What is the most popular color for a front door of a house?

Your home's front door is the first impression to potential buyers, not to mention any guests. "The potential buyers typically stand at the front door waiting on the agent to open the lockbox for about 1-2 minutes. They are forming their first impressions of your home and its value during this time," says Jessica Duncan, a Pensacola-based realtor with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Main Street Properties.

Although the value of a home is determined by a number of factors, a recent study published by Zillow found that having the right front door color could boost sales by $6,449 in comparison to similar homes.

The study asked recent and prospective homebuyers to score randomly assigned images of front doors painted in one of 11 colors, with the interiors the same for all participants. Scores were based on their perception of the home, their likelihood of buying the home, and how much they would be willing to pay for it.

With a can of exterior paint priced at less than $100, painting your front door is a solid return on investment. Alternatively, sticking with the wrong colors can lower the sales value by as much as $6,516. Here, real estate agents share why front doors matter in this hot market and how to make the best color choice for your home.

Black

Although a controversial choice, black front doors were associated with the highest offer prices in Zillow's study. Still, doors painted black were cited by some buyers as "imposing" and others said that it "doesn't give positive vibes at all." Yet data shows that buyers are willing to pay, on average, $6,449 more for a home simply based on the visual cue of this high-contrast color on the front door.

Duncan recommends black but "it's essential to match the front door color with the style of the home. For example, if the house featured pink-colored brick, then red or blue would probably not accent the home well. In this case, I would recommend black."

Sean Takamori of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Advantage Realty in Hawaii says "the most common front door color remains a simple white or off-white. However, more recently a classic black or gray front door seems to be gaining the most popularity, especially with modern home styles."

Slate Blue

Slate blue, a chalky light blue-gray color, received the top overall score with buyers. The majority of recent and prospective buyers liked homes with a front door this color and would likely buy it. They'd also be willing to offer an estimated $1,537 more for a home with a slate blue door. This sleek front door color appeals most to buyers, especially if it matches the home's exterior aesthetic.

Olive Green

While not Zillow's top pick, olive green is another option that recent and prospective buyers respond to positively. Respondents said they would be willing to pay $969 more for a home with this front door color. The modern yet earthy shade can increase market value, but Katharine Davis, a realtor with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Lifestyles in Jacksonville, says it's important to take stock of the neighborhood.

"If you live in an older neighborhood with lots of empty nesters, your buyer is more likely to respond to calm neutrals, while a neighborhood full of families with kids is probably going to be more playful and open to fun color choices," she says. "And if it's a young, hip, singles area, then you can take some chances, like a dramatic gunmetal gray with brass accents. The color should be in the same color palette as the rest of the house and neighborhood. If it is a neutral-toned house, then a dusty blue or green balances the house."

Takamori also notes that shades of green are also popular in coastal towns.

Front Door Colors That Could Decrease Your Home Value

Just as there are colors that can increase your home's value, there are others that buyers dislike. "Be careful not to go too bold," says Davis. "The door color should be eye-catching but not so personal that a buyer is thinking the first thing they have to do is paint that door."

One color to steer clear of? Pale pink. According to the study, some participants described it as "kind of shabby looking" and participants would be willing to pay an average of $6,516 less for the home. And while slate blue received the highest score, cement gray received the lowest overall score. Keep an eye out for slight variations in front door paint colors that could make a huge financial difference.

Every item on this page was hand-picked by a House Beautiful editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

74 of the Prettiest Colors to Paint Your Front Door

The easiest way to make a good first impression.

Ingalls Photography

Why let your front door be boring when you can make your house the most memorable one on the block by painting it a color you love? If you're looking for front door paint color ideas and inspiration, keep reading to see plenty of designer examples and suggestions from our archives. Whether you take a sunny approach with a cheerful yellow tone, keep things demure with a dove gray color, or get bold with a true red hue, make sure you choose something that sets the pace for what awaits inside. After all, your front door is your home's first impression, so make it a good one.

