Should All Exterior Doors Be The Same Color? (Find Out Now!)

Ossiana Tepfenhart
by Ossiana Tepfenhart

Nothing quite gives people a first impression of a home’s sellability like the exterior of the home. A house that looks ramshackle outside won’t get a buyer, even if it has a nifty jacuzzi inside the bedroom. The doors of a home are one of the biggest “make or break” issues that your home can have. It’s clear that you need to have a nice set of doors on your home, but do they all need to match?

Exterior doors often look coordinated if they all have the same color, but that doesn’t mean you have to paint them all the same color. Many homes choose to get their front door painted a striking shade of red or blue, only to have the rest of their doors painted a crisp shade of white.

Being a capable home exterior designer means that you need to have a keen eye for coordination. This guide will give you a scoop on the whole exterior door thing.

Do You Need Exterior Home Paint or Stain Services?

Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you.

How Do Exterior Doors Impact The Look Of Your Home?

Most people underestimate the importance of your doors. A well-put-together exterior, including doors, will make your home look polished and inviting. With that said, doors tend to have a specific ambiance that they carry. People tend to look at doors as the gateways to the home’s soul.

How important is your door game, you ask? Well, I’ll give you a little advice. If you have to modify or upgrade one part of your home, it’s best to give your door a fresh coat of paint. While siding is important, a quick update on your door’s exterior can make all the difference you need at a fraction of the cost.

Do Your Side Doors Have To Match Your Front Door?

They don’t, and in most cases, people don’t even consider matching them to the front door. For most people, the front door is the focal point of the house. This is where most people choose to add a splash of color. If you want to pull attention to your home’s entryway, adding a bright door color is a good method to do it.

However, you don’t have to go “whole ham” and paint every single door facing the outside the same color. In fact, it might actually be a bit overkill, really.

Should Your Garage Door Match Your Other Doors’ Colors?

Garage doors tend to be far larger than most other door setups, unless you’re talking about a very unusual house. Because garage doors are so insanely large, they tend to act as a major portion of your home’s exterior. This is why you need to be very careful about the color you paint your garage doors, if you choose to paint them.

If you are wondering what you should do with your garage doors, keep them a neutral color that blends in with the rest of your home or stick to the same color as your front door. However, if you want to match the garage doors to the trim of your home, it might be doable—provided that the trim isn’t a funky color!

Can You Leave Your Front Door Bare Wood And Paint The Rest?

Yep! This is one of the most common ways to make your home look effortlessly elegant. Everyone enjoys a well-varnished wooden door, especially when it’s the front door. This is particularly common among people who have statement doors. These are doors that are specially carved or have special wood stains.

If you have a door that was specially carved or has a unique stain, there is absolutely no reason why you should insist on painting it. The beauty of the finish should be enough to carry your home’s look. As long as your door has a glossy polish and looks good with the rest of your home, keeping the wood intact makes a lot of sense.

Color Schemes For All Your Exterior Doors

Now that we’ve gotten over the basics for exterior doors and paint matching, let’s talk about the most common ways people paint their doors in terms of color schemes.

  • Front Door Focal Point. This style will involve painting your door a bold focal point not found elsewhere—even in the paint’s trim. The rest of the doors are a simple neutral color like white or a light grey.
  • Front Door Matches Trim. This color scheme is similar to our first one, but has a twist. The front door matches the trim rather than acts as a focal point. The rest of the doors are a neutral color, like white.
  • Wooden Front Door. If you want to keep your front door wooden with a nice coat of wood stain, then, by all means, do. It’s a great look that’s popular with Tudor and Victorian homes.
  • All Matchy-Matchy. That’s my nickname for having all the doors the same color, typically matching the trim of the home. Usually, this is done with either white or black.

Are There Any Guidelines That Homeowners Associations Have On Exterior Door Colors?

Here’s the catch that comes with entering a neighborhood with an active HOA: each organization is different, and so are their requirements. This means that there is no way to know what your HOA wants unless you give them a call to find out your specific requirements. In most cases, your HOA will be able to direct you to the right shade of paint for your doors or give you a nice selection to choose from.

Do You Need Exterior Home Paint or Stain Services?

Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you.


Related Questions

What front door color increases your home’s value the most?

Though there are always exceptions to the rule, studies have repeatedly shown that painting your door black can add the most value to your home. Moreover, the studies show that a quick coat of black paint on your front door can add as much as $5000 to your home’s valuation. This makes it one of the smartest ways to increase your home’s price without having to shell out big bucks.


What color should exterior doors be painted?

Assuming that you’re not doing a bold color for your front door, the best thing that you can do is choose a color that is neutral and capable of working with the rest of your home’s exterior. The most popular colors for exterior doors include light grey, black, white, neutral beiges, and deep tans. In some areas, you also might see bolder colors like red or blue.The important thing to remember when choosing a door color is to look at your home’s exterior. You want to get a color that will either match or complement your home. Clashing colors is not advisable, even if it may appear to be quirky-cute.Related Guide:  What Color Should I Paint My Back Door?


Can you paint just one side of your door?

Absolutely, and most people do. If you want to have a bold statement color, you can use painter’s tape to help prevent paint drip onto the other side of your door. In some cases, it may be better to hire a professional contractor to ensure that you don’t end up with a mess on your hand. We suggest painting the door’s interior the same color as the rest of your home’s entryway interior. It helps the feng shui.

Related Articles

Ossiana Tepfenhart
Ossiana Tepfenhart

Ossiana Tepfenhart is an expert writer, focusing on interior design and general home tips. Writing is her life, and it's what she does best. Her interests include art and real estate investments.

More by Ossiana Tepfenhart

Next