6 Stunning Ways to Spruce Up Your Front Door

By Candace Braun Davison

The Nouveau Idea That Capitalizes on an Old-Money Hallmark

Sign us up for monogram gloves, soaps, pies, M&M's and now this: Companies like Southern Proper Monograms let you select the font, size and arrangement of your initials, which they laser-cut out of wood and ship to you. Designer Holly Mathis recommends using an 18-inch monogram and spray-painting it in a contrasting color that will pop against the door, like the bright white shown here. A smaller monogram can be layered over a plain wreath, Mathis says, if you'd prefer a more traditional look.

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The Paint That Brightens Even the Dreariest Mid-February Day

If there's one place where you can play with color on the outside of your home without feeling like you're forcing Key West in the Midwest, it's the front door. Young House Love bloggers Sherry and John Petersik prefer light, cheery colors that focus attention right up the steps, like buttercup yellow or a "peacock-meets-teal" blue. Their trick for finding just the right shade? Start with the trim. They painted their sidelights the same creamy tone as the porch and window ledges, then taped up swatches to ensure that the blue shades they loved wouldn't make the off-white accents look yellowed and dingy.


The Mat That Says More Than "Welcome"

High-personality doormats are making a comeback, albeit not in the cartoon-characters-and-keep-off-signs way. Designer Jason Grant says he's seeing increased interest in striped styles and animal motifs, like this espadrille number or this gray-and-tan silhouette of a stag's head. Friendly greetings, like that on the "Hello" mat, are also popular, and hit two trends at once: The handwritten, Etsy-esque look and the punchy pop of color.

The Next-Big-Thing Finish

If you fell in love with the rustic look of a weathered, charcoal door but now want to update it, try a metallic copper finish (leaving, as shown, some of the original gray). The new color really pops when you trim the door in an inky black, like Stiletto, says Mary Lawlor, manager of color marketing at Kelly-Moore Paints.


The Seasonal Switcheroo

We all recognize the appeal of a pair of planters on either side of the door (thank you, symmetry), but Divine Design star and Everyday Elegance author Candice Olson has a few 10-minute updates to suggest: Simple plants that have a long, sculptural shape, like elephant ears or palms, are great for the spring and summer. She places lights near the base of the planter and directs their beams upward, so that at night, the shapes cast dramatic shadows on the walls. In the fall, she tucks a few long feathers into the planter, adding a little warmth and texture to the mix and in the winter, she replaces the plants with birch branches and twig balls.

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The Handsome Accessory That Gets Better with Age

We loved Julie Carlson's idea to use all matte black hardware in her book, Remodelista. Yes, the knobs and door knockers will wear over time-a sign of the many guests you've welcomed-which is why Carlson recommends choosing a metal that matches the tones of the door's paint. Nickel works best for blue, green and other cool colors (a peek of silver will shine through as the years pass), while brass pieces complement warmer shades-perfect for the classic red door.


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