What should you paint on the inside of your front door?

I am regularly asked about how you should treat the inside of your front door.  I have talked a lot about making an entrance, exterior colours and fun front door colours which is all very grand and exciting but then people panic and feel that this impacts their interior scheme.  There really is no right or wrong answer here but I am going to show you some ideas and tips to follow:

What should you paint on the inside of your front door?

1)      If you have a beautiful natural timber feature door I would really just leave it as it is.  Don’t read any further – just let this be a feature inside as it is for your exterior.  You should never just paint one side of a timber door as this will cause it to warp.

What should you paint on the inside of your front door
Image – Grey & Scout

2)      If however you have a painted door, you need to remember that once the door is closed, the back of it may just look like any other door in the house.  If your entrance hallway has lots of other doors leading from it, you may like to consider just painting it in the same white/off white that you have used for those doors.  This keeps the look simple and is an elegant solution.

What should you paint on the inside of your front door?

3)      But what if you love that front door colour that you chose.  It’s your favourite and it took ages to select.  Being your favourite colour, you are also using this palette inside, in which case, it is absolutely fine to paint the interior of your front door, the same as the outside colour.  It doesn’t matter that the rest of the doors throughout your house are white.  As this is a feature in a neutral setting outside, so it is for inside.

What should you paint on the inside of your front door?
Image – HoneyandFitz

4)      However you may have selected a classic gloss black for your front door which of course is a great option and one that never goes out of style but somehow the seriousness of this doesn’t translate into your interior scheme.  In this case you can consider your interior colour palette and add a splash of your chosen accent to the inside of your front door.  This can make a great statement in a hallway scheme when you often don’t have many other design elements and opportunities to bring in colour.

What should you paint the inside of your front door?
Image – House of Turquoise

5)      In smaller homes, the front door will often open directly into the living area.  You may want to disguise this, in which case you can paint the door an off white or in the same colour that you have painted your walls.  Or you may like to treat the door as an opportunity to bring in colour.  Feature walls have had their day so if you want to introduce a splash of colour, the inside of your front door can be a great surface to paint.

What should you paint on the inside of your front door?
Image – West Elm

If you are painting the inside of your front door a different colour then just paint the actual door.  Leave the architrave the same as the rest of the house.

What should I paint on the inside of my front door
Image: Homes to Love
What do I paint on the inside of my front door
Image: 88Designbox.com

I hope from this article that you can see that there isn’t a right or wrong answer.  Just consider whether you want to make it a statement, bring in some colour or keep the look simple – it’s really up to you!

What to paint on the inside of your front door

My Free Resource Library has lots of helpful e-books and checklists to help with your renovation or weekend project.  Sign up for FREE here.

If you are undertaking a renovation you may have just one question that you would love help with.  Or you may want assistance with a full colour scheme.  I can help you with my online e-consultation service.  You can find out more about it here.

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My Pinterest boards called Entrance ideas and Welcoming Hallways have heaps of inspiration and I would love you to give me your feedback or questions in the comments section below.

What should you paint on the inside of your front door?

If you would like further reading and inspiration on this subject you might like the following posts:

Related: 7 tips for the Perfect Welcoming Hallway

Related: Making an Entrance – 5 tips to follow

Related: Colourful front doors – what they say about you

Related: What colour do I paint my interior doors?

80 thoughts on “What should you paint on the inside of your front door?

  1. Katie Dunn says:

    I recently redid the interior design of my home and have been wondering whether or not it would be okay to paint the inside of the entry door a different color than the outside. I really like your point about this being okay if the exterior color doesn’t translate into the interior scheme. My front door is currently blue, but I think that I’ll paint the inside yellow to help brighten up the living room that it opens up to.

      • Allison White says:

        If you paint the inside and outside different colors – which color do you paint the part that closes — the inside or outside color?

          • Allison White says:

            I almost thought about painting the hinge side the exterior color because the door swings to the inside and paint the lock side interior color. Thoughts?

