Front and Center: What Statement Does Your Entry Door Make?

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Whether you’re trying to sell a new home or pass your house on to the next generation, front entry door color carries outsized importance.

Kiki Redhead is the color and trend lead for industrial coatings with Sherwin-Williams. Her job is to forecast color trends by predicting how industry, product and consumer preferences, and consumer purchasing behavior will evolve. She says fashionable colors for entry doors emerge to either blend in with or stand out against the popular neutral hues of a housing market.

“Curb appeal is a home’s first impression, much like the clothes we wear,” Redhead explained. “It’s the outside world’s view of the type of house we keep, and correlates to the thoughts and emotions someone will form prior to entering the home. If you put effort and care into the exterior, you most likely have done the same inside.”

While color coordination counts, it should be far from the only consideration. Because, intentional or not, your front door makes a personal statement. The trendiest hues for entry doors typically fall into one of four color categories, and according to Redhead, each one says something different.

“I see these color families as a long-term trend,” Redhead said. “The specific hues may shift slightly, but you can always rely on a classic red, navy or black.”

Vibrant shades of red, yellow and orange can grab attention, promote positivity and lighten the mood of visitors. “A yellow like Sherwin-Williams’ Lemon Twist or Decisive Yellow makes the boldest design statement, plus they are the most fun and can create high contrast, depending on the other colors that surround,” Redhead said.

But bright isn’t always right. If it works for your home, don’t be afraid to turn to the dark side.

A black front door is considered bold, elegant and timeless. Shades of black and dark gray – such as Sherwin-Williams’ Tricorn Black, Elephant Ear and Colonial Revival Gray – may also boost your home’s resale value. Zillow’s analysis of 132,000 homes sold since 2010 found that painting a front door black or gray can help fetch up to $6,271 more. Even choosing navy blue – black’s fraternal twin – can increase a home’s sale by an average of more than $1,500.

“They are both powerful colors,” Redhead said of black and navy. “They represent sophistication, elegance, luxury, confidence and certainty; all wonderful qualities you would want your home to exude [when it’s] on the market.”

All colors above are shown on an Andersen® straightline glass panel entry door.