3 fail proof front door colors

So you want to paint your front door, but aren’t sure what color goes with your siding and trim? I’ve found In my years of color consulting with clients, that in most cases, the three paint colors I’m about to share with you, work seamlessly with any color house. And here’s the thing, not one of these colors is the door color I see sweeping the reels most often today; light blue - one that can be very problematic next to siding that’s taupe or gray a red undertone (another popular choice). So my mission in this post is to provide you with three options you really don’t need to sweat. I got you!

3 front door paint colors that go with any house

Is it really fail-proof? Well, the exact shade matters, and I hope to break that down for you in this post.

I’m going to share three door paint colors I’ve found to be the most flattering shades for any home . The exact shade I share with you is your 9 times out of 10, safe color, but I will share photos with slight variation along the way. Feel free to experiment out of the “safety zone” with these depending on your current exterior colors and preference.

Let’s dig in.

gray house with yellow door image source

Yellow

Actually, a wide range of yellows work with most exteriors, but a paler yellow can be problematic with some beige tones. What’s your safe yellow? A deep, golden mustard (exact paint recommendation at the end of each section). And gosh is it cheerful and welcoming. See for yourself…

white house with yellow door image source

brown house with yellow door image source

browni house with yellow door image source

black house with yellow door image source

If your house is gray, blue or purple, these are naturally complimentary colors to yellow, so you really get to pick any shade of this hue you like. Lucky you ;)

blue house with yellow dutch door image source

blue house with yellow door image source

periwinkle house with yellow door image source

purple house with yellow door image source

If your house is green, yellow is tertiary on the color wheel, so they are basically cozy neighbors.

sage green house with yellow door image source

green house with yellow door image source

green house with yellow trim image source

Speaking of cozy neighbors…this house is giving me all the country charm feels. Admittedly, not a popular color combo, but I think this saturated amber works so well. If it were a lighter yellow, we might be getting McDonalds vibes, but whew…thankfully, we are not.

When you are going with an analogous color scheme, like this one, a white trim can really help define the two colors by giving them some separation.

Blush and mustard….yaaaaaass. A combo I loved running with in this room.

But what if your house is already yellow? You can go monochromatic with a slightly different shade of the same color, and the result will be mellow and understated in the best way.

And yellow even looks great with a red brick exterior.

One of my go-to saturated yellows is French Horn 195 by Benjamin Moore. It’s rich and golden and brings so much warmth to an entry. This is almost identical to India yellow by Farrow and Ball to which there are many more examples online. This is your “safe choice” for the yellows.

2. Red

So many shades of red to share for a front door, from coral to merlot, a lot of these work flawlessly. But for our safety color, stick to a deep, dark red. Still a classic red, but has a bit of an earthy base that makes it more subdued than a vibrant red that would clash with an orange, coral or papaya exterior.

With blue siding, red is complimentary so a variety of shades will work here.

Being tertiary to each other on the color wheel, a red door is a great addition to a purple house. It feels so sophisticated and maybe even a little glamorous…

And here we see our yellow/red combo again, this time in reverse.

And now for the greens! Truly voted most popular in its class because it gets along with everyone. Some even consider it a neutral.

sage green house with red door image source

LET’S TALK ROMANCE. Are you kidding me with this red and pink?? And an anchor on the door for good measure. I’m moving in.

A light to mid-tone pink can withstand a brighter red (as you see here), but I love how blush and deep red pair together.

Now, stay calm. I know this is a tough one for some people. Those Victorians…they think they can do whatever they want (well, it’s kind of true when it comes to paint colors). I get it; it’s the pumpkin house. I say rock it. And I see a peek at green shutters which I think would definitely help give a broader picture. I’m not saying a red door would be my first choice for an orange house, but if this house were on my street, I would enjoy looking at it. It’s different. And had this door not been as dark a shade of red, this would be a lot harder on my retinas.

My favorite dark red for a door is Rookwood red 2801 by Sherwin Williams. This is your “safe choice” in the reds. I used a similar color on this dollhouse I made for my daughter

seafood green house with red door rookwood red image source

3. Green

Ahh truly the safest choice of the three. I have some mosses, olives and emeralds to share, but the shade I want you to focus on today is sage. While some greens can feel Christmas-y with bright red siding, this is the most agreeable shade of green. And it really sets the tone for a calming entrance.

charcoal gray house with sage green door image source

sage green front door with cedar siding image source

And a tonal, green on green color scheme can’t be beat, my friends.

green house with sage dutch door image source

Paired next to a French blue, it’s so chic on this red brick exterior.

white house with green shutters image source

Pink and green for the win. Definitely a wide range of options that can work here. I would love to see a pink house with a sage door, but I love the drama of these more saturated shades as well…

coral house with green shutters image source

If you can’t find me it’s because I have moved to a cabin in the woods.

Yellow siding with a green door is truly, a very sweet combo.

yellow house with sage green door image source

My favorite sage green for a door is Clary Sage 6178 by Sherwin Williams. It rides the balance between warm and cool due to it’s yellow and gray undertones, making it a great choice for a variety of palettes. This is your safe choice for the greens.

clary sage sherwin williams on front door image source

I hope this post gives you the confidence to select a paint color for your existing exterior. A front door makeover really is an easy way to update your house, and it’s something you can tackle in a weekend.