          • Valerie Abram says:

            Samantha: I own a professional painting company. When it comes to painting doors, there are two areas to consider if painting different colors or what we call the “reveal” areas. The same holds true when painting interior wall ends. For example: From the outside, the exterior “reveal” side on a door would be where the hinges mount when the door is open therefore the correct color should match the exterior side. From the inside, the reveal side would be where the door lock is so when the door is opened from the inside looking out it matches the inside color. Otherwise, there are two different colors that do not match looking from the outside in, or inside out. Otherwise, the colors do not “flow” together in unison.

      • Carmen says:

        Thinking of painting my front door black on the outside but gray on the inside since my inside walls are light gray. What about the door frame. Should they be painted the same color as the door?? Also what about the side of the doors

        • Samantha Bacon says:

          Hi Carmen I generally like to keep the door frame the same as the other architraves on the inside and outside of the house so that just the actual door is the feature colour. I keep the opening side of the door in the colour to match the interior and the hinged side to match the exterior. Hope this helps Samantha

    • Shannon says:

      Would you give me your opinion? We installed a mahogany door and it has a clear coat. It is gorgeous on the exterior of the home. However, inside the red looks odd with our grey/brown hickory hardwoods. You mentioned not to paint a wood door, but what would you recommend?

      • Samantha Bacon says:

        Hi Shannon If the door is very solid and stable you may be able to paint it but I think this could look wrong and spoil the door. Perhaps if you visit the local paint store and ask them about a stain on mahogany to make it more of a brown colour to go with the flooring – you can always make timbers darker and a different colour but it is trial and error as the stains react differently on different timbers. Or you could invest in a lovely rug for the entrance hall to break up the flooring immediately next to the door which might be all you need and would probably look lovely and welcoming too. Hope this helps Samantha

  2. Wiktor Johnson says:

    I am greatful to have find your page about home door designs. Thanks for sharing such a good article on the Internet. I did got good knowledge about what type of doors should I get designed for my new home. Oak Land View has helped me in constructing beautiful windows and doors until now which will get more coolness after seeing this designs. They are specialist in windoes and doors installation. Thank you.

  3. paul says:

    Having my hall stairs and landing painted along with all the door casings,(light gray on walls and satin white on casings) but my old wooden front door (stained a dark reddy brown) stands out like a sore thumb, looks ok from the outside as an stained solid wood door would do, but does not match on the inside.
    Never really thought about painting the inside until today! as I now look down my newly painted hall and the door stands out and looks out of place. In truth I never thought it was something people bid, thought doors where all the same inside and out, but the more you take note! there actually painted to match in modern times, must be me getting old.

    Q – Could I get away with painting the inside front door and inner showing casing satin white? just like all my other doors and casing, and as its wood-stained so do I need a special primer/sealer before painting.

    Hope that makes sense to you ?

    Thx Paul

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Paul – yes the inside of front doors is not something that we generally give a lot of thought to in life! You certainly can paint it white to match your other doors but you’re right in thinking you will need a primer first so that the timber doesn’t bleed through – your local hardware store will be able to give you some advice. Do make sure though that it is the right decision as it is hard to come back from. Perhaps your door might just need a sand back and re-stain on the inside and then it becomes a lovely feature in your hallway? It really depends on the look of the door and what else you have in the hallway but consider it before you slap on the white paint! Good luck Samantha

  4. Rose says:

    Our new home is almost completed but I am having a hard time deciding what to do with the inside of the front and back doors that are currently painted white.
    All of our interior doors are stained walnut . The trim is bright white and walls are alabaster. We would like to paint the outside of the front and back doors coordinating colors. What should we do with the inside ??? This seems to be the 64,000.00 question. What would you suggest??
    Thanks
    Rose

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Rose I think that the bright white will definitely be wrong for the doors as it will be too much at odds with the stained walnut. My recommendation would be to treat the doors as a feature colour and work with the depth of the walnut – so for example if you think a blue will suit your scheme, select a blue that is a similar tonal level to the walnut. You can of course paint the inside of the door to match the exterior colour as long as this also suits your interior colour scheme and works with the tonal level of the walnut. I hope this helps you with your decision. Samantha

  5. A&E says:

    Hi Samantha, we’re having trouble deciding on a front door color (inside and out). We have a classic red brick colonial with white trim and black shutters. The door is currently white but we want to spruce it up with some satin brass hardware and a color pop. We’re debating between red, black, or a shade of blue (all high gloss/brilliant). It seems like painting the front and back two different colors would add a lot of complexity to the project (more taping, etc.). If we selected red (Fine Paints of Europe Tulip Red – Brilliant) do you think that would be too colorful for the inside of the door? Our walls are all BM white dove and the floors stained dark ebony. Thanks!

