The exterior of your home needs to make a great first impression. To you, to guests, and any future buyers. So it's important that you nail curb appeal and get yourself a well-chosen, on-trend front door for 2024.
A stylish front door will add to the personality of your home and can set the tone for what visitors might expect once inside. Investing in a new front door speaks volumes and allows you to take full advantage of the latest designs in materials resulting in strength, efficiency, security, and above all: style.
Here, we take a look at the top front door trends for the coming year. From creating a grand entrance to the best front door colors that will help you make a bold first impression.
8 Front Door Trends For 2024
A front door can say so much about the owner: it can be relaxed and welcoming or much more formal. For us, front door design is the start of the story of your home, and first and last impressions are so important. Whether it's through vibrant pops of color, intricate glasswork, or custom designs, homeowners are seizing the opportunity to make a bold statement right at their doorstep.
'The front door is the gateway to your home, and it sets the tone for the entire space,' says Kristen Fiore, designer and founder of Kristen Elizabeth Design. 'To ensure you welcome your guests properly, you're going to want to define your personal style and make a statement.' Here, asked the experts to share the most significant front door trends for 2024.
1. Make a bold entrance with darker paint hues
The front door color you choose will have an impact, with fashionable tones and classic gloss shades capable of brightening the entire street. Departing from traditional whites and neutrals, bold colors like deep navy, charcoal black, and rich burgundy are taking center stage.
This shift towards darker tones brings an air of sophistication and drama to home exteriors, instantly elevating curb appeal. 'While a "pop of color" has been a go-to for decades, those with a little more reserve are leaning towards an elegant dark mahogany or classic black in a high gloss finish,' advises designer Bethany Adams. 'When you're home garners enough attention all on its own, there's no reason to try and "grab" it.'
Introducing rich, deeper shades to the front door can evoke a sense of intimacy and welcome. It's like wrapping your home in a comforting embrace. Plus, darker colors have a timeless quality that outlives fleeting trends, ensuring longevity in style.
We explore the front door colors to avoid in our separate piece.
2. Flank with lighting
Don't forget to look beyond the door itself for 2024 front door trends. Consider accessorizing your door with lighting that can illuminate the entryway and add a touch of style to the doorway.
'Think of the exterior of your house as a visual introduction to the interior,' suggests Charlie Bowles, director of Original BTC. 'If you want a neat, symmetrical look, a pair of clean-lined box lights flanking a front door looks balanced and finished. The simple, streamlined shape and timeless aesthetic works beautifully with all architectural styles.'
Whether your home boasts a sleek, minimalist facade or a more traditional exterior, a pair of wall lights on either side of your door can seamlessly integrate into the overall design scheme. Additionally, well-lit entryways help to deter potential intruders and create a welcoming atmosphere for guests, ensuring they feel safe and comfortable upon arrival.
3. Use glass to let light filter through
From full-height doors to custom inserts, adding more glass to your door is a big front door trend for 2024. Influenced by Crittall’s iconic windows and doors, and the interior trend of industrial style, metal-framed doors are making a real comeback for front door trends, with original designs vying with contemporary imitators.
Ideal for modern renovations and new-build homes, they also bring character and texture to contemporary homes. Although a range of opening options are available, these doors generally look more authentic than French doors, with door panels set into larger expanses of metal-framed glazing creating the most impressive finish.
Ensure the metal – including aluminum – doors you are considering have a thermal break (a depth of non-thermally conductive material inside the frame that separates the inside and the outside elements) to prevent excess heat loss and condensation.
4. Invest in 'smart' locks
Nowadays it feels like everything in our homes is connected to the internet, from our kettles to our TVs, but one area of smart homes that is flourishing is smart security. 'Remote locking and video surveillance are all the rage right now. With so many packages being delivered to our doors these days, knowing who is coming and going is a smart move,' advises interior designer Kristen Fiore of Kristen Elizabeth Design.
'Smart doors are a good way to introduce your clients to whole-home automation,' says Tommy Bartnick from California-based home automation experts Malibu Wired Inc. 'It’s affordable and it is something that will have an immediate impact on their quality of life, as it will be used multiple times every day.'
Smart locks have come a long way in both technology and design. The best smart locks on the market are not only super effective, but they also look like designer pieces that lend a touch of style to your front door. From August to Kwikset to Yale, there are a wide variety of smart lock input methods and designs, from touchscreens that do away with the keyway entirely to those that you won’t even know are smart locks from the outside.
Nyboer innovatively integrated keyless entry door lock, camera, and video doorbell into one device, offering triple security protection to bring you a convenient smart lock.
Your fingerprint is the fastest and most secure way to unlock your home. So look to the Yale Assure Lock 2 for a 99% accuracy and <0.5 recognition time for added peace of mind.