🏡Love knowing all the latest design trends? We've got you covered.

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The Front Door Inspo: Dark Steel Blue

Ray Booth reverses the typical black and white look with white trim and dark siding, giving this home a modern edge. The extra-wide blue door (e013-60 from Fine Paints of Europe) adds a splash of interest and contrast without being too bold of a statement.

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The Front Door Color: Dark Steel Gray

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Front Door Inspo: Umbria Red

For their Millbrook, New York, country house, Peter Pennoyer and Katie Ridder used a punchy shade of red that pops against bright white.

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The Front Door Inspo: Sage

Philip Thomas chose a pale sage green color to adorn all the exterior trims of this cedar home. The specific shade perfectly reflects the foundation plantings. and landscape design.

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The Paint Color: Pastel Sage

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Front Door Inspo: Light Gray-Green

A creamy neutral changes with the light for an always flattering facade at this home designed by Gil Schafer. Here, it appears to have pale sage undertones, perfect for a space with green accents and a historic feel.

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Front Door Inspo: Yellow Gold

A gray monochromatic color scheme, shown here on this charming seaside cottage designed by Juan Carretero, offers a soothing welcome to family and friends. The color contrasts beautifully with the lawn and hydrangeas. But a fun surprise greets you at the front door: Sunny yellow paint! Sherwin Williams Quilt Gold covers both the interior and exterior of the front door.

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The Front Door Color: Golden Wheat

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Front Door Inspo: Turquoise

Bella Mancini enlivened this front door as well as the screen door frame with a bold shade of turquoise, Benjamin Moore's Santa Clara. This color feels right at home with the cedar shake and hydrangeas, but also sets the tone for what's ahead inside, design-wise.

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Front Door Inspo: Light Blue

Instead of painting the front doors, designer Meredith McBrearty colored the dramatic shutters flanking them. The soft shade of blue, Winter Lake by Benjamin Moore, is used throughout the inside of the home, too.

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Front Door: Cheerful Orange

Designer John Wooden and landscape architect Molly Wood gave this entrance a dutch door covered in a cheerful orange paint to create a seamless flow from the outdoors to the indoors.

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Paint Color: Charlotte's Locks

For a similar shade, try Farrow & Ball's Charlotte's Locks. "It's a little different—not quite orange, and not quite red. More of a persimmon. It feels warm and inviting when you come in from the cold," says designer John Barman.

Make it yours: Farrow & Ball Charlotte's Locks

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Front Door: Off-White

Use a soft off-white with a touch of gray for a cozy shabby bungalow like Romanek Design Studio did for this Southern California home.

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Front Door Inspo: Bright Blue

Gary McBournie turned to nature to inspire the color of his front door in Nantucket: "When I did this house thirty miles out at sea, it seemed only natural to include a blue or two in the palette. And, when used against drifts of blooming hydrangea, the effect is magical!”

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Paint Color: New York State of Mind

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Front Door: Devonshire Green

Designer Lindsay Reid's Mediterranean-inspired Los Angeles bungalow welcomes visitors with a muted green door.

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Paint Color: Devonshire Green

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Front Door: Yellowcake

"This chartreuse color provides a contemporary counterpoint to this 1940s natural cedar shake cottage in Michiana Shores," says designer Steve Kadlec.

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Front Door: Pitch Black

Accentuate the graphic aesthetic of steel frame windows by painting shutters and the front door a deep pitch black. As you can see in this home designed by Corey Damen Jenkins, black details, like on the front door, will sharpen and ground a bright white home.

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Front Door: Off Black

A black door helps modernize the whitewashed brick exterior of this California Cape Cod designed by Parrish Chilcoat and Joe Lucas.

Hadley Mendelsohn Senior Editor Hadley Mendelsohn is House Beautiful's senior design editor and the co-host and executive producer of the podcast Dark House.

Emma Bazilian Senior Features Editor Emma Bazilian is a writer and editor covering interior design, market trends and culture.

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