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Andrew I am sure the red will look great, particularly as you have white trim to separate it from the red bricks and as you want a colour pop this is probably the way to go. If you just wanted a contrast I would opt for black for the front door as it will tie it in really well with the shutters and the contrast will give you a striking look but of course no pop of colour. If you want to avoid the cutting in then you have to go with the choice inside so this may help you to decide between the black and red. Remember red is very striking in an interior – it is the first colour the eye sees and therefore it must work with everything else in the area. It will certainly work with the dark ebony floors though. Difficult for me to say either way – if you’re really stuck then it might be worth taping up the door! Good luck Samantha

  6. Randi says:

    Hi There,
    Is it acceptable to use interior paint on the inside of the exterior steel door, or should the inside also be painted with exterior type of paint? I have a side entrance door leading from the garage into a mudroom and would love to paint it the same accent colors that I used in the mudroom – but that is interior paint. I know I CAN use it, but would it be okay?

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Randy It is quite OK to use exterior paint inside – it is much tougher than interior paint so can be really useful to use for areas that you think will get a lot of traffic and knocked about a lot. So really consider how hardy you need the finish to be – if the door is from an internal garage into an internal mudroom there is no reason not to use interior paint. Samantha

  7. Leah says:

    Hi – I have a house with a BM Grape Juice living room and a BM dark teal dining room flanking a foyer with a dark gray area rug, and dark Emerald green accents in the photo matting. The floor is a walnut stained hardwood. Here’s my issue. I need to choose a color for the walls and trim and ceiling in this fairly large foyer and was leaning toward a Greige like BM Abalone for walls and BM White Dove for the trim/doors/ceiling. The trim in adjacent rooms is BM White Dove. Should I paint the trim BM White Dove including the 2 interior doors to the foyer (there is a small airlock area) front and back of one, and just the back of the main front door, as well as 2 closet doors front and back? And the ceiling? The outside of the main front door is a brick orange-red. The interior of my 2 front doors have no visual architectural interest. They are flat! Maybe everything in the foyer even trim ceiling and doors should be the Greige? I’m stuck! Maybe Abalone isn’t even right. Thanks, Leah

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Leah I really like the idea of Benjamin Moore Abalone for the hallway as it provide a nice neutral link between the two more colourful reception rooms and will go well with the walnut flooring. Partnering with BM White Dove for trim and ceiling makes sense as you have this in other rooms. You just have to consider the two doors (both sides of the second and inside of the first). If they are flat and hold no appeal, is there any way you can have a carpenter add some moulding to the doors to make them more visually appealing? I fear that if you just paint everything in Abalone then it will all look too bland – these greige colours really do come alive with a white trim so I think you just have to paint the doors in the White Dove. You could possibly use a darker greige for the back of the front door just to break it up a little if you felt there was too much white? Hope this helps! Samantha

  8. Paula says:

    Hi,
    I’m trying to create a coastal/ rustic feel in my 1st bought home. I saw the black doors and love the look. My home is only 1200sqft so my doors are pretty close to one another. I also have a small laundry area in the hall way with the bending type doors if that makes sense. My fear is if I go through painting this bold look throughout I’m going to create a look that makes the home look smaller. Should I leave them the white so they blend and visually there is more room and no breaks in the space? Also would you include the laundry doors if so or let them continue to blend into the space? It gets a bit blurred trying to do the correct thing and then I tend to not do it. Help. Thank you!

