A recent email from National Association of Realtors highlighted a blog about front door colors. The article referred the the door as the necktie of the home. It can be subtle, or make a huge statement. The question being, what does your door color say about you? At the end of the blog the author defined several colors like Blue, Green, Black, but not the most common – white. Intrigued, I “asked the google”. I soon learned that there is a lot of information on the psychology of color as it relates to the front door of your home. What I found most interesting was that many articles I came across related color to the overall feng shui of the home. Furthermore, color alone was not the key, the doors directional orientation and material are critical to ensuring balance and harmony in the home.
- North facing should be wood and painted Blue, Black or White
- Northeast facing should be wood and painted Orange, Purple, or Yellow
- East facing should be wood and painted Green, Blue, or Turquoise
- South facing should be wood and painted Red, Pink, or Purple
- West facing doors can be made of metal or any other material than wood and painted Pink, Apricot, or Orange
- Northwest facing doors can be made of any material and painted Gold, Silver, Yellow, or White
My door faces west, it’s made of wood, and in need of a fresh coat of green paint. I broke all the Yin and Yang guidelines but my door-keeper, Olive, and I still feel quite at peace.
From the perspective of an agent who opens a lot of doors to potential buyers, I find the following four points more important than color:
1. Keep your doorway well lit with a defined path leading to it.
2. Remove any obstructions that may be a trip hazard or distraction like kids toys, old broken pots, dead plants, etc.
3. Keep your door in good repair. Give it a power wash or a fresh coat of paint.
4. Be sure it’s in good working order. This means that the locks engage, the handles are functional and not loose, and that the door swings open and closed with ease.