Your Front Door Questions Answered
Whether you are looking for the perfect bold bright to create an impact or a subtle pastel shade for a more rustic scheme, the complete palette of Little Greene shades is available in a range of robust finishes suitable for your front door.
Our Creative Director, Ruth Mottershead answers some of your most frequently asked questions for creating a warm welcome…
Which finish should I select to paint my front door?
If you’re going to be completing the job yourself, consider using one of our water-based finishes. These are easy-to-apply, quick drying, they have very little odour and they’re available in all Little Greene shades. Our Intelligent Exterior Eggshell and Intelligent Gloss are perfect for wooden front doors and are really robust and durable.
Intelligent Gloss has a sheen level of 80%, this high-gloss finish looks really smart particularly in darker shades like ‘Dock Blue’ or ‘Basalt.’ For something more matt, with a sheen level of just 15%, our Intelligent Exterior Eggshell is perfect for a flat finish.
Which are the most popular colours for front doors?
For something dark, think about an off-black or a dark blue such as ‘Basalt.’ Elegant and sophisticated, it pairs beautiful with brass furnishings.
Another favourite is ‘Celestial Blue,’ this colour is one of the oldest on our colourcard originating from 1807. This delicate, soft blue is an excellent companion to red brickwork or stone for more of a country cottage scheme.
A really bold, confident green to use would be ‘Harley Green,’ it’s a really comfortable colour to use outside as we are surrounded by green in our natural environment. Found in our ‘Green’ collection in collaboration with the National Trust, It is a contemporary choice which mirrors its outdoor location.
To inject a little personality into your outdoor scheme, use the bright, impactful ‘Mister David,’ it certainly makes a statement and will put a smile on the face of your guests and passers-by.
Can I paint a uPVC door?
Yes, you can, preparation for painting is key to ensure a that you achieve a beautiful finish. Remove any flakes from the door and fill any holes or previously damaged areas. You can then apply our Intelligent ASP (All Surface Primer), this strong primer will give your door extra protection and depth of colour as it is tinted to your chosen colour. Following two full coats of Intelligent ASP, your door will be ready to apply Intelligent Exterior Eggshell.
You can find the technical data sheets with full preparation instructions here.
How can I make sure that the front door complements the rest of the house?
When thinking about which colour to select for your front door, there are a number of considerations. The first is the brickwork or render, has the house been previously painted, is it a specific colour or is there a colour within the brick that you can pull out and coordinate with your front door?
Many of our homes are stone-based tones, warm neutrals work well with these, you could try ‘Hammock’ which sits really comfortably alongside Bath Stone or for something more playful, ‘Canton,’ for more of a sophisticated smart look, ‘Basalt’ provides a strong contrast.
To complement darker tones, consider a soft blue such as ‘Bone China Blue.’
If your home is painted white or perhaps an off-white, a monochromatic scheme using ‘Jack Black’ or ‘Obsidian Green’ provides a contemporary, harmonious finish.
Finally, for accompanying red brickwork, ‘Harley Green’ is an impactful, bold green which pairs really well with warm red tones.
How can I choose a colour that works with accessories on my door?
For chrome accessories, consider more fun, pastel colours such as ‘Light Peachblossom’ and ‘Boringdon Green.’
If you prefer more traditional brass door furnishings, select darker tones such as ‘Lamp Black’, ‘Obsidian Green’ or ‘Basalt.’
Which colour should I select for my own door?
Your front door is the lipstick of your home, it’s a smile on the front of your house and selecting a front door colour is certainly an important decision. Your front door is the first glimpse of your personality that visitors will receive.
If you’re looking for something dark and smart, think about using off-black shades, for something bright or playful, consider reds or bold blues such as ‘Smalt’ and ‘Woad.’
If you’re feeling adventurous and want a colour highlight, ‘Mister David’ and ‘Trumpet’ provide a unique look.
A classic option would be the mid-strength colours for an informal finish, the muted pastel tones such as ‘Celestial Blue’ and ‘Aquamarine’ are perfect for a restful finish.
If you would like a really bold contrast and something that stands out against dark facades, select a white or a neutral tone such as ‘Shirting’ or ‘Loft White.’