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Paula a coastal scheme really lends itself to fresh white and as you have a small home, I would paint most of the doors this colour. Also as the doors are close to each other you get a more even look. However, elements of black as an accent really work in this look so perhaps just paint the inside of the front door as a feature – depending on the outside scheme you could do both sides so that in Summer if the door is open you still get the black accent. Perhaps some black door hardware could give your white doors a lift and add to more of the rustic look? Hope this helps Samantha

  9. Mary says:

    Hi Samantha,
    My mudroom has 3 doors: the entry door from outside, the door to the garage, (on the adjacent wall to its left) and the dutch door to the rest of the main house (on the adjacent wall to its right). The mudroom is white with gray stone/tiles. The interior side of the garage door and the entry door are painted white, but the dutch door to the rest of the house is unfinished on the mudroom side, white on the side that is in the main house. Should I paint the mudroom side of the dutch door white (or another color) or leave it unpainted? All the trim and doors on the interior of the house are white with oak flooring.

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Mary although I love the idea of introducing a splash of colour here I think I would add the colour on both sides or leave it all white. I think you can get away with it on an entry door but an internal door – even though it is a Dutch one – between two interior rooms probably should be the same colour both sides and unless you want to introduce a splash of colour in the next room it is probably safer to keep it white. I hope I have understood the layout and your question correctly? Samantha

  10. Jolene says:

    Hi,

    I am panting my front door queen of the night blue, both inside and out. I was wondering if I should paint the sidelights in the same color or paint them white to make the door pop? My exterior of the house is currently painted white but we will be changing it to very pale grey in the spring.

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Jolene When you are painting a front door a strong colour I advise that you just simply paint the door rather than the sidelights or architraves etc. Hope you love the new colour Samantha

  11. Lucelli says:

    Lovely article!

    We are renovating our hall entrance… adding an open stairs, and one of the walls we are making a panelled wall going up the stairs , which I am painting it in dark blue (nearly navy ) . The rest of the wall are a very light grey and the rest of the doors are now white!

    The front door I wanted to have in the same blue as the panelled wall but I am just wondering if is going to be too much! Maybe I should keep it in white just like the rest of the doors, maybe in black as the steel in the stairs are black…

    I would appreciate an input!
    Thanks,
    Lucelli

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Lucelli the stair panelling sounds fabulous and I tend to agree that you may overdo it and spoil the look if you also use it on the front door. If the outside of the door is black then you might get away with painting the inside black too – this is a nice neutral option. Perhaps paint everything else first and then assess it to see what you think. It will depend on the placement of the door etc. and you might even get away with the blue but I think it will be easier for you to see if you leave it until last. Good luck Samantha

  12. Tony says:

    Having my house painted a tan/brown with light tan trim. Dark brown/grey garage and eved darker grey bron almost balck fornt door. Question interior doors and trim is all white and walls are yellow/tan in entry. Was wondering if I should go with the dark color on the interior of the front door or stick with the white on the interior. It is a smaller house and entrance and do have new dark oiled bronzed hardware on front door. Just don’t know if I should leave white interior or go with the dark same as exterior? Thanks in advance

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Tony you have to consider whether you have any other colour accents in your hallway. Being a small house it is tempting to keep things simple but sometimes it is nice to see a flash of colour and contrast in the depth. I feel too that the dark brown could look really great against the yellow/tan walls. You also need to consider if you like the door hardware on the white or on the dark brown and remember that colours are lighter outside so this may appear just almost black inside. So consider if you have other highlights in the entry, how dark the colour looks inside and whether you like the hardware on it inside. Hope this helps Samantha

  13. Shari Lee says:

    We recently purchased a ranch style house. It is creamy tan with a light brown trim. I really always wanted a red door. We went with a barn-wood red color to compliment the browns. Question the interior has a feature wall closest to the door, almost same color as the trim outside. Would you paint door on both sides red?

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Shari Yes, it sounds as though this is a good decision. Remember though that the colours will read differently inside – perhaps paint a sample board and tack it to the door inside to see if you like the effect. Good luck Samantha

  14. Penny says:

    We recently had overlay concrete put down in all areas (except bedrooms) in our house. It is a light gray swirl like pattern. I am considering painting all my interior doors a light to medium gray(they are all white now) . My house has blue/gray tones. Since my baseboards are white, would I leave the door frames white?What are your thoughts?

