Interest in installing a black front door has spiked since 2020, so we wanted to explore some entryway ideas based on the style of your house and why a black front door is a new ‘must’ to increase your home’s curb appeal.
Let’s jump straight into the inspiration. Here are some design ideas to create a stunning exterior with a black door as the focal point:
Traditional Black Front Door
Think solid panels and stand-out accessories to achieve a classic traditional aesthetic. While you may think that a black front door is a modern idea, these were actually popular back in Edwardian times. Back then, a front door was often black, green or some other dark colour. You can also install a door surround as an extra focal point and dash of traditional aesthetic. You can find front door surround inspiration here.
Modern Black Front Door
When choosing a modern black front door, simplicity is the key. Choose straight lines over solid blocks and let the material do the talking. Wooden doors and composite doors can have a modern style, so long as simplicity is at it’s heart.
If you’re contemplating glazing, opt for small panels or one straight, thin panel like this one, which is available unfinished – perfect for a lick of black paint.
Black Front Doors for Cottages
You can get that ‘cottagey’ feeling even if you live in a city. As you can see from this picture, a glossy black door offsets the older vibes perfectly. And the white door frame helps the front door stand out even more!
Grow some flowers on either side of the door, add some hanging baskets and a little roof as a finishing touch and you’re good to go.
Black Farmhouse-style Doors
Arguably, it’s the windows against the white background that gives off that ‘farmhouse’ charm. To achieve this aesthetic with your black front door, choose something with multiple glass panels. Extra points if you find something with decorative glazing for a true old-age rustic feel.
If you’ve got enough space, a double door with decorative glass panes will work really well against a ‘farmhouse style’ backdrop. Check out our collection for inspiration. These come unfinished so can easily be painted black.
Black French Doors
While most think of French doors being used at the sides and rear of a property, why not buck the trend and install them at the front of your house?
The large glass panes will fill your entranceway with light. What better sight in the morning than rays of sunshine? Or that stunning soft light as the sun sets in the evening.
Black Sidelights
If you have a wide opening, you can elevate the elegance and create an incredibly grand entrance by installing sidelights. These can suit both classic and modern houses and add a flair of extravagance.
Black Door Pairs
Digging a little deeper into black front door ideas, if you do have a larger opening and don’t want to install sidelights, you can buy black door pairs for your front door.
You can enter or leave the house by opening one or you can open both simultaneously for a truly luxury experience.
Frequently Asked Questions about Black Front Doors
Are Black Doors in Style?
Yes! Black doors are seeing another peak in popularity. We last saw a similar spike in 2004, so the great news is that classic black will often become ‘the next big thing.’ By upgrading to a black front door now, you’ll always be ahead of the curve.
Should I Paint My Front Door Black?
In addition to keeping up with the latest home trends, there are numerous other reasons to upgrade to a black door, including:
- It is well suited to a traditional, contemporary and modern style property.
- It makes for an excellent focal point, helping your house to stand out.
- It makes for an excellent contrast against white walls (both exterior and interior).
- Accessories like door handles, locks, letterboxes and peepholes look great against a black backdrop.
- There are numerous options including matte, gloss and even different shades of black.
- Darker door colours, like black, are straightforward to maintain.
- Black can bring an old front door back to life.
- A black front door also gives the appearance of being more expensive than other colours, elevating the front of your house even more.
Should I Paint Both Sides of My Front Door?
On to the more practical aspects if you’re contemplating painting your door yourself. While you may have noticed that when you buy an exterior door, the ‘outside’ colour is the same as the ‘inside’ colour, there is no hard and fast rule here (in fact, we offer some patio doors that are grey or black outside and white inside). If you want to paint both sides of a front door the same colour, go for it! If you want to paint them two different colours entirely, there’s no stopping you.
This may be a good idea if you want a modern black front door but the entryway on the interior is quite a dark colour, you can still get the best of both worlds. If you want to keep things light, or fairly neutral, however, stick to white inside.
Should I Paint the Door Frame the Same Colour as the Door?
Not necessarily, although if you’re painting your door two different colours, you may not want to add a third element as this may begin to look too busy. Remember that a black door oozes elegance and sophistication, so you should ideally take the same view of the entire front of your house.
You might find this post on painting your door and door frame useful.
What Is the Best Black Paint for a Front Door?
With so many shades and finishes to choose from, things could quickly start to get confusing. But the truth is that the ‘best black door paint’ is subjective.
For example, Cottage Living & Style recommend Black Magic by Sherwin Williams, whereas Studio Mcgee raves about Tricorn Black by the same brand.
The best way is to go to some showrooms for inspiration. We’d also suggest that you invest in some test shades and try them out before you fully invest. Remember that the colour may look different on the door than it does in the shop.
Our advice would be to choose something with a glossy finish as it will be easier to maintain and will reflect light beautifully.
Are Black Doors Easy to Keep Clean?
Yes, black front doors are actually pretty easy to keep clean. Fingerprints won’t be an issue like they are with lighter colour doors like white. Just give your door a wipe now and again with a cloth and some warm, soapy water to keep it looking pristine!
Black Front Doors from Vibrant Doors
At Vibrant Doors, we stock a vast array of front doors, many of which are unfinished or primed. This way, you can paint them in any shade you like. All of our external doors are supplied by well-known reputable brands and come with a 10-year manufacturing guarantee against defects. You can also expect fantastic prices and swift delivery when you shop with us.
Browse our collections and get in touch for no-obligation help and advice.
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