Front door makeover

Question

As you can see from the photos, my front door is in need of a major makeover. I cringe every time I walk in! I can't decide on a color that would go well with the exterior color. Also need advice on how to fix all the marks. We are renovating portions of the house little by little but have to do so on a tight budget. Any help is greatly appreciated!! Thank you in advance

Robin Berteau · Answer

Is the door steel or wood? A nice bright white door would do just fine. With a wood door you would need to use a wood filler and sand, then paint, with a steel door they can be repaired with a bondo kit like the use on cars. I would leave the stone. It looks good around the house. I would knock out the stone lamp post and change to a pole and paint the lantern to match the door. Spray Paint works works on steel doors. That should brighten up the front door. Change out the door hands and kick plate. Trimming the myrtle tree up above the roof line and shape it. I would also replant the smaller shrub some where else. Clean out the bed, put in a few smaller boxwoods and mulch it. Easy maintenance plants.

Z · Answer

I tried to do a couple virtuals on a couple different programs for you, but with the trees in the way and the dark door it was impossible to get to look real. 
 Since you're just painting the door and not the whole house I'd go with the soft beige/golden color pulled from the stone, which I think it pretty just the way it is. I think the house color that's off. If I were painting the whole house I'd go with the beige golden color for the whole house and a few shaded darker or lighter on the paint strip for the door. 
 As for the actual painting process I'm going to call in an expert for you. Charles (from @Peace Painting Co., Inc.) could you please help Jessica with tips on the best process to paint her door please?

Jessica L · Answer

Thank you both very much! I am a new mom and this is out first family home so all the advice is greatly appreciated.

Nancy Gramm · Answer

Here's a site that shows a number of stone houses with the accent colors listed, a couple with stone similar to yours--I like the stone, btw; it's very similar to mine. http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2090477/list/Home-Exteriors-Take-Color-Cues-from-Stone The Craftsman is my fave, with warm olive green, deep eggplant and ivory accent colors.

Lucy in the sky · Answer

OK.....so this is just me I think it needs some color to bring out the beauty of the house and the stone has it's own natural colors so whatever color you choose will be fine ;) here's one that's very nice with the white trim

Jessica L · Answer

@becky my son just turned one. Thank you!!

The Homely Fowl · Answer

I would use a lighter color .. if you like the green maybe a sea green. You can dress it up with stencils or a nice wreath or even a welcome sign on the door. You can also dress up the porch area itself with plants and a decorative welcome mat. As for the stone .. you can dress that up with ribbon or rope for a more countryish look. Good luck to you! Renovations can get pricey but when you use your imagination they don't have to be!

Daniel Starrett · Answer

how deep are the scratches on the door? I could not tell from the picture. If they are just 'keyed' style scratches like you have on a car, the easiest and simplest way would be to remove the entire door; take off all the hardware (hinges and knob) and using sandpaper glued to a block of wood (a sanding block) sand the entire door smooth. you could use an electric hand sander but without experience you might sand too deep. After everything is smooth again, you can either paint the door a color of your choice, or you could stain it. either way, make sure you add a coat of weather sealant in order to protect the paint/stain from the weather.

Good Luck :D

Diana · Answer

I would use putty on any deep spots on the door and let that dry, after sanding and cleaning it. Use an outdoor paint with primer from Lowe's or Home Depot. They both have sample sizes if you want to try different colors first. I have seen some wonderful rich teals that would look great. Lowes has a color called Tropical Oasis that would be very pretty with the trim and house color.

Sheryll S · Answer

I vote for red also.

Patty · Answer

I agree, a pretty brick red with white trim would brighten up the front of your house and the rock work will look even more beautiful. As far as the scratches go, its hard to tell from photos but they look superficial and probably all you need to do is some light sanding.

Julie · Answer

I also am partial to Red! I have a Red front door too and never regretted going with Red. Can't go wrong with a beautiful RED DOOR! You want to have a contrast from the house color- white would be bright but it would show all the future scratches and finger and hand marks. I also thought possibly a deep plum color as I looked at some of the other surrounding things. If possible you could paint the light/lantern the same as the door. Looks like just cleaning up some of the over growth around your entrance area would help make a big difference too. I bet you're over whelmed about now with a little one and a new home. Congrats!! Enjoy your new place!!

Helen Cocuzza · Answer

I would paint the door trim & sidelight white to tie in with your existing front window and then the door can be done in a deep barn red that would jazz it up or you can even go lighter if you want to a taupe or even lighter to a cream that would tie in with the houses stucco/ concrete look. then you can add seasonal wreaths, & other décor so it wouldn't feel so drab. I would change the door décor regularly even! As for the front light, leave the stone, paint the light either a brass finish rustolem paint or black & then add some vinery with sea thru beads around it that would catch the light & reflect- a very pretty & chic look that is becoming more fashionable, I just saw someone else use (what I thought was my own idea, lol) on Pinterest & Hometalk - ck there for visuals. Good Luck!