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Penny internal doors can really pop if you just paint the door rather than all the trim so this will certainly work well – either way will work you just get a different effect. Good luck Samantha

  15. Rachel says:

    Hi Samantha, great article! I am looking for inspiration for the interior side of the front door of my apartment. My hallway has a total of 7 doors (6 internal doors, and my front door). All 7 doors are painted in white satinwood, but I was thinking of making a statement of the inside of my front door, in what’s a rather bland hallway. Is this a no go in a flat/apartment? I like the idea of painting it grey, but I’m worried it will look daft! I would be very grateful for your thoughts. Thanks in advance!

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Rachel I don’t think it is daft at all! I think it really can work well and in fact is probably more relevant in an apartment where you have lots of doors. It’s a great way to bring in some contrast. Think about the type of grey and ensure it works with carpet/rugs etc. Good luck Samantha

  16. Renee Carolin says:

    I have a cranberry fiberglass pre finished door. My home is very small therefore the front door is visible from the dining table. It really sticks out and makes the room feel darker and closed in. I want to keep the cranberry color on the outside but considering what should be done on the inside. My walls are already a very warm white with a very pale celery green accent wall. Entry closet door is bright white and right next to front door. Advice?

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Renee Firstly you need to ensure that you can successfully paint the fiberglass door, you will need to double check with the paint store if there is a special primer you should be using. As you already have a bright white door in that hallway, it makes sense to paint the inside of the front door the same. If however you feel this is too bright and you don’t want another bright white door, you could adjust the tone for them both and bring them closer to the warm white of the walls which can work well in a small space. I hope this helps Samantha

  17. Jermaine says:

    Hi Samantha,
    We just finished building our home and was going to go with a super bright colour on the front door. All walls on the inside of our home are white and have a huge feature island that is a different colour then the all white cabinets. My question for you is, do you think we should paint the insides of our front and back door?

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Jermaine It really depends on whether you want to make a feature of the doors or whether you want to make a feature of the fact that you your house is all crisp white. A colour on the inside of the doors can be striking but it does spoil the rhythm of the all white. So you need to decide between a pop of colour or all white – there isn’t a right or wrong but I would perhaps introduce the colour into a rug too or somewhere else to tie it all together – perhaps your feature island colour can be a starting point too? Good luck Samantha

  18. Danielle says:

    I would like to paint the back of my front door a classy, satin rich dark grey. Any suggestions of paint color to pick? All my walls are white and I want this one door leaving my place to have a classy surprise color

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Danielle A favourite dark grey of mine is Dulux Castlecliff as it is neutral and dark. Perhaps try a sample of that but double check things like your floor colour and anything else in the hallway to ensure that it all works together. Good luck Samantha

  19. Dianne says:

    I would like to paint the interior of my new front door – I currently have a burnt orange paint on the walls, that surround the door. and am doing a glossy white battenboard design on the wall to the right just inside the door
    can I do a color on the door or would that be too much? and if so what color do you think would compliment and not distract? I am trying to bring in Blues with the Burnt orange walls
    I am painting the exterior Benjaman moore-Hale Navy –

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Dianne It’s difficult to say for sure but you are on the right track with blue and orange as they are complementary colours and these are great in an 80/20 combination. By using a blue that is the same strength in tone as the orange or darker (even something like the BM Hale Navy) you will get the balance right. It will depend on how big the hallway is and also how dominant the wall colour is – if it is a burnt orange that suggests to me that it is not too bright and obvious so I think it should be fine. Hope this helps. Samantha

  20. Sandra says:

    Hi Samantha. I would like to paint the inside of my front door. The exterior side is black but inside white with 3/4 glass with a white grid and covered by a 1” slat white blind (required by the HOA). My walls are eider white with dark walnut floors and white trim. I would paint the door black to match the outside but think it might contrast too much with the white blind. I can’t find any photos online for guidance. Should I choose a lighter color that won’t contrast as much? I’d like for the door to have a pop of color. My interior colors are mainly blues, grey and cream. Can you help? Thanks!

