Beautiful Ideas for Painting Your Door Red

Have you been thinking about changing the color of your front door? If so, you know it's not an arbitrary decision. All it takes is a few seconds of looking at the color of a door to decide if it's appealing, blah, or even ugly. 

When it comes to door colors, red has always been a bright, dynamic option. It can brighten an otherwise-dull facade, complement a home's architectural materials or the landscape, or serve as the perfect accent.

Looking at a color wheel, you know that there are many hues and shades of red: red-violet, orange-red, or bluish red. 

This orange-red door looks beautiful against an off-white exterior. The Georgian style was popular in the mid-18th century in the United States. Doors, windows and chimneys were arranged symmetrically and designed according to classical motifs and proportion.

A red door is the perfect backdrop for a wreath and other holiday decorations. Whether it's autumn or winter, your wreath and other decorations will stand out and look absolutely smashing displayed on your red door.

These dark red double doors feature detailed carving or paneling on their surface and beautiful brass hardware. A pediment above features a carved detail. The doorjamb, or doorcase, is the frame surrounding the door and is composed of ivory or off-white framing or surrounds.

A peach-colored stucco house does not appear as pink or peachy with the addition of bright-red doors, which help to tone down the exterior and make it more of a neutral, as is probably intended. While it's not a hard-and-fast rule, double doors with symmetrical accents, like the lighting and urns with sweet potato vine, make the entrance neat and inviting.

A red-orange—almost persimmon—door is flanked by narrow windows. White trim provides contrast, and the persimmon color is picked up in the potted geraniums on the front steps.

Exteriors of houses that are painted white, beige, black, or any neutral will be enhanced with a red door. In the past couple of decades, gray has become as or more popular than tan and beige as the neutral of choice (often referred to as greige). Here, a burnt-red door makes the home look as natural and inviting as a holiday card. 

An old-brick facade becomes magnificent with its brilliant red wooden door. There is no question that this doorway is the architectural focus of this home's exterior, with moldings, paneling, surround, pediment, and a paned semicircular window.

White trim is a classic color that goes with brick residential architecture--but you don't want to go overboard. A medium-to-dark red door is a smart solution to working with brick. It's not an obvious choice, but it softens the all-over brick color and serves as a nice accent or focal point, depending on the shade and gloss.

On this small porch, appropriate accent colors and materials are used: dark gray cast metal outdoor furniture, a black metal mailbox, and the white trim of the doorway and pediment.

Warmth is added to this charmingly rustic cottage by painting the heavy wooden door an orange-red. A wreath and vines offer an appropriate accent.