Cindy · Answer

How funny! I just painted my front door that color! :)

Sfg178760 · Answer

Front doors should kind of compliment the house color...but do not have to match anymore. Very popular to paint it a bright color. I think a shade of orange would look great with that stone work! The color it is now makes the door area very dark...so whatever color...maybe yellow...should be lighter to brighten it up and make look more inviting!

Laurajean · Answer

My first thought was maroon, but I think it's too dark in that space already. After I saw the brick, I would pick a (muted) orange or pumpkin color with white trim. Save the metal kick plate and reattach. Paint the trim around the side window (soft, off-white) white...or even the whole side window.

Cyndi Moore Tippett · Answer

My vote on the door color would be something in the terra cotta family, medium pumpkin color. I would pull the pretty orangey color out of your stone. I guess your door is metal, so I would talk to someone at Lowes/Home Depot about what putty you will need to fill in the gouges. If the gouges are deep I would also look into to a mesh that can be applied first to give you some stability with the putty. Take your time with the prep work because that is the KEY to your paint job being awesome.

Jill · Answer

I am a traditionalist and would probably go with a glossy black. You can also paint the lamp, shutters and trim in black and really make it pop. But clean up the area first! Most of your problem seems to be that your yard needs some TLC!

Peace Painting Co., Inc. · Answer

Jessica, it looks like the top coat is being scratched off of a lighter under coat. If that's the case, it means the top coat is not stuck too well. In any case, sand the door with a palm sander or sanding block of medium grit. Then wash it with a house wash solution and rinse. When its dry, you are ready to prime it entirely with a high quality latex primer like Zinzer 123. At that point, any gouges or surface scratches will be noticeable and you can wood fill them with a product like Minwax wood filler that comes in a toothpaste kinda tube. Spot sand and spot prime those spots and you are ready for two finish coats of paint. Do not use regular house paint on your doors because it is too soft for handling. Instead use an enamel like Sher-Wms water base All Surface Enamel. This not only will wear better but look nicer as well.
Regards, Charles

Jan Loehr · Answer

Have you considered painting the front door a deep lead gray? The trim around it would be a lovely softer, lighter gray & I would paint the lantern the same color as the door...accent the front garden area with deep burgundy plants in pots or planted around the base of the lantern stone structure...awesome complimentary color scheme!

Peggy Davis · Answer

I would take the door down and sand the entire thing with a sander. Also sand lightly around the woodwork....then paint....I would be partial to a blue-gray

Bryn · Answer

I think the kick plate looks very dated. Especially brassy gold.
There is a paint at HD that looks like hammered metal when applied. Love it!
Door handles are $$ to replace but maybe that hammered paint in dark brown would class them up on the deep 'pumpkin' color from the bricks and trim all the wood work in deep brown. My 2 cents.

Debbie Machmer · Answer

I would remove hardware before any sanding, priming, painting. I just did mine in Ben Moore Cottage Red. My door has always been natural wood and I agonized over painting it. Sooooo love it. The paint looks fabulous. I would suggest, however, having your primer tinted to eliminate 2nd and 3rd coats.

Jessica L · Answer

Thank you all so much! Great ideas. I can't wait for the weekend to come so I can get to working!

Leida R · Answer

@Jessica, as many already said, I would also love a red door. The trims, white. The best thing is that you already have white on the front window to complement everything. BTW, @Lucy in the sky,  I love the picture you posted.

Kay Green · Answer

My parents moved into a 20 year old house and the front door needed a fresh paint job. I took it to the back patio and began stripping it. Two days, two gallons of stripper, and seven different colors of paint later I was back to the wood. I sanded, primed, and painted it barn red with gray accents to match the gray shutters. Stripping all that caked up paint off revealed the detail in the door panels and it looked brand new again. Much better. I'd definitely recommend stripping that door back to the wood and starting over. It looks like it has been painted with latex over oil based paint and it is hard to get that to stick, hence the scratched and worn finish.

Diane Arnold · Answer

I love red doors,in fact mine is. I only worry about it clashing with your stonework. Also,your entry seems a bit dark.. I might go with something closer to the color of your roof to lighten things up a bit. It needs to be stripped and primed before painting. If it's a wood door you can sand it smooth first.Metal? Get a filler product from the paint store that you can apply and sand smooth. Good luck!

Jessica L · Answer

For those that like bright colors and an orange, I just so happened to get my HGTV magazine yesterday and this was the front door of the month (Candy Corn by Pittsburg Paints). Thoughts?

Linda Lee Kaplan · Answer

I love that color. I would paint the door hardware and light in a rusty brown Add some pots in the door color and flowers in white, golds,deep burgundy and the door color.

Linda Crandall · Answer

A sassy green or a reddish brown would be lovely on the door. Sand the door down, prime, and spray the hardware with a rustuleum oil rubbed bronze finish and the and the light as well This should brighten the space and bring out the colors in the brick work.

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