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Sandra I do think that black on the inside of your door may be too much of a contrast with your white blind. But rather than just painting it white you could look at your colour palette and perhaps pick out a soft tone to tie in. Consider whether you have a hall runner, artwork, console table with table lamp etc. and review everything nearby and take your cue from one of those pieces. Just keep the colour soft though so that there isn’t a big contrast. Good luck Samantha

  21. Sheila Ferguson says:

    I have three doors in my front entrance one to my garage two are my front entrance. They are all painted white I am going to freshen them up with white paint,was wondering if I could paint the door to my garage the same colour as my wall colour also if the trim around that door should be painted the same as wall colour as well, wall colour is a warm beige.

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Sheila You can paint the architrave to match the door but remember it will join your skirting board which is probably a white. Or you can leave it but then you will have a frame to the door so it won’t blend into the wall. Either way will work but you will get a different effect. Good luck Samantha

  22. Nicole says:

    Hi Samantha,

    I was wondering if you knew the name of the blue color of the door in the 5th picture, from House of Turquoise.

    Thank you!

  23. WENDY MURRAY says:

    I am having double front doors installed. I want them red outside, but I don’t want red inside, so going with white (my entry is small and needs the brightness of white.) But my real question is what color to pant the edge. Red or white?

      • Leticia Toledo says:

        Hi. In Florida all our doors open to the outside, not towards the inside. These are Hurricane standards for us. So, what color is the inside edge of a front door since it swings out? The color of the exterior door or the color of the interior door

  24. Madhubanti says:

    Hi Samantha,

    I am doing an interior painting of my new apartment. The Main door is dark brown in color (both sides) as given by the builder. The other doors were of the same color but i changed them to white (both sides) to match bedroom colors. I was wondering if i should paint the inside of the main door white or keep it brown as is. My drawing room has whites, grays and berry.

    Thanks for your help. Waiting for your reply,

    Regards,
    Madhubanti.

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Madhubanti It sounds to me that you’re not particularly fond of the dark brown and it doesn’t seem to fit into your colour scheme so I would probably paint it white too – just the inside is fine. Good luck Samantha

  25. Liebe says:

    Samantha,
    I probably know my own answer but good to get a 2nd opinion. Small entry, 1400 sq ft open concept condo. All walls are SW light French gray with white trim. I have hints of turquoise, greens, orange and blues in accessories with a white washed look wood floor and the rest of furnishings are warm woods, grey and cream rugs. Which I’m starting to feel too neutral.
    My exterior of front door is tricorn black SW and we just painted the ext sidelight same color as code to association. I have 4 white interior doors near the entry including the inside of front door. Should I keep interior of front door white, black as exterior, or one of my coastal colors?

    Also, I painted ext sidelight same as ext. front door, can I keep interior side light white or paint it the same as the new color of interior of the door?

    Thanks for your help and opinion

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Liebe I certainly wouldn’t use the black inside as it will throw your lovely soft neutral scheme and be too heavy. I picked up on your feeling that the house may be too neutral so you could possibly use one of your light coastal colours. However I would just paint this on the door and then paint all the surrounding trim including the interior side light, the same as your interior trim (skirting boards, architraves etc.) which would be white. The sidelights can look good outside but I always feel that the interior should just match the rest of the interior trim. Hope this makes sense! Good luck Samantha

  26. Cindy DuVall says:

    Well one good thing about quarantine is finding all these wonderful new blogs! I am loving yours! I have a question – I am painting my front door black, and I am thinking about painting the inside of the door black as well. I have white dove trim and edgecomb gray walls. The problem is that I have a coat closet door very close to the front door, and I would really only like to paint the front door. Can I paint the front door interior different even though there is another door to the side of it?

  27. s moran says:

    Getting ready to paint my brown house to white, some black trim and a mediterranean bright blue front door.
    My interior is white, terra cotta paver floors (coastal cottage) style small house. I think I should paint the outside front door blue, but inside of front door white (matching insides)…but what about the door jam side of the lock etc? white or blue?.. this door opens IN btw way and has glass windows .

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      You only paint the actual door if you have a feature (different) colour. So door jambs, architraves etc will be in white. Hope this makes sense! Samantha

  28. Vanguard Painting says:

    I was looking for this information relating to what should you paint on the inside of your front door. You have really eased my work, loved your writing skill as well. I hope you keep update us with such great tips and information in future too. Please keep sharing more!