This smart door lock allows you to control everything from your phone. When paired with G2 WiFi Gateway, you can lock/unlock your smart door anywhere anytime, control access with a simple swipe on the app, and set up codes remotely and check real-time access logs.
5. Opt for long-lasting materials
If you’ve never changed your front door before, you might be amazed by the range of materials that are available now for front door trends. Personal preference will guide you, but what the door is actually made from also has a huge influence on value and security, which is why we are seeing more and more people choose steel and fiberglass for their front doors.
While timber front doors will always be a firm favorite, especially if you reside in an older property; it is worth noting the benefits of more contemporary materials if security and durability are your main concern. Not only are fiberglass front doors incredibly durable, but they are also water-resistant and energy-efficient. Steel doors offer many of the same benefits, so both are worthy investments.
When it comes to front door styles, contemporary versions have sleek lines and may be solid, feature a glazed section, or be largely glazed. They’re frequently teamed with lever or bar handles. However, if you do love the look of a traditional timber door, you can opt for one that mimics the appearance, but with the security and durability of steel and fiberglass, as shown above.
6. Introduce bold, personality-defining color
The importance of choosing the right front door color shouldn’t be underestimated as it sets the tone for your entire property. Think about whether you want to match the door to the color of your windows, or if you want to go for a high contrast. Don’t forget about the ironmongery too, as this will have an impact on the overall look and finish.
'Front doors are no longer just white or black. Homeowners are opting for bold colors, such as the always-in-style red, and soft traditional blues,' adds Kristen Fiore. 'For a wild card, we love a lime green and magenta is one of our favorites as it is warm and bright at the same time. Have some fun with your door!'
'Your front door is an introduction to you and your home, so let the color reflect your personality,' advises Patrick O'Donnell, international brand ambassador at Farrow & Ball. 'Are you a sunny, gregarious person? Try exploring the possibility of Babouche, a deep saturated sunshine yellow. Or do you err towards the more ordered and methodical? Consider an elegant, restrained shade such as Green Smoke.'
'Quite often front doors will have a thin wooden frame around them and most people leave this white - don’t! By painting the frame in the same color as your door, you will help to give a greater sense of scale and proportion,' he adds.
You’ll also need to consider if you’re prepared to take on any ongoing maintenance. If your front door is protected from the weather by a porch or overhang, maintenance will be less of an issue, but those with doors that are exposed to the elements will need to make durability more of a priority. Get inspiration from your neighbors, too, and try for a unified look. A street with complementary tones looks more appealing than a hotch-potch of mismatched colors.
7. Expand your entryway
When it comes to making your front door more attractive – go big with a wider entrance and double doors, if you have the space.
'Your chosen front door can say so much about the occupants: The entrance is the first encounter for you, your visitors, and the interiors that lie within,' says designer Monique Tollgard, founder, of Tollgard Design. 'Therefore, you want to ensure that your entryway has ample space. Double doors or larger single doors will not only create a unique aesthetic but will also allow more light to filter through into your home.'
Kristen Fiore agrees. 'Double doors can add a touch of grandeur to your home. They are often used in larger homes or homes with a formal entryway and feature custom ironwork. Arched doors, on the other hand, can add a touch of elegance to your home. They are often used in traditional and Mediterranean-style homes, while barn doors are a popular choice for rustic and farmhouse-style homes.'
8. Add decorative hardware and accessories
Don't forget the finishing touches! From ornate doorknobs to stylish house numbers, decorative hardware and accessories serve as the jewelry of your front door and shouldn't be skimped on.
Whether it's choosing a statement doorknob with intricate detailing or selecting decorative hinges and door knockers, these small yet impactful elements can make a big difference in the overall design scheme.
'The hardware on your front door is a great way to add style,' says Kristen. 'Look for decorative handles, knockers, and locks that are heavy and bring character to the door.'
Just as important are the small details like adding a wreath, plant pots, door mats, and as mentioned, lighting. 'It's the first thing we see when we get to someone's home, so it's nice that there's a wreath and cute seating or arrangement of flowers that great people to give a nice impression before entering a home,' suggests designer Linda Hayslett of LH. Designs.
FAQs
What are the top front door color trends?
When it comes to the latest front door color trends, we are finding that ‘people are becoming braver with their color choices,’ says Matt Higgs from Klöeber.
‘We’re seeing requests for brightly colored doors, such as orange and yellow, as opposed to the more standard grays that have been so in demand recently. Black is also proving to be a popular option.’ This could be due to the meaning of the front door color. Black is often associated with positive energy, and it is known to be one of the most popular front door colors that will add the most value to your home.
For further front door design inspiration, we explore whether your front door should be lighter or darker than your house?
