From energetic fire-engine red to soothing muted coral, red is a popular color for front doors. Here’s how to find the best hue for your home.
Kelly Roberson is a home and garden writer with more than 20 years of experience as a writer and editor. She has been a project manager, editor, and writer for a long list of magazines, including many gardening, home design, and holiday crafts titles. brown masonry paint
Jessica Bennett is an editor, writer, and former digital assistant home editor at BHG.
Crimson, salmon, burgundy, scarlet, ruby: With so many hues to choose from, a red front door can work for anyone. It offers playful energy or traditional elegance, draws a striking contrast, or complements your existing color scheme. A red front door is a popular choice regardless of the shade and can make an otherwise bland exterior pop. This quick and easy update adds a big boost of curb appeal to your home. If you've decided to refresh your home's facade, picking a shade that works with your exterior is the next step. Follow these tips to choose the right red for your front door.
In general, different shades of the color red are made by adjusting the amounts of white and black, as well as by varying the intensities of bases. For example, a deep, rich burgundy has much more black in it than a soft shade of red. On the home above, the muted shade of this red front door incorporates more white for a soft salmon appearance that complements the crisp white trim and architectural details.
Suggested Paint Color: 100 Mph P170-7, Behr
Whatever your home's architectural style, a red front door can complement that design and establish a mood that's apparent from the street. A deep, rich red creates soothing and solid feelings. On the other hand, a brighter, more electric hue will convey much more energy and excitement. Decide what you want your exterior to say, and select a red front door color that provokes that feeling.
Suggested Paint Color: Stop SW 6869, Sherwin-Williams
A red front door can complement or contrast the rest of your home's exterior and provide an accent to its particular style. For example, a dark-colored siding or brick exterior may need the impact of a brighter red front door. On the other hand, a lighter shade of siding might benefit from a darker hue of red. Both choices will help draw attention to the door and offer an attractive focal point.
Suggested Paint Color: Red 2000-10, Benjamin Moore
Your home's style provides guidelines for the best shades for your red front door. A traditionally styled door could call for a more classic hue. A cottage or contemporary-style home offers more design and color flexibility, with options like a quirky candy-apple red or a sophisticated ruby shade. However, design rules can always be broken, so choose a color you love.
Suggested Paint Color: Red Gumball PPG1187-7, PPG
tile adhesive If you have a few samples of red that you're trying to choose from, test them out. Paint swatches a few inches apart and near the surrounding door frame, then step back to see how they look. View them from various angles and distances, including from the driveway and the street. When it comes to sheens, high-gloss red paint adds elegance and complements a traditional home, but it also shows the most blemishes, while semi-gloss paint will give you a red front door you love while hiding imperfections.