Changing the color of your front door is one of the quickest ways to spiff up your home's curb appeal. And, according to the Paint Quality Institute, the color you choose tells visitors a lot about you, even before they the ring the doorbell. For the best results, choose an exterior paint that excels in Consumer Reports tough tests, which simulate years of exposure to the elements.
Typically, semi-gloss paint is the best choice for exterior doors and trim because it adds some shine and provides visual contrast. Our top semi-gloss paintis Sherwin-Williams Duration Gloss but it costs $65 per gallon. For less than half that you can get top-performers from Behr (sold at Home Depot) and Glidden that did almost as well. All three were excellent after three years of weathering and very good after six and nine years.
It takes only a few hours to prep and paint a front door. To get the color you want you can compare swatches or take a sample of your own to the store and ask for a custom mix. But keep in mind, the color you pick puts your personality front and center, says the Paint Quality Institute. Here is what they discovered about hue when they consulted a color psychologist.
Blue.The most popular color, a blue front door signals that the homeowner views the home as a place of refuge, "calm, serene, and relaxing, the perfect retreat from an often harsh and demanding world."
Green.Another popular color that, psychologically speaking, "connotes health, safety, tranquility, and harmony, all highly desirable attributes for the home environment."
Black.Choosing black communicates something entirely different. A black front door, "projects strength, sophistication, power, and authority, indicating to all who enter or even passersby that the home is a serious place inhabited by a person of substance."
Red. Red is a powerful "punch" color. By painting the front door red, the homeowner is saying that the home "is a vibrant place, full of life, energy, and excitement."
Brown.Whether painted or stained, a brown front door looks natural and organic, but it can send mixed messages, says the PQI. On one hand, "brown conveys warmth, stability, and reliability, but certain darker shades of brown signal a desire for privacy, even isolation."
Ah, the doors of perception.
Content from this blog was taken from Consumer Reports
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