Creating a home exterior you can be proud of is an important part of making a first impression on visitors, neighbours and passers by. It’s also a great way to feel more at home from the minute you hit your driveway.
Personalising front doors is a great way to make your porch space feel a little more ‘you’, with there being a range of decorative and more permanent directions you can go in.
This article will explore the joys of taking traditional front doors and making them your own, offering plenty of approaches for eliciting your personality. You should feel inspired and ready to make an impact in no time.
Starting with front door styles
The first, and perhaps most important step in personalisation is determining what sort of style front door you actually want to install. There are a few primary styles that you can consider, each of which will line up differently with your broader household aesthetic.
Some of the primary styles to consider include:
- Traditional front doors. These are the classic front doors, complete with paneling, ornate or lever handles, stained windows and other old-fashioned features. They fit nicely into anything from Victorian architecture to inter-war styles.
- Cottage style front doors. Doors like these often feature vertical slatted wood, kitschy colours and natural grain textures, perfect for more rural settings.
- Contemporary front doors. More modern doors that suit minimalistic and post-1970s architectural styles. Often defined by cleaner lines, with less pronounced textures or grains.
Most of these doors can be found in the form of composite, timber or even metal constructions. A good provider will be able to offer doors in various styles made from multiple materials.
Picking your front door colour
Understanding colour psychology and your sense of aesthetic around the rest of your home exterior is vital when personalising front doors. Some direction to go in include:
- Classic and sophisticated shades like black, charcoal grey or deep navy blue
- Vibrant, energetic colours like red, yellow or turquoise
- Earthy, grounding and welcoming tones like sage green or warm natural wood
Remember, colours all have unique impacts on how you think and feel. It’s not just about creating a curated look – it’s about the sensations people will have when approaching and entering your home. Consider matching, accenting or tastefully contrasting door colours with the rest of the exterior.
Hardware and accessories
You can consider hardware the jewellery of front doors, meaning it should match the overarching style and accentuate qualities. Knockers, letter plates and house numbers can draw in the eye, while also offering suitable tactile experiences to make the physical experience suit your preferences. Polished or aged brass or iron can feel more suited to traditional front doors, while sleek, minimal hardware works better for more modern doors and homes.
Front door window and glass
It’s also vital to consider the glass work, if any, that you’re going to install on the door. Windows benefit front doors by allowing for more beneficial natural light to come through into the house, while also acting as an interesting design element in and of themselves. Glazing, staining and frosting can be used to incorporate more colour or enhance privacy, while still bathing the hallway in light.
The last finishing touches
Finally, there are plenty of decorative touches you can rotate on and off your front doors and porch to make the overall experience feel more unique. Some nice finishing touches include:
- Personalised front door signs
- Personalised front door mats for welcoming
- Seasonal wreaths that can rotate throughout the year
- Potted plants to sit on the porch
- Proper light fixtures like lanterns and sconces to highlight the doors
Front doors are a portal into your life. From choosing the door itself to adding the final elements, you can make that clear on sight. Follow these guidelines to install a front door that truly speaks to who you are.
