The front door. The gateway into your home. A point of entry, or exit; ingress or egress. A wonderful welcome home or get the heck out!

The one single icon of your home that can loudly speak to those who pass by. The entryway to a world of opportunity as you pass from the inside. Crossing the threshold when you are “Just Married” and starting a new life, or closing the door upon a world of family memories as you depart, only to begin life anew in another location. The sound of a closing door can create an indelible final image of happiness or sadness. This one symbol can represent many things depending upon how it is presented or your perceptions of what may be on the other side.

The door to your home offers many versatile options for customization and a chance for you to personalize the focal point of your property.

Curb Appeal

Looking to give your home a quick facelift? An inexpensive and easy project is to change the color of your front door. Think of the door as an accent piece similar to a neck tie. There’s no easier way to dress up a black or blue suit than to colorize it with a contrasting tie. Driving around town it appears that black and red are the most popular color choices. Take it a step further and add new hardware, a mail slot or a lion’s head door knocker. A brass kick plate on a freshly painted door makes a big difference. Take it a step further and accessorize it with a fashionable doormat. Decorative mats are available in coir or recycled rubber and offer a variety of fashions and colors.

Feng shui principles

According to the ancient Chinese system of aesthetics or feng shui, the front door can symbolize the mouth of the home where abundance and opportunities find us. A red door stands out where positive energy is drawn to us. Feng shui goes on to say that a door should be solid and authoritative, and the main door in the house and ideally should face the direction that the house faces. Main doors should never open inside to a toilet, a stair case, a solid wall or a cramped space. It also makes recommendations what color your door should be painted depending upon the direction it faces.

A Doorway to Selling Your Home

I will make a bet with you . Go outside and look at the exterior of your front door. Are there cobwebs around the doorway and an accumulation of dust, especially around the glass? If not, you’re the exception. Here is a key point…..if you are selling your home, go out now and wipe the area clean. While people gather on your front porch and wait for their agent to open the door or for you to come and greet them, home buyers will observe everything about the entrance. While anxiously waiting to enter your home, wondering eyes will critique the entrance. They are most likely to stand in this one spot for the longest time while they are in your home. A dirty entryway sets the foundation for the opinion that will soon be formed by the prospective home buyers.

The next time you walk next door and ring the door bell of your neighbor, see what kind of impresion you form as you wait for the door to open.

Tags: color of front doors, feng shui and the front door, Styles of doors