The cheapest curb appeal there is
A quart of exterior paint and a Saturday morning: repainting the front door is the smallest project with the biggest effect on how a house looks from the street. Real estate agents suggest it before listing for a reason. It is also easy to get wrong, because a door color has to work with the siding, the trim, the brick, the roof and the house numbers all at once.
Seeing the door on your own house settles it quickly. A red that looks cheerful on a chip can fight with red brick. A black door can disappear on a dark gray house. Try three or four in a row and the right one is usually obvious.
Door and siding pairings that work
Some combinations show up again and again on houses that look good from the curb:
- White or light gray siding: black, deep red, navy or a saturated green door.
- Navy or dark blue siding: a warm yellow, red or a natural wood-look door.
- Gray or greige siding: navy, black, or a teal for a little personality.
- Red or brown brick: black, deep green or navy rather than another red.
- Sage or green siding: black, a deep plum-red, or a soft white door.
Before you open the can
Front doors get direct sun and lots of handling, so pick an exterior paint made for doors and trim, usually in a satin or semi-gloss sheen. Glossier finishes look a shade darker and richer than flat chips. Copy the code from your favorite render, paint a sample on a piece of board, and hold it against the door at the time of day you usually come home.