It’s time to take a page from our European friends and revitalize our doors! Luckily, you don’t have to do a major renovation to change the look of your space. Paint is your best friend for an easy makeover, and we’re bringing you 6 cross-ocean looks for inspiration!

Belfast, Northern Ireland

The pebble wall as a backdrop really helps this burgundy door pop. The cream trim around the edge provides a beautiful depth, and overall, this door just looks regal!

Sliema, Malta

This gold door against the limestone in Malta seems subtle at first glance. Look closer though, and you’ll notice that the lighter colour of the wall makes the door look rich and saturated in comparison. The pop of colour at the window is super fun as well!

Quebec City, Canada

Here’s one from close to home! The toned-down green of this door really helps to blend with the blue-grey of the wall, and the flowers provide a complementary colour for passerby.

Dublin, Ireland

The rich coral door on this dark, old, Dublin brick is so lively. The shade itself almost resembles lipstick, and the yellow trim give an electric feel to it.

Milan, Italy

What a combination! This look is for the bold only, with plaster pink walls and a shocking green door. It certainly pops though!

Lisbon, Portugal

This look is like a gemstone on a wall, with the rich blue door acting as an eye-catching bauble! The vibrant purple tiles can’t be overlooked either, of course!

What’s Popular Here?

The top selling exterior colours in Canada are white, gray, black and navy. Definitely not as exciting as the doors above, but there’s still plenty of capacity to keep a door simple and classic.

Once you get into the top 30 colours or so, some colours finally show up.  A surprising number of blues have surfaced lately – aside from good old Hale Navy there is Van Deusen Blue, Symphony blue and a fresh, pretty pastel – Birds Egg! There’s also a beautiful Aegean Teal, which is a great pop of colour for a front door. Hawthorne Yellow is a good bet for nice historical look as well. Of course, we’d be remiss to not mention the potential for a splash of red. Caliente is the most popular red for the outdoors.

Before you get to painting though, we have a few tips!

• Check the weather and be sure you have a few days of dry, consistent temperatures above 10 degrees. If you use Aura exterior 100% acrylic you can get away with painting in lower temperatures of around 5 degrees – but remember that has to be consistent throughout the evening.
• Unless it’s a brand-new ready to paint door, you will have to do some prep, which includes a light sanding. Generally a fine grit sandpaper will do and be sure the door is clean and dry before you start.
• Spot-prime any raw or bare spots or prime if you’re changing colour drastically. Priming can also just ensure a good sound surface. Be sure to use high quality tools, like an angle sash polyester brush for water borne paints . Use the brush to get into the recessed areas and be sure the paint doesn’t pool.  Then you can switch to an appropriate sized roller.
• Be sure to choose your door colour outside with natural light! Color is subjective so differences in light can make the same colour appear quite different on your front door than on the house across the street!
• Since it’s a relatively small area compared to the rest of the house, you can afford to take risks with the front door and be more adventurous with colour.   
• Dark coloured brick or stone can overwhelm a pale door, so you may consider a more saturated shade.

Photos and information provided by Sharon Grech and Benjamin Moore.