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Written by: Sheryl Jean, AARP, December 8, 2021
You open and close it countless times a day—off work, walking the dog, and emptying recyclables—without thinking about your front door. But during the holidays, it will be shown to family and guests you may not have seen in a while.
“When you have visitors, the first thing they notice before they walk in is the appearance of your door,” said Marco Bizzley, a certified interior designer and consultant at HouseGrail.com. "Having a newer door will make a good first impression."
Rethinking the appearance of the front door can increase the appeal of your home, not just when you are trying to sell. Changing your front door can change the overall appearance of your home.
Thomas Jepsen, CEO of Passion Plans, an online construction platform, said: “Most people think their front door is purely utilitarian, but “it’s also to be happy where you live and to beautify the community. "
Here are eight ways to make your front door popular.
The blue doors and seasonal wreaths are very popular.
One of the simplest, fastest, and cheapest changes you can make is to paint the door. Choose an eye-catching color to make the entry unique or reflect your personality. Popular colors are blue-especially royal blue-red and yellow. You don’t need too much paint, so experts recommend buying a quart of paint instead of a gallon of paint to save money. For DIY enthusiasts, its cost may be as low as $20.
Earlier this year, when Georgiana White, 78, repainted her house in Sacramento, California, she chose dark blue for the front door. "I think this is a sharp contrast to lavender [stucco and white brick]," she said. "I like it."
Experts recommend choosing an exterior paint suitable for your door material, whether it is wood or metal, and then sanding the door to help the paint adhere. However, before sanding, Jepsen said that the existing paint must be checked for lead. Although the use of toxic lead paint was banned in 1978, if your house was built before that, the paint on the front door may contain it. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved three home test kits: 3M LeadCheck ($11 for two pieces), D-Lead ($39.50 for seven tests), and one required by Massachusetts for use by local professionals only.
Lighting can not only enhance safety, but also add atmosphere and highlight the characteristics of your home. Kelly Fitzsimmons, a holiday light designer in the Chicago area, says that for Christmas, everything has to do with lights—whether they are strung on a garland around your door or on your porch.
Place those Christmas lights around the front door throughout the year, or change the color seasonally, such as yellow for Easter. No power outlet outside? Try a battery-powered sensor light. Other lighting options include hanging a lantern above the door or adding upward lights along the sides to create a soft glow.
Michael DiMartino, senior vice president of installation for Power Home Remodeling in the Philadelphia area, said that buying a new front door can change the overall appearance of your home. He added that this option can also improve the safety of your home or make it more energy efficient.
Experts recommend matching the style of the front door with the style of your home. If your house is a mid-century modern house, please use aqua door retro with square glass panels. Bizzley likes Dutch doors (also called split doors), whose top and bottom can be opened and locked separately. The installation cost of Dutch doors ranges from US$750 to nearly US$2,000.
Melissa Sage Fadim is decorated with garlands, lights and pink bows to match her door.
Decorate your front door according to the season or holidays such as Halloween and Easter. Use garlands, lights, or signs with inspirational quotes.
During Christmas, Chicago's Melissa Sage Fadim (Melissa Sage Fadim) added garlands, lights and wreaths with a soft pink bow to complement the pink of her front door. "I'm a pink person," said the 72-year-old who painted the door when he bought the house a year ago. "For the first time in years, I am excited about Christmas."
Bizzley says that installing blinds next to the front door and painting them to match the door will make your home stand out, Bizzley says, because they are not common. The cost of shutters is between 30 and 60 US dollars, and the installation cost is about 200 US dollars.
Another option is to add a canvas awning or wood or metal porch to the front door to provide new architectural features and protect you from bad weather.
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Add side windows (narrow vertical windows along the door) or cross windows (small horizontal windows above the door) to make your front door look bigger and illuminate your foyer. Some modern sidelight models turn on and off. You can also install elegant French doors, especially when your front door faces the mountains, ocean or grass. The stained glass is beautiful and provides more privacy.
Put a decorative window film on the glass part of the front door to provide some privacy and color while still letting in more light. These cheap, detachable films come in a variety of designs, including stained glass. The starting price of the side light size is about $10.
A small change can make a big difference. Add an unusual door knocker, which may appear in the form of a squirrel or an antique door handle. You can buy these online for more than $25, but for something unique, Jepsen recommends looking at real estate sales, garage sales, or construction salvage businesses. This is also a simple DIY installation.
Sheryl Jean is a contributor covering stories about aging, business, technology, travel, health, and human interests. As a former reporter for several metropolitan daily newspapers, her work has also appeared on the Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News and the websites of the American Heart Association.
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