Black Front Doors: 5 Ideas to Boost Your Curb Appeal

Black is one of the trendiest colors in home design. From black steel furnishings to black appliances to black windows, the color has taken over the interior. The latest color trend literally puts black front and center.

Why Black is a Trending Front Door Color

Because the front entrance is the focal point of your home’s facade, it’s seen as a place to make a statement. You add decor to celebrate the seasons or show off your personal style. The color of your front door presents another opportunity to do just that. 

Black is a versatile color that transcends architectural styles and designs. It can harken back to the original elegance of a traditional house or emphasize the simple, sleek feel of a modern home. Black can do both of these things because it is a deep, bold, dramatic color that has been considered stylish for centuries. 

While black entry doors are rising in popularity, the classic appeal of the color means that it isn’t confined to this trend. Upgrading to a black front entry door right now will still look like a good move years from now. 

And that may even help your resale value. A 2018 analysis of more than 135,000 homes by real estate database Zillow found that houses with black front doors sold for an average of $6,271 more than expected. 

Black Front Door Design Ideas

A color change alone can dramatically transform your front entrance. But black’s versatility as a color pays off again in the number of different ways you can style your entry door. Black provides a visual contrast to every other color in the crayon box. So whether it’s your home’s exterior color scheme, your choice of door hardware or a panel or two of glass, you can expertly embellish your black exterior door to make an even bigger statement.

1. Black Front Door with Glass

Windows aren’t just for looking through. With decorative glass, you can add detail and architectural interest while preserving privacy and allowing in more light than a solid front door. The black front door with windows on this Chicago-area brick home upgrades the traditional aesthetic and still provides contrast with dark brickwork.

2. Black Front Door with Sidelights

Sidelights bookend this solid black entry door, showing another way to use glass to let more light into your home. Also, this Pennsylvania homeowner went for the classic pairing of black and white. A white house with a black front door is as timeless as it gets, providing maximum contrast.

3. Modern Black Front Doors

Both modern and contemporary styles emphasize clean, sleek lines and large, expansive glass — as seen in this contemporary Pennsylvania home. With multiple glass panels, these black double entry doors create divided light, providing as much visual interest on the inside of the home as to the exterior aesthetic.

4. Black Double Front Doors

With a couple of different design choices, black double front doors with glass can look much more traditional. These black wood front doors are made of mahogany and stained to get the deep, dark color. But if you’re waiting to be welcomed to this New Jersey residence, you would still see the natural wood grains peeking through.

5. Black Craftsman Front Door

Earthy, neutral hues and natural wood are hallmarks of Craftsman-style homes. A black craftsman front door is a bold twist on the popular style. From the divided, upper-third window to the panel details, this black front door preserves classic Craftsman characteristics while offering a more dramatic pop of color from the neutral color scheme.

How to Get a Black Exterior Front Door

With a coat of black paint or can of black stain, any entry door can be transformed. Wood front doors and wood-grain fiberglass doors require refinishing as part of routine maintenance. You can paint or stain them to get the desired look. Smooth fiberglass and steel entry doors can only be painted.

If you’re looking to paint your entrance door black, you first want to select the right color. Technically, black is a combination of all colors. So different paints may shade different colors like gray or blue. 

Poke around Pinterest and home design blogs and you’ll see that Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black is considered the best black paint for your front door. Tricorn Black is favored because it’s as pure a black color as you can get. It’s deep, rich and neutral, so you won’t notice undertones of other colors. 

If instead, you desire a more dramatic change at your entrance than a coat of paint can provide, you can design your own Pella entry door. With wood, steel and fiberglass entry door options, you can start with any material and customize a black front door to fit your style. Find your nearest Pella Windows & Doors showroom to talk to an expert, explore all of your options and get the bold new look of a black entry door.