Move Over, Accent Walls—Try the Accent Door Trend Instead

Watch out builder-grade white doors: this new interior trend has your number

Bright yellow accent doors in a stylish and colorful home leading into a dining room.

Rumor Designs

Accent walls have been a popular interior home trend for several years, but now accent doors are having their moment. Just like front doors, it’s now common to see interior doors in bright and eye-catching hues from black to green and even red.

"Whether you have a bold, colorful space or a neutral monochromatic space, adding a bold color door can definitely make a statement!" says Lindsey Jamison, Partner and Lead Designer at Rumor Designs.

Not only is an accent door a great way to bring in some color and contrast, it’s also a relatively quick and inexpensive home renovation that you can easily complete in a weekend, Jamison adds. Whether you choose to paint just one of your interior doors or do your whole home, it’s sure to completely switch up the look of your space. Here's what you need to know about this bold new trend.

Tips for Pulling Off Accent Doors in Your Home

Truthfully, there’s no wrong way to add an accent door to your space. Your choices will reflect your own personal style, creativity, budget, and willingness to experiment. However, if you’re looking for some ideas or a general place to start, there are four things that can be helpful to keep in mind as you plan out your project.

Choose Your Colors Carefully

The color you choose will have a big impact on the look and feel of your space, so be intentional when choosing your accent door color. Take inspiration from your existing space, go with a color that you love, or look into color psychology if you are aiming to evoke a certain feeling in your space. If you’re still stuck, look into the current interior color trends for ideas.

“Today’s color trends are marked by a dichotomy: deep saturation or the palest pastels,” says Lyndsey Moore, Principal Designer at The Lynden Lane Co. “Opt for an olive green that will stand the test of time, sage's muted green hints at springtime, or nostalgic pink." 

A blue sliding barn door in a grey bedroom next to a bed.

Rumor Designs

Get Creative With Hardware

Don’t forget about the door hardware. Getting creative with knobs and handles is a great way to add some visual interest to a door and bring in different elements like unique metals or colors, says Nick Lines, director at Internal Doors. Even if you don’t go big and bold with your paint color, you can still make a big impact with your door hardware.

Consider Mixing Materials

Just like there are many different ways to do an accent wall (paint, wallpaper, wainscoting, and more), there are also lots of other materials that can be used for an accent door. “Creating contrast between glass/transparent accents alongside wooden/painted details really warms up both natural and modern spaces alike,” says Lines. 

Just take a page out of The Lynden Lane Co.’s book, which elevated their client’s bedroom design by swapping out the standard builder-grade closet doors for custom-made blue doors with arched rattan features.

“We worked with a custom cabinet maker to design these closet doors that became the showstopper of a client's bedroom," says Moore. "Just like that, you get a whole new aesthetic with a simple door swap." 

If custom-made doors aren’t in the budget, don’t worry—you can find DIY tutorials for almost any project these days, and with a little determination and hard work you can find a way to make your vision come to life.

Accent closet doors with rattan caning in a bedroom.

Stetten Wilson for The Lynden Lane Co.

Don’t Forget About the Trim

Whether you choose to match the trim to the door, leave it white, or paint it a contrasting color, make sure you take it into consideration when planning your accent door. Being purposeful about your choice will help give the project a finished and intentional look.  

Will Accent Doors Replace Accent Walls?

While this fun trend is certainly making its rounds, it likely won’t replace accent walls altogether. Instead, it simply adds a new and interesting option for homeowners to try when they are looking to upgrade their space. Plus, it requires less time and commitment than an accent wall, which may be an attractive option to those who are indecisive or like to change up their interior style frequently. 

But accent doors are a fun and quick way to refresh your space, and besides, you can easily paint over them if you change your mind.