Front Door Ideas That Give Your Entrance a Makeover

In terms of the overall design of your home, doors are often an afterthought. They are merely a means for passing through or for providing a bit of privacy. You start to live with what they look like while you paint and decorate the walls around them. 

It doesn’t have to be the case — especially not with your front door. You can design your door in countless ways to make it a centerpiece of your curb appeal instead of an overlooked element of your home’s aesthetic.

Ways to Upgrade Your Front Door

A light, neutral blue pops from the classic black-and-white color scheme.

1. Pick a new front door paint color.

An entry door is a small canvas, which makes for a quick and easy update. But make no mistake, despite the small canvas, painting your new front door a new color makes a big impact. 

While you can certainly take cues from your home’s exterior color palette, many homeowners choose to go bold with their color choice by selecting a swatch that’s bright and eye-catching. This has long been a door design trend because it gives you a chance to add some flair that reflects your personality more than the often-understated hues used in typical exterior paint schemes.

Struggling to find the right color? Pick a front door paint color that accents your landscaping. Take inspiration from the surrounding flowers and trees that bloom throughout the seasons. You’ll love seeing the little pops of color that sprout up to bring life to your front door and bring continuity to your curb appeal.

These new brown double doors are decorated to celebrate the holiday season in Ohio.

2. Style your entrance with front door décor. 

There’s no end to your outdoor home décor options. If you can dream it, you can probably find it. And if you can’t find it, you can craft something yourself to style your door to fit your unique taste.

Whether you’re one who enjoys switching up outdoor decorations with the seasons or someone who prefers sticking to one style year-round, there are a few tips to follow when sifting through all the front door décor ideas:

• Start at the bottom. Use the steps and space on your porch to decorate around the door. You can add a lot more décor without creating clutter or covering up your entry door. Decorating from the bottom up also helps draw the eyes up toward your beautiful front door and creates a welcoming walkway for guests.
• Complement in front of the door. Similar to matching your door to your landscaping, choose front porch décor that accentuates your entry door color. Pick out plants, pots, furniture or cushions that are in the same shade or complementary colors. You can create your own little color palette at the entrance that’s different from the rest of the exterior! 
• Contrast over the door. For wreaths, signs, lettering and even welcome mats, choose contrasting colors. Décor in hues too close to your entry door color will get lost. It might even make your door look dirty from a distance. 

White trim around new black sidelights creates separation and visual appeal in this Kansas project.

3. Surround your front door with glass.

If you want to go big with your front door upgrade, make the door design bigger. Transom windows go above the door. Sidelights are windows that can be on one or both sides. Both types of windows expand your canvas.

Decorative glass on your transoms or sidelights allows you to add intricate and ornamental designs to these windows. Clear, unobstructed glass makes your entrance look more modern. And don’t forget the trim. The frame around these windows can be used to add an accent color or highlight the windows and front door design even more.

The eye-catching contemporary door on this Minnesota home was "the best decision of them all."

Front Door Photos for Further Inspiration

The next time you walk down your block, take a closer look at each of your neighbors’ front entrances. You’re sure to notice a rainbow of colors, coordinated décor and diverse door designs.

Draw inspiration from your neighborhood as well as from other homeowners across the country with before-and-after photos from our front door projects. Each designed and installed by a Pella window and door professional, these projects show you the possibilities of what our own front door makeover can look like when you partner with a window and door expert.