Seriously, your front door is a statement in and of itself. How clean is it? How old is the style? How does the hardware feel when you grab the handle? Does it pop at you or fade away? 

What does your door say? 

Your front door says a whole lot about your house. Is it saying what you want it to? When I moved into a 50-year-old fixer-upper, I remodeled the inside from top to bottom. I was out of time, energy, and money by the time I got done, but I still wanted to improve my porch and curb appeal. The front porch is a work in process and isn’t yet where I want it to be, but getting closer. So, what was a girl to do? I was out of time, energy, and money and wanted to add curb appeal. 

My front door was painted black, the hardware on the door was shiny gold, the garage door was white, and the house numbers were hardly visible and half falling off. I knew I did not present my house to my friends, family, or neighbors the way I wanted. I decided to start with painting the garage door and front door the same color. I updated the hardware on the front door and added black hardware accents to the garage door. Wow, already, a huge difference! I also updated the light fixture by the front door to a black fixture that was a $50 steal from a local discount dealer. I added an oversized 3x5 rug and a darling house number sign. All in, I had $300 invested and added a couple thousand in curb appeal. 

Steps after painting your door:

Phase II this year is to remove the railing on the porch, stain it a rich brown, paint the house navy, and lime wash the brick. As a side note, I repainted my little shed in the backyard last year navy to test it out and see how I liked the color, and the results are in: I’m in love! 

So truly, your front door says so much more. What is going on the other side of it may be nobody’s business. Still, you can at least make your life look exceptionally well put together from the front porch, and it’s not that difficult and doesn’t have to be expensive. Speaking of “the other side,” I often get asked what color to paint the inside of the door. You want your front door to make a statement, yet you want the outside of your house not to feel like you walked into a completely different place when you come through the door. For my own home, it worked to paint the exterior and interior the same color (faux stained rich brown.) So, it doesn’t have to be the same color, but it’s less work if it is, and it helps ensure a sense of continuity from the outside to the inside of the home. 

Keys to a great front door:

Clean

• Clean storm door glass & screen (if there is one)

Paint

• Paint the door within the last eight years. You need to remove the hardware to paint the door. This is not that difficult and is sooooo much easier than trying to tape and paint around it, so you might as well replace it at the same time. 

Replace

• No old window panes. If your door is outdated, it’s time just to replace it. 

Update

• Updated hardware that is firmly secured and not wobbly

Extra

• Bonus: updated light fixture beside the door, updated electronic doorbell, 3x5 rug, a flower pot, and a custom home identification sign from Entry Envy.

Improving your entry will improve your attitude. When your guests arrive at your front door, you will feel proud. When your kids come home from school, they will smile. I have an amazon echo dot I throw outside when I expect company to set the tone events for when they first set foot in the driveway. Music is so impactful! 

You’ve got this! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can be of assistance. We offer free porch consults by clicking HERE.

P.S. Entry Envy custom home signs welcome guests and help delivery drivers validate they are at the correct house. There are so many styles available! If you haven't ordered yours yet, please SHOP HERE to design your unique sign. Monthly home decor subscription boxes make it easy and convenient to keep your sign in style. You'll never have to think about how to update your front porch for the next season or holiday again!