  29. Christine Cafasso says:

    I have a classic DC rowhouse with blond brick. Front door is solid with a same-size transom above it. Refinishing the original hardwood door, and would like to paint it a fun color. Thoughts on keeping all the trim white, or painting all the trim (including the connected trim around the transom) either the same color or a 2 shades lighter. For example, a coral pink door with coral pink trim. Or, a coral pink, with lighter shade trim?

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Christine When I paint front doors, I really like to just paint the door in the funky colour and leave the trim to suit the rest of the house – windows etc. This way you make a real statement rather than diluting it with a second colour and then all your focus is on the door. I hope this helps! Samantha

  30. Jody Mcgee says:

    Great tips, love your ideas.
    Does the inside color of my front door need to go with the color of my kitchen that is across from it? Open my door, enter my front entrance, and then the kitchen is right there.

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Jody As your front door opens close to your kitchen I think that it does have to relate to it as it really part of that area. If the area is small and busy, I would keep the colour streamlined with the rest of the interior doors. Hope this helps Samantha

  31. Jenn T says:

    Hi Samantha, I am struggling to figure out what color to go with for the interior of my front door. I have a red brick home, and I have decided to go with a tidal blue for the outside, with black hinges, threshold and handles. The inside however would probably look awful in tidal blue. In the entrance of my home I have a black chandelier, a black and white bannister, anew grey walls, and a black and white tile pattern. I do not have any tidal blue decor in my home, it’s mostly grey with some turquoise pops. Do you think black would be a good color to go with for the inside of the door? If not, can you suggest another color? Thanks! 🙂

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Jenn it sounds like black could work for the inside of your front door but you could also use the same colour as the other interior doors in your house. If these are white, I think that this would be my choice. Good luck Samantha

  32. Varsha says:

    Hi Samantha, loved your tips on colouring the doors. Just a quick question can I use colour on some (not all) doors, on the inside of the house as well? I want to put some accent colour in my rooms and corridors and was thinking of colouring a door in each area with an accent colour. Is this a good idea?

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Varsha you can do this but you need to consider the overall look and close the doors are to each other. The colours should work together and should relate to the overall colour scheme of the space. You may want to do different accents in an area, so for example all the bedrooms together have a different tone or colour. You don’t want the overall look to be spotty, if that makes sense! Good luck Samantha

  33. Connie says:

    Hello Samantha,
    We live in Colorado and our house exterior is stained Tavern Oak. The inside trim is a dark chestnut color. I need some help with the interior color of the metal basement door. It is currently gray and the walls are a cream color. It’s exterior is currently brown. Would love to hear your opinion.

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Connie lovely to hear from you in Colorado! My feeling with the basement door is to paint it in the same cream as the walls or perhaps similar and just a couple of tones darker. I don’t feel it is something that you would want to draw attention to so to make it more seamless with the wall colour makes sense to me. Hope this helps Samantha

  34. Chrystal says:

    Hi Samantha,
    I have dulux natural white walls and trim with sage green on my dado boards in the hall that lead to the front door. Could I paint the inside of the door in the sage green or should I keep it natural white?

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Chrystal you could paint the door in Sage Green – this would look very pretty with the Natural white trim around it. It depends whether you want to keep the Sage Green as more of an accent or make it more dominant in the room. Hope this helps Samantha

  35. pam says:

    My front door is part of my front room. The walls are a light blue-gray. All trim and most of my furniture is white. I want to paint my front door a dark blue-gray. I already have this color on my barstools in the kitchen and in my powder bathroom. Do you think I should leave the door white or can this work?

    • Samantha Bacon says:

      Hi Pam I think that the inside of your front door could work really well in the dark blue. It will become a feature though if you paint it this colour. There’s no right or wrong – you just have to decide whether you want to draw attention to it or not. Hope this helps Samantha

  36. Afton Jackson says:

    A dramatic black door was definitely something I really liked reading about. This could set the tone for anyone coming through to visit, especially if they like to admire the front entrance. I’ll go and look for an entry door expert that can help me get a great model for this for sure.

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