The Best Front Door Paint Colors, According To Designers

When it comes to making a strong first impression with your home, consider the front door the exterior heavyweight. It’s one of the first things guests encounter and a view you and your neighbors will see daily. Plus, from the style to the hardware, the front door sets the tone for what’s to come inside. That’s why choosing the right paint color—one that suits your home’s architecture and the surroundings, as well as your own personal decorating taste—is all important. Here are eight of the best front door paint colors, according to Southern designers—no surprise that neutrals, blues, and greens top the list. 

Neutral Paint Colors for the Front Door

Farrow & Ball’s White Tie (No. 2002)

“I've used this color for all the exterior trim and front door,” says Dallas designer Callie Windle. “It's a beautiful white that is soft and creamy without taking on too much yellow.”

Farrow & Ball’s Black Blue (No. 95)

“This is a spin on a classic black front door, but with an unexpected undertone of deep blue that adds richness,” says Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, designer Hannon Doody.

Green Paint Colors for the Front Door

Benjamin Moore’s Georgian Green (HC-115)

 “It’s been my go-to green for years,” says Doody. “It’s one of those colors that goes with everything. It’s just enough of a color to make a statement, but not so bold that it screams for attention.”

Sherwin-Williams’ Sassy Green (SW 6416)

Chartreuse is one of my favorite colors of all time, but a true yellow-based chartreuse fades too quickly for exterior use,” notes Birmingham, Alabama, decorator Zoë Gowen. “Sassy Green has enough pigment to be a happy, still yellowy kind of green that reads as a lively pop on a white house but adds an unexpectedly muted surprise on a dark shingle house.”

Farrow & Ball’s Bancha (No. 298)  

“I’m quite fond of this dark olive green, which I used at my previous home in historic downtown Charleston,” says designer Chelsea Handegan. “The shutters were painted the same green for continuity. It pairs well with a soft, creamy white.”

Farrow & Ball’s Studio Green (No. 93)

“A favorite color we love to use on a front door is this classic almost-black, preferably in a semi-gloss or high-gloss finish,” say the duo behind Birmingham, Alabama’s Hundley Hilton Interiors. “It reads black but has a lot of depth with the green undertones, especially on an East-facing home.”

Blue Paint Colors for the Front Door

Farrow & Ball’s Powder Blue (No. 23)

“This shade of blue on a door reminds me of Paris, and what’s not to love about Paris? I see it being the perfect statement on a natural cedar shake house,” says Doody.

Benjamin Moore's Palladian Blue (HC-144)

“I love this for a front door paint color,” says Washington, D.C., designer Rashida Banks. “It's a blue-green color that's toned down by some gray. It pairs well with both warm and brighter tones, so it can be that perfect complement to a home that is red brick, wood toned, or even white. It gives that perfect pop of color without being too loud. I consider it an appropriately bright color!”

Benjamin Moore's Wyeth Blue (HC-143)

"There's nothing more charming (or unexpected) than a front door painted in the warmest blue-green hue," says Meg Harrington, co-founder of Huff Harrington Design (which has locations in Atlanta and Paris) of her tried-and-true selection. "It's inviting and welcoming; it's lighthearted and fun. This color's subtle gray undertone also allows for a myriad of potential shutter colors."