’s better than coming home to your dream colour on your front door each day?
It will also give people a hint about who you are as a person and your tastes. So stay true to yourself, not just the current trends, when choosing your colour. If you love people, you could evoke that warmth in your door colour, selecting a cheerful yellow of a warming terracotta to extend that warmth to visitors visually.
Let your door do the talking and say hello in a cheerful yellow (Resene Turbo), making a stylish statement against its white weatherboard setting (Resene Black White). Project by Vanessa Nouwens. Image by Bryce Carleton.
You might have an ordinary home exterior colour-wise. A captivating hue can give this an instant lift.
With the front door being a small surface area, it provides a chance to be bold, unexpected and brave, where you may not feel comfortable doing so elsewhere in the house.
For a dose of sunshine, an upbeat ray of happiness, look to colours such as the summery Resene Gorse or the richer tones of Resene Energy Yellow. This implies your home is warm and welcoming, and you’re always happy to invite friends in even if it’s unexpected.
To evoke the azure blue-greens of the beach, perfectly fitting if you have an affinity for coastal-inspired interiors, go for hues such as Resene French Pass, Resene Foam or Resene Seagull. More turquoise tones, such as Resene Curious Blue, Resene Lochmara or Resene Malibu will throw a more resounding punch. These blues speak of someone who is drawn to a calm setting, and who appreciates order and serenity in their home.
For a fun-filled feeling that will elevate your every day, celebrate colours that pop, such as the roses of Resene Glorious or Resene Rapture. There are also the upbeat shades of orange in Resene Sunshade or Resene Tango. They indicate that you like a bit of fun, and these hues will pop out from a home’s exterior in a pale hue as well as walls in darker shades of indigo or grey.
Gentle pretty hues such as periwinkle blue, soft lavender or dusky pink nod towards more romantic soul.
A serene white will evoke a sense of serenity and peace, and a similar impact is found in green, which conjures up a sense of someone who likes to feel grounded and at peace.
For a playful approach to your home’s exterior, bring in a bold colour onto your door, coating your exterior window trims in the same colour. This works particularly well if your exterior walls are in an understated hue or dark, needing something to offset them.
Resene colour consultant Brenda Ngatai says a painted front door helps to anchor the front of the home, leading whoever is approaching the house where to go.
“Painted front entrance doors are a great idea if the layout and design of the exterior allows,” she says. “It signals the direction and can formalise ‘the front entrance door’.”
The main aspect to remember, Brenda says, is that the chosen door paint colour has to harmonise with the hue on the rest of the home, no matter how daring or gentle your door colour is. “I’m often asked by homeowners what’s an excellent front entrance door colour? An essential key to it all, is that it needs to work with the overall exterior colour scheme and show individuality and personality.”
For more help choosing colours for your home, visit your Resene ColorShop, www.resene.co.nz/colorshops, or use the free Ask a Colour Expert service online, www.resene.co.nz/colourexpert.